Education and Career Transition Guide for Servicemembers and Veterans
Janine Wert President The Council of College and Military Educators
www.MAE-kmi.com
June 2018 Volume 13, Issue 2
E D E 23 SE A (PAG PI R 3 ECCOVE
June 2018 Volume 13, Issue 2
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MILITARY ADVANCED EDUCATION Features
THE INNOVATION GAP
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6 Improve the quality of life and employment of U.S. Veterans by the creation of an intelligent and innovative network with a team skilled in aspects of Red Teaming and Lean Six Sigma problem-solving through Private Public Partnership and Training with Industry. Partnerships and training would be established with academic institutions, private industry, and government organizations.
2019 GUIDE FORM
16 “OVER THERE”
13
University of Maryland University College’s (UMUC) rich history of globetrotting professors came to life recently in a documentary that follows the university’s seven-decade mission of educating military personnel stationed overseas.
TOP COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES Now in its thirteenth year of publishing the Guide, MAE was the first publication to launch a reference tool of this type. Institutions are evaluated in consideration of the current best practices in military education, providing the foundational information a prospective student would use in framing his or her educational needs.
Grapevine
19
LANE HUBER
Past President CCME
Cover / Q&A
14 JANINE WERT
President, CCME 2018
“VA is doing everything we can to make the Veteran an informed consumer by providing convenient sources of information and resources about VA benefits.” Curtis Coy - Curtis L. Coy
Military Advanced Education Volume 13, Issue 2 — June, 2018
Editorial
Jay Colby Editor jay.colby@kmimediagroup.com Correspondents J.B. Bissell • Kasey Chisholm • Catherine Day Jaime Fettrow-Alderfer • Nora McGann Holly Christy • Robert D. Rahni
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AWARDS
American Public Universty System
Named National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by National Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security American Public University System (APUS) today announced that it has been recognized by the National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE) for a five-year period. APUS joins an elite group of just over 200 regionally-accredited two-year, four-year and graduate-level institutions nationwide to receive the distinction. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has forecasted a 22 percent growth rate in the cyber security industry through 2020, highlighting the critical importance of higher education in defending America’s digital intelligence. The goal of the CAE program is to reduce vulnerability in the national information infrastructure by promoting higher education and research to help prepare cyber defense professionals for careers in both the public and private sector,
according to Dr. Kenneth Williams, director, APUS Center for Cyber Defense (CCD). “We are truly proud to earn this select recognition from NSA and DHS,” said Williams. “It certifies that our interdisciplinary curriculum meets or exceeds the most stringent CAE criteria to help ensure the best possible learning outcomes for graduates encountering ever-changing global cyber threats. It also aligns with our core mission to create the next-generation cybersecurity workforce, and makes our students eligible for both the Department of Defense Information Assurance Scholarship and Federal Cyber Service Scholarship for Service Programs.” The American Military University and American Public University cybersecurity program concentrates on the development and planning of security tools, techniques and technologies to detect and prevent network penetration, and the design of effective cybersecurity countermeasures. For further information, visit the APUS CCD website.
America Dream U Unveils Educational Work Center Focused on Financial Literacy American Dream U (ADU), a nonprofit organization specializing in helping members of the military transition to civilian life, has announced the grand opening of its first Nevada-based educational work center. Located in Las Vegas, American Dream U Entrepreneur & Financial Academy will provide professional resources, experienced mentors and entrepreneurial courses to members of the military with an emphasis on building financial literacy. “There’s a tremendous need for improved financial education and coaching for anyone with professional aspirations,” said American Dream U founder Phil Randazzo. “I want to create an environment where people feel comfortable working and learning and can gain the financial competencies needed to excel in today’s workforce. Our ultimate goal is to enrich the community by teaching the principles of financial freedom, including how to handle income, assets, and set and achieve financial goals.” In addition to teaching fiscal literacy, Randazzo’s center will act as a hub for individuals to gain knowledge on starting their own businesses and building their personal brands. The center is actively recruiting top educators, authors and leaders from the business and financial community to volunteer their time as teachers and mentors. Services at American Dream U Entrepreneur & Financial Academy will be free to all veterans, current members of the military, their families and spouses.
PROGRAM NOTES
Compiled by KMI Media Group staff
PSEG Foundation Awards $200,000 Grant to Support Career Enhancement Program for Military and Veteran students and Advance Thomas Edison State University’s STEM Initiatives Recent support from the PSEG Foundation is helping active duty military and veteran students find jobs based on their interests and training through the use of the University’s Military and Veteran Portal (MVP)<http://mvp.tesu.edu/>. Both the University and PSEG’s support of military members extends to our educational partnership, which enables PSEG employees to maximize the company’s tuition reimbursement program and earn credit for their military and PSEG training and professional credentials. The PSEG Foundation recently awarded a two-year, $200,000 grant to expand programs for active duty service members and veterans and advance the development of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses at Thomas Edison State University. The funding will support substantial improvements to the university’s existing Military and Veteran Portal (MVP) and Career Enhancement Initiative. The university plans to expand career advising and job placement resources offered through the MVP that meet the needs of veterans and service members. In addition, the grant will support the development of simulations and virtual laboratories in online STEM courses offered by the university. “This support from the PSEG Foundation will play a critical role in the development of innovative programs designed for our active-duty service members and veterans to promote the achievement of their personal aspirations and career goals,” said John Thurber, vice president for public affairs at the university. “Funding of these initiatives will allow the institution to foster a pathway of success for our students and continue to prepare a strong pipeline of STEM-educated adults for today’s workforce.” Support for the Career Enhancement Initiative will bring improved functionality to the MVP by focusing on degree completion, as well as
THE
POWER TO
LEAD
connecting users with career advisement and specific job opportunities based on their interests and training. Since its launch in 2014, the portal has enabled more than 5,000 service members and veterans to understand how their military training can be transferred and applied as credit to a college degree, view potential degree programs aligned with their training, and estimate the cost of their education all before they apply for admission. The university’s implementation of STEM/Nuclear Energy Engineering laboratory simulation technology in online courses will assist in meeting the needs of adult students, increasing student retention and degree achievement, while expanding the academic rigor of the entire STEM curriculum. “Our country’s veterans and active military professionals are exceptional leaders and trained professionals that add tremendous value to our workforce,” said Barb Short, PSEG chief diversity officer and senior director corporate citizenship and culture. “As a company of colleagues dedicated to service and operational excellence, we’re proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Thomas Edison State University and support the university’s career initiatives dedicated to service members and veterans.” Prepare to lead positive change at UIW. You will find over 15 degrees and 12 minors tailored to active-duty military and veteran student pathways. Benefit from free textbooks, no academic fees and online or classroom courses. You will discover the power to meet your professional goals. Visit our site for degree offerings
DISCOVER THE POWER OF YOU SPS.UIW.edu | 800-318-1876
SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
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MAE June Issue 13.2 | 3
CORPORATE CONNECTION
Student Veterans of America and Bob Woodruff Foundation work to Improve Veteran Recruitment and Enrollment Efforts BWF awards SVA with grant to engage with college and university presidents, chancellors, provosts, trustees and other senior leaders. Student Veterans of America is proud to announce that we have received a grant from the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) to engage with college and university presidents, chancellors, provosts, trustees and other senior leaders to influence the allocation of resources toward veteran recruitment and enrollment efforts. BWF leverages its expertise and collaborative network to find, fund and shape innovative programs that help our impacted veterans, service members and their
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families thrive. “This has been an exciting year for SVA, and our partnership with the Bob Woodruff Foundation will lead to even more advancements for our over 1,500 chapter across the country,” said SVA’s President and CEO Jared Lyon. “With the help of BWF’s innovative solutions and unmatched network, we will be able to improve college and university veterans services, whilecontinuing to recruit and enroll more student veterans into higher education.”
