CPNE and Me: Andrew Lieberman, Paramedic

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Making the leap into the nursing field takes time, dedication and determination. It also requires passing of the Clinical Performance in Nursing Exam (CPNE), a comprehensive performance examination that validates a student’s competency to enter professional nursing practice.

But for United States Marine Corps paramedic Andrew Lieberman, the exam was reasonable and doable in large part to the right resources, assistance and investment from Excelsior College.

Working as a paramedic while teaching part-time in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Program at Coastal Carolina Community College in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Lieberman had designs on becoming a registered nurse, but needed to find a program that accommodated his full-time paramedic schedule. Thankfully, he found that opportunity at Excelsior’s School of Nursing, with flexible scheduling conducive to his weeks of demanding hours.

“Excelsior College gave me the opportunity to advance myself as an adult,” says Lieberman.

Once through coursework, it was time for Lieberman to master the CPNE, an 8-credit performance-based test that measures on-the-job competence over two and a half days in an acute care hospital. With the help of research materials, faculty advisement and study groups that stressed vital attention to detail, Lieberman absorbed all he could before approaching his exam at Albany, New York’s St. Peter’s Hospital in December 2017.

The Lieberman-described “extreme preparation” paid off. He passed on his first try, which ushered him toward a new realm of professional opportunity.

“It gave me a sense of freedom and accomplishment,” says Lieberman. “As an RN, I now have recruiters calling me. I’m currently weighing my options, and have now fielded offers that can more than double my salary. That’s what [passing the exam] did for me.”

While surveying his possible career directions, Lieberman has determined his next educational move: He’s in the process of enrolling in an RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, then plans to continue onto graduate school. After successfully juggling the demands of full-time employment with pursuing an education to become a registered nurse, he finds no reason to quit his climb—and he doesn’t think other prospective students should, either.

It’s all about commitment, and it’s a goal that any dedicated student can achieve.

“It’s a choice,” says Lieberman. “If you made it through to the point where you are eligible for the test, then you can do this. There is never a great time to do it, because stuff will always get in your way if you let it. If you decide to start, know that it takes commitment to sacrificing now for a better tomorrow.”

 

More CPNE tips from Andrew Lieberman:

 Schedule faculty advisement

Stressed as vital to his CPNE success, faculty advisement calls helped Lieberman prepare for the competencies he’d need to master for eventual exam success—but he wishes he’d utilized these sooner. “I would’ve liked maybe an initial faculty advisement call at the time of registration for the CPNE, and at that time, [have them] spend 30 minutes explaining the examination. I think that would’ve been helpful.”

Start a study group

No one understands CPNE-prepping students better than their fellow students. That’s why finding a study group that’s relentless about preparation is essential. Lieberman found a small group of determined individuals all united in a common goal, and ones he could depend on for the strict evaluation necessary for exam success. “What was different about these people from the others?” asks Lieberman. “The difference isn’t that they were smarter or better. It’s that they looked inside and committed to completion. That’s it.”

 Get organized—and relax

Success on the CPNE requires utilizing resources and available time to eventually achieve on-the-job readiness. This takes organization, whether with resource materials or scheduling calls with faculty. But according to Lieberman, you need to know that everything at your disposal is there to set you up for exam success. “Calm yourself down, go relaxed and realize the examiners aren’t allowed to be monsters,” he says. “They want you to pass, but they can’t pass you if you can’t prove that initial RN-level of competence.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Course Feature: IT 390: Project Management

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

The Project Management Institute Inc. (PMI), an association of project managers providing global leadership in the subject, defines project management as “the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to a broad range of activities in order to meet the requirements of a particular project.” As organizations and projects grow and become complex, many projects fall short of their objective. In turn, new knowledge is developed to help increase the success rate of these projects. Project management is the practice of this new knowledge, and learning project management theory is the basis for IT 390: Project Management.

Project management is important to many organizations and course instructor Perry Ram says IT 390 is appropriate for students in any undergraduate program. He notes the course would also “be of keen interest to those who have had many years of supervisory experience and would want to transfer skills to project management. Project management is applicable in almost every career.” The course provides students with project management skills, practices, tools, and templates that can help them in their professional growth.

