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Careers & Transitions: Degrees in Information Technology Journal of Higher Learning for Today’s Servicemember

Special Section

Student Scholarship Spotlights

Voice of Veterans D. Wayne Robinson

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President and CEO Student Veterans of America Classes at Sea O Accelerated Online Degree Programs Schools Ensuring Vet Success O Competency-Based Education

May 2014

Volume 9, Issue 4

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MILITARY ADVANCED EDUCATION Features

Cover / Q&A

Special Section

Careers and Transitions: Information Technology

Scholarship Spotlight Life Altering Awards

Behind the Machines

Even with the GI bills and other forms of financial assistance available to servicemembers, college can still be expensive. Scholarships can help fill the gap.

Veterans describe in their own words how notable and unique scholarships changed their lives.

From health care to electronics to computers, skilled IT degree professionals are needed to design, run and maintain the technology that allows the systems in these industries to function successfully. It’s consistently named as one of the best careers in terms of job outlook, and many servicemembers already have some training in this area. MAE takes a look at IT degrees and the job prospects for students in this industry.

By Kasey Chisholm

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4

President and CEO Student Veterans of America

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The average servicemember accumulates credits well beyond what is often required for a degree. That’s why some schools are doing “end-toend occupational evaluations” that can reduce college studies by half or more in some cases, resulting in accelerated degrees for students.

Who says you can’t work on your education while also serving on active duty? The Navy College-At-Sea (NCPACE) program gives servicemembers the opportunity to experience challenging education while on sea duty assignments, preparing them for personal and professional growth.

Competency-based education has become a hot topic in higher education circles, and it may become an option for military students in the future, allowing them to learn at their own pace and complete their degrees.

Why this may be a great educational fit for the student veteran.

By Brian Sayler

Sea School

By J.B. Bissell

Departments 2 Editor’s Perspective 3 PROGRAM NOTES/People 14 CLASS NOTES 26 CCME GRAPEVINE 27 RESOURCE CENTER

A Flexible Path to a Degree

By Dr. Deborah Bushway and John Hayes

24

We Want You How well are the nation’s colleges and universities serving military and veteran students? There’s no blueprint for schools on the best ways to address this unique non-traditional student population, but there are certain methods schools should consider now.

By Don Accamando

“We now have data that clearly demonstrates student veterans are

University Corner Barb O’Reilly

Director of Military and Veterans Affairs Education Management Corporation

28

17 D. Wayne Robinson

12

Full Speed Ahead

May 2014 Volume 9, Issue 4

succeeding.

Their rates of completion are competitive with both traditional and non-traditional students.”

-D. Wayne Robinson

EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE

Military Advanced Education Volume 9, Issue 4 • May 2014

Journal of Higher Learning for Today’s Servicemember Editorial Editor

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During February’s Council of College and Military Educator’s conference in Savannah, Ga., VolEd leaders from the Department of Defense reiterated their goal to release the new DoD Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in the spring of 2014. The new MOU incorporates the remaining Principles of Excellence in support of the President’s Executive Order 13607.

Most notably, all educational institutions providing education programs through the DoD Tuition Assistance Program will provide meaningful information to students about the financial cost and attendance at an institution, so military students can make informed decisions on where to attend school; not use unfair, deceptive and abusive recruiting practices; and provide Kelly G. Fodel Editor academic and student support services to servicemembers and their families.

The proposed rule was posted to the Federal Register on August 14, 2013, and since that time, officials have been collecting feedback and making revisions in anticipation of a spring announcement. At CCME, some were saying that the new MOU could be expected by late April, despite the challenges of sequestration and government shutdown that were certainly thought to cause delays.

Since the conference, news has been quiet regarding the MOU. In anticipation of a potential announcement, I reached out to Dawn Bilodeau, acting chief of Voluntary Education Programs, to see if her office could provide an update. Bilodeau’s office has always been extremely helpful and responsive, and they immediately responded to my query.

“It looks like we are a little ways out; we anticipate it will still be another month or two [for the new MOU to be released],” said Joy Crabaugh, DoD spokesperson, Personnel and Readiness, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs).

So there you have it. It looks as though you can expect that, instead of spring, the MOU will be posted to the Federal Register in the summer of 2014. One more reason to look forward to summer, right? And it’s not just schools that should be paying attention; students should be sure to take note. As Bilodeau stated during her feature interview with MAE in March, “DoD is postured to increase oversight, enforcement and accountability through a quality assurance program that encompasses compliance and enforcement of [the] memorandum of understanding signed with DoD, a postsecondary education complaint system, targeted risk-based program reviews and information-sharing among federal agencies. The department continues to safeguard servicemembers’ access to quality postsecondary education opportunities as a strategic investment enhancing our servicemember’s ability to support mission accomplishment and successfully transition to civilian life.”

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PROGRAM NOTES

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Third Anniversary of “Joining Forces” Initiative First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, are calling on Americans to submit questions via social media about “Joining Forces,” a national initiative they started three years ago that mobilizes all sectors of American society to support servicemembers and their families.

The first lady and Dr. Biden marked the initiative’s third anniversary at Fort Campbell, Ky., where they spoke to servicemembers, families and employers at the Veterans Jobs Summit and Career Forum and answered questions about the initiative.

White House officials have invited Americans to help in celebrating the anniversary by sharing a message or asking a question on social media, and by finding ways to get involved.

“In just three years,” they posted on the White House website, “hundreds of thousands of veterans and military spouses have been hired or trained by businesses nationwide; all but a few states have streamlined their professional licensing requirements to better meet the needs of veterans and military spouses; and so many schools, faith communities, community groups, and neighbors have found countless ways to make a difference for our military families.”

People can ask questions, send a congratulatory message or encourage others to participate in Joining Forces by using the hashtag #JoiningForces on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, officials said.

PEOPLE

Compiled by KMI Media Group staff

and Employer Outreach (ACVETEO). This is Haynie’s second term as a member of the committee, but first as chairman, during which he will serve a two-year appointment.

Michael V. Drake

The Ohio State University board of trustees appointed Michael V. Drake as the university’s 15th president.

Drake has been the chancellor of the University of California, Irvine, since 2005.

Michael A. Fitts

Dr. Mike Haynie, the executive director of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University, has been named by U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez to serve as the chairman of the Department’s Advisory Committee on Veterans’ Employment, Training,

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Michael A. Fitts, dean and Bernard G. Segal Professor of Law at the University of Pennsylvania, has been named the 15th president of Tulane University. Fitts will begin his term on July 1.

Tony G. Waldrop, provost and executive vice president

at the University of Central Florida, has been named president of the University of South Alabama.

Timothy P. Slottow has been named as the new president of the University of Phoenix. He currently serves as executive vice president and chief financial officer at the University of Michigan, where he is responsible for operations and finance.

Elizabeth Davis, executive vice president and provost of Baylor University, in Texas, has been chosen as president of Furman University, in South Carolina.

Concorde Career Colleges Inc. announced the appointment of Jami Frazier as the vice president of operations, overseeing the operations of all Concorde campuses.

Navy Voluntary Education Celebrates 40-Year Anniversary The birth of an all-volunteer military in 1973 brought questions about force sustainment: What would entice people to enlist in military service? What would keep them past their first enlistment? Survey data from that time indicated education was a major incentive for military service. As a result, Navy Campus for Achievement (NCFA) was established May 14, 1974.

NCFA’s mission was to serve as a management system for off-duty education programs and work in tandem with on-duty education programs.

“The creation of Navy Campus meant sailors got help in planning their educational journey,” said Ernest D’Antonio, Navy Voluntary Education (VOLED) director at the Center for Personal and Professional Development in Virginia Beach, Va. NCFA became Navy College Program in 1999 and is administered by D’Antonio’s VOLED directorate.

NCFA enabled sailors, regardless of duty location, to enroll in a certificate or degree program with a participating institution. Advantages for sailors included no school residency requirements, acceptance of transfer credits from regionally accredited institutions, and the maximum possible credits for Navy courses and experience, which were part of NCFA’s agreement with participating schools.

There were originally seven institutions participating in NCFA. Today, 4,041 education institutions participate in Navy VOLED programs.

D’Antonio referred to a story in the March 1977 Navy Campus Newsletter about two Navy E-8s stationed in Maine who started their bachelor’s degree in Vocational Education in 1975 through NCFA with the University of Maine at Portland-Gorham. By taking the maximum amount of classes allowed and using credit for their Navy training, both completed a four-year degree in two years.

“We do the same thing today—help sailors navigate the maze of choices, assist in choosing the best path for them, and guide them through their educational journey from initial planning to graduation,” he said.

Navy VOLED’s current program offerings include Graduate Education Voucher, distance learning, and United Services Military Apprenticeship Program. The Navy’s Tuition Assistance budget in fiscal year 1974 was over $1.5 million; this year it’s $86 million.

For more information about the Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD), visit: https://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/cppd. For more on the Navy College Program, visit: https://www. navycollege.navy.mil.

MAE 9.4 | 3

Special Section : Student Scholarships

Scholarships for servicemembers and their dependents make a big difference.

A major perk of military service is the federal financial aid that is awarded to servicemembers pursuing their education. As helpful as TA and the GI Bills are, some students still need more monetary assistance to meet their educational goals. That’s where scholarships come in to bridge the gaps. MAE asked some current college students how military scholarships are enhancing their lives and educational paths.

Lance McElhenney U.S. Marine Corps Mississippi State University I joined the Marine Corps in the summer of 2003 without knowing what the future might hold for me. During the next eight years, I deployed to Iraq and Okinawa as an infantry rifleman twice each. I was awarded the Purple Heart in June 2004 during the Battle of Ramadi. Over the years I held many other billets. For a time I was an armory custodian, a team leader, a squad leader, I-I staff and battalion police sergeant. After eight years, I decided it was time to go home and be with my family and pursue a degree.

I have always been a technical/mathematical thinker. A degree in electrical engineering has been something that I have wanted since I was in high school. Returning to the civilian world, I knew that was what I wanted to pursue again. With the GI Bill assisting me, I returned to Mississippi State University to continue that path. The GI Bill has been an excellent assistance to me, but seemed to fall short of what I needed to get by. I am married and have five children, so the time that school takes prevents me from being able to work enough to properly support my family.

