Career Spotlight: Business Consultant

Posted on by Mary Kate Weaver

What Is a Business Consultant?

Do you enjoy offering people advice? As a business consultant, you work with business professionals on projects to help them succeed. Business consultants analyze organizational practices, identify weaknesses, and recommend solutions. Learn how to become a business consultant and what area to specialize in.

What Do Business Consultants Do?

Business consultants are professional advisors who help companies achieve certain goals. Most consultants work with leadership teams to do the following:

  • Increase sales and revenue
  • Improve employee performance
  • Develop business plans
  • Facilitate new system trainings
  • Improve organizational efficiency
  • Implement organizational changes, which can include hiring and firing staff
  • Increase employee morale
  • Improve customer service and customer satisfaction

    • Responsibilities vary depending on the industry you are working in and the goals of the company. Most of the time, business consultants are hired when something isn’t going as planned. As a business leader, if your company isn’t producing enough products or making enough money, or morale is extremely low and causing high turnover among employees, it may be time to hire a consultant.

    What Types of Business Consultants Are There?

    Business consultants often specialize in specific areas such as marketing, human resources, management, engineering, or finance, and provide expert advice on that topic. Furthermore, business consultants tend to work with similar businesses. Whether you consider yourself an expert in small business consulting, human resources consulting, or IT consulting, the main goal is to improve the overall business. Furthermore, most business consultants previously worked in the field that they now consult in.

    Small Business Consultants

    Small business consultants usually give new or experienced business owners advice on problem solving, strategy, and developing skills. Since many small business owners tend to be experts in the product they sell, rather than in running a business, it is common to work with a business consultant. Some responsibilities can include:

  • Design business plans
  • Create sales and marketing strategies
  • Gather data and analytics, and provide reports for business owners

    • Ultimately, business owners hire business consultants who are experts in a field they need the most help with.

    Operations Consultants

    Operations consultants are hired to improve a company’s internal operations. Operations consultants support implementation of a company’s target operating model, management systems, functional business processes, and culture throughout the life cycle of a business’s products.

    HR Consultants

    Human resource consultants offer a variety of services, including professional consulting, education, training, and human resource advice. Most companies hire a HR consultant when they aren’t satisfied with its current employees or their management. An HR consultant observes employees and upper leadership to seek out weaknesses. They then develop plans that will benefit the client. In some cases, HR consultants will assist with the hiring of new employees or firing of current ones.

    Risk Management Consultants

    A risk management consultant assesses the various risks faced by a particular organization. This can include cyber risk assessments, governance, risk and compliance, incident response planning, and IT. Most organizations hire a risk management consultant when things might not be going as planned within the organization, or the industry is changing. The goal of hiring a risk management consultant is to get ahead of big challenges. They help forecast the future of the organization and industry so upper leadership can better prepare.

    IT Consultants

    IT consultants manage just what the title suggests: technological issues. Most of the time, organizations hire IT consultants when there are issues with their current system or network or when they implement a new system or network. IT consultants handle anything from computer repairs to management and maintenance of large networks, depending on the client’s needs.

    How to Become a Business Consultant

    There is no direct path to becoming a business consultant. Many begin with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing, management, leadership, or a related field. A good consultant has work experience in the field they wish to consult in. That can be anything from an internship for a few months, to working in the field for years, and becoming a consultant later in life.

    Skills Needed to Become a Business Consultant

    In addition to a bachelor’s degree and work experience, successful business consultants have these skills:

  • Effective Communication. As a consultant, you must have strong communication skills to work with your clients. You must transmit your ideas and interpret data in a way that is clear to your clients.
  • Strategic Thinker. A business consultant looks for weaknesses within an organization. The ability to understand business situations, other peoples’ perspectives, and practical business applications will set you up as a successful business consultant.
  • Strong Leader. Your job is to keep conversation productive and ensure the client is closer to their business goals. You need to take initiative and steer the conversations to lead to the most effective and efficient solutions. In some cases, you may work for yourself. Strong leadership skills are necessary.
  • Adaptability. Working with different businesses, you never know what you will find. Being able to adapt and be flexible is key to a successful business consultant.