Ram explains the course covers the 10 knowledge areas and five process groups that PMI segments project management into. The knowledge areas include: scope, time, cost, quality, human resource, communication, risk, procurement, stakeholder, and integration. The process groups include initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing. The course also emphasizes ethics in project management.

Students in IT 390 learn hands-on through the phases of a project, from selection to completion. Throughout the course, they take on various roles such as project stakeholders and team members and also engage in productive feedback with each other through discussion posts. Assignments promote literary research and professional writing—skills which are valuable in academic and professional environments, adds Ram.

“Almost every student of this course has commented on how they have a new-found respect for project management and project managers. This course transforms students from being critical of project managers to becoming knowledgeably supportive of them,” says Ram.

If you’d like to become more well-versed in project management, consider signing up for IT 390: Project Management next semester. To learn about alumnus Kane Tomlin’s project management webinar series, check out the spring issue of Excelsior magazine.

The Keto Diet: Is It Right for You?

Posted on by Cortney Shaughnessy

You’ve probably heard your friends talking about the latest fad diet: the Keto Diet. It isn’t actually new. In fact, this type of diet has been prescribed for treatment of pediatric epilepsy as early as 1921. But does it also work for weight loss?

What is the Keto Diet?

The ketogenic (“keto”) diet is a high fat, moderate protein, low carbohydrate diet. It is rich in meats and fats, and carbohydrate intake is limited to no more than 50 grams each day. It similar to the very low carbohydrate Atkins Diet, which gained popularity in the 1970s for weight loss.

The Keto Diet is rich in meats, fish, nuts, seeds, butter, cheese, and fibrous vegetables. Foods high in carbohydrates, such as fruits, starchy vegetables, legumes, and grains are eliminated while on the Keto Diet.

How Does the Keto Diet Work?

When you dramatically reduce your carbohydrate intake, your cells do not have enough circulating blood sugar (which comes from carbohydrates in your diet) for energy. This causes your body to release ketone bodies (broken down from stored body fat) into your bloodstream for your body to use for energy. This process is called ketosis. It usually takes 2–4 days of eating no more than 20–50 grams of carbohydrates each day for the body to use ketone bodies for energy instead of circulating blood sugar.  The result is the loss of stored body fat with minimal hunger.

How Effective Is It for Weight Loss?

Research has shown that a low-carbohydrate diet is very effective for rapid, short-term weight loss compared to traditional weight reduction diets. However, over time, traditional weight loss diets (such as a low-fat diet or the Mediterranean Diet) appear to be equally effective. Research has also shown that the Keto Diet can reduce blood sugar levels for people living with type 2 diabetes.

Are There Any Side Effects to Following the Keto Diet?

Careful diet planning is key to ensuring you are not consuming too much red meat, sodium, processed meats, or saturated fat. Some people report it is difficult to stick to on a long-term basis, since the typical American diet is at least 50 percent carbohydrates. Reported side effects from the ketosis process include nausea, fatigue, bad breath, and constipation.

Is the Keto Diet Right for Me?

If you want to lose weight, a low-carbohydrate diet such as the Keto Diet can be an effective tool for jump-starting your weight loss. Proper planning can ensure your diet remains balanced in vitamins and essential nutrients while following the very low carbohydrate phase of this diet. However, decades of research supports a balanced diet rich in unprocessed foods such as vegetables, fruits, lean meats, fish, and healthy fats found in nuts, seeds, and oils to be the most effective for health and longevity. Learn more about improving your health with a Master of Science in Health Sciences.

Interested in learning more about nutrition and health? Consider enrolling in HSC 403: Nutrition for Wellness.

 

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Excelsior College, its trustees, officers, or employees.

Policing Careers and Technology: How New Technology Is Changing the Policing Profession

Posted on by Lynda Holt

The world of law enforcement is very different than it was 20 or even 10 years ago. New digital technologies are transforming the world of policing, allowing agencies to prevent crimes more effectively and solve crimes faster. Now, the unimaginable is reality; from drones in the sky to computers in our glasses, technological advancements are everywhere. Here are just a few of the new technologies that are helping police do their jobs more effectively and efficiently.