4 | MAE 9.4

This school year, I was awarded the Tommy and Terri Nusz scholarship. Being one of the largest scholarships awarded to veterans at MSU, the Tommy and Terri Nusz scholarship has made a tremendous difference in my life. I can now spend more time focusing on my school work and preparing for a future in electrical engineering, instead of using all of my time out of school to work different part-time jobs to support my family. It has kept me from going into debt just to attend school. With the award of this scholarship, I know that I will obtain my degree and be able to move into a career upon graduation with the freedom of no student loans and a record of better grades, after being allowed to focus more on school than working several part-time jobs just to make it.

Antonio Silva U.S. Marine Corps California State University, San Bernardino Obtaining a college education has been a passionate goal of mine, but this pursuit was put on hold after graduating high school. Faced with the financial responsibilities of college, I made the choice

to enlist in the United States Marine Corps.

I enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1999 and served during Operation Enduring Freedom as a supply administration clerk. After being honorably discharged on July 1, 2003, I began to invest in my education.

Although fascinated by science since childhood, my journey to pursue a career as a community pharmacist began when diabetes affected two of my closest relatives. My uncle was diagnosed with diabetes and passed away from the disease. Before he passed, I vividly remember my aunt’s dedication and constant positive outlook when caring for him, which brought out my desire to seek a career that would allow me to apply my expertise to alleviate people’s suffering. Shortly after his death, my mother was identified as being at high risk for diabetes by her local pharmacist and had to make several lifestyle changes.

Now my mother is healthy and has significantly lowered her risk for diabetes due to the pharmacist’s enhanced duties, for which I am forever grateful. My interactions with these pharmacists motivated me to pursue a career in pharmacy, become a health advocate and to utilize my ability to speak Spanish to help others who are underserved due to language barriers. Being of Mexican descent, I understand the culture, can communicate fluently in Spanish and want to bridge the trust gap as a pharmacist.

With the aid of the Montgomery GI Bill, I was able to complete half of my undergraduate degree; however, the financial hardship of supporting a family of five made it difficult to continue with my education. The invaluable resources and support provided by my www.MAE-kmi.com

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Special Section : Student Scholarships campus Veterans Success Center director, Marci Daniels, led me to successfully apply for the Zapletal Charitable Trust Scholarship in the amount of $5,000 and USDA-WRI Scholarship in the amount of $15,000. With this aid, I was able to complete my undergraduate studies, which provided me with invaluable research experience as well as the opportunity to participate in a paid internship ($1,000) as a pharmacy technician at St. Bernadine Medical Center through California State University, San Bernardino. I am in my last quarter of undergraduate studies and starting pharmacy school in the fall of 2014 at The Claremont Colleges, Keck Graduate Institute School of Pharmacy.

I would strongly encourage student veterans to research available scholarship opportunities because they are plentiful and truly not that difficult to apply for. At first, I was overwhelmed with school, work and family life and wrongly thought pursuing scholarships would be too time consuming. I also believed that because I didn’t have a 4.0 GPA and a compelling story to tell, I would never be able to get a scholarship so it would be a tremendous waste of time to try. Nudged by my school support system, I finally relented and within months, I was awarded $20,000 in scholarships and a $1,000 paid internship.

In retrospect, I think that we veterans often are our own worst critics, undervaluing our military and life experiences. I have come to realize that our experiences are unique, compelling and valued by the civilian sector.

I hope that my story serves as inspiration to other veterans—Apply! Apply! Apply! Most importantly, never give up on your dreams.

recovery operations at the Pentagon after the 9/11 attacks. I was later transferred to 2/6 Infantry out of Baumholder, Germany. I deployed to Iraq with 2/6 INF from April 2003 through July 2004 as a 240B machine gunner and later a fire team leader.

I chose to purse a master’s degree in international development with a NGO management focus from the University of Pittsburgh as a result of my experience witnessing the hardships endured by the civilian population of Iraq. In particular, I was struck by the disproportionate amount of suffering civilians bear while entangled in wars they do not want. I decided to pursue a career in humanitarian aid and hope to find work with an overseas NGO that assists refugee populations. Currently I am a finalist for a Fulbright Fellowship which will send me to Jordan, where I hope to work with Syrian, Iraqi and Palestinian refugees.

I was awarded a Wounded Warrior and Veterans Education Assistance Fund scholarship from the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of Veterans Services, which has helped me cover tuition costs since I exhausted my original GI Bill benefits. In particular, the award enabled me to continue my Arabic language study, a skill that is necessary to pursue a career in that region of the world.

Mark Smith U.S. Army Grantham University

Andrew Fichter U.S. Army University of Pittsburgh I served in the Army infantry for four and a half years. I was originally stationed in Fort Myer, Va., with The Old Guard, where in addition to the ceremonial duties of that unit, I participated in the cleanup and 6 | MAE 9.4

I joined the U.S. Army as a combat medic in 1997. My first duty station was in Weisbaden, Germany. There I served in a medical transportation unit in support of NATO joint operations in Kosovo and Macedonia.

In 2003 I relocated to Fort Lewis, Wash., and took part in the development of the new Stryker combat units as a combat medic in an infantry battalion that deployed to Mosul, Iraq, during 2004-2005. There I took part in over 250 combat missions, and cared for wounded American and Iraqi servicemembers and civilians. My experiences in war

have encouraged me to do my best to help my fellow veterans as they struggle through transitioning back into civilian life.

I chose to pursue a M.S. in performance improvement at Grantham University because it will provide me with a unique degree program to better assist organizations I work with in improving their services to veterans. The performance improvement program provides a systematic approach to positive change, which is a large part of what I do when I engage those who seek to help veterans.

I was awarded the Severely Injured Servicemember scholarship because of my PTSD disability, which has been a challenge to my life since leaving the military. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn through Grantham, which has been so helpful and beneficial in giving me the confidence and support to improve my education. The staff has been tremendously helpful, kind and genuine in their work with me.

I will be using the knowledge and skills I gain while taking this program and applying them to my work environment. I enjoy seeing the world as the classroom and topic of my studies. Combining the education and experience will be a great tool to developing my expertise in performance improvement consulting. My motivation is always to do the best I can in honor of those who did not come home.

Lewis Howard U.S. Army National Guard Mississippi State University I enlisted in the military in 2008 with a primary MOS of 15U (CH-47 helicopter repairer). I served as a guardsman while attending Mississippi State University to pursue my degree in aerospace engineering, until August 2011 when I received orders to deploy. I served with Company B, 1/111th AV BN in both Iraq and Afghanistan from 2011 to 2012 as a flight engineer, and returned to school in the fall www.MAE-kmi.com

of 2012. I am currently a candidate in the state Officer Candidate School program at Camp Shelby, Miss., with a graduation date in August. After completing OCS, I will attend flight school at Fort Rucker, Ala., to become a pilot for the CH-47 Chinook helicopter.

I have always been interested in aircraft and the possibility of becoming an aerospace engineer. Enlisting in the military with the job of aircraft mechanic and becoming a flight engineer has aided my learning process in the aerospace engineering program here at Mississippi State University.

While attending Mississippi State University, I was chosen as a recipient of the Gaines Scholarship. Scholarships from private donors, such as Mr. Gaines, provide educational opportunities for many students who have unmet financial needs. Although I utilize my GI Bill and federal Tuition Assistance and also participate in a paid research program for the aerospace engineering department, the high cost of tuition and living expenses still place a financial burden on me as a full-time student. The Gaines Scholarship has allowed me to focus more of my time on academics, instead of having to work a part-time job. This has allowed me to earn a GPA of 3.38 in my major, which is very competitive. These private scholarship donors make it possible for students such as me to progress in college and to meet our goal of earning a degree.

Amber Banks U.S. Air Force military spouse Columbia Southern University I have been married to an active-duty military member for almost eight years, and we have two children. I met my husband while he was stationed at Keesler Air Force base in Biloxi, Miss. I was working several part-time jobs, attempting to map out a way to complete a college degree program. Once we were married, the Air Force offered me a wonderful opportunity to be trained and certified as a home daycare provider. I completed the program and have been managing my own business ever since.

Through the years, our family has endured Hurricane Katrina, a year-long unaccompanied tour to Korea, countless moves and an eight-month deployment to Afghanistan. During this time, my husband attended Columbia Southern University and achieved his bachelor’s degree in occupational safety and health. He is now pursuing a master’s degree in occupational safety and health with CSU as well.

My college career did not start as most do.

We could not afford for me to attend school, nor did we want to amass several student loans. I tried many times to apply for financial aid, but “on paper,” we made too much.

So after a few years of wanting to go back to school, an opportunity arose through CSU. We stumbled across the news that CSU offered the Hero Behind the Hero scholarship. The scholarship was offered to spouses of activeduty military and covered tuition for up to two years for one online degree program.

I applied and told the story about my life, business and being the support behind the uniform. I spoke of the struggles during the storm, and the hardships left on us while at home throughout all of the deployments.

I submitted our story to the university and prayed for the best. I never thought that I would get the phone call, but one morning, a few weeks later, I did.

This scholarship has given me a chance to pursue my dreams of going to college. As I manage my daycare business, CSU continues to equip me with the tools to succeed. In the future, I hope to expand and I would also like to pursue a marketing degree through CSU. The military lifestyle is not known to be the most stable, but I know that the knowledge I obtain at CSU will travel wherever I go. O For more information, contact MAE Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.

Defend Your Future • 40+ online degree programs and certificates • Military scholarships • Flexible scheduling • Credit for military training and testing • Veteran services department • 100% online “The degree gives me confidence – but it also gives me the opportunity to pursue a life after the Army.”