    • Lastly, successful business consultants must have strategic consulting skills. You must be able to identify problems, find solutions, create long-term plans that companies can realistically execute, and always be listening and observing. A certificate in leadership from Excelsior University will help you strengthen your skills and set you up to be a successful business consultant.

    Career Spotlight: Computer Hardware Engineer

    Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

    Do you like computers, programming, and engineering? Why not combine them and become a computer hardware engineer? These professionals help advance the world of computer technology by creating new hardware systems.

    Let’s take a closer look at this job and see if it fits in with your career goals.

    What Is a Computer Hardware Engineer?

    Simply put, computer hardware engineers research, design, and build computer systems. They combine their expertise and knowledge in information technology, electronics, and engineering to design and test the various components of computer structures. They develop computer equipment like routers, processors, and circuit boards.

    What Do Computer Hardware Engineers Do?

    As mentioned, a computer hardware engineer is responsible for developing parts of a computer system. They may work independently or as part of a team of other technology professionals. They identify problems and come up with ways to solve them, as well as develop technology improvements. Some typical job duties include:

    • Designing new computer equipment and hardware
    • Making models of new hardware and testing those models
    • Analyzing test results
    • Upgrading computer equipment to increase compatibility with new software
    • Working with software engineers
    • Overseeing the manufacturing process
    Start training for a new career today with Excelsior’s BS in Electrical Engineering Technology.

    Where Do Computer Hardware Engineers Work?

    Many computer hardware engineers work in research laboratories and for computer companies and design firms. They work in fields such as computer and electronic product manufacturing, computer system design, and scientific research and development. The majority of these professionals work in urban areas.

    How to Become a Computer Hardware Engineer

    To become a computer hardware engineer, you need the appropriate education, experience, and credentials. Most employers require applicants to have at least a bachelor’s degree from an ABET-accredited program in hardware engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, or a related field. Since working in this field means working with both hardware and software, it’s beneficial for students to take courses in computer science so they have working knowledge of computer programming. A master’s degree is encouraged to provide even more knowledge and experience.

    It’s also important to gain hands-on experience by taking internships. Some schools offer robotics and computer competitions where students can practice what they know and build their portfolios. Of course, it’s also good to reach out to experts in the field to make professional connections and learn directly from those with significant experience.

    Depending on where you work, you may benefit from earning certain other credentials. There are a variety of certifications that you can pursue to further your education and boost your resume. These certifications are: Engineer in Training Certification, Software Engineering Management Associate Engineer, Certified LabVIEW Developer, and Software Engineering Master Certification.

    Skills a Computer Hardware Engineer Needs

    There are certain skills and qualities that make for a good computer hardware engineer. These include:

    • Using problem-solving skills
    • Being creative to come up with designs
    • Being effective at oral and written communication
    • Possessing a working knowledge of computer programming and software development
    • Being able to think analytically
    • Being prepared to work long hours

    What Degree Is Needed to Be a Computer Hardware Engineer?

    As mentioned, to become a computer hardware engineer, you need to have at least a bachelor’s degree from an ABET-accredited program. Excelsior’s Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology program prepares students for electrical and allied engineering technology positions in technology-related industries such as electronics, electrical power, semiconductors and computers, and nanotechnology. Accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET, the program is designed specifically to advance job skills by ensuring a breadth of knowledge in technology concepts as well as a depth of understanding and skills in one of two technical concentrations—electronics or power systems. Either is an appropriate choice for anyone wishing to enter the field of computer engineering.

    How Much Do Computer Hardware Engineers Make in a Year?

    According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of 2021, the average median pay for a computer hardware engineer is $128,170. The BLS reports this occupation will grow 5 percent from 2021 to 2031, with about 5,300 jobs opening each year. So, overall, this is a perfect time to enter this growing field. Contact an Excelsior admissions counselor today to get started on your path to becoming a computer hardware engineer.

    Career Spotlight: Leadership Coach

    Posted on by Mary Kate Weaver

    Businesses across all industries require an effective leader who can lead people to achieve the organization’s goals. People looking to earn high-level leadership roles such as vice president, CEO, COO, director, or president of an organization should invest in a leadership coach. Leadership coaches help individuals achieve personal and professional growth.

    What Is a Leadership Coach?