Compiled by KMI Media Group staff
As a nonpartisan leader in the military-veteran community, the Bob Woodruff Foundation brings transparency and credibility to its partners and complements their efforts. Receiving a grant from BWF is an honor that recognizes the dedication, focus and effectiveness of our staff, volunteers and supporters. About Bob Woodruff Foundation The Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) was founded in 2006 after reporter Bob Woodruff was hit by a roadside bomb while covering the war in Iraq. Since then, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has led an enduring call to action for people to stand up for heroes and meet the emerging and long-term needs of today’s veterans. To date, BWF has invested more than $55 million to Find, Fund and Shape™ programs that have empowered impacted veterans, service members and their families. For more information, please visit bobwoodrufffoundation.org or follow us on Twitter at @Stand4Heroes.
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NEW VETERANS LEGAL CLINIC
SERVES DUAL MISSION FOR FSU LAW STUDENTS A new academic program designed to give Florida State University law students valuable hands-on experience, while also helping veterans struggling with legal issues, is making a mark with its unique approach to service. FSU’s College of Law has created a Veterans Legal Clinic to provide free legal services to veterans and allow students to earn six credit hours for participating. Students meet with veterans and their families to fix legal problems or offer referrals. Demand for assistance has exploded during the first few months of operation, confirming the essential need for such services, and reaction from veterans and students has been positive. Law students set up every Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Tallahassee Health Care Center, 2181 E. Orange Ave., and at the American Legion Post, 229 Lake Ella Drive, from 3 to 6 p.m. Second-year law student Chandler McCoy said tackling a wide range of legal issues for veterans, some of them homeless, is the kind of outside-the-classroom opportunity that has helped make her FSU experience special. “We do a lot of driver’s license issues, divorces and custody matters, so you’re talking with real people with real issues who need help right now,” McCoy said. She signed up for the course partly because her father served in the Navy for eight years as a deep-sea diver. McCoy said her father’s experience has given her a deep respect for veterans, and that attitude makes her contributions in the clinic even more rewarding. “These veterans are seriously the most appreciative people I’ve ever seen in my life, and many times it’s just because someone listened,” she said. “That’s a big thing — just being heard means so much to them. For me, it’s fulfilling when they say, ‘Thank you so much for listening.’” College of Law Professor Jennifer LaVia organized the course last fall and became the first director of the Veterans Legal Clinic in January. The program’s first class enrolled seven students — two of whom are veterans themselves. “It has been so inspirational to see our students go way above and beyond what’s expected,” said LaVia, a former defense and appellate lawyer who started teaching at FSU in 2002. “The students in my class are so excited to do something that helps real people. They actually go into court and file documents, but the work is also hard. Students are helping people who live the kind of lives that we never could even imagine. It can be taxing emotionally, but it’s also valuable experience.” www.MAE-kmi.com
LaVia first started working with homeless veterans last year when she volunteered at the annual North Florida Homeless Veterans Stand Down, sponsored by the Florida Veterans Foundation. The event invites veterans to the North Florida Fairgrounds in Tallahassee where they can get a shower, food, medical services and legal help. Leon County Judge Ron Flury sets up a courtroom at the fairgrounds and adjudicates veterans’ legal cases, especially those involving the suspension or revocation of a driver’s license. The loss of a driver’s license is often the precipitating problem that sends these veterans into a deeper hole of debt and despair, so the judge takes steps to return their driver’s licenses the same day. That experience profoundly impacted LaVia. She saw how legal issues chronically plagued veterans, and there was a clear need for year-round legal assistance. That unmet need prompted the Tallahassee Veterans Legal Collaborative, a group including the Florida Veterans Foundation, Family Endeavors, Legal Services of North Florida, the FSU Students Veterans Center and others, to write a legislative request asking state lawmakers to fund ongoing legal services for veterans. The proposal passed in 2017. The measure dedicated $250,000 to launch a new Veterans Legal Clinic at FSU’s College of Law in January 2018. Joe Harrington, a third-year student at the College of Law, considers the clinic a meaningful opportunity to give back and also get valuable experience. “The practical experience is really important to me: filing real court motions, writing letters and drafting documents — getting a chance to do things you wouldn’t do in the classroom,” Harrington said. “When you get out in the real world, those are the kinds of things attorneys do every day, so the experience has been beneficial on a personal and professional level. I think it’s awesome.” Other universities are watching Florida State’s Veterans Legal Clinic. LaVia said the University of Florida is planning to develop its own clinic staffed with law students and has inquired about FSU’s model. LaVia said the structure of FSU’s College of Law Veterans Legal Clinic, which enlists the skills of students, volunteer lawyers, social workers and paid vendors all under LaVia’s supervision, could serve as a model in higher education. “I don’t think there’s another program that functions like ours,” LaVia said. “It’s important work.” MAE June Issue 13.2 | 5
Innovation Gap:
The Gap Between Ideas and Innovation
by Maj. Jamie Schwandt DD.E In a presentation on higher education’s impact, Michael Crow at we.solveforx.com discussed how universities are not producing the innovative technologies we should expect from them. I have personally found this to be true in both academia and in the military. Essentially, there is an innovation gap, where innovative ideas are plentiful, but the idea is lost as we fail to do anything with it. However, there are ways to fill this gap and act on innovative ideas. I propose the creation of a team or network to fill this gap, where the only function of that team is to bring innovative ideas to life. This team should be created in every organization: in academia, private industry, and the government. In the U.S. military, specifically the U.S. Army, this team should be operated by one of the only organizations that can make this a reality – the U.S. Army Reserve. I call this network Intelligent Innovation, where the primary goal is to: Improve the quality of life and employment of U.S. Veterans by the creation of an intelligent and innovative network with a team skilled in aspects of Red Teaming and Lean Six Sigma problem-solving through Private Public Partnership and Training with Industry. Partnerships and training would be established with academic institutions, private industry, and government organizations. Shining a light on the innovation gap “There is no such thing as a logical method of having new ideas. Discovery contains an irrational element or a creative intuition.” — Karl Popper What happens when we have an idea in the U.S. military? Where does it go? Typically, ideas fall into a black hole (see Figure 1). Think of what could happen with an idea if we were to create a network, where the sole existence of the network is to bring innovative ideas to fruition. Moreover, think of what would happen if we empowered this network with the skills of a Red Team and the process improvement methodologies of Lean Six Sigma problem-solving. The U.S. Army Reserve is the perfect organization to operate and control this network within the U.S. Army. The Army Reserve 6 |