- Louis Sidney, Class of 2010, Bachelor’s Degree in Multidisciplinary Studies Currently pursuing his Master’s Degree at Grantham University

Visit grantham.edu/mae or call (866) 761-3697 Copyright 2014 Grantham University. All rights reserved. DETC accredited. For program information federal disclosures, visit http://www.grantham.edu/disclosure/. p.14.457

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MAE 9.4 | 7

Careers & Transitions: Degrees in Information Technology

Degrees in information technology provide lucrative career opportunities for transitioning servicemembers.

By Kasey Chisholm, MAE Correspondent There is no doubt that we live in a technological world. From computers to smartphones to online banking, the world of information technology is one of variety and daily importance to the modern American citizen. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in the information technology field are expected to outpace other industries through the year 2020, so the time to explore a career in this growing market is now.

Darryl Padgett, Ph.D., associate dean of the College of Engineering and Information Sciences as well as the College of Media Arts and Technology at DeVry University explained, “A person that graduates in this field has many options for employment. Career opportunities include working at a help desk, [as a] field service or network administrator, [and in] computer security, networking and telecommunications.” Padgett continued, “Students with their master’s degree can manage networks as well as manage IT.” Scott Hill, executive program chair of Information Technology at Globe University, agreed. “As technology continues to ingrain itself in our lives,” he said, “IT will remain an important component of life in the information age, as will the people who make it run smoothly.”

Hill noted that there are a multitude of IT specializations, such as database work, security, networking and programming, just to name a few.

Former military service men and women make excellent prospects in information technology programs. Hill emphasized the experience of military veterans, noting that “our military is very technologically advanced and most military members are comfortable working around high-tech equipment.” Former servicemembers already possess many desirable IT skills, since they “are also trained to be security conscious and must adhere to strict procedures in many facets of their lives.”

Scott Stratton, the military liaison and senior executive advisor at DeVry, believes that the traits IT 8 | MAE 9.4

employers really want, such as “leadership, problem solving, competence under stress, attention to detail, focus in demanding environments and most importantly, a proven record of trainability in what is an environment of constant change” are typically fostered during a successful military career. It makes sense, then, that many colleges report a high number of their veteran populations are enrolled in IT coursework.

DeVry University Darryl Padgett

Scott Hill

veterans@globeuniversity.edu

Scott Stratton

sstratton@devry.edu

DeVry University, Addison campus, offers a variety of information technology programs coupled with an extremely military friendly atmosphere. The Keller Graduate School of Management offers two undergraduate and one graduate degree in information technology. The network systems administration degree is a 68-credit-hour associate degree. According to Padgett, “The program addresses installing, configuring, securing and administering network systems comprising users, shared resources and network elements” that provides students with the background they need in network systems administration as it is applied to real, practical business situations. DeVry also offers a 128-credit-hour bachelor’s degree in network and communications management. Padgett explained that “this program addresses the need for professionals who can harness technology to advance business goals by integrating technology and business management coursework.” Graduates will gain experience implementing, securing and managing networks.

Finally, the master of information systems management program allows students to gain the business management and technical skills necessary to effectively function as senior analysts, IS project leaders and MIS managers in just 45 credit hours. All programs provide a rigorous and rewarding atmosphere, taught by experienced and Cisco-certified professors. Padgett www.MAE-kmi.com

noted that the programs provide students with a multitude of experiences, as the “program provides hands-on labs as well as online simulations of networks. Our students have the ability to benefit by working in both environments. This field will continue to grow as more people and companies utilize cloud technologies, smart devices, and wireless and wired technologies.”

Stratton said that veterans will find an easy fit in these programs, as “the Addison campus of DeVry University provides support during the life cycle of the student veteran.” Addison campus has a student-led veteran organization, the DeVry Military Resource Club (DMRC), that assists with the transition from combat to college through administrative, academic and peer veteran support through monthly meetings, off campus opportunities, and social and memorial events. The DRMC has won awards through the Student Veterans of America. Incoming military servicemembers can expect to be helped through the intake/ admission process, transition to college, and ultimately their graduation. Some key veterans services include help with GI Bill and financing information, VA clinician visits, Post Traumatic Stress awareness discussions, and interviewing and resume workshops tailored to former servicemembers.

Stratton is enthusiastic about the transferable qualities veterans bring to the information technology field. “Whether it’s as an Army Information Technology Specialist (MOS 25B), a Navy Information

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System Technician (IT) or an Air Force Computer Systems Operations (MOS 3C031), the hard skills gained can be evaluated and credentialed both in the educational environment and the civilian workplace,” he said.

Globe University Scott Hill has seen a number of military veterans enter the information technology program at Globe University and meet with success. “The IT program is well within the capabilities of current and former military members,” Hill said. “The skills used to make a successful soldier and airman will pay great dividends in the academic arena.” Globe offers an assortment of degree choices, so veterans are sure to find a program that suits their needs and specific skill sets. All programs may be taken either online or in person, making them flexible for many enrollees.

In the category of information technology, students can pursue either a 180-credit-hour/36-month bachelor of science or a 94-credithour/18-month associate in applied science. In the associate degree, students will be trained in software development, networking, security, Web development and database design. The bachelor’s degree builds upon the associate, offering a concentrations in either networking and security or server administration.

MAE 9.4 | 9

Careers & Transitions: Degrees in Information Technology

Student Spotlight Joshua Mellor 35T Military Intelligence Systems Maintainer, U.S. Army B.S. Information Technology–Network Administration Western Governors University We live in a world where any business that wants to remain competitive must have at least some exposure to IT, which means there are a lot of IT-related job possibilities. Serving in the U.S. Army gave me an IT foundation that has made my life better. I served for five years in the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division at the 209th Military Intelligence Company as a Military Intelligence Systems Maintainer (35T). While enlisted, I had the opportunity to learn about advanced communications gear and many network administration procedures and practices. When I left the Army, I took a civilian job in Iraq as a senior electronic technician and another as an irregular warfare internal security specialist. These experiences helped me develop a deep appreciation for technology and I decided I wanted to pursue an IT degree.

For me, Western Governors University felt like the best fit.

WGU is a military-friendly school that offers a unique approach

to online learning. WGU programs are different in that they allow you to study and progress at your own pace. I was able to use the knowledge I learned in the Army to quickly progress through my program. As part of the IT degree programs, students are able to earn industry certifications that many employers look for—and the cost is included in tuition. This approach means that when you graduate, you not only have a respected, accredited degree, but also several IT certifications.

While in the Army I gained several years of IT experience working as a computer systems administrator, using technology to maintain battlefield readiness, and was able to see different technologies in action. This knowledge is useful in the civilian sector as well as on the battlefield. The skills I learned while in the Army, along with what I learned at WGU, will allow me to have a successful career in network administration.

advocating for their veterans. Veterans can enjoy military leave of In addition to these IT programs, Globe also offers degree absence and military withdrawal policies, as well as connections with options in software/mobile application development. An associate academic, medical and scholarship sources tailored to the needs of in applied science in mobile application developement offers stumilitary members. dents the training needed to gain entry-level positions in both Android and iOS programming. Througout their study, Hill said, students will learn “Intro to Software Development, C# ProgramUniversity of Phoenix ming, Android Application Development, iOS Application Development, Mobile Application Security, Software Engineering for Mobile, Bob Eoff, dean of operations for the College of Information SysSoftware Quality Assurance and Testing.” tems and Technology for the University of Phoenix, said that “the Students may also explore the Bachelor of Science in software military has had an increased focus on information assurance as the application development. The BS is a practical, hands-on way to gain reality of cyber warfare has come to the forefront, so most active-duty the skills needed to “design, develop and implement military students already have a great deal of experisoftware applications that solve real-world business ence and share a keen interest in the subject.” The challenges.” Finally, students can earn a certificate in University of Phoenix offers associate, bachelor’s and mobile application development in just nine months. master’s degrees in information technology. Students This program is ideal for students wishing to break can also explore various certificates in key areas such into the field quickly, or for those already in their career as cybersecurity, networking, desktop support, and looking to expand their skill set. programming.

Military veterans are well suited to the IT field, All information technology coursework, regardless and Hill believes it affords them the opportunity to of chosen program, is taught by experienced, high level have a rewarding and lucrative career. Veterans “may faculty that provides students the chance to learn from have experience with hands-on, multitasking work, real industry professionals. During their study, Eoff said, David Leasure they are used to solving complex problems, they may students will be prepared for certification exams such as have experience working with and training people, “CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ and Cisco Certified and they value teamwork,” he said. Former servicemembers will find Network Associate (CCNA)” that are in high demand in the business a supportive environment at Globe. Globe is home to a dedicated world. Throughout their participation in the University of Phoenix’s and active Military Student Services department whose focus is information technology programs, students can take advantage of 10 | MAE 9.4

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multiple resources and support systems, allowing all students to meet with success regardless of what challenges they may face.

Western Governors University Western Governors University offers a variety of degree options within the information technology field, allowing students to learn “information technology fundamentals, Web development, Windows OS/server admin fundamentals, networks, security, programming, databases, project management and a number of other IT disciplines” depending on their specialization, said David Leasure, provost at WGU. Bachelor of Science degree options include information technology, network administration, network design and management, security, software, health informatics, and business information technology management. WGU also offers master’s degrees in information security and assurance and network management. Students may also pursue an MBA in information technology management.

Students at Western Governors University will experience a curriculum “developed with the input of third-party industry councils, groups made up of leaders from business and academia who help ensure the competencies WGU graduates master are the skills and knowledge today’s employers are looking for,” said Leasure. Students also have the opportunity to earn important industry certifications at

no additional cost. WGU is a “competency-based” university, meaning that students must be able to demonstrate that they know the course material and can apply it before completing a course, allowing them to work at their own pace as well as be ensured mastery of content. Students complete their degrees online, granting great flexibility needed for servicemembers.

Leasure noted that redeployments and an unpredictable schedule don’t stand in the way of an education at WGU. He continued: “Personalized faculty mentor support helps ensure that every student is able to stay on track and no one falls through the cracks.” In addition, since students can advance to the next course as soon as they prove competency, “a military student with strong IT knowledge from work and educational experience can likely accelerate quickly through material he or she already knows, freeing up time to focus on what still needs to be learned.” WGU waives application fees to military students and their dependents, and offers a $2,500 “Go Further” scholarship available to military spouses. WGU also has a VA Military Support department, ensuring that servicemembers and their families will get the most out of their educational endeavors. O For more information, contact MAE Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.