    A leadership coach guides clients to achieve personal and professional growth. Depending on the organization you work for, as a leadership coach you may work with people who are new to their leadership roles, or you may provide continued support for established leaders who are looking to do better. Typically, leadership coaches have a variety of responsibilities, which can include:

  • Provide ongoing feedback to employees on their leadership skills as they progress through their career
  • Create training programs that include leadership development, conflict resolution, communication skills, coaching, and other relevant leadership development topics
  • Help managers develop effective leadership styles that fit the company, personality, and situation
  • Develop training programs for new hires and conduct interviews with employees who are leaving the organization
  • Observe managers in their work environment

    • In addition, leadership coaches mentor senior leaders on ways to improve their ability to manage effectively.

    Job Outlook of a Leadership Coach

    A position as a leadership coach is highly desirable. While we haven’t seen a huge amount of positions available for leadership coaches, they are growing. It is expected for more leadership coaching positions to appear as small companies, organizations, and startups launch. It is also typical to find leadership coaches who work part-time or for themselves, rather than for a large organization. This creates a flexible work environment and allows you to decide who your clients are. It is more risky than a typical job since you are not guaranteed payment unless you have clients.

    According to Zip Recruiter, leadership coaches make around $62k on average, per year. Many salaries depend on how many clients a leadership coach has, what level the client is in within the organization, and whether leadership coaches work for themselves or an organization.

    Skills Needed to Be a Leadership Coach

    Leadership coaches can act as counselors or mentors to their clients depending on the organization or situation in which they are working. To be a successful leadership coach, the following skills are needed:

  • Communication. As a leadership coach, you will work with many different people, and many different types of leaders. You must be able to communicate effectively with each client, as well as with the client’s supervisor.
  • Confidence. You will most likely be working with people in high-level leadership roles at some point during your career. It is important for coaches to have confidence in their abilities to help others develop their skills.
  • Time management. You must have excellent time management skills to ensure the expectations of your clients are met. You will most likely work with a few clients at one time, so being able to prioritize and dedicate the proper amount of time to each client is important.
  • Empathy.You must be able to understand where your clients are coming from to help them overcome their own challenges.

    • Additionally, a leadership coach must be a strong leader. This probably sounds obvious, but it is worth pointing out. People who are leadership coaches usually have a background in leadership positions.

    Education Needed to Be a Leadership Coach

    A career as a leadership coach is highly rewarding. While there is no clear path to becoming a leadership coach, there are ideal qualities and requirements when it comes to looking for leadership coaches. In addition to the skills above, leadership coaches typically have:

  • A bachelor’s degree in psychology, management, business administration, or a related field. A deep understanding of human psychology and behavior, as well as a background in managing people, will set you up for success.
  • Leadership coaches looking to work with high-level positions could require a master’s degree in business administration, organizational leadership, or a related field.
  • Lastly, experience! Leadership coaches know how to run a business, or a team. They tend to have years of experience in a range of leadership roles.

    • If you are looking for an advanced degree in leadership but are not sure a master’s degree is necessary, a graduate certificate in leadership from Excelsior University may be the right choice for you!

    What Is the Role of a Mentor?

    Posted on by Tammy Spenziero

    Engaging with a mentor can help increase a student’s confidence, align their expectations with the realities of life and work, and further their growth and development. Mentors help unlock the potential in their mentee’s personal, academic, and professional growth. They listen to their mentee’s needs, help clarify goals, and offer advice and wisdom based on hard-earned experience.

    The Role of a Mentor in Your Professional Career

    What Is a Mentor?

    Mentors offer career guidance and advice, share perspectives and challenges, and offer potential connections. Being a mentor is a great opportunity to be a resource and give back. Mentors offer advice on everything from academics and financing your education to tips for career success. Mentors often act as life counselors, taking advantage of experiences in their own lives to share secrets for success and life tips. Those mentored often value the mentor’s expertise and find having a mentor useful as they look toward the future and building their professional careers. The role mentors play is simple and natural, yet important and memorable, as the mentee grows personally and professionally. The mentor and mentee find common ground and learn more about each other as the relationship progresses. As industry-specific issues come up, these developments make great topics for discussion.

    What Does a Mentor Do?