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is an organization of nearly 200,000 soldiers, where the vast majority work in private industry and other government positions. The soldiers in the Army Reserve work for both the U.S. Army and the civilian sector, which includes: academic institutions, private industry, and other government organizations. Through the creation of this network within the Army Reserve, we would possess the ability to take an idea, find the correct partnership or training opportunity, and bring the idea to reality. Metaphorically, this would be like a person holding a flashlight (the network) shining a light (idea) on the innovation gap (black hole) allowing the light (idea) to escape (through Private Public Partnership and Training with Industry) and to come to life. The key piece we are currently missing is the flashlight – the network (Intelligent Innovation). Unemployed and wounded Veterans “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty.” — President John F. Kennedy The reason for the Intelligent Innovation network is simple, we must do a better job supporting and assisting U.S. Veterans. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that approximately 453,000 veterans were unemployed in 2016. Additionally, the Wounded Warrior Project found that for every U.S. soldier killed during Operation Iraqi or Enduring Freedom, seven are wounded. It should be no surprise that the quality of life for a wounded or unemployed servicemember is not where it should be. If we were to dive deep into this problem, we would first need to ask a key question: What are we missing? Rethinking Private Public Partnership “Our success has really been based on partnerships from the very beginning.” — Bill Gates The U.S. Army Reserve already provides some of the most specialized assets and capabilities in the entirety of the Department of www.MAE-kmi.com
Defense (DoD). It provides the majority of medical and healthcare professionals, engineers, and a large majority of DoD logistics assets. These assets are vital for the survival of our nation as demonstrated through Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) and Immediate Response Authority (IRA). Yet, we must improve how we partner with academic institutions, private industry, and even within the government. To do this, we must first rethink how we execute one of our programs in the Army Reserve with the largest potential: Private Public Partnership (P3). The Army Reserve identifies the mission of P3 as the following: The Private Public Partnership (P3) program develops, integrates and directs partner relations for the Army Reserve. P3 partners with not-for-profit (NFP), for-profit (FP) and academic organizations to support the Chief, Army Reserve’s top priorities and the Army Reserve Mission of providing trained, equipped and ready Soldiers, Leaders, and units to meet America’s requirements at home and abroad. P3 seeks to partner with the private sector through projects, where Army Reserve soldiers gain access to unique training opportunities and the ability to apply their experience and leadership skills to real world projects that correlate with their military experience. One of the main goals of the program is creating a partnership where the Army Reserve and the civilian world mutually contribute to national emergency response and peace and stability operations around the world. However, P3 is not being used to its fullest extent. I would even venture to say that a good majority of Army Reserve soldiers (outside of the National Capitol Region and Ft. Bragg) have no idea this program exists. The key question here is: What if we merged P3 with another underutilized program in the DoD? What happened to Training with Industry? “Great vision without great people is irrelevant.” — Jim Collins Another underutilized program across the DoD is Training with Industry (TWI). This is another program the Army Reserve could reinvigorate. By combining TWI with P3 into one all-encompassing program, it could be used as the bridge linking the U.S. military to the private sector. The TWI program was instrumental during World War II. Its purpose was to provide the following: consulting services to industry and skilled and trained personnel in the U.S. military. It was even the inspiration for the Japanese concept of Kaizen. So, what can we use P3 and TWI for today? Let’s take a look. Partnering with academia “Knowledge is an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty.” — Jacob Bronowski In 2017, U.S. News identified the most innovative universities in the country. Universities were ranked by the most innovative improvements in the following categories: curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities. Let’s examine three specific institutions and their innovative ideas. Cornell Systems theorist and cognitive scientist Derek Cabrera has developed a theory identifying four patterns underlying all cognition (DSRP): Distinctions, Systems, Relationships, and Perspectives. Derek (along with his wife Laura) has created a tactile manipulative educational tool called ThinkBlocks. As described in a documentary produced www.MAE-kmi.com
by PhotoSynthesis Productions in Re:Thinking, ThinkBlocks are used extensively in classroom settings and provide us a way to demonstrate to the power of tactile learning. Moreover, Cabrera also teaches Systems Thinking version 2.0 (DSRP) at West Point. For more on DSRP and ThinkBlocks, visit the Cabrera Research Lab at https://www.crlab.us for more information. IDEA: The Cabrera’s theory of DSRP and teaching technique’s using ThinkBlocks would be a powerful asset for U.S. military Veterans transitioning to a teaching career. What if the Troops to Teachers program (proudtoserveagain.com) partnered with Cornell and the Cabrera’s to provide Veterans a phenomenal way to teach children to learn and a leg up when searching for a teaching position? Massachusetts Institute of Technology Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) OpenCourseWare is an innovative approach to education. Essentially, MIT put their educational courses and material online for free and open to anyone. With over 2,300 courses available, this is a brilliant approach to innovative education. Visit https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/ for more information about MIT OpenCourseWare. This concept was popular a few years ago and other universities have attempted to copy the idea, yet few have made an impact with it. Furthermore, others have even labeled it as a “fad,” for which it should not be. Moreover, MIT has implemented an initiative striving to do exactly what I propose in this article, and that is to move ideas to impact. Find out more about MIT Innovation Initiative at https://innovation.mit.edu. IDEA: The U.S. military should look to MIT as the model for how it designs and operates its online education program. Additionally, the program I propose should use an innovation initiative structure similar to that of MIT in creation of Intelligent Innovation. Harvard Clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and best-selling author Dr. John Ratey has uncovered profound benefits of exercise and the brain – specifically, benefits to those diagnosed with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Dr Ratey’s writing in Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain demonstrates the impact his research has on servicemembers suffering from ADHD and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). His research demonstrates how exercise is tied directly to neurogenesis and neuroplasticity and can be used to assist servicemember across the world. For more information on Dr. Ratey’s work, visit www.johnratey.com. IDEA: The U.S. military, academic institutions, and the private industry should all look to Dr. Ratey’s work, specifically his work on exercise and the brain. In the military, the U.S. Army is attempting to change and upgrade its physical fitness program (including the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT)). Why not partner and learn from Dr. Ratey to ensure we get it right this time? Additionally, the U.S. Army should look to Dr. Ratey and his work with the brain, specifically for improving soldiers suffering from PTSD. However, we must make sure it is not used to simply check a box, where soldiers do not understand its purpose, instead they are told to complete it as yet another mandatory online course by the U.S. Army. This is what happened to the Global Assessment Tool (GAT), which was a great idea executed poorly by the U.S. Army. MAE June Issue 13.2 | 7