  • You may be aware of cases being solved and crimes being thwarted because of what someone posted on social media. Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Instagram, and other platforms can be used to gather intelligence, locate suspects, find crucial clues, and get the word out about cases to the public. A 2013 report from The Police Executive Research Forum indicates 80 percent of police departments used social media regularly for investigations and the associated official regarded social media investigations as “critically important to the future.”
  • Augmented reality is an interactive experience wherein technological information and virtual objects are overlaid onto real-world scenes in real-time. One great example of this technology is Google Glasses or HoloLens glasses. By using these types of glasses, a foot patrol officer can get information on homes and business he or she passes, and special face recognition software can analyze people he/she passes to compare to BOLO descriptions or those with outstanding warrants. In an October 2017 news report, the multimedia company VRScout reported on HoloLens, describing how it can be used to map out crime scene layouts and evidence and immediately share them with others, allowing for better workflow and collaboration. The company cited Nick Lyall, superintendent of the Bedfordshire (United Kingdom) police, who said, “As a detective, I can also say that its ability to scan crime scenes and create a mapped 3D version will allow for a reduction in cross-contamination issues and allow for investigators to visualize in real time the scenes of major crime.”
  • According to the Department of Homeland Security, biometrics are unique physical characteristics, such as fingerprints, that can be used for automated recognition. Officers may soon have small handheld devices to take accurate fingerprints, DNA samples, or other biological markers at the scene of a crime, or from suspects in the field, to compare to fingerprints in the system. The databases and technology continue to improve the collection and accuracy of the samples. The FBI maintains the largest database of biometric and criminal history information in the Next Generation Identification (NGI) system. The FBI is also working on new technology in facial services, voice recognition, palm print technology, and iris scans.
  • Allied Market Research defines situational awareness systems as security systems that help in collecting, visualizing, and analyzing information related to the surrounding and remote environment to facilitate surveillance as well as security. These systems also help in threat identification, assessment, strategy planning, risk analysis, and course-of-action development, and as a result find maximum application in the military and aerospace industries. Currently in use in New York City, the Domain Awareness System (DAS) uses data from a number of outside hosts and sources to provide instant access to photos and video. Jointly built by the NYPD and Microsoft, DAS uses the largest network of cameras, license plate readers, and sensors in the world. The system gives officers instant information about calls in progress, allowing officers a quick glimpse that helps guide an appropriate response to an ongoing situation. TDAS also contains a GPS system that is installed in over 5,000 police vehicles, designed to manage patrols and assist with police safety. The NYPD reports that DAS also gives officers in the field access to 911 data, alerts in real time, and translator apps to help with community members who do not speak English. On the management front, DAS allows commanding officers access to predictive analytics and data visualization so they can efficiently and effectively place patrols where and when they are most needed.

Technology is reshaping the world of police work. From the FBI to small-town police departments, law enforcement agencies are adopting new technologies, from the use of social media to drones to facial recognition software. When used properly, these advances can assist police officers in more effectively “protecting and serving” the public.  Hear from alumni Kane Tomlin as he discusses his policing career and how technology influences it daily on Candid Careers.

 

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Excelsior College, its trustees, officers, or employees.

 

 

Faculty Focus: Kathryn Saintcross

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Life is full of impactful moments, ones that take you from someplace you expected to a path of invigorating unfamiliarity. That unfamiliar path can be exciting and often delivers individuals to an ongoing series of rewarding experiences.

Just ask Excelsior College instructor Kathryn Saintcross. A faculty member since 2014, the native of Burlington, Vermont, earned undergraduate degrees in psychology, business administration, and retailing and merchandising from her hometown Trinity College and Champlain College. These degrees led her into a variety of fields, concentrating on such focuses as management, team development and training, and technical writing throughout the public and private sector, starting in 1976.

But when she decided to pursue an MBA, she elected to eschew another brick-and-mortar locale and enroll with Excelsior College.

“I can remember feeling nervous and overwhelmed as I started my first graduate course. I wondered if I would be successful earning a degree online,” said Saintcross, who now lives in New York’s Capital Region. “Like many adult learners, I was raising a family, working full-time, [plus] taking care of an elderly neighbor, and doing other volunteer work. Time was a precious commodity. Gratefully, I had a wonderful professor and I began to relax and excel in my work.”

