Perspectives: Cesar Munguia, MPA Graduate

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Cesar Munguia is one of Excelsior College’s School of Public Service first Master of Public Administration graduates. The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program launched early 2015. The MPA program offers individuals from a variety of educational backgrounds the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills in the government and non-government sector.

Munguia is no stranger to Excelsior College’s degree programs. He enrolled with Excelsior in 2012, and completed his Bachelor of Arts (BA) in 2013 and his Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) in 2015. He was introduced to the College while he was Active Duty in the U.S. Army. “I was teaching the Battle Staff Course at the US Army Sergeants Major Academy (USASMA). Our director had a professional development policy that encouraged faculty members to enroll in classes and make progress towards a degree,” explained Munguia. “Because of the close relationship between USASMA and Excelsior [there is a remote College counselor on the USASMA staff], it seemed like a natural fit.”

Munguia currently lives in Copperas Cove, Texas—a small town about five miles west of Ft. Hood—with his wife, Esther, and two sons, Cortez (11) and Elias (2). When asked why he decided to pursue his second master’s degree and how his experience in the program has impacted his life today, Munguia reflected on his experience with Excelsior College.

I didn’t want to stop learning, and was looking for a challenge. Additionally, I recognized a need in my company for a good understanding and appreciation of how government agencies operate. As a private-sector employee working for a defense contracting company, I thought the Master of Science in Public Administration (MPA) program would help me leverage this knowledge towards providing better products and services for our customers and stakeholders.

Throughout my experience in the MPA program, I was fortunate enough to work with professors who were subject matter experts in their fields. They were able to not only teach, but to facilitate critical thinking and cooperation with every one of my peers as we navigated through the curriculum. Without their mentorship, and the lively interaction with my fellow students, I don’t think I would have learned as much as I did in the year I took to complete the program. In the two months since completing the MPA program, I have hit the ground running. I have used the lessons learned in Public Budgeting and Financial Management, Statistical Analysis for Decision Making, and Leveraging Technology in the Public Sector in order to help the Tennessee National Guard upgrade three of their military simulations training facilities. While competency in a field helps keep one competitive, it’s the commitment and expertise that the MPA demonstrates that truly sets a graduate apart from everyone else. While distance/online learning may not be for everyone, for me it offered the flexibility to pursue a fast-paced career in the defense industry while tackling an educational challenge.

 

Remembering to Breathe

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Have you ever caught yourself holding your breath or not breathing at all? I know this has happened to me before taking an exam or public speaking.  I’ll admit it – it usually happens when I am very nervous… Lately I have been hearing from my students that they utilize free apps that help them relax before an exam in the realm of breathing exercises.  On top of this trend my favorite radio station I listen to every morning encourages its listeners to take one deep breath to start the day off right.  Ask yourself – when was the last time I really inhaled and exhaled?  I am talking about a big bear deep breath.  STOP and take a deep breath in and out right now…INHALE…EXHALE.  Phew…much better right?  You may surprise yourself with how much more relaxed you feel.  Next time you are feeling nervous or notice that you need a break STOP and take a deep breath.

just-breathe

Visual Reminders!

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

I don’t know about you, but I can’t remember anything unless I WRITE IT DOWN! Every morning I write down what I would like to accomplish today, essentially my “to-do lists”. From taking a deep breath, remembering to pay a bill, and reading a couple pages out of a book that is taking longer than I would like, I write it down as a reminder.

As a student success coach, talking with students, I tend to ask them “what will remind you to achieve your goal”? One of the main responses that has come up is, “I just do it”. I love Nike trust me, but I can bet even Mark Parker, the CEO of Nike, has someone to remind him of things. So I challenge you…..YES YOU…..to take the time, just to write it down, whether it is a post it or a scrap piece of paper, anything that you want to get accomplished or reflect on.

Post below your visual reminders that have helped you!

p.s. take a peek at an array of my reminders at my workspace.

There’s An App For That: Wunderlist

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Hello! It’s Kelli and Hannah your Student Success Coaches again with another monthly app! We went ahead and scoured the worldwide web to find the most helpful apps for your needs.  This month we are going to be featuring an app that helps with organization.  As Success Coaches we talk to students daily that are balancing many commitments at once.  Why not try an app that can assist with this?