Moreover, there is also something special taking place in the center of the country. Three universities in the State of Kansas are providing innovative approaches to education. Let’s examine innovation along the yellow brick road. Wichita State University – Innovation Campus Innovation Campus at Wichita State University (WSU) was brought about to bring students, faculty and staff, industry and the community together to transform the world. The campus is an interconnected community of partnership buildings and serves as a community makerspace giving both students and non-students alike access to technology and services. In October 2017, the U.S. Army announced a partnership with WSU and its Innovation Campus. However, the U.S. Army Reserve is not mentioned or even thought of in this partnership. Yet, Wichita is home to the largest Army Reserve command in Kansas. The Army Reserve is missing a huge opportunity with WSU. For more information regarding Innovation Campus, visit wsuinnovationcampus.org. IDEA: The U.S. Army Reserve should partner with WSU and seek to use Innovation Campus for training. This would be a great opportunity to use for Lean Six Sigma training for the U.S. Army and could provide some great partnership opportunities with the private sector in Wichita. Kansas State University – NBAF and Homeland Security The National Bio and Agro-defense Facility (NBAF) – a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) animal disease research facility is being constructed at Kansas State University (KSU) in Manhattan, Kansas. The $1.25 billion facility plans to be operational by 2022. According to the DHS, NBAF will be a state-of-the-art biocontainment laboratory for the study of diseases that threaten both America’s animal agricultural industry and public health. Furthermore, KSU is located right next to Ft. Riley, Kansas (with a daily population of nearly 25,000 people on Ft. Riley) and is located near multiple Army Reserve and National Guard locations. This facility will bring in partnership opportunities and thousands of jobs, for which the U.S. military should look to fill. You can find more information about NBAF at https://www.k-state.edu/nbaf/ and https://www.dhs.gov/science-andtechnology/national-bio-and-agro-defense-facility. IDEA: The U.S. military should look to partner with KSU to hire Veterans to work at NBAF. Veterans could also attend KSU to attain a degree in their chosen field corresponding to their role at NBAF. This partnership could also lead to breakthroughs in the military’s role in homeland defense, specifically the U.S. Army Reserve and Army National Guard with DSCA and IRA.Fort Hays State University – Affordable Education and Doctorate of Nursing A little-known jewel exists in the rural Midwest. Fort Hays State University (FHSU) is one of the most affordable and accessible universities in the world. With nearly all degree programs available online, FHSU boasts a large virtual college (both in the number of students and faculty). Through international partnerships and innovative approaches, FHSU is able to offer a virtual education at a price far below just about every other university in the country. Additionally, FHSU recently launched a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. This program offers graduates a way to provide high quality, efficient patient-centered nursing care emphasizing collaborative, evidence-based practices. Find
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out more about the virtual college and the DNP program at www.fhsu. edu/virtualcollege/degrees/doctoral/doctorate-of-nursing-practice/. Partnering with Veterans Affairs “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived. — George S. Patton Innovation and Veterans Affairs (VA) are not typically used in the same sentence; however, an opportunity exists for the U.S. military to partner with the VA. The VA launched the Innovators Network, which is developed by employees for Veterans and is a way to test new ideas to serve Veterans better. What if the U.S Army Reserve partnered with the VA, better yet, what if the VA hired U.S. Army Reserve soldiers or Veterans for this initiative? There is no one better to uncover an improved approach to the large problems within this troubled system than those who have experienced it first-hand. Find out more about the VA Innovators Network at https://innovation.va.gov/innovatorsnetwork/. Partnering with industry “To be or to do.— John Boyd
Lean Six Sigma
In 2017, I partnered with Honeywell Aerospace in Wichita, Kansas for a process improvement initiative. As a Lean Six Sigma (LSS) Master Black Belt (MBB), I train Department of the Army (DA) green and black belt candidates. I decided that it was better to get first-hand knowledge from industry professionals for this task. The lead for the Honeywell site was an Air Force Reserve Major who was also a Lean Expert. Yet, he does not perform this task for his reserve duties. He mentioned that he approached the Office of Business Transformation (OBT) at the Pentagon to work with them, but they were not receptive. OBT (https:// www.army.mil/obt) conducts and operates the LSS program for the DA. Imagine this for a moment – a U.S. Army Reserve soldier is trained by the DA LSS program and certifies as a LSS black belt. The soldier is then hired on by Honeywell, where he or she works full-time gaining knowledge and skills in process improvement (skills that far exceed anything the military can provide). That same soldier then brings this knowledge and skillset back to the U.S. Army Reserve (see Figure 2). This is also a skillset an academic institution can provide through the creation of LSS training and curriculum. This skillset leads directly to employment as LSS is a coveted skill in the private sector. A great example of an LSS program in academia is Villanova University. See more about their program at https://www.villanovau.com/programs/certificates/ six-sigma-certificate-courses/six-sigma-lean/. 3D Printing The future of 3D printing (otherwise known as additive manufacturing) has slowly made its way to the battlefield. However, the U.S. military is not doing enough to bridge this gap. Yet, the U.S. Army Reserve could take the lead with this and bring 3D printing to the battlefield. Think of the reduction in lead time for supplies on the battlefield or the reduced need for large stockage levels of supplies and repair parts in a theater of operation. In 2012, the government created a unique partnership with industry and launched America Makes (americamakes.us). This is an initiative the U.S. Army Reserve should be leading as it provides the largest portion of logistics assets in the DoD. Additionally, the reserve www.MAE-kmi.com
force already has employees working full-time in additive manufacturing, while also serving in the military. Cyberwarfare Imagine this for a moment, an Army Reserve soldier trained as a Cyber Operations Specialist (17C) is hired at SpaceX. He or she conducts their normal weekend training with a newly established Army Reserve Cyber Command. The soldier works fulltime at SpaceX and brings phenomenal skills in cyber security back to the U.S. Army Reserve. Moreover, the best and brightest cyber professionals are not lining up to join the Army and why would they? Why would they when they could work for organizations such as Google, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Intel, IBM, Raytheon, or even SpaceX? Using the Army Reserve in this capacity would afford a cyber professional the opportunity to both serve their country and become professional hackers. They could become a professional hacker for Elon Musk at SpaceX and a cyber warrior for the U.S. Army in the Army Reserve. Intelligent Innovation “Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity – not a threat.” — Steve Jobs Think of Intelligent Innovation and the use of the Army Reserve like hat of an iPhone, where the U.S. Army has its operating system (OS) and private industry has their own OS. Yet, they lack an app with
the ability to link them together. With Intelligent Innovation, the U.S. Army Reserve could be that application strategically linking the two together (see Figure 3). Let me conclude with one last hypothetical example of how Intelligent Innovation could bring about progress and bridge the innovation gap. Imagine a Veteran takes a biology course at FHSU through their virtual college. She comes across a field called biomimicry and through research for an assignment uncovers the defense mechanisms of a Sea hare. She concludes that the sticky purple substance the Sea hare produces traps predators before they can get to it (see AskNature.org for more information on this idea). The Veteran wonders if this concept could be used a design idea for cyber security; however, where does she go with the idea? This is the gap, where ideas fall into the black hole and are never seen again. Yet, if we had something similar to Intelligent Innovation, this idea might just have some legs. If we had this network, the Veteran could send her idea to the U.S. Army Reserve team, where the team researches the idea. The team then starts to work with Innovation Campus on WSU and the U.S. Cyber Command to move forward on the idea. Additionally, the team reaches out to Apple Inc. to see if they could put this idea into action. In the end, this idea could potentially change and improve cyber security all because of the idea of one Veteran and the ability of the U.S. military to bring this innovative idea to life.
f i n is h your degree complete your mission Learn how our Military and Veteran Portal can maximize your military credit. Finish your associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree. Anytime. Anywhere. Visit our Military and Veteran Portal (MVP) and: > Create your free, no obligation profile > Learn which credits you already have based on your JST or CCAF > Explore various degrees tailored to maximize your military credit > See how your experience translates to civilian jobs > Begin to build your free resume > Explore how to fund your education Thomas Edison State University is recognized as one of the top institutions in the country proudly serving members of the U.S. military and veterans for more than 40 years.