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Use action code: MAE MAE 9.4 | 11

Accelerating the path to a college degree.

By Brian Sayler

To award credit, an institution must be Recently, the 12th Sergeant Major of able to ensure all of the outcomes taught the Army (Ret.) Jack L. Tilley said, “Our within a course are covered and validated military is without equal on the planet within the prior learning, whatever forum when it comes to the skills they have been the learning takes place. This is critical taught and the discipline and dedication to maintaining the school’s reputation, they possess—attributes well beyond many a requirement of accrediting bodies and college students beginning their studies most importantly, crucial immediately following high if the student is to graduschool. When you consider ate with the skills he needs that, it’s hard to understand and desires.

The ability of a why military students aren’t school to evaluate the varied on a fast track to their colmilitary training and expelege degree.” Tilley’s staterience, keep current with ment highlights an issue changes and ensure that that has been a focus of everything matches up with those associated with milicourse curriculum is the tary education for some core issue. One of the more time, and progress has been holistic ways to award credit made. However, if you look Keith Smith is to evaluate all of the trainat the average servicememing within a military occupation. While ber who obtains a degree, you’d find he or this process and maintenance is difficult she has accumulated credits well beyond due to numerous occupations, skill levels what typically would be required for that and versions of the training, it can reduce degree. So how do we accelerate the degree required class time significantly. path for our troops?

12 | MAE 9.4

“Kaplan University has been undertaking this effort with very powerful results,” said Keith Smith, dean of Kaplan’s school of Health Sciences. “We began by looking at the curriculum offered by the Medical Educational Training Campus (METC) and more than 20 occupations the training supported. The result turned a lot of heads: an associate degree for many of these students can now be done in five to eight courses, which is almost a 70 percent reduction.”

The academics at Kaplan are quick to point out that this accelerated degree path identifies the quality training provided by the military and how that training overlaps with the school’s program. “It’s essential to realize we are not providing a short cut to get a degree without the skills; the point is, they already have the skills and they are often reinforced on the job everyday— not something all other college students can say about their studies,” emphasized Smith.

Kaplan then turned its attention to combat arms occupations. So far, four www.MAE-kmi.com

elite schools—everyone has occupations have been onaccess to it. In the informaboarded to receive credit tion age, a greater emphatoward a criminal justice sis is needed on how you or business degree. Infanbuild flexibility into school trymen, skill level 30, can programs in order to recogreduce the time to complete nize existing skills, sharpen their two-year degree by up them, and help students to 55 percent. Depending bridge the gap to the creon the course load, they dential they are striving for.” can complete the courses in Peter Smith Many schools are beginless than one year. Calvary ning to publish their courses scouts, armor crewmen, so students can take them on their own and indirect fire infantrymen have been at no cost. “It’s not constructive or even awarded similar amounts of credit. These sensible to covet content which is already a credentials can then be moved seamlessly Google search away. Rather, our focus is on into a Kaplan bachelor’s program if the pulling those learning outcomes together student desires, where additional credit in a way they can be applied in the real awards may be available. world,” said Dr. Smith.

“Faster doesn’t mean easy,” explained Additional Benefits Dr. Smith. “Our curriculum will challenge new students. It’s efficient but you need Students who come to school with to come ready to work. Our experience is credits may be far more likely to succeed [that] military students would not expect in the degree program. The content is not anything less.” redundant, they have proven an ability to Kaplan also accepts other types of learn college level teachings, and they can credit for students whose desired program see the finish line. As SMA Tilley noted, “It has not been evaluated against their occumust be extremely deflating for a soldier pation.

This includes ACE recommended to have to take a course they could teach, credit, credit by examination and transfer while having to balance it with duty and credit from accredited colleges and SOC family obligations. Just think how many members.

Kaplan also offers a free selfmore of our soldiers would successfully get paced course to help students develop an their degree if awarded significant credit experiential portfolio.

This portfolio can for their training.” then be evaluated for additional credit not Accelerated degree programs also can covered through the other sources.

This take pressure off a financially stressed milican be very helpful for those with signifitary tuition assistance program. Nobody cant experience within the military. O wins when students fail because of an inefficient recognition of skills. The world of education is changing, and higher education institutions must adapt by recognizing that traditional students, those attending right out of high school, may be the norm but are not the majority. For the United States to move back up in the ranks of education, currently 17th amongst industrialized countries, the scope must be expanded to include the needs of skilled adult learners. There is no better place to start than with the tremendous talent we Brian Sayler have in the ranks of our armed forces.

“Imagine the impact these individuals Brian Sayler is the executive director can have as civilians, [and] conversely, the of marketing at Kaplan University. waste of resources and the tragic result to our servicemembers and veterans if they cannot make the transition successfully,” said Dr. Peter Smith, Kaplan’s senior vice For more information, contact MAE Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online president of academic strategies. “Content archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com. is no longer a commodity owned only by www.MAE-kmi.com

PE N N STAT E O N L I N E

Ranked #1 national university for veterans —U.S. News & World Report Veterans receive priority registration for classes Dedicated academic military support team Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) member Yellow Ribbon participant; G.I. Bill approved Military Grant-in-Aid for servicemembers and their spouses studying at the undergraduate level

worldcampus.psu.edu/vets U.Ed.OUT 14-0358/14-WC-0547txm/sss

MAE 9.4 | 13

CLASS NOTES Obama Administration Launches Online Veterans Employment Center A new integrated employment tool is helping to connect veterans and servicemembers with public and private employers, and to help translate military skills into the civilian workforce. The Veterans Employment Center is the result of an interagency effort to improve, simplify and consolidate the current array of employment resources for veterans. Additionally, this will provide one comprehensive database of resumes for employers who are seeking to leverage the skills and talents of veterans, servicemembers and their spouses.

“Our servicemembers haven’t always had the time or information they needed to prepare their resumes, to plot their career goals, to meet with employers and get the jobs they deserve. And that’s simply not acceptable,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “As my husband has said, when you’ve fought for this country around the world, you shouldn’t have to fight for a job when you return home. Starting today, every single servicemember, every veteran and every military family will have access to a new online tool that will revolutionize how you find jobs in both the public and private sectors.”

The Veterans Employment Center can be found online at www.ebenefits.va.gov. It is the first interagency tool to bring a wealth of public and private job opportunities, a resume-builder, military skills translator and detailed career and training resources together in one place. In connection with the First Lady and Dr. Biden’s Joining Forces initiative, the Department of Veterans Affairs worked with employers, the Departments of Defense, Labor and Education, and the Office of Personnel Management to design and develop the site and incorporate features of existing online employment tools within government.

The Veterans Employment Center will provide employers with access to a targeted pool of resumes from veterans and transitioning servicemembers, allowing them to search resumes to identify veterans with skill sets applicable to civilian employment at their organization, and to track progress towards reaching their veteran hiring goals. Resumes are visible to all employers with an active LinkedIn or Google profile. To prevent spam, an applicant’s name and email address are redacted and only visible to employers verified by the VA as registered companies with the IRS. The site is also built using open data and an open application programming interface to attract private-sector innovation.

14 | MAE 9.4

SVA Announces 1,000th Chapter Since Student Veterans of America’s founding in 2008, over 1 million veterans have returned home to pursue a postsecondary degree or certificate using VA education benefits. Today, veterans seeking to transition to college campuses all over the country have an unprecedented network of support they can leverage as they seek their degree. With the addition of Saint Leo University in Florida, just north of Tampa, SVA has passed the organization’s 1,000-chapter mark.

“We’re thrilled to be reaching our goal of establishing over 1,000 chapters two years ahead of anticipation. We feel this is a testament to the tide of veterans who are seeking higher education, and see the power and value of being involved with an SVA chapter,” said SVA’s president and CEO, D. Wayne Robinson. “These young men and women are entering these schools with more resources at their fingertips now than ever before, and we’re proud to contribute to that network.”

Saint Leo University has a long history of supporting veteran education. In addition to their Florida campus and extensive online course selection, Saint Leo operates more than 40 teaching locations, including military bases, in seven states. Now, as part of the extensive SVA network, student veterans at Saint Leo can engage with fellow veterans at the more than 1,000 chapters to take advantage of the relationships their peers have forged on their campuses and in their communities.

Ashland University Establishes New Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree Program Ashland University in Ohio has received approval from the Higher Learning Commission to offer the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Degree Program through the Dwight Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

The DNP program is a graduate level online program leading to a practice doctorate for baccalaureate and master’s prepared registered nurses. The initial specialty focus of the program will prepare nurses for the advanced practice role of Family Nurse Practitioner. The DNP degree also will prepare graduates to assume roles as faculty for colleges of nursing.

The university will begin offering the DNP classes as part of the summer session that starts in June. Those interested in learning more about the program can contact Dr. Latina Brooks, the program director, at dnp-conhs@ashland.edu or visit www.ashland.edu/dnp.

Brooks said the new online DNP program delivers an innovative curriculum from postbaccalaureate to doctorate, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration among health care providers, hospitals, community leaders and policy makers.

“Ashland’s program of study centers on knowledge and skill building in the areas of scholarly practice, practice improvement, innovation and testing of care delivery models, evaluation of health outcomes, health policy, leadership in health care delivery and quality improvement, and clinical expertise for advanced nursing practice,” she said.

UMass Launches 23 New Online Programs UMass added nearly two dozen new online degrees and certificates to its program catalog, expanding the scope of online offerings to meet the increasing demand for online education. UMassOnline provides marketing, technology and other support services for online programming originating from the five UMass campuses.

“Program development is a key strategy for continued growth,” said UMassOnline CEO

Dr. John Cunningham. “The UMass campuses designed and developed the new offerings focused on in-demand areas such as business, education and health sciences, and have created the programs for adult students looking to complete their college degrees or advance their careers.”