Why download the Wunderlist App?

At its core the Wunderlist app is a place to keep all your commitments in one place. We want to highlight the most helpful feature of the app for our students.  We found this app beneficial for balancing many commitments, specifically when it comes to managing your school work.  This is done by creating to do lists with sub tasks (making your tasks feel more manageable!).

This is how the app works:

Keep all your school assignments in one place by creating a list of tasks specifically for school. Once the list is created you can go in and add “to-dos”.  Furthermore, you can break those “to-dos” into sub tasks and check them off as you complete them.  What a feel good moment as you a see a big assignment broken up into manageable tasks.  We also found that you can share the list you have made with other people – which is perfect for group assignments!  There are many other great features in this app.  Go ahead and download and see what Wunderlist can do for you.

https://www.wunderlist.com/home

Excelsior College & Zone 5 Training Academy announce degree pathway for Capital Region law enforcement

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Excelsior College and Zone 5 Training Academy today announced an educational agreement that will provide more than 7,500 Capital Region law enforcement personnel – and their spouses/domestic partners – an opportunity to pursue a higher education at Excelsior College at a substantially reduced rate.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Excelsior College and provide this type of educational benefit to our members,” said Rocco Fragomeni, director, Zone 5 Training Academy. “This is something that will help them in their career and to prepare for the next chapter of their life after retirement from law enforcement.”

The Zone 5 Training Academy, located in Schenectady, New York, is a full-service training academy that provides extensive training to new law enforcement recruits and veteran officers.  Founded in 1988, New York State identified the need for local law enforcement officers to receive training from various training zones around the State. Zone Five formed to provide training to officers in ten counties of Upstate New York: Greene, Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Schoharie, Saratoga, Fulton, Montgomery, Warren and Washington.

Today, the Training Center provides training to over 65 state, county, city, town, and village police agencies in a geographical area covering the ten counties of the Zone and other agencies whom have joined from other adjacent zones.

“Excelsior College was founded to serve an essential public purpose, to help adults earn college degrees, and since 1971 more than 160,000 individuals from around the world have taken advantage of our educational offerings,” said Dr. James Baldwin, president of Excelsior College. “We’re excited to extend educational opportunity to our local law enforcement personnel and affirm our commitment to the Capital Region and our core values of access, affordability, and academic integrity.”

Excelsior College works to remove the obstacles to the educational goals of working adults by providing multiple pathways to degree completion Excelsior College has evaluated Zone 5 training that will help position law enforcement personnel to complete their degrees and advance in their careers. The College has recently evaluated DCJS training for college-level equivalency, which will provide Zone 5 personnel with a head start on their studies. These courses include:

  • Basic Course for Police Officers – 23 credits awarded;
  • Basic Course for Corrections Officers – 13 credits awarded;
  • Instructor Development Course – 3 credits awarded;
  • Police Supervision and Management – 4 credits awarded;
  • Campus Public Safety Officer – 17 credits awarded.

“By assessing military and law enforcement training and awarding college credit, Excelsior can reduce tuition costs and shorten time to degree completion. If a Zone 5 member thinks of their degree path as a marathon, they’ll be able to start at mile 5, 10, 15 depending on what they’ve completed,” said Dr. David Hennessy, associate dean, School of Public Service at Excelsior College.

Excelsior offers more than 46 programs across five schools, including associate, bachelor’s and master’s-level programs within its School of Public Service ideally suited for law enforcement personnel.

“Excelsior is very excited about this partnership and the benefits that it could bring to our local first responders, their families, and the Capital Region community,” said Dr. Rob Waters, dean, School of Public Service at Excelsior College.

For more information regarding the partnership, visit zone5academy.excelsior.edu

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Excelsior College

Excelsior College is a regionally accredited, nonprofit online college focused on helping adults complete their degrees and advance their careers. The College 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. Learn more at excelsior.edu.