    Many people say the heart of mentoring and getting the most out of life isn’t about how much you keep for yourself, but how much you pour into others. In the academic setting, building relationships between students and alumni is every bit as valuable as any course taught. Mentoring is a great tool to assist students to learn networking skills early in their careers. Students who have mentors can gain insight into their career field and obtain advice about decisions for their future and choices they make. As a mentor, it is a rewarding feeling to assist a student and give back, knowing you made an impact. This helps build your own experience as a professional.

    Ways a Mentor Can Help You

    Mentoring programs enhance a student’s college experience. They give students and alumni or other professionals the opportunity to work together to reach a goal. It is through this kind of connection that alumni and students can create an engaged and rewarding culture. Also, these programs ensure that students receive the kind of support they need to excel as students now and professionals in the future. And, aside from making a student’s college life more purposeful, mentoring may also help students transition from being unemployed to becoming fully employed.

    Roles of a Mentor in Your Life

    Mentors help students build their network, connections, and credibility. Mentors assist students in developing socially as well as give them the experience of one-on-one meetings with professionals in the field. Mentors serve as role models and confidence boosters. They listen, give feedback, and answer questions. Through sharing ideas, knowledge, and experiences, they can share tools and resources that help a student to clarify their educational and professional goals. Students often gain valuable experiences and learn things from mentors that they do not find in a classroom setting.

    Role of a Mentor in Education

    No student should go without the critical support and connection to opportunities that a mentor provides. In fact, you may consider having multiple mentors. A mentor doesn’t have to have all the answers, they just must be willing to listen and share what they know. Engaging with a mentor helps unlock potential in a mentee’s personal, academic, and professional growth. Career goals are evolutionary, and good mentors assist students with their professional evolution. Research shows that students who experience good mentoring have a greater chance of securing career goals and potential advancement.

    Students often go to college to earn a degree so that they may be well-equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in their chosen field. While hard work and determination are keys to success, getting the necessary help through human connections is equally beneficial. Are you, as the student, following the right career pathway? Do you want to increase your chances of meeting your professional goals? Do you have the right connections and access to a network for a successful job search? Finding a mentor in your field of interest can help.

    At Excelsior University, we know that meaningful mentoring relationships develop organically over time. Career mentoring provides opportunities for further growth, development, collaboration, and connection. Key tips are to let relationships be on your terms, in your own time. It may be short-term, long-term, or as needed and agreed upon between you and your mentor. Mentors offer guidance, advice, and share perspectives. As a mentor, it’s a great chance to give back, share, and help identify opportunities for a mentee. Whether you can help one or many, our Excelsior mentees are eager to connect and learn from a mentor’s work and life experiences.

    Role of a Mentor in the Workplace

    Mentees explore the world of work by engaging and gaining knowledge and experience from a professional’s perspective and applying what they’ve learned to real-life situations. Throughout a mentorship, mentees become familiar with corporate protocol and add resources and tools to assist in identifying long-term development needs. Meaningful professional relationships develop organically over time. A mentor acts as someone to bounce questions and ideas off of who has experience in the field. They have the unique opportunity to encourage and advise by sharing their own experiences and knowledge.

    Finding the Right Mentor for You

    To find the right mentor, review commonalities, think about mutual interests, and ask the right questions. Consider how you find a date—it is similar, if not the same. It sounds silly but when you think about all the algorithms that match you to someone, it is the same concept.

    At Excelsior, interested students and alumni answer key questions to develop a profile that a mentorship tool uses to form matches. Mentees and mentors are matched based on algorithms built on mutual areas of interest, including career and program areas, and other preferences sourced from their profiles. We offer students and alumni the platform, network, outline, and suggested guides. When they make a match, they make the mentoring relationship their own.

    Holocaust Remembrance Day

    Posted on by Pamela Jimenez

    What is Holocaust Remembrance Day?

    The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, as the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the six million victims of the Holocaust under Nazi persecution and in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur.

    Why we commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD)?

    During this time, we seek to learn lessons of the past. Genocide began with discrimination, racism, and hatred that were left unchecked. “The Holocaust threatened the fabric of civilization, and genocide must still be resisted every day. Our world often feels fragile and vulnerable, and we cannot be complacent.”