LEARN MORE:
military.tesu.edu (866) 446-1804 Osvaldo Rios, BS ’17
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MAE June Issue 13.2 | 9
ww
“OVER THERE,” the Documentary about UMUC’s Traveling Faculty Program Aired in April on Maryland Public Television University of Maryland University College’s (UMUC) rich history of globetrotting professors came to life recently in a documentary that follows the university’s seven-decade mission of educating military personnel stationed overseas. Entitled “Over There: The Adventures of Maryland’s Traveling Faculty,” the documentary follows the path of Maryland’s “Academic Foreign Legion” who adopted “Have Syllabus Will Travel” as their motto and hopped from military base to military base, sometimes in war zones, to offer college classes to the troops. View the program in its entirety from the Maryland Public Television video archive page https://video.mpt.tv/video/3011339953/. Inspired by a reunion hosted by UMUC President Javier Miyares in 2013 of the Overseas Marylanders Association, an alumni group of former faculty members and administrators that served abroad, the documentary was produced by Emmy-winning filmmaker Lauren Cardillo who used interviews with more than 60 past and present professors, historic video footage and still photographs to tell UMUC’s unique story. UMUC Senior Vice President Michael Freedman, served as executive producer and oversaw the four-year project. The tale of these academic vagabonds aired on Maryland Public Television. Visit umuc.edu for more information about the program as well as interviews with “Overseas Marylanders” who do not appear in the film. “It’s the tale of a great adventure, and it is 10 | MAE June Issue 13.2
so much more than that—a story of innovation and change, of vision and courage, of service and sacrifice by those who lived it,” said UMUC President Javier Miyares during his introduction at the screening. “Perhaps most of all, it is a call to action, a reminder to all of the role of higher education and how a willingness to learn and grow can change lives—and change the world in positive and lasting ways.” The documentary opens with a boat trip by veteran professors on the Rhine-Neckar river at Heidelberg, Germany, the birthplace of Maryland’s overseas program, then hopscotches around the world allowing faculty members, administrators and former students to tell their stories of teaching and learning— sometimes under harrowing conditions. In the film, Lisa Henkel, vice president of operations and planning at UMUC, relates a gripping account of a rocket attack on the U.S. Army base in Kandahar, Afghanistan, during a UMUC graduation ceremony, which, in seconds, transformed celebrating students and speakers into soldiers and generals. “For a filmmaker, finding a story like this is like striking gold,” said Cardillo during a panel discussion after the documentary’s screening. “Here I could tell the story of this legacy of people who got themselves from country to country—every eight weeks—in the days before faxes and cellphones and computers. Somehow it all worked.” Originally the College of Special and Continuation Studies branch of the University of Maryland College of Education, UMUC was the only institution in 1949 to answer the Defense Department’s call to provide an educa-
tion to American military personnel overseas, first in Europe and then in Asia. In the ensuing decades, when competition for those Defense Department contracts became steep, UMUC has maintained its position largely on the reputation of its faculty members overseas, said John Golembe, former dean and director of UMUC Europe. “There were special faculty members who had the desire to go because they felt that those were the students who needed it most,” said Paula Harbecke, a former director of both UMUC’s Europe and Asia divisions. She described the complexity of moving professors to military bases around the world, often on eight-week assignments—and sometimes into dangerous situations, such as the war in the Balkans in the 1990s—as the continuous reshuffling of a deck of faculty-member playing cards. “I need an anthropologist—in Iceland— because they have requested an anthropologist [there,]” she said. “I look at my playing cards” and find an anthropology professor who could fill that assignment. “Whether it was Iceland . . . Korea . . . the Balkans, we were trying to ensure the faculty was there when they were needed.” Alumnus Rich Blewitt, who represented former students at the film’s post-screening discussion, said that during his time as a Navy enlistee in Japan, UMUC truly turned his life around. “I had bombed out of college as a freshman,” he said. “I was pretty down.” Then one day while walking around the base, he said he spotted a UMUC office and a recruiter enticed him to walk in. www.MAE-kmi.com
“That started a 40-year love affair with UMUC,” said Blewitt, who today is both a successful businessman and past chairman of UMUC’s Board of Visitors. “That day in April 1969 saved my life and created an appreciation I will never stop having.” Henkel, a former director of downrange and Europe operations in UMUC’s overseas division, suggested that, for her, appreciating the full value of taking college courses to servicemembers overseas—particularly to those in war zones—came quickly after her initial trips to Afghanistan. She recalled that on one of her first forays there, the commanding officer called her into his office with a question. Where was UMUC selling textbooks? At her reply—the education center—she said that he told her to put up a warning sign there. The soldiers, he explained, wore Kevlar vests with individual plates to protect them from gunfire and, when bogged down with military equipment, soldiers were replacing those heavy plates with textbooks. “Ma’am,” she said he told her, “I am going to need you to understand that education can do a lot, but it is not bulletproof.”
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When a patrol comes back to base after losing a man in action, she said, they are required to go to a “recovery tent” where they stay together to grieve and decompress before being cleared to undertake another mission. There were only two reasons patrol members could leave that tent—to visit a chaplain or to get chow, she said. “When we opened our fourth site in Afghanistan, we were told they [officials] wanted to add a third reason for leaving the tent,” she said. “And that was to come to a UMUC class.” These classes were a safe place for the soldiers, Henkel said. They often would write things in their papers that they could not tell their fellow soldiers. Some would give a speech that they could not tell their sergeants or their families back home. “I’m not saying we were on a par with God and food, but I was overwhelmed with the impact of our classes,” she said. “The professors carry so many of their students’ burdens. Our faculty were their light at the end of the tunnel.” Golembe and former UMUC Vice President Julian Jones, both trained as histo-
rians, said they were aware that UMUC was making history with this ground-breaking overseas program. For Golembe, it was about reaching these students who probably would never have had a chance at a college education without it, thus changing their lives and the lives of everyone around them. “We were constantly thinking about how we could preserve this as history,” Jones said. “We were almost thinking of it as Greeks thought about history. You want to preserve the great deeds of people in the past to educate those in the present and future. That is what I feel this documentary has achieved.” ————————————– What: “Over There: The Adventures of Maryland’s Traveling Faculty” Originally aired: Maryland Public Television (MPT) on April 15 and MPT2 on April 18 View the documentary on the Maryland Public Television webpage here: https://video.mpt.tv/video/3011339953/ Visit umuc.edu to learn more about UMUC’s Overseas Marylanders in their own words.
MAE June Issue 13.2 | 11
Online MBA Today Publishes Ranking of TOP 20 ONLINE MBA in Cybersecurity Programs
For this ranking, approximately 470 online and hybrid MBA programs were evaluated to determine whether or not the program offered a good business management foundation along with an extended offering of courses focused on cybersecurity. Each program was then ranked according to the following four factors: 1) its estimated online MBA tuition cost; 2) whether or not it has regional and business accreditation; 3) its estimated early career salary; and 4) its prestige. This data was gathered from the most recent and publicly available sources, including the National Center for Education Statistics, PayScale’s 2016-2017 College Salary Report, US News and World Report’s Online MBA Ranking, the Princeton Review’s Online MBA Ranking, the Financial Times’ Global Online MBA Ranking, and Quacquarelli Symonds’ Distance Online MBA Ranking. All data was gathered for each online MBA program, weighted equally at 25%, and then was averaged to find the ranking order for the top online MBA programs in cybersecurity.. ith dependency on the internet increasingly becoming the norm in our personal and professional lives, the cybersecurity industry has become an important field for securing the foundational virtual systems upon which we widely depend. Banking, voting, retail, and healthcare are just a few examples of online systems that involve sensitive information that requires protection. Big business depends entirely upon cybersecurity, which means that cybersecurity is now itself a big business. More business means more opportunities for educated and experienced managers and leaders in cybersecurity. “One of the best ways to prepare for a career in cybersecurity is to pursue an online MBA in Cybersecurity,” states Tammie Cagle, editor of Online MBA Today. Cagle explains that these programs allow professionals to uphold their current professional and personal responsibilities while preparing for their future career goals. This ranking of Top 20 Online MBA Programs in Cybersecurity will help prospective online MBA students find the best programs in this crucial field. Placing first in this ranking is James Madison University College of Business in Harrisonburg, Virginia, followed by Missouri State University’s College of Business in Springfield, Missouri, in second place. The University of South Florida Muma College of Business in Tampa, Florida, placed third. 12 | MAE June Issue 13.2
Other schools making the ranking include (alphabetically ordered): ☛ A merican University Kogod School of Business -- Washington, District of Columbia ☛ Baker College College of Business -- Flint, Michigan ☛ Bellevue University College of Business -- Bellevue, Nebraska ☛ C alifornia State University, San Bernardino College of Business and Public Administration -- San Bernardino, California ☛ C ardinal Stritch University College of Business and Management -- Milwaukee, Wisconsin ☛ E xcelsior College School of Business and Technology --Albany, New York ☛ F lorida Institute of Technology Nathan M. Bisk College of Business -- Melbourne, Florida ☛ Maryville University John E. Simon School Of Business -Saint Louis, Missouri ☛ Northcentral University School of Business -San Diego, California ☛ S aint Leo University Donald R. Tapia School of Business -Saint Leo, Florida ☛ Salve Regina University Department of Business Studies and Economics -- Newport, Rhode Island ☛ Strayer University College of Business ☛ U niversity of Dallas Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business -- Irving, Texas ☛ U niversity of Texas at Tyler Graduate College of Business and Technology -- Tyler, Texas ☛ U tica College School of Business and Justice Studies -- Utica, New York ☛W ebster University Walker School of Business and Technology -- Saint Louis, Missouri ☛W orcester Polytechnic Institute Robert A. Foisie Business School -- Worcester, Massachusetts www.MAE-kmi.com
Announcing The 13th Annual Top 100 Military and Veteran Focused Colleges and Universities and scan this form by September 15 u Complete Jaycolby@kmimediagroup.com
th
for our November issue to:
School: Contact: Website: E-mail: Phone #: Physical Address: Total Students: Military: Bachelors or Certificates: IT and Cybersecurity Nursing Other Masters: Foreign Affairs Other
Cyber Security
Medical Administration
Criminology
Business Administration
Engineering
The Arts
Medical
BELOW: Please submit 100 words on your areas that are extraordinary for military students.