For details on the new programs at UMassOnline, go to www.umassonline.net or visit www.umassonline.net/blog. www.MAE-kmi.com

Compiled by KMI Media Group staff

Upper Iowa University Creates Organizational Information Systems and Technology Program Upper Iowa University has redesigned its academic programs to create the Organizational Information Systems and Technology Program (OISTP), which includes majors in information technology (IT) and information systems (IS) that will be offered on the Fayette campus and online starting next fall. A minor in software engineering (SE) will be offered on campus this year and then added as an online option the following fall.

Dr. James Jacobs, assistant professor of information technology and chief architect of the new program, explained that OISTP is a redesign of the curriculum that maximizes the relationship between IS, IT and SE using a model common to every organization to manage information and communication. “The model is based on the premise that all organizations need to use technology, manage technology, maintain technology and develop technology and software,” Jacobs said. “The IS, IT and SE components work together to accomplish these tasks while each component has its own area of expertise.”

The primary difference between the majors is the roles they play in an organization, according to Jacobs. IT professionals provide implementation and support for technology and software used by the organization. IS provides the bridge between the organization’s needs and IT and SE, which builds and maintains the technology to meet those needs. Although all students will understand both business and technology, students take courses to specialize in their chosen field. IT students focus on understanding technology; IS students focus on understanding business. Jacobs added that there are substantial job opportunities in fields related to handling computer-based information, with starting salaries over $50,000.

“Our UIU online students have been expressing interest in being able to complete an information technology degree, so it is especially important that we can offer these majors online,” added Barb Schultz, assistant vice president for the UIU Center for Distance Education.

Information about the Upper Iowa OISTP program is available at www.uiu.edu/academics/ majors/dmit/index.html.

Grantham Adds Four New Certificates to Program Options According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2012 around 8,554 people who received postsecondary non-degrees—in other words, who had participated in certificate programs—were employed in their respective fields. This number is expected to grow another 15.6 percent by the year 2022. To help meet this growing demand for talented future employees, Grantham University will add four certificate programs to its online course options: cybersecurity concepts, introduction to programming, human resources and business leadership.

Each certificate requires the completion of 16-19 credit hours and can be completed individually, or while concurrently pursuing a correlated undergraduate degree at Grantham. The cybersecurity concepts certificate helps prepare students to take the Network+ exam and/or the NetworkPro and SecurityPro certification exams.

For those who already hold a college degree, a certificate is a complement to that degree and is a cost-effective way to further knowledge and expertise in a given field.

“Certificate programs are a popular option for students who want to advance in their careers, but who don’t necessarily have the time to pursue a full degree,” said Dr. Cheryl Hayek, Grantham’s chief academic officer. “In the next decade, certificate holders are expected to have the fourth highest employment rate of postsecondary education opportunities behind doctoral, master’s and associate degree recipients. Considering our history of providing professionally relevant degree programs, it is only fitting for us to begin expanding our certificates options to meet a growing need.”

To learn more, visit www.grantham.edu/certificates.

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New Health Sciences Degrees at UIW University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) in San Antonio, Texas, is beginning a new set of degrees in health sciences. The certificates, as well as associate and bachelor’s degrees, are offered completely online through UIW Online.

Students can choose concentrations in cardiac rhythm analysis technician, certified billing and coding specialist, certified electronic health record specialist, certified medical administrative assistant, nutrition, or general studies (military training).

This “stacked” program allows students to complete a certificate.

Upon completion, students in four of the areas can then elect to sit for a national certification, making them immediately employable. For students who have transcripted military credits, they can use them to complete the general studies and move on with the associates and then the bachelor’s degree in health sciences.

In addition to the undergraduate degrees, UIW has a Master of Arts in administration with a concentration in health care administration. This degree provides participants with core competencies in administration as well as grounding in function areas of health care administration. The program curriculum is designed to develop ethical and accountable administrators who are able to conceptualize problems and opportunities, critically analyze complex organizational issues, identify solutions and communicate persuasively a particular course of action.

To learn more or to apply, go to www.online.uiw.edu/academics.

MAE 9.4 | 15

Military Warriors, Maximize Your MOS

• Your combat arms military occupational specialty (MOS) could reduce the credits needed to earn a Kaplan University associate’s degree in business or criminal justice by as much as 55 percent* • Other programs available • Evaluated MOSs include: Military Police, Infantryman, Armor Crewman, and Calvary Scout

For comprehensive consumer information, visit www.kaplanuniversity.edu/student-consumer-information.aspx.

Kaplan University is regionally accredited. Please see our website for additional information about institutional and programmatic accreditation. *Based on maximum credit transfer. Actual transfer credits may vary. See the University Catalog for the Prior Learning Assessment policy.

Find out more and enroll at MOS.kaplan.edu or call 877.809.8445 (Toll Free).

Online | Accredited | Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium Member COMBAT ARMS AD_04/14

Voice of Veterans

Q& A

Veterans in Higher Education: America’s Smart Investment

D. Wayne Robinson President and CEO Student Veterans of America D. Wayne Robinson served in the U.S. Army and rose to the pinnacle of enlisted ranks as a command sergeant major. During his career he held many leadership positions in artillery, special operations and recruiting and graduated from every enlisted leadership course offered by the Army. Before joining SVA’s professional staff in October 2013, Robinson served on the organization’s advisory board.

Robinson is an MBA graduate of the Booth School of Business at The University of Chicago, where his team won the Global New Venture Challenge, a business competition consisting of top teams from around the world. He is also a graduate of Wall Street Warfighters, a program that helps high-potential veterans transition into finance roles. A native of Mobile, Ala., he holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Trident University and has previously attended New York University to further his expertise in the principles of investment banking.

Q: What experiences in your background as a prominent member of the military, as well as a member of the business community, prepared you for your current leadership of Student Veterans of America as the president and CEO? A: My military experience prepared me for my current leadership role at Student Veterans of America (SVA) in a number of ways. As a command sergeant major, I learned the significance of having a strategic situational understanding. I developed a keen ability to think critically, having faced many situations where there was no right answer. The knowledge gained from these years of service prepared me to represent the voice of a diverse population with varying needs and interests.

As a member of the business community, I honed the skills developed during my military service. I earned my MBA at the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, and was head of New Business Development at Drexel Hamilton Investment Partners, which is a veteran-owned Wall Street firm. Through this experience, I learned how to build a metric-based organization and understand the role of finance in successfully operating a non-profit organization. Comprehending the importance of generating a return on investment (ROI) has been vital to creating and delivering organizational value.

Q: What does your role entail? How do you view this position within the veteran and education community?

A: The role of SVA, and my role in its leadership, is to be the voice of veterans in higher education. With the tremendous growth of our local SVA chapters over the past few years alone, it is clear that this is a critical need. SVA has given those local chapters and the student www.MAE-kmi.com

veteran population the ability to build connections across the nation.

As the leader of SVA, I have the opportunity to speak on behalf of student veterans from the position of being informed on issues that directly impact them.

Q: This past March, SVA announced the initial findings from its Million Records Project. What were some of the key findings from that research, and how does this research shift the conversation about veterans in higher education?

A: The Million Records Project provides several insightful data points, including the fact that 51.7 percent of student veterans are graduating.

That number is similar to the graduation rate of their traditional peers, and is leagues ahead of the graduation rate for other non-traditional students. Even if veterans delay initial enrollment, or must temporarily halt their education due to deployment or family responsibilities, they have the persistence to continue through to graduation. In short, student veterans are finishing what they start.

Of particular note, one-third of veterans are earning their bachelor’s degree in STEM fields, combating the misconception that all veterans pursue careers in the civil service field. A STEM degree equips veterans with the competencies to succeed in a high-growth career field with long-term impacts on the American economy as a whole.

Continuing to invest in veteran education is ultimately an investment in the future of the country.

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Q: There have been calls for some policymakers for colleges and universities to better support the successful graduation of their veterans into gainful careers. Do you have any advice for educational institutions striving to prepare their student veterans for successful careers?

A: For many veterans of this generation, a successful career starts with success on campus, and peer support networks, such as SVA chapters, have been proven to not only ease veterans’ transition from combat to college, but also from college to career. These networks foster camaraderie and provide the social support necessary for veterans to make lasting impacts in both their own lives and their communities. By contributing to those relationship-building efforts, educational institutions prepare veterans for success long after they leave the classroom.

We also encourage educational institutions to empower veterans through information—give them the resources to make informed decisions by developing an administrative network of support. This network might include veteran liaisons in various campus offices, so when a student veteran has questions, they can be best directed to the necessary resources. This also creates a general awareness of the student veteran presence on campus, and of their contributions to the campus culture. Combined with the peer-to-peer network, these efforts create an inclusive environment for student veterans, propelling them into success beyond graduation.

Q: This past February, the chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee sought to bring S. 1982, “Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014,” to the floor for a vote and it was procedurally blocked. Are there components of this bill you are engaged with?

A: Yes—SVA is constantly engaged in advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill, and was heavily engaged in portions of S. 1982, specifically those regarding in-state tuition and the DoD Tuition Assistance Programs.

The financial aspect of earning a degree is often an intimidating barrier to those contemplating postsecondary education. By making in-state tuition rates available to recently-separated veterans, we would enable them to make more immediate use of their GI Bill education benefits.

We offered our support on the bill’s in-state provisions to Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in his push for these education advancements. By sharing testimonials from our members about the importance of in-state tuition for veterans, the true impact of that issue became clear.

Additionally, we have been tracking the important issues surrounding the Tuition Assistance programs. The professional military that we have today is a reflection of a growing emphasis placed on education within the military and veteran community. Investments in Tuition Assistance are critical to a professional military, as individuals seek to advance their careers by gaining greater competency. These investments also make our military members more valuable as they eventually transition out of the military, thereby incentivizing some of our best and brightest to seek military careers.

Q: In your opinion, what are the potential challenges and successes in store for veterans over the next several years? What is SVA doing to prepare for those challenges, and to outperform those successes?

A: Currently, more than $34 billion has been invested in the education of millions of veterans. With an expected 1 million new veterans transitioning out of the military over the next several years, the importance 18 | MAE 9.4

of empowering veterans in higher education will continue to increase.