    Thousands of people come together on Holocaust Memorial Day each year to learn more about the past and take action to create a safer future. A goal of Holocaust Memorial Day is to bear witness for those who endured genocide and honor the survivors and all lives that were impacted.

    Resources to Learn More about Holocaust Remembrance Day?

    To learn more about Holocaust Memorial Day:

    https://www.ushmm.org/remember/international-holocaust-remembrance-day
    https://www.hmd.org.uk/what-is-holocaust-memorial-day/

    Teaching a New Generation of Medical Assistants

    Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

    Thanks to Excelsior University’s partnership with the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), Wendy Craven, of Winston Salem, North Carolina, earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences, an accomplishment that enables her to continue her medical assisting career. With this degree, she is also able to give back to the next generation of medical assistants as they come through the doors of the community college where she works.

    Craven’s original interest was in teaching, but she was dissuaded by the economy of the early 1980s from pursuing that career. A presentation on medical assisting soon gave her a new career to consider. “I knew that I did not want to work in a hospital setting…the presentation explained that career [medical assisting] as a physician office-based career, and administrative parts of it, as well as the clinical and laboratory, appealed to me,” she says. Craven earned an associate degree in medical assisting from Wingate College in the 1980s.

    Craven has worked in medical assisting for several decades. The best thing about being a medical assistant, she says, is that you build a rapport with your patients in an office setting that you wouldn’t normally have in a hospital. “In the physician practice, you’re seeing somebody coming in for regular follow-ups over a number of years. If you work in pediatrics, you get the opportunity to watch that child grow. If you work in obstetrics and gynecology, you get to observe that pregnancy through from beginning until the end of term,” she says. The world of medical assisting also involves administrative work, including checking patients in and out from their visits, following up on insurance claims, and billing, among other tasks. Craven describes it as a “360-degree” career.

    In 2015, Craven had the opportunity to incorporate her interest in teaching into her career. She became an adjunct instructor at Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston Salem, teaching future medical assistants. She was able to transition into a full-time position in 2019, and part of that agreement was to complete her bachelor’s degree. Luckily, she heard about Excelsior University (then College). Transferring credit and earning her bachelor’s from the school could not have been smoother. “The transition was so easy, not only accepting my very aged credits from Wingate, circa 1983, but also giving some credit for the credential that I have through AAMA—my CMA AAMA credential,” says Craven. “And then the adviser that I worked with helped me to pick out courses and kind of move the process along.” She earned her degree in November 2021.

    Now Craven advises students as they enter the medical assisting program at Forsyth in a role called faculty mentoring. “I always feel like it’s my obligation and my privilege to help guide them to where they really want to be,” she says. She adds that it is her college’s model to give students the appropriate advice for where they need to be. Craven and others help move the students along a pathway that is right for them. She also recommends that students who don’t know where to begin try skills assessment tests to see what they might be best at and most capable of. It might not tell them exactly what to do, but it’s a good place to start, she says.

    Craven has used many examples from her courses at Excelsior in her teachings at Forsyth. She shares her experiences at Excelsior and incorporates some lessons learned from health equity, cultural diversity, and health care courses into her teachings. The most important thing, she says, is she tries to instill the idea of lifelong learning. “I try to give students information…that your education does not have to end here with your diploma or your associate degree,” says Craven. “There are a lot of avenues.”

    A Walk to Remember

    Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

    His plans were all set, but William “Bill” Klee, of Lusby, Maryland, almost didn’t walk the stage at Excelsior University’s 51st Annual Commencement in July 2022. He had earned a Bachelor of Professional Studies in Technology Management, and he had excelled in (and enjoyed) his courses—he even tripled up in several of his trimesters! The problem came in late June of 2022 when he received a horrifying call saying his daughter had been in a terrible motorcycle accident. Forget about attending Commencement, was she even alright?

    Klee and his daughter had often ridden together as EMTs. She was a full-time EMT and he, too, has his certification, but mainly just drove the ambulance. It was a time he cherished. So, when he learned of her accident that occurred, he was devastated. Any thoughts he had about traveling out of state to attend Commencement took a back seat to supporting his daughter’s recovery.