Building the Government’s Cyber Workforce: Challenges and Solutions

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Building the Government’s Cyber Workforce: Challenges and Solutions

Like the private sector, the government is challenged today to educate a cybersecurity workforce to, among other things, understand the various Risk Management Framework methodologies, data analytics, and generate the neccessary metrics to leverage as feedback to further foster training and education opportunities for the workforce. Join us to listen to subject matter experts speak about the challenges, and how they are being addressed.

Facilitator: Dr. Amelia Estwick, Program Manager, Cybersecurity, NCI

Panelists:

  • Shawn Henry, President, Crowdstrik/Former Asst. FBI Director, Cyber Investigations
  • Renee Forney, Deputy Chief Information Officer (CIO), US Dept. of Energy

Celebrating National Cybersecurity Month 2016

The National Cybersecurity Institute at Excelsior College is pleased to announce its 2016 Cybersecurity Month activities. The purpose of this speaker’s series is to highlight key issues facing information assurance & security in some of our most important industry sectors. During the months of October and November, we will feature panel discussions with cyber experts in the finance, telecommunications, energy/utility, health care, and government arenas. These events are open to the public, educators, students, and all who are interested in the cyber defense issues that we are facing today.

 

The NCI is shaping a coordinated effort to build the cybersecurity workforce and influence an informed leadership base that implements cutting-edge cybersecurity policy. The NCI will target the development of effective cybersecurity practice in specific sectors, including health care, finance, utilities/energy, telecommunications, and education/training. The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security designated Excelsior College as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education, a recognition which extends through 2019. NCI will target the development of effective cybersecurity practice and increase knowledge of cybersecurity to help meet workforce demands with analysis of specific sectors.

 

 

 

Statement on the death of Dr. John Ebersole, second president of Excelsior College

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

A message from Dr. James N. Baldwin, President of Excelsior College:

It is with deep regret and much personal sadness that I inform you of the passing of Dr. John F. Ebersole, our former president, and a visionary leader in adult higher education. John, who had been courageously battling myelodysplastic syndromes and had taken a leave from the College earlier this year, was 72 years old.

John was truly one of a kind, as those of us who knew him can well attest. He grew up in Windsor, Missouri. Unsure of his path he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard. Having developed a love for the mission of the Coast Guard, he enrolled in officer candidate school and served for 21 years, including combat service in Viet Nam.

A graduate of the Naval War College, he earned a master of public administration degree from John F. Kennedy University, and a doctorate in law and public policy from Northeastern University.

It was John’s personal experience as an adult learner that informed his approach to adult education. Throughout his more than 30-year career in higher education he was committed to expanding opportunity for underserved and non-traditional students.

John was initially drawn to Excelsior by its commitment to the underserved, its outstanding reputation in military and veteran circles, and its openness to innovation. In 2006, he was appointed president of Excelsior College, succeeding our first president, C. Wayne Williams. Prior to his serving at Excelsior he held leadership roles at UC Berkeley, Colorado State University, and Boston University.

John Ebersole was a visionary, in every sense of the word. Over the past decade, he led the College and the adult learning sector through a period of tremendous growth and dynamism. His leadership in higher education included serving as president of the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA,) the leading association for professional, continuing, and online education and as a board member of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU) in New York. John was also active in the Capital Region as a member of the Board of Directors of the Hudson Mohawk Humane Society.

Under his leadership, Excelsior was transformed into a national institution, enrolling as many as 40,000 students annually from throughout the United States and beyond. Today, the College has nearly 160,000 graduates worldwide.

Before taking his leave from the College, John reflected on his time at Excelsior.

“Serving as the president of Excelsior over the past ten years has been a source of great satisfaction and personal honor. This institution has the most mission – oriented commitment that I have experienced over three decades in higher education. Its staff, faculty, and leaders are passionate and committed to providing educational opportunity to those who need it most. The future is bright. Ever upward.”

Because of John Ebersole, thousands have been given an opportunity to create a better life for themselves and their loved ones. May John’s work and his many accomplishments serve as a source of inspiration and comfort in the days, weeks and years ahead to all who knew him and to those of us who served with him in pursuit of expanded educational opportunity.

All of us at Excelsior College extend our sympathy to his wife, Dr. Constance Cramer, his daughters, Debra Kauffman, Dee Boukouzis, and Dara Merritt, his grandchildren and all those who knew him as a dear friend and colleague.