We have known that the GI Bill is a smart investment in the current and future American economy, but now the Million Records Project has provided us with real data to build on.

The baseline knowledge gained from the records used in SVA’s research establishes a platform to now make a targeted investment in areas demonstrating the greatest record of success. We can identify where student veterans are currently succeeding, and advance those areas to generate an even greater ROI. In areas where student veterans are struggling, we can modify the approach to help them achieve better results.

Ultimately, this research provides a data-based snapshot of veteran education that will enable decision-makers at multiple levels to understand what is working, as well as highlight areas where change is needed.

Q: Has SVA supported any other new initiatives related to education that you would like to tell us about?

A: While the initial findings of SVA’s Million Records Project are promising, we believe that some of the most exciting and influential information is yet to come. In Phase II, we will look specifically at Post9/11 GI Bill recipients, and at degree completion and enrollment data to determine the overall persistence of student veterans in achieving postsecondary education goals.

One of our objectives is to identify best practices for enrollment retention, and those that encourage persistence. We can match successful student outcomes to the on-campus options student veterans had available to them. Understanding when and why student veterans leave college will help provide additional support during those periods.

Learning if and when they return, as well as the effect that transferring between institutions has on their degree, will supply data-based information about where the impediments to degree completion occur. We can then determine how to most effectively empower student veterans to navigate these obstacles.

Additionally, looking specifically at Post-9/11 GI Bill recipients provides another unique data point—the transferability of education benefits. Veterans now have the limited option of transferring their education benefits to spouses and their children. For some veterans, this investment in their family’s education is a way to give their children an opportunity to succeed. However, the Post-9/11 GI Bill is the first time this particular education benefit transfer option has been connected with a GI Bill. We do not yet know how these benefits, when transferred, are exactly being used and how they will be quantified. The second phase of SVA’s Million Records Project provides insight specifically into how the Post-9/11 GI Bill is directly benefitting future generations.

Q: Do you have any closing thoughts you’d like to share with our readership?

A: We now have data that clearly demonstrates student veterans are succeeding. Their rates of completion are competitive with both traditional and non-traditional students, and they show tremendous persistence in achieving their educational goals. Student veterans are using their GI Bill education benefits to earn degrees at increasingly higher levels, and some are using these benefits to invest in the education of the next generation.

We can already see the return on investment for veteran education, and that will continue to grow. American taxpayers can expect that this generation of veterans will positively impact the American economy in magnitudes that will continue for generations to come. O www.MAE-kmi.com

NCPACE allows sailors to essentially attend classes for free while at sea.

By J.B. Bissell MAE Correspondent

Wadsworth said. “College professors are actually deployed and In the early 1970s, sailors aboard Polaris submarines were bunked with the sailors for that portion. Distance learning (DL) treated to educational films from institutions such as the Univercourses are provided for all ships and remote sites, regardless of sity of South Carolina and Harvard during their off-watch hours. It whether they can berth instructors. proved to be a successful program for various reasons, not least of “Maintaining both IL and DL delivery methods for the program which was because at a time when there was no Internet or email, is extremely important as students learn differently,” he explained. it gave servicemen the chance to seek out and explore interests “The IL program gives the sailor the option of enjoying classroom beyond sonar pings, torpedo tubes and periscopes. instruction, but is balanced with the DL program that allows Thanks in part to the ongoing popularity of this scholastic NCPACE to be offered to smaller-sized commands and to those cinema, the evolution of shipboard learning continued to move sailors that prefer to work independently.” forward. “In 1973, the Navy allowed civilian instructors to ride and teach on selected surface ships that were home ported out of Norfolk, Va.,” said Lieutenant Commander Mark Wadsworth, director Collective Effort of the Center for Personal and Professional Development Support Site Saufley Field in Pensacola, Fla. “By 1974, with the advent of Interestingly, building the technology-based content that allows the all-volunteer force, the Navy’s Program for Afloat College Edustudents to work independently is a joint effort of no less than 10 cation was established.” institutions that currently offer approximately 280 Today, of course, soldiers everywhere are taking courses, all consolidated and organized by the people advantage of myriad opportunities to further their at Coastline Community College. “One thing that studies while deployed. Quite frankly, the Internet sets this program apart from other distance learning has made distance learning fairly commonplace. opportunities is the collaborative nature of its eduThe Navy College Program for Afloat College Educational partners,” said Coastline’s Joycelyn Groot, cation (NCPACE), however, is not your typical disthe school’s executive dean for Contract, Military tance learning arrangement. Yes, all the courses are and Business Development Programs and Services. regionally accredited by agencies recognized by the “Coastline, as the academic integrator of the DL Department of Education, and there is the utmost of program, is a subcontractor to Central Texas Colflexibility in regards to session start dates, but even lege, and works closely with all its DL partners to more than all that, “it’s a contract program spe- Lt. Cmdr. Mark Wadsworth assure we are meeting the academic needs of the cifically customized to the requirements of a Navy sailors, while also fulfilling the operational needs of sailor,” Wadsworth said. the Navy.”

One of those main requirements is that course Coastline’s nine partners in education are delivery not be dependent on the Internet. Access Central Texas College, Dallas Telecollege, ECPI Unito the World Wide Web while sailing around the versity, Governors State University, Old Dominion world’s oceans is hardly reliable, so NCPACE’s disUniversity, Saint Leo University, Thomas Edison State tance learning sessions make use of CD-ROM, MP4 College, the University of Oklahoma and Vincennes and PDA formats, media that’s essentially immune University. Courses run the gamut from Introducto connectivity issues. tion to Marketing and Supply Chain Management to Another significant distinction is that sea-going Living Literature and Cultural Anthropology—and learners can choose to enroll in live, face-to-face, seemingly countless others. teacher-conducted classes. “Instructor led (IL) No matter what each service man or woman Joycelyn Groot courses are taught by resident instructors on ships chooses to study, though, the academic needs to and remote sites able to berth civilian instructors,” jgroot@coastline.edu which Groot referred begin with customizing the www.MAE-kmi.com

MAE 9.4 | 19

Being available means staying flexible, and material to suit the unique onboard environment in NCPACE teachers are well known for their goodwhich the students work and live. “Since many ships natured approach to life at sea. “Our instructors and submarines have little or no Internet access, the understand the ever-changing requirements on Navy courses must be self-contained,” Groot explained. ships, and know the mission trumps everything else, “Class bundles contain textbooks, supplemental mateincluding, for example, the possibility of having to rials such as handbooks, lab kits and journal articles, reschedule an evening class due to a man-overboard and the technology itself, mostly CD-ROMs. Students drill or a General Quarters exercise,” said Yeonopohave limited to no interaction with their instructors, lus. so courses are designed and materials are packaged “There are inconveniences, sure—classrooms, to anticipate everything that will be needed by the Jim Yeonopolus which often are just the back area of an office, are student in order to be successful.” cramped, there’s a lack of whiteboards, planes are Part of that package for success includes making jim.yeonopolus@ctcd.edu landing above deck, and so on—but we have a group sure each learner has a viable education strategy. of innovative and adventurous instructors who can easily adapt to “Sailors assigned to a Navy sea duty Unit Identification Code are the unique teaching environment,” he continued. eligible for the program, but prospective students must receive “And unique opportunities exist as well. I know instructors who academic counseling and have a degree plan from an academic use port visits to supplement lectures: History instructors have told institution or Individual Education Plan on file with Navy College,” me about lecturing on Minoan civilization and then pulling into Wadsworth said. “Command Education Services Officers then place Crete the next day. Students at traditional universities would pay an order for NCPACE services for one of our two delivery methods.” top dollar for that kind of experience. Our sailors get it for free.”

Once the sailor begins a DL course, it’s treated as an indepenWhat certainly should not be overlooked is what the instructors dent study for a 90-day term, with any required exams proctored get. NCPACE is all about providing deployed personnel with eduby the command’s Educational Services Officer (ESO). “Best of all,” cational opportunities comparable to those available to shore duty Wadsworth added, “upon return to port the sailor can continue his servicemembers, but it’s also a very rewarding experience for teacheducation using Tuition Assistance without interruption.” ers—and happy professors are productive and excited professors.

Speaking of tuition, what may be best of all is that “NCPACE is “It’s an opportunity to teach in a novel environment and see provided to sailors tuition-free,” Wadsworth said. “Students taking the world,” Yeonopolus said. “Sure, traveling to foreign ports is a college-level courses must pay the cost associated with their textbonus, but you can really tell that all of them are passionate about books and other educational materials, but NCPACE is completely teaching our sailors.” separate from the Department of Veteran Affairs’ Post-9/11 GI Bill Judging by the collected feedback, that passion definitely rubs and Yellow Ribbon programs.” off on the participating scholars. “At the end of each class, students In other words, while soldiers are at sea and enrolled in NCPACE, and ships are required to complete evaluation forms,” Yeonopolus they essentially attend classes for free. “Navy leadership should be continued. “After reading through numerous evaluations, there is commended for setting aside funds to support an endeavor that prousually one consensus: Students are thankful to have the opportuvides this viable and unique option for deployed sailors,” said Groot. nity to pursue their education and are extremely appreciative of the “Without NCPACE, these men and women would not be afforded instructors and really enjoy the interaction with them. They realize the same educational opportunities as those assigned shore duty to the hardship of the teaching environment because they live with continue on their pathway toward obtaining a degree.” it on a constant basis. Still, without NCPACE, they would be hard pressed to accomplish anything academically.”

Getting Personal Commendation also should be given to the administrators who understand the importance of face-to-face learning and continue to make certain that instructor-led classes remain a possibility. “Many sailors’ academic needs simply will not be met through a distance learning format,” said Jim Yeonopolus, president of Continental & International Operations at Central Texas College.

“Most sailors, particularly those who are new to college classes, need a more traditional setting. Instructor-led classes meet that need, and students benefit greatly from personal interaction with their instructors. There is an undeniable power in having a wellqualified instructor available to a group of students; there’s simply no substitute for having an instructor onboard.”