    As she overcame her injuries, she and Klee’s wife encouraged him to keep his plans to go to Commencement. It was to be his first time hearing his name called and walking across a stage to celebrate an educational milestone.

    Klee had finished high school in the middle of the school year and when it was graduation time, he didn’t have a chance to walk the stage to get his diploma because he was in the middle of Boot Camp for the U.S. Navy. He became an electronic technician, working in calibration labs and special communications facilities. As an electronic technician, he used technical systems to assist with detection and tracking of subsurface threats and enable secure communications with U.S. Naval submarines to maintain fleet combat readiness. “You’re following your procedures, you’re testing equipment out, and then if it doesn’t pass, you have to figure out why it didn’t pass and fix what is wrong with the items and get it back to where it belongs,” stated Klee, explaining his job. He noted that the Navy’s electronic standards had to meet and trace back to the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) guidelines and standards.

    Klee’s job future changed due to one single mistake. While checking an item that needed to be calibrated, Klee noticed a problem. He brought the discrepancy to his superior, who disregarded the issue. As a result, the situation ended up causing damage to the equipment and electronic standard for which Klee was blamed. “But because of that incident, I was given an opportunity that I probably never would have had,” he says. He was moved from the Calibration Lab to the Planning Group on the naval base in Groton, Connecticut. “I just absolutely fell in love with planning. I swore if I ever got the opportunity again to do planning like that, that I was going to take it.”

    Klee got his wish. When he separated from the Navy after 12 years of service, he began working at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in the Instrument and Controls Shop. When the opportunity arose in 2001 for him to move to Planning, he jumped at the chance. In 2010 he made the move into Projects. If it wasn’t for that one incident in the Navy, he feels he probably wouldn’t have gotten that opportunity. “I wouldn’t have had that taste and desire for working in Planning, which then led me to Projects, which ultimately led me to Corporate IT Projects. So yeah, it was definitely one of those happy mistakes…,” says Klee, “I try to tell people, ‘Don’t be afraid to make a mistake, because you never know where it’s going to take you.’”

    Now Klee is an IT project manager, a position he obtained after earning his bachelor’s degree from Excelsior University (then Excelsior College). Michael Johnson, then the associate dean in the School of Undergraduate Studies and a retired Navy veteran, directed Klee to Excelsior, and Klee was able to apply credits from Richland Community College and his time in the Navy toward his degree. The educational partnership between Excelsior and his employer was beneficial, too, and the admissions process was easy. “It was a very simple process…I was able to take the background information [training and courses] that I had done between the Navy and my other classes and submit that for review. I was able to approach my training department at Calvert Cliffs and they were able to just send me a letter that verified what training I had already been through and submit that to Excelsior as part of our partnership.”

    Klee worked hard to complete his studies, even going so far as to take a 15-week course and two 8-week courses in the same trimester for several trimesters. Thankfully, he had the support of his family to help him get through the process and he earned his bachelor’s degree in October 2020.

    And the best part? On Commencement Day in July 2022, Klee’s wife and daughter were hundreds of miles away, just returning from one of his daughter’s many doctor’s appointments, when they began to watch the live-streamed ceremony on their phone while stopped at a red traffic light. It just so happened they were watching at the exact moment Klee crossed the stage. It was a moment the family will never forget.

    More from William Klee

    What makes a good leader?

    “I try to work with my people a lot more. I don’t want to be a boss, I want to be somebody that they would look at as more of a mentor, a leader, rather than just somebody there to say, ‘No, you need to do this or that.’”

    What’s one piece of advice you could give people?

    “I would say, ‘Don’t be afraid to try because you never know where it will take you.’ The time that you will ultimately fail is when you don’t try….’ I’ve seen people on LinkedIn that were saying that they were just starting back to school, and I would try to encourage them. It took me over 30 years to complete my degree. I can tell you without a doubt, I’m glad I did. You have to take that first step; you have to start trying. Don’t give up. Keep going and then finally you can say, ‘I did it.’”

    In His Own Words

    Hear William share his story in his own words in this clip:

    Martin Luther King Jr. Day

    Posted on by Pamela Jimenez

    Who was Dr. King and why do we commemorate him?