Memorial arrangements are pending at the discretion of the family. The family has suggested that donations in memory of John F. Ebersole may be made to the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, 3 Oakland Avenue, Menands, New York 12204.  http://www.mohawkhumanesociety.org/contact.html

Ever upward.

Excelsior Cares means helping others throughout the year

Posted on by Alicia Jacobs

Excelsior Life traditionally marks the week of Thanksgiving by reflecting on the past year and campus-wide participation on projects and initiatives focused on helping those less fortunate.

Volunteerism is a part of the College’s culture and Excelsior Cares is our community relations program serving New York’s Capital Region and helping to meet critical needs around the world. Our core initiatives focus on:

  • Health & Wellness
  • Lifelong Education
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Veterans/Military
  • Social & Economic Justice

In 2016, our employees volunteered 563 hours to more than 40 causes. Photos are included in the gallery:

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  • 7th Annual Project Cameron’s Story Bookraiser Drive
  • 6th Annual The Brothers Golf Classic to benefit American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
  • Adopt A Family – Albany County Holiday 2016
  • Annual Equinox Thanksgiving Day Community Dinner
  • American Diabetes Association
  • American Red Cross Blood Drive
  • Alzheimer’s Association of Northeastern New York
  • Autism Society
  • Albany County Executive “Healing Moments” Forum – Intersectionality: Race, Power, and Politics
  • Center for Disability Services Telethon
  • Concerned for Hungry
  • Community & Connections with The Stakeholders: Getting in Touch with Veterans in the Workplace
  • Cystic Fibrosis
  • Diversity Virtual Career Fair with Insight into Diversity
  • Equinox Domestic Violence Collection Drive
  • Excelsior College Volunteer Week 2016
  • 28th Annual Confections in Chocolate for Epilepsy
  • Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York
  • Go Blue, Go Red, & Go Pink 2016 campaigns
  • Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless
  • Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
  • Mohawk Hudson Humane Society
  • Mount Pleasant Baptist Church
  • NICU Children’s Hospital
  • NYS Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators Caucus
  • Regional Food Bank
  • Safrye’s Angels
  • Sigma Youth Symposium
  • SNUG/Cease Fire
  • Stars for Our Troops
  • Thanksgiving Baskets to St. John’s/ St. Ann’s
  • To Life Breast Cancer
  • Together WE CAN Make a Difference Drive for Regional Food Bank
  • Tri-City Veteran Stand Down- Totes for Hope
  • The Marillac Family Shelter
  • Veterans Miracle Center
  • US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI)
  • US Marines Capital Region Toys for Tots Drive
  • Veterans in Economic Transition Conference
  • 2016 Workforce Challenge

We welcome requests to help on 2017 volunteer projects. For more information, visit cares.excelsior.edu or email ajacobs@excelsior.edu.

 

Excelsior College and Trilogy Health Services partner to provide comprehensive educational advancement opportunities to nurses

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Excelsior College has announced a new corporate partnership with the healthcare company, Trilogy Health Services.

Under the new agreement, employees of Trilogy Health Services and their spouses or domestic partners are eligible for reduced tuition and fees for associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs in the School of Nursing, such as Excelsior’s Associate Degree in Nursing program, RN to BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing), and other nursing certificate programs.

Founded in 1997, Trilogy Health Services is a customer service-focused provider of comprehensive senior living and long-term healthcare services, including a full range of personalized services, from independent and assisted living, to skilled nursing and rehabilitative services, to meet every need of the aging population.

With approximately 100 campuses, Trilogy Health Services expects to grow to 150 campuses over the next 4 1/2 years. Currently, it operates multiple senior health communities throughout Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan.

Named a Top 100 Best Place to Work in Healthcare, Trilogy Health Services encourages educational advancement amongst its employees. It has a robust educational assistance program for employees, including offering scholarships and tuition reimbursement.

“It is part of our mission at Trilogy Health Services to empower our employees to pursue their higher education,” commented Shane Stuber, Director of the Trilogy Foundation & Workforce Funding. “We understand that just as education is important, it is also expensive. We are proud to partner with Excelsior College in order to make college more affordable to our employees, and look forward to celebrating the success of those who participate in this exciting program.”