Winner listings will be published at no charge including on the Military Advanced Education Website! For MAE Information Only (not to be published) Contact: Public Relations: Phone #: E-mail: Web Address:
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MAE June Issue 13.2 | 13
Military and Veteran Education
Q& A
The Council of College & Military Educators
Janine Wert, CCME President Janine Wert, LICSW, serves as the Director of Military and Veterans’ Services at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She designed and implemented the Military and Veterans’ Services program there, increasing military member and student Veteran enrollment significantly over the past seven years with the support of administration, faculty, staff, and students. Prior to her appointment at UMass Lowell, Janine served as a Readjustment Counselor and Family Therapist at the Lowell Vet Center, and as a Program Manager and Case Manager at the Manchester VA Medical Center, Manchester, NH. She founded and implemented the first Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Program at the Dayton VA Medical Center, Dayton, OH. Janine is familiar with military life as a career military daughter, career military spouse, and mother of military members. She has both a personal and clinical understanding of the challenges and opportunities present in military service and the transition to civilian life and has served over 20,000 OEF/OIF Veterans throughout her career. Janine earned her Masters’ in Social Work from the Ohio State University after earning a bachelors’ degree in Psychology from the University of Florida and Design degree from Lynn University. She is currently a Doctoral candidate in Executive Leadership at the University of Charleston. Janine has clinical expertise in PostTraumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Suicide Prevention. Janine has served as the Secretary/ Secretary-Elect, the Vice-President Elect, and currently, serves as President-Elect of CCME. Her passion is improving the Quality of Life for military members, Veterans, and their families. Q: What are the most important priorities for CCME to pursue in 2018? A: CCME, as an organization, presents unparalleled potential in serving our members. As we look forward to our 2019 CCME Symposium, January 21-24 in Austin, Texas our theme will be “Expanding Pathways: Influencing Relevant Outcomes”. As an organization, our highest priority is providing value added professional development for our members and partners. To accomplish that, several of the important efforts of this years’ CCME Board includes creating mission and vision statements, guiding values, and a five-year strategic vision for the organization. This Board cumulatively represents deep expertise in VolEd and military and veteran higher education and they are working diligently toward both developing these foundational concepts to foster future continuity for CCME, but also delivering an outstanding symposium in January. Another area of untapped potential is CCME’s expan14 | MAE June Issue 13.2
Janine Wert sion of corporate and community relationships. Our Board members have well developed relationships corporately, and we are organizing to better outreach and include those who would find value in partnering with CCME and our members. Another area of great potential that the Board is embracing is the increasing focus on alternative educational opportunities with positive outcomes. The Board believes that this nontraditional approach to education and employment. Finally, referring to our highest priority as serving our membership and partners, the Board is developing Return on Investment (ROI) statements for those in higher education, the Department of Defense, and our corporate partners so that the benefit of attending the annual symposium is patently clear. These tasks are designed to move CCME into a position to better serve our membership and expand and engage individuals, organizations, and corporations. Q: What progress has been made to date toward these priorities? In less than 60 days following the 2018 CCME Symposium, the CCME Board accomplished an amazing amount! The Board created mission, vision, and guiding values statements. These will guide future decisions and symposium agendas. CCME Mission Statement: To serve as a professional development platform that showcases educational and career opportunities for military-affiliated students. CCME Vision Statement: To facilitate meaningful dialogue that leads to relevant strategies, innovation, and collaboration to enhance student success. The Board has worked diligently on these and they will be featured on our website and throughout the Symposium. We are also well into developing for our five-year strategic plan. These principles reflect the www.MAE-kmi.com
heart of CCME and our dedication to providing professional development and networking for a diverse membership. We want every member and partner to receive the highest value possible for their engagement with CCME. Q: Looking forward, what should we expect from the 2019 CCME Symposium? As the CCME Board continues to explore avenues to creating increasing value for all attendees, we are moving quickly so that individuals, institutions and partners may be better informed and may plan further ahead to attend the symposium. Since our dates fall earlier in the year than usual, we are opening our Request for Proposals, Symposium Registration, and Hotel Registration on June 1st. We expect to add ROIs to our Website shortly after this to support planning efforts. The feedback on our Monday programming has been positive, and we will be adding additional workshops to the agenda on Monday. Our Newcomers’ Workshop, a new addition to the 2018 Symposium, will be further developed and condensed, based on suggestions from attendees. The agenda will be posted and, as details are finalized, will be updated to reflect General Session speakers and once Concurrent Sessions are selected, they will also be posted. Our 2019 Symposium will closely follow our theme: Expanding Pathways: Influencing Relevant Outcomes and will feature related topics and speakers. Our Concurrent Session Tracks include: Veteran Track Beginner Intermediate Advanced Military Student Track Beginner
CCME Guiding Values to Student Success C - Commitment A dvocate for a positive military affiliated student
academic experience - Influences guidelines for innovative and relevant career path ways - Provides a platform to disseminate new ideas, policies, and procedures
C
Collaboration
and Effective Communication - R eciprocated exchange best practices and lessons learned
- C reated space for open communication - A ccess to Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) in military and veteran student education
M
Mutual Respect and Trust
- P rovides an environment that stimulates meaningful
and positive discussions
- E ncourages sincerity and openness
E
Envision Student Success Outcomes - A nalyze data to measure results - P ropose topics and direction of future professional symposiums
- P romotes educational partnerships that support student success
Intermediate Advanced Nursing/Allied Health Track Compliance, Data Reporting and Outcomes Developing Partnerships Career Pathways and Workforce Development
We encourage all who are developing best practices in these areas to submit proposals. The Board will assist any who have questions or would like to co-present on a topic. Also, we are simplifying our CCME Certificates process so that attendees may focus on learning and receiving value-added information. Finally, Austin, Texas provides a fun, active venue for the Symposium and the Board is excited to be partnering with the city of Austin and the state of Texas to create a memorable symposium. Q: What can CCME members do to help you accomplish your goals? A: CCME members are the greatest resource of the organization. They can assist the CCME Board in three ways: 1. Members and attendees can share their experiences with CCME and the value it has provided to their professional development with colleagues who may be interested in attending the symposium and joining as members. www.MAE-kmi.com