And Saintcross understood the importance of good instruction. Over the years, she’d served as a teacher in a variety of capacities, working with everyone from young children with learning disabilities and adolescents with behavioral problems, to adult learners eager to pursue new avenues. But after earning her master’s at Excelsior (where she also served as an academic advisor), she was encouraged to extend her experience to other students—so she became an adjunct instructor.

Since 2014—when began teaching business-related Organizational Behavior and Management Concepts and Applications courses—Saintcross has been an integral part of the Excelsior experience, aiming to extend the kind of instruction that such an impact on her education. This starts and ends with the students, and she points to them as the reason she’s moved to the front of the class.

“I have enjoyed many wonderful teaching moments at Excelsior College and can only credit them to the students,” she says. “It’s great when they make connections between theoretical information and actual business practices. When I can help them gain a deeper understanding of their own styles and tendencies and how they relate to others in the business world, that’s even more exciting.”

According to Saintcross, these experiences have been numerous. The student with a full-time job, three young children, and an infant who somehow managed to always hit her assignment deadlines. The student who suffered through a chronic medical condition while protecting his family from Hurricane Irma, yet still earned an impressive grade. The student whose critical thinking and reflection allowed him to understand himself and the world around him in a whole new way. All are part of the collective experience of the Excelsior student, and all have helped to enrich an instructor intent on preparing students for the days after their degrees.

She’s helping them navigate their own shifting narratives, all while they add to her ongoing and continuously fulfilling Excelsior adventure.

“Many students have created their own impressive success stories through determination, hard work, and perseverance,” says Saintcross. “I am just there to guide, encourage, and empower them along their journey and it is an honor and privilege to do so.”

 

More from Kathryn Saintcross:

Important skills for success

In a time when texting and social media have made sentence fragments and spelling mistakes the norm, students need to understand the importance of writing skills for both undergraduate- and graduate-level coursework. “Students who have strong written English skills tend to have an easier time and earn better grades,” says Saintcross. “A common grading criterion on the grading rubrics pertains to writing style, spelling, and grammar.

Why Excelsior works for today’s students

The modern, multitasking student is often without blocks of unassailable time to accommodate stand course schedules. That’s why, in Saintcross’s estimation, Excelsior’s eight-week courses—scheduled six times per year—make incredible sense to any student. “This allows traditional and nontraditional students the opportunity to advance through their degrees rather quickly, as they do not have to wait for the longer spring and fall terms that traditional schools offer.”

An under-the-radar benefit of the Excelsior experience

With every college experience, a particular institution’s resources—whether on campus or throughout its host communities—can mean the difference between frustration or a future. According to Saintcross, this “unsung hero” at Excelsior is its Career Center. “[The center] offers all kinds of useful information and support to help students prepare for the job of their dreams. Students can even schedule a free consultation with a career counselor.”

 One thing learned as a faculty member she wished she knew as a student

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. This can be hard to accept for those used to excellence, but it’s all part of a process that, success or failure, always ends in an education. “I learned it is perfectly okay to be a perfectionist in my academic endeavors, but it is not necessary,” says Saintcross. “I encourage students to do their best, but also to relax a bit and enjoy the learning experience.”

 

Portable Careers for Military Spouses

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

It’s not always easy for spouses of active-duty military members to maintain successful careers when dealing with the uncertainty and fluctuation of frequently moving from base to base. So, selecting jobs that are portable and skills that are transferable is crucial for those spouses looking to work while their partners are serving.

Individual skills are often what drive portable careers, which makes a sound, well-rounded education even more valuable should you have to shift to a new market and new employers. When looking for a portable career, it’s usually best to start with what interests you most and what experience and skills you possess (or are interested in learning). Make sure to consider the value of transferable skills such as communication, leadership, information management, organization, project management, research, and data analysis.

Ranked the No. 4 best college by Military Times in 2018, Excelsior College has a proven track record helping military spouses apply portable skills to degrees that support flexible jobs and either allow people to work from home or are available in most communities.

Whether you’re thinking of working as an independent contractor or looking for a career that travels, the following areas of study at Excelsior support some of the most portable jobs for military spouses.

Business

Excelsior’s business degrees provide an excellent foundation that can apply across various jobs and give you the expertise, leadership skills, and business sense you need to either start or scale your own company or provide value for small to large businesses across a host of different sectors.

These Excelsior business concentrations are frequently considered among the best for portable jobs for military spouses: finance, accounting, and marketing.