There’s no substitute for that kind of physical presence because the professors are exceedingly accessible—even beyond the time and walls of the class. “One benefit for commands participating in the instructor-led program is students have the opportunity to take advantage of the onboard instructor during the deployment,” Wadsworth added. “Many instructors make themselves available during non-classroom hours for advising, counseling and tutoring.”

20 | MAE 9.4

The Final Grade With NCPACE, though, an entire world of academic options is available. Both the DL and IL courses provide a wide range of opportunities, including associate, bachelor and graduate-level studies, along with the prospect of earning a diploma at each of those three educational tiers.

“Baccalaureate degrees are available in general studies, business occupations, applied science, interdisciplinary business, criminal justice, interdisciplinary studies, engineering technology, business administration, applied science and technology, and administrative leadership,” said Yeonopolus. “Beyond that, NCPACE offers seven graduate degrees: business administration, human resource management, management and leadership, administrative leadership, criminal justice, critical incident management and engineering management.”

Obviously, soldiers can fulfill all the requirements in order to realize their ultimate academic goals through NCPACE, but if for whatever reason they return to shore prior to hanging a framed www.MAE-kmi.com

John Cain, Ph.D. and assistant vice president for diploma on their quarters’ wall, continuing on their distance learning at Saint Leo University, is happy academic journey is no problem. to help clear up any of those misconceptions. The “All NCPACE-contracted institutions have Serinstitution of Saint Leo is very involved in NCPACE, vicemembers Opportunity Colleges Navy (SOCNAV) offering various distance learning courses of study, affiliation, ensuring sailors the maximum opportuincluding a bachelor’s of criminal justice, an MBA, nity to transfer credits and complete degrees at their and Master of Science degrees in criminal justice and home institution through their sea/shore rotations,” critical incident management, as well as an instrucexplained Wadsworth. “Further, most of the NCPACE tor-led MBA. Cain, however, also has a personal stake partner colleges are also members of the Navy Colin NCPACE. lege Program Distance Learning Partnership. This John Cain “I am retired Navy and took NCPACE courses means our men and women have the option to attend while on active duty,” he said. “In fact, I completed my the same academic institution whether at sea using associate, bachelor’s, and MBA degrees while on active duty with only NCPACE or ashore using Tuition Assistance.” two shore tours during my first 21 years of active duty.”

From the differing delivery methods to broad course offerings to Cain, then, is one of the people who was very aware of the endthe simplicity—and efficiency—of the entire system, the entirety of less educational possibilities available while at sea, and fortunately is NCPACE was designed, as Wadsworth said, “to provide deployed pernow making sure he spreads the word as loudly and as often as he sonnel with educational opportunities comparable to those available can. “Whenever I have a group of sailors and potential students, I to shore duty personnel.” tell them NCPACE is a unique opportunity that allows them to conYeonopolus illustrated NCPACE’s true triumph when he said, tinue—and even complete—their college degrees while deployed “It allows deployed students ready access to otherwise impracticable around the world or even under the water.” O educational programs.” Impracticable, though, in this case is not synonymous with impossible. The program works. “Its purpose is to provide sailors with the ability to work on their degrees while they are deployed,” Yeonopolus continued. “Unfortunately, oftentimes, For more information, contact MAE Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives people have misconceptions or are simply unaware of the endless for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com. possibilities while at sea.”

www.MAE-kmi.com

MAE 9.4 | 21

Competency-based education can address the unique needs of servicemembers.

It’s an all-too-common scenario: A servicemember completes vocational training and is assigned to his duty station. There, he gains experience that, because it was not covered in his training, does not appear on his military transcript. Through a combination of operational exigency and personal interest, he expands his knowledge and abilities, becoming a true subject matter expert and applying his skills to a range of emerging problems. Then, he applies to college. The military-friendly school faithfully reviews his military record for applicable transfer credit, and he begins his program of study. Once in the classroom, though, he finds he already has a significant understanding of much of the curriculum because of his day-to-day work in the service. The class feels redundant, and he is unable to progress at his own pace, so he disengages. “I’m not going to college to learn what I already know,” he tells his advisor.

Much of the servicemember’s knowledge exists between the lines of a military transcript or outside the boxes of a DD214. Without a comprehensive prior learning assessment or portfolio review, it can be impossible for a school to translate the servicemember’s training and experience into academically articulated competencies. And since military and veteran education benefits only cover prior learning assessments in specific circumstances, the servicemember either pays out of pocket for a review or uses benefits to earn credit for what he already knows. This situation presents potential problems for servicemembers seeking to advance their education, but it also presents ample opportunities—for reducing restrictions, increasing access to education, and reining in inefficiencies in education funding.

Competency-based education is one answer to these challenges. More than an emerging trend, it is an approach to learning and measuring mastery that has positive disruptive potential and is seen by many in the higher education community as a standard of the future, especially for adults.

Meeting President Obama’s education goals 22 | MAE 9.4

will require innovation and diverse delivery models. Especially for working adult learners with other commitments in their lives, selfpaced, competency-based online or hybridonline models could greatly increase both the accessibility and affordability of higher education. In a regulatory environment conducive to such innovation, the expansion of the model, with the likelihood of higher completion rates, could have great ramifications for the country’s economy and standard of living.

With the promotion of the Advancing Competency-Based Education Demonstration Project Act (HR3136), Congress has recognized the great potential of this model. Competency-based education, and particularly direct assessment, supports flexibility and the ability of learners to move quickly through areas in which they already have significant competence, making it particularly promising for working adults seeking to fulfill their personal and professional potential without the constraints of weekly deadlines and attendance requirements, and without having to take foundational courses in topics they know inside out from their on-the-job or military experience.

Capella University, a mission-driven institution founded in 1993 to extend access to high-quality higher education for working adults, has developed a higher education model that attempts to deliver on these promises. Capella’s bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees and certificate programs have been offered online through a learningoutcomes- and competency-based curriculum since 2002. The school’s self-paced competency-based option, FlexPath, was launched in 2013 with the approval of the Department of Education and its regional accreditor. FlexPath offers an innovative solution to problems facing our nation’s higher education system—rising tuition costs, low completion rates and low employer satisfaction with learning outcomes. By offering a flexible new degree delivery model, FlexPath offers a student the opportunity to earn a degree at his

By Dr. Deborah Bushway and John Hayes

own pace while leveraging the knowledge gained through work experience. This pathway to a degree holds particular appeal for military learners, who typically have extensive work experience and areas of expertise that are not reflected on their transcripts and who are highly self-directed.

What Is Competency-Based Education?

In 2001, the National Postsecondary Education Cooperative published a report on competency-based learning which remains a seminal work for educators interested in leveraging this modality. They defined a competency as “a combination of skills, abilities and knowledge needed to perform a specific task.” The authors of this report identified a hierarchy of assessment, which culminates in the demonstration of competencies (skills, knowledge, and abilities) developed in the learning process and built on a foundation of each individual’s traits and characteristics.

Competency-based education depends on three key components: a curricular architecture, relevant and aligned assessments of defined competencies, and a committed faculty. The most relevant competency-based curricula integrate industry- and employerdesired outcomes with disciplinary and professional requirements—which becomes the assemblage of competencies students can demonstrate at the end of their programs.

Curriculum development begins not with content but with the work of identifying existing relevant, agreed upon standards for the degree level, the discipline and the profession.

With the input of external advisory councils, faculty and curriculum development teams synthesize these standards into clear, measurable outcomes and competencies at the academic program level, from which they then develop assessments. This framework is segmented into “courses,” or modules traditionally designed to align to credit-hour and seat-time rules to comply with federal regulations. Other universities are also responding www.MAE-kmi.com

to the emerging demand to offer alternatives to the traditional credit-based degree program, represented by recent entrants like Northern Arizona University and the University of Wisconsin.

Having well-established, robust, reliable and valid methods of assessing a learner’s demonstration of competency is a lynchpin in competency-based models. Authentic assessment offers an alternative as well as a solution to some of the problems associated with standardized exams and objective tests. Authentic assessments result in a work product very similar to the type of work product that would be expected by an employer. For example, a student may be asked to analyze a balance sheet rather than answer a set of questions about components of balance sheets. Or a student will be asked to redesign a website based on his or her evaluation of its usability and accessibility, rather than take a multiple-choice test on effective website design. Each element of the assessment correlates with scoring criteria and sub-competencies, making the learning fully integrated with its assessment. These assessments are embedded in the learning process, scaffolded into increasingly complex levels of competency, and have well-defined, transparent expectations. Competency demonstrations are evaluated by a faculty member through the application of an established rubric addressing the level of competency and its constituent components. Consistent use of a standard rubric allows all stakeholders (the student, the faculty assessor, the employer, other institutions of higher education, funders and regulators) to genuinely know what competencies have been mastered during the learning experience. Faculty members also provide robust feedback, so that their assessment is both of and for learning.

credit-hour requirements are generally not tailored to the self-paced learning needs of the working adult—and military—learner.

FlexPath mitigates this issue for this population of learners, and in so doing also improves the accessibility, affordability, learning effectiveness and completion rates for bachelor’s and master’s degree students.

The FlexPath curricula, like Capella’s credit-based curricula, are aligned with professional success factors as defined by employers, professional organizations and standards, disciplinary standards or expectations, and specialized accrediting bodies. Yet, the FlexPath way to a degree is personalized as each learner leverages his or her own prior learning, combining it with emergent learning to demonstrate a degree-level-appropriate integration of knowledge, skills, and abilities in an efficient and effective process of assessments.

Even learners entering with strong competencies gain additional insight through the required self-reflection and robust formative feedback from scholar-practitioner faculty on each assignment. O

www.MAE-kmi.com

Enroll now!

Application Fee is waived for the Military

Deborah Bushway

Flexible Classes Online or in San Francisco, State-of-the-Art Facilities, Studio Learning for Creative Curriculum, Faculty of Professional Artists

The Benefits Capella University’s direct assessment competency-based delivery options (currently available for the B.S. in business and MBA) serve as an alternate pathway to degrees that Capella is already accredited to offer. In the direct assessment model, graduation requirements are based solely on demonstrating all competencies rather than relying on “participation” and “extra credit” to round out poor performance. Adhering to a traditional credit-hour model as an indirect indication of learning presents a potential barrier to educational access and attainment, as course participation and the constraints of

Photographed by Ryan McClymont

John Hayes

Dr. Deborah Bushway is the chief academic officer and vice president of academic innovation at Capella University. John Hayes is manager of specialized services at Capella University.