2. Prior attendees can become members and assist CCME in our quest to continually increase value to our membership. 3. Members can engage by submitting concurrent session proposals and encouraging others to do the same. (We all know wonderful presenters that are reticent to present, but who have valuable information to share—reach out to them and encourage them to participate!) 4. Members can volunteer, run for a Board position, or share ideas with the Board for future symposiums. We rely on feedback from previous symposiums to further develop our agenda and presenters, and highly value suggestions from members. Q: Any additional comments? A: CCME is grateful for the support that MAE has provided over the years. This partnership enables a fully volunteer Board, with no professional staff, to better communicate with our membership and expand interest in our organization. The efforts of our Past President, Lane Huber and the 2018 CCME Board in executing the successful 2018 CCME Symposium in San Diego was herculean, and MAE significantly contributed to assisting with our monthly Grapevine column and with outreach. We encourage anyone with a great idea or helpful suggestion to contribute, engage, and increase our institutions’ ability to better serve military connected students worldwide. MAE June Issue 13.2 | 15
I WU Approved To Provide Online Degree Options For Active-Duty Air Force Personnel IWU is one of only 87 GEM schools in the country, only school in Indiana
In keeping with its efforts to support the educational needs of military personnel, Indiana Wesleyan University is partnering with the U.S. Air Force to help active-duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserves personnel further their education through the General Education Mobile (GEM) program and the Air University Associate to Baccalaureate Cooperative (AU-ABC). Both programs provide active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserves personnel serving anywhere in the world an opportunity to further their education online while serving. With 300,000 active, guard and reserve enlisted personnel, the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) is the world’s largest community college system. Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) is one of only 87 universities in the country approved for the GEM program, and it is the only GEM-approved university in Indiana. IWU is also one of just 64 approved AU-ABC schools in the country and one of two in Indiana. IWU-National & Global has more than 10,000 adult learners throughout the world who study online or at 15 education centers in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. Airmen are required to complete 15 semester hours of general education to earn an Applied Science.
Enlisted airmen, when assigned to an Air Force occupational specialty, are admitted to the Community College of the Air Force, Haight said. The CCAF’s GEM program provides active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve enlisted personnel the opportunity to complete their General Education requirements as a single block and from the same institution, allowing for faster completion of the CCAF Associate of Applied Science degree. The Air University Associate to Baccalaureate Cooperative offers active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserves enlisted personnel who have earned an Associate of Applied Science through the CCAF to complete a bachelor’s degree from participating colleges and universities online. As an AU-ABC category 1 partner, Indiana Wesleyan University allows CCAF graduates to earn an approved bachelor’s degree with the guarantee that no more than 60 semester hours of additional credit will be required to complete their degree. Currently, students can earn a Bachelor of Science in Management through the AU-ABC program at Indiana Wesleyan University. The school is working to expand the number of bachelor’s degrees that active duty students can work towards. “The U.S. Air Force promotes education pretty vigorously — in fact, it’s the largest degree-conferring institution in the country,” Haight said. As part of its participation in the GEM and AU-ABC programs, IWU offers members of the military a preferred tuition rate of $250 per semester hour; a voucher of up to $200 per course to offset the cost of textbooks, resources and technology fees; and a dedicated military program representative. IWU also offers the ability to complete the courses completely online.
Wesley G., Student
CJ-Homeland Security. Navy.
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16 | MAE June Issue 13.2
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New College Ranking and Review Aggregator Publishes Top Consensus Ranked Regional Colleges in the North and West for 2018 College Consensus (https://www.collegeconsensus.com), a unique new college ratings website that aggregates publisher rankings and student reviews, has published their ranking of the Best Regional Colleges in the North and West for 2018. To identify the Best Regional Colleges2018, College Consensus combined the latest results from the most respected college rankings with thousands of real student reviews to produce a unique consensus score for each school. According to College Consensus founder Jeremy Alder, “Like Rotten Tomatoes or Metacritic does for movies, College Consensus gathers the publisher rankings and student reviews from around the web and distills the results into simple, easy to understand scores so students can quickly and easily compare schools. It is the ranking of all rankings, so to speak.” To help prospective college students and their families evaluate the educational options open to them, College Consensus has identified the best regional colleges in the North and West, according to the combination of published rankings and student reviews. “The North and West have a lot of competition,” Managing Editor Carrie Sealey-Morris
says of the Best Regional Colleges-North ranking, “but these are the colleges experts and students agree are the smartest choices.” The Consensus Best Regional ranking “recognizes the undergraduate colleges that do the job of preparing an educated workforce.” For the College Consensus ranking, regional colleges are defined as “primarily associate’s and bachelor’s institutions that offer programs for a statewide or regional audience.” Regional colleges primarily offer undergraduate programs, and though they may have some graduate programs, those do not usually include doctorates. Most importantly, the Best Regional ranking highlights “the smaller colleges and junior colleges that do not have master’s programs or highprofile research, but do make top-quality education accessible.” “With our unique method, College Consensus forms a ranking that represents the best regional colleges in the north in a different light than usual,” according to Managing Editor Carrie Sealey-Morris. “By taking into account both publisher rankings and student reviews,” as Sealey-Morris explains, “everything makes it in – academic reputation, student satisfaction, social
NORTH COLLEGES
mobility, affordability, and much more.” As an aggregate ranking, “some colleges that get overlooked in other rankings get their say, and others that dominate the conversation have to give some way.” By taking the long view, College Consensus can become an invaluable part of a prospective college student’s research process, helping “students find their way to the Northern colleges that have built a reputation among experts and students alike.” As Sealey-Morris asserts, “It’s a less biased, more inclusive ranking than other rankings.” College Consensus is a new approach to college rankings. We combine the latest results from the most respected college ranking systems with thousands of real student review scores from around the web to produce an aggregate College Consensus rating for each school. Students will not find a more comprehensive ranking of the top colleges and universities anywhere. In addition to rankings, College Consensus also offers expert advice and guidance on all aspects of college life, from finding the perfect college, to getting accepted, paying for it, and finding your professional path after graduation.