 Health Sciences

Rooted in the connection of science to health, the field of health sciences is becoming increasingly popular for students looking for jobs that transfer across multiple markets. For instance, the job market for pharmacy technicians is expected to grow 12 percent from 2016 to 2026 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

If you love exercise and healthy living, job opportunities for therapists, trainers, and nutritionists are plentiful in many communities, and would fall under Excelsior’s Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (Health and Wellness emphasis) program.

Liberal Arts

A liberal arts degree will give you experience and knowledge that is diverse enough to provide options should your location change throughout your career. Writing, especially, is valuable in virtually every job, so a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts with a concentration in Professional and Technical Writing would prepare you for a variety of work environments.

Most importantly, according to the Economic and Fiscal Impact Report from CGR Inc., a liberal arts degree pays for itself in 1.8 years. So it’s a worthwhile investment in your personal and professional future. Among the degree options in Excelsior’s Liberal Arts program, concentrations in logistics, psychology, and professional and technical writing, as well as a degree in psychology, are excellent options for those looking for transferable jobs.

Nursing

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that employment of registered nurses is expected to grow by 15 percent from 2016–2026, more than double the rate of all occupations. With hospitals and health care systems often among the largest employers in many markets, this field is one of the country’s hottest right now.

Designated a 2016–2021 Center of Excellence in Nursing Education, Excelsior offers accredited nursing programs, from associate to master’s, and is especially popular with nurses wanting to advance their careers.

Course Feature: ENG 201: Writing for the Professions

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

ENG 201: Writing for the Professions helps students improve the writing skills necessary for success in academic study and workplace application. Focus is given to how to conduct and present research in academic and workplace settings, and students practice developing persuasive arguments that are well supported and clearly presented. The 15-week structure gives students time to practice using the Excelsior College Library, choosing sources, paraphrasing and summarizing, outlining, writing, and revising.

In its “Job Outlook 2018” survey, the National Association of Colleges and Employers discovered employers look for written communication skills as one of the top three attributes on job candidate resumes. More than 80 percent of respondents said this was important to them. Ben Pearson, faculty program director for the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies and writing says, “This class helps students to develop each of these skills and to gain confidence in their abilities. Students who have completed this class should be comfortable identifying and defining workplace problems, researching them using high-quality sources, and effectively communicating solutions.”

Pearson adds that any student looking to attend graduate school would be interested in this class. “The class is also ideal for students who may someday have to conduct research or write reports in other settings, including business, government, and the non-profit sector,” he says. For their research topic in the course, students select a problem related to their professional or academic field and a write a paper proposing a solution.

Students and faculty alike have had positive reviews of the course. Student comments include: “This should be the first writing class that an advisor should tell you to take…the semester length and logical order made paper writing very easy.” and “Overall, I think was a great course. It is imperative that every nurse knows how to do a research paper and how to cite it appropriately. In addition, this course has taught me how to write clearly and concisely. I will definitely use this knowledge in any future writing that I do.”

Instructor Crystal Sands remarks, “The class is structured to help students develop a stronger writing process…Not only are students getting a chance to improve their writing skills, they are getting an important opportunity to delve into the academic research in their fields, which helps them develop a beginning understanding of scholarship in their disciplines.” Instructor David Izzo adds that he could’ve used a course in professional writing as an undergrad to prepare him for resume writing as he entered the job market and business world. The opportunity for students to apply what they’ve learned to their own career also stands out. Instructor Linda Joffe Marciano describes the course as a “choose-your-own-learning-adventure” experience, and says “it gives students the chance to hone their research and academic writing skills by focusing on an issue or problem related to their professional interests and goals. It’s an opportunity for students to indulge their own curiosity and really focus on a single issue or problem for the duration of an entire course, while sharpening their academic writing skills at the same time.”

If you’d like to improve your writing skills and prepare yourself for the workplace setting, consider signing up for ENG 201: Writing for the Professions next semester.

Becoming a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Is your institution a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education? Excelsior College is designated as one by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in recognition of its Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity program. If you’re looking to become accredited, you’re in luck; Excelsior is beginning to mentor other institutions seeking this designation.

For some background, the NSA and DHS jointly sponsor the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) program, whose goal is to reduce vulnerability in our national information infrastructure by promoting higher education and research in cyber defense and producing professionals with cyber defense expertise for the nation.