    Although it took many decades, in 1983, President Ronald Regan signed a bill that created a U.S. federal holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which is observed on the third Monday of January.
    Martin Luther King Day commemorates the civil rights activist and leader assassinated in 1968. Dr. Martin Luther King was a scholar and a minister who led the non-violent civil rights movement. Through activism and inspirational speeches, King played an instrumental role in ending the legal segregation of African American citizens in the United States, as well as creating the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

    In 1964, he won the Nobel Peace Prize and his legacy lives forever as he continues to be remembered as one of the most influential and inspirational African American leaders in history. Dr. King delivered powerful messages of peace and equality. One of his more memorable speeches was given on August 28, 1963, in the historic march on Washington, D.C. which drew more than 200,000 people into the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial. It was here that Dr. King gave the “I have dream” speech emphasizing his belief that someday all men could be brothers.

    On April 3, he gave his final speech in which he told supporters in Memphis, “I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the promised land.” The next day, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed by a sniper’s bullet while standing on a balcony outside his motel room. Dr. King’s life had a tremendous impact on race relations in the United States.

    Other more notable quotes by Dr. King are:

    “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
    “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
    “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
    “True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.”
    “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

    Resources to learn more about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy.

    https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/martin-luther-king-jr
    https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1964/king/biographical/
    Source: History.com

    Excelsior University Welcomes New Chair and Members to Board of Trustees

    Posted on by Erin Coufal

    Matt LoebAlbany, New York—The Excelsior University board of trustees has named Matt Loeb as its chair. He has been a member of the board since 2017. Loeb has more than 30 years of global leadership experience and is a certified board director by the National Association of Corporate Directors. He is currently CEO and principal of Optimal Performance Seekers LLC, and non-executive chair of the Bubblr (OTC:BBLR) Board of Directors.

    “Excelsior is a leading online university, and we are fortunate to benefit from the expertise of our board members who are leaders in industry, technology, finance, and higher education,” said David Schejbal, president of Excelsior University. “We look forward to working with Matt Loeb as the new chair of the board. His passion for our mission and focus on strategy is essential to growing Excelsior’s impact.”

    Charlene DukesThe board also named Charlene Dukes, president emerita at Prince George’s Community College, vice chair of the board. Dukes was the first female president of the community college, which is the home of the National Cyberwatch Center, an advanced technology education site funded by the National Science Foundation.

    Dr. Dan GreensteinNew trustees appointed to the board include Daniel Greenstein, chancellor of Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, and David Wilson, president of Morgan State University.

    In 2018, Greenstein became chancellor of Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, the state’s system of public universities. The system serves more than 90,000 degree-seeking students. Greenstein is leading a system-wide redesign effort focused on increasing opportunities for students.

    David Wilson, Board TrusteeWilson’s tenure as Morgan’s president, which began in 2010, has been characterized by great gains and an era of unprecedented transformation for the University. He has authored two books and more than 20 articles and was inducted into the Baltimore Sun’s Business Civic Hall of Fame in 2021.

    In addition to Loeb and Dukes, other board officers are Kent Clark, treasurer, and Jeanne Meister, secretary. Greenstein and Wilson join David Baime, Jennifer Gentry, Karen Kocher, KH Maman, Karim Merchant, Rose Wang, and Alec Whitters on the board of trustees.

    # # #

    Media Contact Excelsior University:
    Erin Coufal, ecoufal@excelsior.edu, 518-608-8498

    ABOUT EXCELSIOR UNIVERSITY
    Excelsior University is an accredited, not-for-profit online institution focused on helping adults complete their degrees and advance their careers. Excelsior contributes to the development of a diverse, educated, and career-ready society by valuing lifelong learning with an emphasis on serving individuals historically underrepresented in higher education. Founded in 1971, Excelsior meets students where they are—academically and geographically—removing obstacles to the educational goals of adults pursuing continuing education and degree completion. Our pillars include innovation, flexibility, academic excellence, and integrity.

    Christmas

    Posted on by Pamela Jimenez

    Christmas is celebrated on December 25. Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a global cultural and commercial phenomenon. People around the world observe it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular. For Christians, it is the celebration of the birth of Jesus, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of Christianity. For Christians and non-Christians alike, popular customs include:

  • Gathering with the family.
  • Exchanging gifts.
  • Decorating Christmas trees.
  • Sharing meals with family and friends.
  • Waiting for Santa Claus to arrive on December 25.