WEST COLLEGES
1. Cooper Union - New York, NY
2. US Merchant Marine Academy - Nassau County, NY 3. Messiah College - Mechanicsburg, PA 4. Cedar Crest College - Allentown, PA
1. Trinity College - San Antonio, TX
5. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred - Alfred, NY
5. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA
6. St. Francis College - Brooklyn, NY 7. Wilson College - Chambersburg, PA
8. SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill - Cobleskill, NY 9. University of Maine at Fort Kent - Fort Kent, ME
10. La Roche College - Pittsburgh, PA www.MAE-kmi.com
2. Santa Clara University - Santa Clara, CA 3. Whitworth University - Spokane, WA 4. Loyola Marymount University - Los Angeles, CA
6. University of Portland - Portland, OR 7. Gonzaga University - Spokane, WA
8. Seattle University - Seattle, WA 9. University of Redlands- Redlands, CA
10. Chapman University - Orange, CA MAE June Issue 13.2 | 17
Salve Regina launches nation’s first online Ph.D. program in international relations Salve Regina University has launched an online Ph.D. program in international relations that officials say is the first of its kind in the United States. Designed primarily for faculty at military institutions, military officers from both the U.S. and abroad, and those employed in the government services professions, the program is currently enrolling students for classes that will begin in the fall. Candidates for the 48-credit program should already hold masters’ degrees and have at least five years of related professional experience. Seasoned professionals whose busy careers do not allow them time to attend a traditional full-time terminal degree program are also prime candidates. “Salve Regina is thrilled to be the first
18 | MAE June Issue 13.2
university in the United States to offer an online Ph.D. in international relations,” said Dr. Symeon Giannakos, program director. “The mission of the degree — which emphasizes justice with a primary focus on seeking wisdom — is to provide an innovative understanding of area studies through comparative analysis.” Giannakos said Salve’s unique approach fills an important void by providing flexible learning options for career educators and other professionals working in military institutions and government services jobs. “Military officers who cannot logistically attend a traditional Ph.D. program find themselves in a disadvantage despite their tremendous practical and academic credentials,” Giannakos said. “Our program will
give these professionals the opportunity to do so without taking time off from their work. They are dedicated, disciplined, intelligent and hard-working professionals who can handle the rigor of graduate work while maintaining their important jobs.” To complete the program, students must complete 36 credit hours (12 required courses) focusing on area studies such as Europe, East Asia, South Asia, Africa, Latin America, North America, the Middle East, Russia and China, followed by the 12-credit dissertation writing phase. Program faculty for upcoming fall courses are drawn from Salve Regina, the University of Rhode Island, the U.S. Naval War College and Roger Williams University, where each is a full-time teaching faculty, all holding Ph.D. degrees, and all known regionally, nationally and internationally for their scholarship and expertise in a specific area study. This is Salve Regina’s third doctoral program and is accredited, along with its existing Ph.D. programs in humanities and nursing practice, by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
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CCME 2018 Summary By Lane Huber
The 2018 CCME Professional Development Symposium was officially closed on March 29, 2018 in San Diego, CA. The theme, “Navigating Change: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities in Military and Veteran Education was featured throughout the week as the 829 attendees met in general sessions, concurrent breakouts, and while networking throughout the event. A huge thank you goes out to the all-volunteer CCME board, without which this event would have never been possible. It is because of their hard work over the past year that we able to pull off this very important and needed event. The comments submitted were positive and also constructive and will be used by the new board as we begin planning next year’s symposium in Austin, TX. Keynote and general session speakers are critical to the message given to attendees at any CCME symposium and this year was no different. A welcome to San Diego kicked things off from Ms. Darnisha Hunter, Senior Community Representative and Active Duty/Veterans Advocate for the Office of the Mayor, Kevin L. Faulconer. She was followed by an OSD update by Mr. Charles
Drummond, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense and Ms. Dawn Bilodeau, Director, Department of Defense Voluntary Education Programs. Meeting in San Diego was the perfect opportunity to hear from some of our Navy friends. Command Master Chief Jason M. Tuschen, Remi Adeleke, and Command Master Chief Jason Torey provided inspirational messages from their careers as Navy SEALS. It was truly a one of a kind collection of keynote speakers and the reviews from our attendees were extremely positive. We had two panels this year with a Hiring and Transition panel and a Military and Veteran Service Organizations panel. We also heard updates from the military voluntary education service chiefs, the Veterans Administration, and the Student Veterans of America. One of my favorite parts of each symposium is the awarding of the CCME scholarships at the awards/scholarships luncheon on Tuesday. This year we awarded $15,000 in academic scholarships to servicemembers, dependents, and veteran students who were so very deserving. (continues to next page)
AMU ALUM AND VETERAN LINWOOD HARRISON, B.A. INTELLIGENCE STUDIES
Master Sergeant Linwood Harrison, recipient of the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, plans to earn a master’s degree and work in the intelligence field after his retirement. He knows that military friendly AMU understands the challenges he faces and the personal investment he is making. Reach higher at www.AMUonline.com/MAE 1901-18-902379_AMU_Military_Linwood_MAE_7.375x5.25_4C_r0.indd 1
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A major change this year was the “Newcomers Orientation Workshop” on Monday, which replaced the Tuesday morning Newcomers Breakfast of years’ past. First time attendees participated in a working lunch session to familiarize themselves with the basics of voluntary education, the schedule, learning tracks, and the CCME app. We had very positive comments from this session and we will definitely be offered again next year, albeit with a few minor tweaks. All in all we had 260 first time attendees at this year’s event! One of the most popular features of our symposium are the concurrent sessions which were held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday this year. We had a record 75 different sessions and had over 165 presenters. Sessions ranged in areas of best practices, compliance with DoD and state authorizations, data analysis - especially in terms of tracking Veterans, multiple sessions ran discussing the new changes to SOC. Transition and career service topics were popular this year and, of course, several portal updates took place, as well. Over 200 professional development certificates were earned by attendees this year. A new event we tried in 2017 was so successful that we brought it to San Diego this year. The “Step Forward with CCME Challenge” had attendees tracking their steps throughout the symposium and awards were given on the final day. Collectively our participants reported over 3.6 million steps. That was enough steps to walk from San Diego to Austin (the location of next year’s symposium) and a good chunk of the trip to Philadelphia where we will be in 2020. This was all for a great cause, of course, and we raised $2,280 for
our CCME scholarship fund. The new CCME Board has been formed and already working on the 2019 CCME Professional Development Symposium! CCME President Janine Wert will lead all of us to a much anticipated and successful event in Austin, TX. To help make the 2019 symposium even better, VOLUNTEER! Get involved and help make your CCME the best it can be! See you in Austin January 21-24, 2019! Be sure to download the CCME Conference App through your mobile device app store well in advance of the symposium to receive the mostup-to-date information on our agenda, sessions, and speakers. We look forward to another year of engaging dialogue and active participation at the CCME San Diego Symposium as we step our way into next year’s CCME symposium held in Austin, TX. ★ Note from Janine Wert, CCME President: CCME thanks Lane Huber, Immediate Past President of CCME, for his brief synopsis of our recent Professional Development Symposium. For more information about our organization, please visit CCMEonline.org, and plan on joining us at our 2019 Professional Development Symposium in Austin, TX January 21-24, 2019.
CCME 2018 APP is available through the Apple Store and Google Play, download now.
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MILITARY ADVANCED EDUCATION CALENDAR ISSUE
COVER Q&A
SPECIAL SECTION
FEATURES
TRANSITIONS
CLOSING DATE
July/August 13.3
Jeff Allen Director Dantes
Community College Spotlight
Roundtable: Admissions for Military Students
Degrees & Careers in Logistics Corporate Connection
7/14
September/ October 13.4
Eric Eversole President Hiring Our Heroes
Supporting Military Students On Campus
Roundtable: Training Faculty in Military Concerns Competency Based Ed
Degrees & Careers in Nursing Corporate Connection
8/14
November 13.5
Karin Orvis, Director Transition to Veterans DOD
Top 108 Schools Veterans in the Arts
Joining Forces US Army Women’s Foundation
Degrees & Careers in Criminal Justice
10/14
December 13.6
Dawn Bilodeau DOD Education Chief
Credit for Military Experience/ACE
Community College of the Air Force ESO Roundtable
Degrees & Careers in Homeland Security Corporate Connection
11/14
This editorial calendar is a guide. Content is subject to change. Please verify advertising closing dates with your account executive.
20 | MAE June Issue 13.2
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