The CAE-CD program comprises the following designations: Four-Year Baccalaureate/Graduate Education, Two-Year Education and Research. All regionally accredited two-year, four-year, and graduate-level institutions in the United States are eligible to apply for this exciting distinction! But, prospective schools are only designated after meeting stringent CAE criteria and mapping curricula to a core set of cyber defense knowledge units. Schools may also elect to map their curricula to specialized focus areas. Bragging rights abound because once designated, CAE-CD institutions receive formal recognition from the U.S. government as well as other opportunities for prestige and publicity.

Excelsior offers cybersecurity-related programs at the undergraduate and graduate level, including:

Each of these programs have been certified by the National Security Agency to meet the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) training standards. The college is also home to the National Cybersecurity Institute, an academic center dedicated to assisting government, industry, military, and academic sectors meet the challenges in cybersecurity policy, technology, and education!

Excelsior’s BS in Cybersecurity has two options —a general cybersecurity track and a cyber operations concentration, in which students acquire the knowledge needed to solve cyber incidents. In both, students receive training in areas such as cyberattacks and defenses, computer forensics, cryptography, and risk management. Students engage in hands-on applications via simulations, exercises, and labs in cybersecurity. The school’s cybersecurity degree is one of Excelsior’s focal programs. To give you an idea of why it’s so popular, it is rigorous with input from industry leaders, has affordable tuition and low student fees, and is flexible with online classes that accommodate students’ schedules. Additionally, Excelsior was ranked No.2 in a ranking of Best Online Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity in 2018 by bestcolleges.com. (To view the ranking details, visit https://www.bestcolleges.com/features/top-online-bachelors-in-cybersecurity/)

To learn more about the requirements to receive designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education, visit https://www.iad.gov/nietp/CAERequirements.cfm

Getting a Slice of the Pie: James Messenger Proves Working Hard Pays Off

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

James Messenger wants to show his 4-year-old niece that through perseverance and dedication, good things can happen. So far, the restaurant general manager has been a very good role model, moving up in his career with Pizza Hut over the past four years and completing an Associate in Applied Science in Administrative/Management Studies with Excelsior College (June 2018).

Messenger followed the traditional route of going to a community college after he graduated from high school but quickly discovered that wasn’t for him. So, he gave up on pursuing his higher education. That is, until he learned at a corporate meeting that he could attend college without having to pay any tuition. Messenger spoke to his area coach and mentor, who encouraged him to pursue his education, saying it would help him move up in the company.

Messenger found Excelsior’s online programs were perfect for him. “To me, I learn better online; I always have. When I was doing the traditional classes, I didn’t want to get up and go, whereas online I can kind of do it at my own pace and pick my days that I want to do the schoolwork—it made it a lot easier,” he says of Excelsior’s online, flexible programs.

Messenger works 50 hours a week and has an hour commute—each way—to his Pizza Hut store. Excelsior’s course structure fit in with his busy schedule. Each course syllabus helpfully laid out all the assignments which helped him plan in advance. “At one point when I was taking 2–3 classes at once, I knew exactly when everything was due. I didn’t really have to think about it…It was straightforward. It was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be with the online,” says Messenger.

The set-up suited Messenger just fine. With supervising 26 people at a store that sees roughly 25,000–30,000 orders a week, he is busy and needs all the time he can get. The easiest way he discovered to balance his work and school was to make the store’s work schedule so his days off became the days his assignments for school were due. That way he could make sure he could get the work done and in on time. Sometimes he would try to complete all his schoolwork for the week in one day. He was careful not to wear himself out, though. Messenger explains, “I managed my time so I wasn’t burning myself out. I would do an hour of work and then take a 30-minute break; kind of walk around, watch an episode of TV, and then go right back to school work.”

He liked that Excelsior faculty staff were always there when he needed them. “Every time I needed help, you guys were always a phone call away,” he says. When Hurricane Irma knocked out his internet for a week and a half, Excelsior instructors were understanding and gave him extensions.

Now, Messenger encourages his fellow Pizza Hut colleagues to pursue their education with Excelsior. He is trying to get one his fellow restaurant general managers to enroll in the College because she saw how easy it was for him.