    • The History of Christmas

    While today Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus during the Christmas holiday, the precise origin of assigning December 25 as the birth date of Jesus is unclear. The bible does not mention a date for Jesus’ birth until the fourth century. Pope Julius I chose December 25 to celebrate and adopted and absorbed the traditions of the traditional winter solstice festivals, which were celebrated worldwide.

    When is and how is Christmas celebrated?

    In the 19th century, Americans began to embrace Christmas. Around the same time, the English author Charles Dickens created A Christmas Carol, a story about the importance of charity and goodwill toward all humankind. At the same time, families became more sensitive to the emotional needs of their children and lavished them with attention and gifts during the holiday.

    A monk named St. Nicholas gave birth to the legend of Santa Claus. St. Nicholas, born in Turkey around 280 A.D., traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick and gave away all his inherited wealth, becoming known as the protector of children and sailors. Americans embraced St. Nicholas in the late 18th century when an Episcopal minister wrote a Christmas poem more popularly known by its first line, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. Subsequently, in 1881, political cartoonist Thomas Nast drew on the poem and immortalized the jolly man in red with a white beard and a sack of toys.

    More Resources to learn about Christmas

    History of Christmas – Origins, Traditions & Facts – HISTORY
    The History of Christmas (historycooperative.org)
    Christmas | Origin, Definition, Traditions, History, & Facts | Britannica

    Kwanzaa

    Posted on by Pamela Jimenez

    History of Kwanzaa

    In 1966, Dr. Maulana Karenga professor and chairman of Black Studies at California State University, Long Beach created Kwanzaa. In an effort to bring African Americans together as a community, he combined aspects of several different harvest celebrations, such as those of the Ashanti and those of the Zulu to form the basis of the week-long holiday. Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which is Swahili for “first fruits.” Each family celebrates Kwanzaa in their own way. The holiday traditionally lasts seven days and on each of the seven nights, the family gathers, and a child lights one of the candles on the candleholder, also known as kinara, followed by a discussion of one of the seven principles.

    The seven principles called the Nguzo Saba in Swahili are values of African culture which contribute to building and reinforcing community among African Americans. In addition to the candle lighting ceremony, celebrations often include songs and dances, African drums, storytelling, poetry reading, and a large traditional meal.

    When and How is Kwanzaa Celebrated

    Even though Kwanzaa began as an alternative to Christmas, many families celebrate both holidays. According to Dr. Karenga, Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday with spiritual significance, not religious. Thus, African Americans of all faiths can and do celebrate Kwanzaa. In 2022, Kwanzaa begins on Monday, December 26, and ends on Sunday January 1,2023.

    Resources to learn more about Kwanzaa

    National Museum of African American History and Culture
    Official Kwanzaa Website
    African American Cultural Center

    Hanukkah

    Posted on by Pamela Jimenez

    Origins of Hanukkah

    Hanukkah is the eight-day celebration widely known as the festival of lights. This Jewish celebration commemorates the miracle of light that occurred when a vial of oil, just enough to light the temple’s menorah for one day, burned for eight days. The miracle became the foundation of the beloved holiday to celebrate the victory of light over darkness. The holiday is celebrated with the lighting of the menorah, traditional foods such as latkes and sufganiyot, dreidel games, and gifts.

    How Hanukkah is Celebrated

    The Hanukkah celebration includes the lighting of a nine-branched menorah, known in Hebrew as the hanukkiah. On each of the eight nights, another candle is added to the hanukkiah after sundown, with the ninth candle, called the shamash (helper), used to light the others. Jews typically sing blessings during this lighting of the candles and display the menorah prominently in a window as a reminder to others of the miracle that inspired the holiday. Traditional Hanukkah foods are fried in oil, like potato pancakes (latkes), and jam-filled donuts (sufganiyot) are particularly popular for many Jewish households. Other customs include playing with four-sided spinning tops called dreidels and exchanging gifts. This year Hanukkah begins the evening of December 18 and ends the evening of December 26, 2022.

    More Resources for Understanding Hanukkah

    History of Hanukkah https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/hanukkah