Excelsior College is committed to serving students from diverse backgrounds by providing them with pathways for educational access.

Excelsior College is an accredited, nonprofit college that specializes in serving the needs of working adults. It provides flexible means for its students – average age of 37 – to earn their degrees through a combination of prior earned credit, Excelsior’s online courses, and credit-by-exam program and evaluated industry and military training programs. Excelsior College’s largest academic program is the associate degree program in nursing with over 16,000 enrolled students.

“Excelsior is thrilled to support the workforce development of a national leader in long-term care. Developing the skills and competencies of employees at Trilogy Health Services has a positive impact on the daily living of its senior patients and residents,” said Chris Normile, healthcare partnership manager, Excelsior College. “I was impressed with Trilogy Health Services’ track record supporting employee education, and knew Excelsior’s programs would complement their efforts, especially with regards to developing their nursing workforce.”

Commenting on the agreement, Excelsior College’s School of Nursing dean, Dr. Mary Lee Pollard, said, “Fostering valuable partnerships with organizations like Trilogy Health Services allows us to increase access to advanced nursing education, which in turn leads to improved patient outcomes.”

To learn more about the Trilogy Health Services corporate partnership, visit the partnership page at trilogyhs.excelsior.edu.

 

Excelsior College

Excelsior College is a regionally accredited, nonprofit distance learning institution founded in 1971 focused on providing educational opportunities to adult learners. The College contributes to the development of a diverse, educated society by valuing lifelong learning with an emphasis on serving individuals who are historically underrepresented by higher education. Excelsior meets students where they are – academically and geographically – removing obstacles to the educational goals of adult learners through affordable access to quality instruction and the assessment of learning. Our pillars include innovation, flexibility, academic excellence, and integrity. Learn more at excelsior.edu.

Trilogy Health Services

Trilogy Health Services communities offer a full range of personalized senior living services, from independent and assisted living, to skilled nursing and rehabilitative services in 103 senior living communities throughout Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Michigan. Trilogy’s senior living services are delivered by staff specially trained to honor and enhance the lives of our residents through compassion and a commitment to exceeding customer expectations. To learn more about Trilogy Health Services, visit our website at www.trilogyhs.com.

Excelsior College a “Best for Vets” institution for the seventh time in a row

Posted on by Mike Lesczinski

Excelsior College has been recognized as a “Best for Vets” College for the seventh consecutive year by Military Times. The eighth annual rankings factor in the results of Military Times’ comprehensive school-by-school survey of veteran and military student offerings and rates of academic achievement.

“This is a recognition of Excelsior College’s commitment to meeting the unique needs of our servicemembers and their families,” said Susan Dewan, assistant vice president for Center for Military Education at Excelsior College. “Excelsior’s core values of accessibility, affordability, and academic excellence guide our work every day as an organization and we’re proud to have been honored once again by Military Times.”

As with all Best for Vets rankings, Best for Vets: Colleges 2017 is an editorially independent news project that evaluates the many factors that help make colleges and universities a good fit for service members, military veterans and their families. More than 500 colleges took part in this year’s detailed survey.

 

“We limit our list to encourage competition, and we genuinely hope this helps raise the bar for veterans on campus,” said Amanda Miller, editor of Best for Vets.

 

Military Times’ annual Best for Vets: Colleges survey asks colleges and universities to meticulously document a tremendous array of services, special rules, accommodations and financial incentives offered to students with military ties; and to describe many aspects of veteran culture on a campus. These institutions were evaluated in several categories, with university culture and academic outcomes bearing the most weight.

Military Times also factors in data from the Veterans Affairs and Defense departments, as well as three Education Department sources: the IPEDS Data Center, College Scorecard data and the Cohort Default Rate Database.

For the full Best for Vets: Colleges 2017 rankings, and survey methodology, go to: www.militarytimes.com/bestforvets-colleges2017.