As for Messenger? Pursuing more education might not be in his future. “I like being a boss…the stuff I’ve learned so far has actually helped me become a better boss at the store I work at,” he says. He likes being with Pizza Hut, too. He cites that after his mentor passed away, Pizza Hut took care of his family, even putting away money into college savings accounts for his three children. Messenger enjoys working for a company that is loyal to its employees. He sees a future with the company. Someday he’d like to become an area coach, and follow the path of his late mentor. “I like working with food, I like working with people…There’s no two days that are ever the same…I like different, I like surprises. It makes the job better; more fun,” says Messenger.

Just four years ago, Messenger began his career as a Pizza Hut delivery driver. Many good things have happened since. The youngest of four children, he was the first to earn a college degree when he completed his associate degree at Excelsior. He can certainly be proud telling his niece that hard work does, indeed, pay off.

How to Survive Your First Job as a RN

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

You made it; you’ve graduated with your associate degree in nursing. Congratulations! Now, what do you do as a newly minted registered nurse (RN)? Hopefully, some of you have found a RN position in a hospital that offers a residency program for new graduates. If you have, you’re one of the lucky ones.

A hospital-based residency program is for new graduate RNs and RNs with less than 6 months of hospital experience. During this year-long program, you will be paired with a preceptor on the nursing unit where you were hired to work and participate in scheduled seminars. According to the Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare Nurse Residency Program, the intent of a nurse residency program is to develop “…residents’ leadership skills, analysis of evidence through reviews of literature, application of outcomes data to patient care improvements and professional development.”

Whether or not you are participating in a nurse residency program, as a new RN you still need to take care of yourself. Why? It’s not easy to be an RN. As a student, your time in the clinical setting was limited to the hours designated by your nursing program to accommodate classroom work and the organizations where your clinical experience took place. It is very likely the nursing position you obtain following graduation may be anywhere from a seven- to a 12-hour day. The stress of learning the system in your new work environment, taking care of patients, and becoming a team player may have you feeling exhausted by the end of each day.

You may be anxious as you begin your new job. It’s not unusual for new graduates to feel anxious about being a RN because now the lives of individuals are in your hands and you no longer have the safety net of being a student. It’s important to learn how to manage the anxiety before it impacts your work and personal life. There are numerous ways to deal with anxiety and many of them do not cost anything. For example, you can practice deep breathing, exercise, meditate, alter your diet, engage in positive self-talk, or find another activity that promotes relaxation.

A part of anxiety is being afraid of what you don’t know. As a new graduate RN, it’s helpful to remember that caring for patients while in nursing school is not comparable to working as a staff RN in a busy hospital. A patient crisis does not include the simulation dummy and there may not be the luxury of a debriefing once the crisis is over because you have other patients needing your attention. The good news is that real-life nursing does not mean you must know everything there is to know about taking care of patients. Give yourself time to learn the specifics of what is required for the patient population you are caring for.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions or to ask for help. Your preceptor is your guide and teacher for a specified period and he/she will gladly answer your questions and provide help. It is always better to ask for assistance in verifying a medication dosage or repositioning a patient than completing the task and later discovering you made a mistake. Your preceptor is there to assure you have mastered the necessary skills for patient care as well as help you learn the culture of the nursing unit. As a new graduate RN, it is important to know that you do not have to do everything by yourself to prove to others you can do it.

You’re proud of yourself for having made it through nursing school and passed your RN-NCLEX—and you should be! You may not be done with your educational journey, though. In health care, there’s always the opportunity to learn new skills. Medications are evolving, and newer surgical procedures and technological advances require you to learn new information. This means you may be attending continuing education classes or keeping up with the latest trends in journal articles. There may also be opportunities during your first year as a RN to transfer to a different nursing unit, which would also require learning new skills. Continuing education is a part of being a RN, and in many states, it is a requirement of licensure to achieve a specified number of hours of continuing education in every renewal cycle.

No matter what your first year holds, it is bound to be an exciting one. Remember to ask questions, remember what you’ve learned, be mindful of your surroundings, and above all, enjoy your new career as a licensed RN!

 

Graduates Celebrate Commencement 2018

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

Over 400 Graduates Attended Commencement on July 13, 2018

It was hot and humid on July 13, 2018, but that didn’t stop more than 400 graduates, their families, and their friends from celebrating Commencement 2018 in downtown Albany, New York. With their loved ones looking on, the graduates crossed the stage at the Empire State Plaza Convention Hall to celebrate the end of many months or years of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice, but even more so, the realization of a dream come true.

Graduates came from across the United States and the world to celebrate earning their degrees; from Louisiana and Georgia, to Australia and Japan. Thirty-three percent of our graduates were active military or veterans. The oldest graduate was Bachelor of Science in Business graduate Jon Anderson from Avondale, Arizona, at 72 years old, and our youngest graduate was Dorothy Jean Tillman from Chicago, Illinois, at 12 years old, who received a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts. Four hundred  graduates came to Commencement, but the class of 2018 comprises 5,077 graduates with 5,137 degrees earned.

President Baldwin addressed the crowd, reminding everyone that at Excelsior, “We have a unique contribution to the realization of the American promise that anyone regardless of their economic or social status should be free to earn their degree.” Indeed, this year’s graduates came with unique backgrounds and fascinating stories, but one thing was certain: they all worked hard to earn their degree.

Veterans, Families and International Graduates Attended Commencement

Melinda Villena, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Technology, flew from Japan with her family to attend commencement. It took Villena, who is in the Navy, 17 years to earn her degree and she was excited to be the first of her siblings to earn a bachelor’s and be a role model for her daughter. Greg and Vonda Loats and their daughter, Faith Potter, earned their degrees this year and were happy to celebrate together as they all walked the stage on Friday. Lakeya Collins traveled from Georgia to celebrate receiving her associate degree in nursing in honor of her late son. She credited many late nights and practicing with other classmates as a way she persevered. She was determined to complete her degree and show her other two children that even when tragedy strikes, you can make it through and accomplish anything.

Graduates came together with friends, family, and Excelsior staff and faculty to celebrate this momentous occasion. It was only one day, but the degrees graduates earned and the memories they made will be a reminder of their accomplishments and dreams fulfilled.

Helping Veterans Transition: Troops to Energy Jobs

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

Excelsior College is a Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD)-recognized school sponsored by Entergy and EPCE. CEWD supports Troops to Energy Jobs, an organization that works with the U.S. Departments of Defense, Labor, and Energy, and state agencies, as well as community colleges, unions, the American Council on Education, ACT Inc., and Kuder Inc., to create a unique partnership between the U.S. military and the energy industry.

Troops to Energy Jobs provides veterans with tools and information they need for entry into utility and engineering occupations within the energy industry. High-growth energy careers today include engineers, line workers, plant operators, technicians, pipefitters, and security officers. These jobs are both challenging and rewarding, and provide competitive compensation and growth opportunities. With their extensive military training and experience, many veterans already have the skills and knowledge required for energy careers; they just need a pathway to successful job placement.

 

Troops to Energy Jobs offers veterans the opportunity to easily enter the industry, regardless of their geographic location or desired company. Benefits include:

  • A customized approach for each individual veteran;
  • The opportunity to learn about careers that match their military training and experience;
  • College credit for their military training and experience;
  • Connection to other veterans who have transitioned to the energy industry;
  • Accelerated training opportunities;
  • Credentials that are transferable between companies; and
  • An availability of extensive resources.

Troops to Energy Jobs helps veterans obtain their degrees by applying their relevant military education and experience to college credit recommendations. The program also identifies and develops curriculum to bridge the gaps between veterans’ military education and experience and the required skills for energy jobs. The curriculum is based on industry-supported guidelines that leverage existing courses and best practices. A strong education network of post-secondary institutions, including community and technical colleges and four-year institutions, provides veterans with career pathway programs for the energy industry, as well as online, accelerated programs, and prior learning assessment options.

Troops to Energy Jobs provides a variety of employment entry points for veterans, including internships, to higher-skilled energy jobs, as well as workforce development programs. Companies that wish to be a selected Troops to Energy Jobs employer must meet specific criteria. They are required to designate experts who are versed in workforce development and the military to serve as career coaches to veterans in the first six months of employment, and veteran employees are asked to serve as mentors. Troops to Energy Jobs employers also need to provide financial support for veterans as they transition to the energy industry.

 

For more information, visit www.troopstoenergyjobs.com