Among the more than 37,000 currently enrolled students, over 17,100 are current or former servicemembers. For each of them, Excelsior College’s Center for Military Education serves as an essential support resource as they pursue their degree. The array of financial, mental health, and wellness services offered through the Center also helps veterans with the transition back to civilian life. A popular degree program for military and veterans is the Bachelor of Science in National Security.

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About Excelsior College

Excelsior College (excelsior.edu) is a regionally accredited, nonprofit online college focused on helping adults complete their degrees and advance their careers. The College 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. Learn more at excelsior.edu.

 

About Military Times

The Military Times digital platforms and print products are the trusted source for independent news and information for service members and their families. The military community relies on Army Times, Marine Corps Times, Navy Times and Air Force Times for reporting on everything important to their lives, including: pay, benefits, finance, education, health care, recreational resources, retirement, promotions, product reviews, and entertainment. Military Times is published by Sightline Media Group. To learn more, visit www.militarytimes.com.

Dr. James Baldwin appointed President of Excelsior College

Posted on by Mike Lesczinski

Dr. James N. Baldwin has been named president of Excelsior College, the institution announced today. Baldwin had been serving as the College’s acting president following John Ebersole’s decision to step aside in May due to health reasons. The announcement of Baldwin’s appointment was made by Brigadier General (Retired) Jerry Neff, chair of the College’s Board of Trustees, during a campus-wide address Wednesday morning.

“Jim admirably stood up when called upon and has helped navigate the College during a very challenging time in our history,” said Neff. “The sense of mission here at the College is unparalleled, and Jim reflects the type of values-based leader that we need to carry the institution forward.”

“For more than four decades, Excelsior has served an essential public purpose – helping adults obtain a college degree – and that will remain paramount,” said President Baldwin. “Moving forward we will focus on providing adult learners with continuing education, degree completion, and career readiness opportunities while affirming our commitment to our core values of academic integrity, accessibility, and affordability.”

Before assuming the role of acting president in June, Baldwin served as Excelsior’s executive vice president.

Prior to arriving at the institution in September 2014, Baldwin served as CEO and district superintendent for Questar III BOCES, where he led the agency in the development of innovative and cost-saving programs and services and was responsible for the oversight of 23 school districts in the region on behalf of the commissioner of education. He also served as chief of staff and acting deputy commissioner for higher education in the New York State Education Department and as executive deputy secretary of state for New York.

Baldwin earned a Doctor of Education in organization and leadership from Teachers College of Columbia University, a Juris Doctorate from Albany Law School of Union University, and a Bachelor of Arts in political science at Union College. He is admitted to the bar in New York State and the U.S. District Court.

Baldwin is Excelsior’s third president in its 45-year history. The College’s first president, C. Wayne Williams, was succeeded by Ebersole in 2006.

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Excelsior College (excelsior.edu) is a regionally accredited, nonprofit online college focused on helping adults complete their degrees and advance their careers. The College 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. Learn more at excelsior.edu.

Were You Seen? Healing Moments 2016

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

On Monday, October 24, Excelsior College partnered up with Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy to present the next addition in the “Healing Moments” series at the SEFCU Auditorium in Albany, New York. Healing Moments is a community conversation that will explore the issues of race, diversity and community policing, building trust and healing divisions in the community, with a student focus. This forum was created to serve as the county’s response to the shocking violence that has occurred across the country which has led to the deaths of law enforcement officers and civilians.

Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy and Acting President Jim Baldwin provided the opening remarks for the event.

The conversation was moderated by Gretchen Fleming, JD, MS, Program Director, MSCJ, Excelsior College. The panel and engaged audience included Aaron Mair, National President of the Sierra Club, Jacquelyn Richards, recent college grad and community activist, Gabby Alleyne and Alquan Higgs, College of Saint Rose students and officers of SPECTRUM, Khalafalla Osman, recent college grad and former President of the Muslim Students Association at UAlbany, Khamel Abdulai and Jeremy Sherman from Excelsior College, Pedro Perez, Excelsior College graduate and Executive Director, My Brother’s and Sister’s Keeper, community member Myk O’Kane, Albany County Interfaith Coalition’s Deb Riitano and more.

Stay tuned for more details on a video presentation link.

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Photo Courtesy: Albany County