For more information, contact MAE Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.

Academy of Art University Fosters Innovation by Preparing Service Members for a Career in Art and Design

Visit www.academyart.edu to learn more about total costs, median student loan debt, potential occupations and other information. *Acting degree program is currently not offering online courses. Accredited member WASC.

MAE 9.4 | 23

A postsecondary call to help veterans succeed in school.

The enactment of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 was one of the most significant events for active-duty and veteran students since the creation of the original GI Bill. The Post-9/11 GI Bill offers more than 2.5 million servicemembers who served in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan the resources needed to go to school. In her December 2012 letter to higher education administrators, Allison A. Hickey, under secretary of Veterans Affairs for Benefits, commented on the number of servicemembers and veterans taking advantage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill. She mentioned that in the past three years, the Veterans Administration has paid out more than $24.4 billion in tuition and benefits to over 870,000 veterans, servicemembers and their families. As we approach the sixth anniversary of the passing of the legislation, there is an important question to ask: Are colleges and universities prepared to help veterans with their transition and success in higher education?

With just over one-third of those eligible to use their entitlements enrolled in postsecondary programs, the impact this legislation will have on their futures and the fate of the nation is barely identifiable. More than 60 percent of eligible veterans are still not exercising their right to use their benefits, and it is important that postsecondary institutions assess their ability to effectively recruit and provide the additional support that veterans may need.

There is compelling evidence that many of the nation’s colleges and universities do not possess a “blueprint” to establish an effective program to serve military and veteran students. Little research has been conducted on effective campus programs and services that successfully aid veterans in the college transition. To reinforce this claim, 24 | MAE 9.4

the Chancellor of California State University, Charlie Reed, challenged campus leaders at the 2008 Conference of the American Council on Education to return to their schools to assess their readiness to help veterans attend their schools. Chancellor Reed said, “I’m going to give you an assignment. Go back to your institution. Do an assessment of how you’re doing with programs and services for servicemembers and veterans. You won’t find a pretty picture. What you will find is that you need to reorganize and reprioritize.”

For more than a year, the Departments of Labor, Defense Education and Veterans Affairs have been collaborating with the White House to develop concrete strategies to help veterans attain their educational goals. Their efforts have highlighted eight key steps that may ease the transition of servicemembers to civilian life and to provide outreach to veterans as they adjust to the unique challenges as they enter the academic setting. Representatives from these three departments, along with representatives from nonprofit organizations and veterans who recently graduated from school, participated in the collaboration.

Their effort helped produce an 8-Step process to help veterans succeed on campus.

Step One: A culture of trust and connectedness: Veterans have unique needs; respond to them. Use veterans as resources for each other as mentors or team leaders. Give them choices; they are diverse and require some variety.

Step Two: Ensure consistent and sustained support from campus leadership: Enlighten leadership of the various support veterans have available to them. Encourage veterans to participate in decisions about them with leadership. Highlight the importance of a smooth transition. Sponsor

By Don Accamando meetings between student veteran leaders and campus administration.

Step Three: Employ an early warning system to mitigate academic, career and financial issues: Establish an all-veterans transition seminar. Develop safeguards to highlight fading academic performance. Spread those same safeguards across a variety of support entities on campus.

Step Four: Centralize veteran support by creating a designated space for them: Create an easy-to-find website highlighting all services for veterans. Connect them with essential life needs: housing, food, gas, childcare and financial support.

Step Five: Get the community involved: Bring in the VA and other agencies on campus. Provide internships and other careerbroadening opportunities.

Step Six: Track their demographics, retention and success: Create metrics that will illustrate success.

Step Seven: Faculty and staff development: Highlight veterans’ specific needs, and send the staff to developmental conferences.

Step Eight: Evaluate and sustain your program: Evaluate what you’re doing for veterans. Seek grants and conduct fundraising to support your initiatives.

Getting Started Members of the military are trained to work in teams, squads or formations. They are led by an individual, and it is that mindset that must be considered to help ease the transition to college campuses. Veterans are more apt to seek out a specific location when looking for information, and many would benefit from a specific point of contact when getting started. Servicemembers are used to following a chain of command aligned by a single www.MAE-kmi.com

point of contact. This doesn’t mean that they are not capable of thinking for themselves, but they do function best when information flows from a single source. As members of the military, these students develop their own social identity.

Veterans are often involved in a socialization process that encourages the identification with one’s unit, brigade and armed branch of service. Therefore, one has to consider the veteran as a collective whole (unit, brigade, branch) when working with a veteran. Veterans may find it difficult to relate to typical college students because of their social identity. Having effective veterans support groups can help lessen the stress that veterans may experience from academia. Strong, effective leaders may also influence a veteran’s perceptions of stressful events.

There is a perception that the staff at postsecondary institutions is not well versed in the details of veterans’ education benefits, which may cause additional problems for military students. Veterans have validated this concern, and agree that a well-versed single point of contact, preferably a veteran, is an important resource supporting their successful transition to college. Establishing a veteran’s center, staffed by individuals who understand the benefit options as well as the issues confronting incoming veteran students, will ease this burden.

Combatting Isolation After separating from the service, veterans will experience a feeling they’ve not dealt with for several years: the isolation of no longer being part of a team. On campus, that isolation may be magnified. Being older is one dimension of difference, but veterans, because of their age and experiences, bring a variety of other concerns while attending school.

If the anxiety of separating from a military community bulging with support was not enough, juggling a host of domestic concerns while attempting to hold down a full-time schedule of classes at the college level may prove too tall a task, even for a seasoned veteran. It is for these same reasons and more that veteran students should be considered a minority group, with sub-minority groups within their ranks, who require additional services and attention.

The structured training and lifestyle servicemembers are immersed in creates a certain conservative nature in them. The community that exists on military installations is quite foreign from life in a typical www.MAE-kmi.com

hometown community. Life on bases and posts has a self-sustaining quality; everything you need to survive is found within the fence line. The transition from this independent existence will be difficult for veterans preparing to reconnect with civilian life, where for the first time in years, they will be a minority in their own community. This same situation will be no different on the college campus, where veterans comprise such small numbers of the student body. It’s natural that they might feel isolated. This new environment is quite different from theirs.

An array of cultural and life experiences, differing ages and additional responsibilities are just a few of the differences that exist between the typical co-ed and their servicemember classmates. There are less of them, and their values are vastly separated. Even the simple fact that so few veterans are found on college campuses begs that we consider them as a minority group and seek ways to include them.

Caring for veterans seeking an education is a matter of social justice because it cuts across cultural barriers and provides opportunities for students to succeed, despite race or gender challenges. If successful, our communities, and the nation as a whole, stand to benefit. Veterans aren’t looking to be treated differently, but they are likely to perform better when they experience an environment that provides the tools and resources they need to succeed. One hopes that all postsecondary schools will take the bold initiative needed to create this environment and embrace veteran students. O

Don Accamando

Don Accamando is the military programs director at Duquesne University.

For more information, contact MAE Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.

MAE 9.4 | 25

CCME: Past and Present It’s hard to realize that so many years have gone by since my initiation into the world of military education in the early 1970s. What was initially a small multi-service effort expanded to massive proportions after that date, when the U.S. Navy began to send our aircraft carriers out to sea with college course availability through the NCPACE program, and all services hired guidance counselors to steer the troops into an appropriate field of study. Education directors called on colleges and universities to come aboard bases and offer classes, some technical and some academic.

Going to Fort Ord, Calif., in the 1980s gave me a complete perspective on how successful a program could be. I had served in small centers in Hawaii, Germany and Texas, first as a guidance counselor and then as an education director, but I had no idea of the scope of the larger programs and was startled by the 80 personnel—some contract and some civil service. Fort Ord offered technical courses in automotive, air conditioning and even home building to augment the usual college and basic skills curricula and even devoted classrooms to military training and provided the instruction. I felt that I was seeing the best of military education in action. We had 16 government counselors, six full-time test examiners and four branch chiefs who supported counseling, administration, learning centers and language study, computer labs, military training and technical courses, as well as academic college study.

In those days, what is known now as the Council of College and Military Educators (CCME) was just getting started in California by a small nucleus of military and college educators. Conferences were held yearly and less than 100 attended, but there was an underlying excitement of things to come and a desire to create more options. Each year, changes began to occur and we began to notice that people were coming to our conferences from overseas and multi-state locations. As a result, the executive board decided CCME should go regional at best, but with the amount of growth, it was soon apparent that we needed to make the conferences available to everyone in military education.

In 2001, aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, we began to see an explosion of people coming in from all over the world to interact.

Our exhibitors that year totaled about 15, and they were invited to exhibit free, a far cry from the 100-plus exhibitors who currently

By Mebane Harrison

attend for a cost. At the time, we were just glad they were willing to share with us. Those were the early days indeed.

One of the highlights of the early conventions was one of the founders, who became our first president emeritus. Dr. Fred Huber had not only been an early president of CCME, but had also been president of three California colleges. He played a killer piano and would often sit down in a hotel lobby at the piano and play for guests. His written history of CCME still graces our convention programs each year.

Theme-related banquets have become a tradition at CCME conferences. Two of my favorite recollections are the convention contingency from Alaska who once brought moose meat for the opening cocktail party and then hid behind a fake palm tree during our Hawaiian banquet, looking out from between the palm fronds at everyone as they passed by. And then there was Ed McKenney, who met his wife Jacque at a CCME convention in San Diego and later became a CCME president. Together, they wore winning ’50s beatnik outfits for a conference banquet to complement the theme that particular year. The tradition of theme-related banquets continues to this day.

Now, I call on you to imagine the delight of early educators to see CCME expand to figures reaching over 1,000 personnel a year. Because of the new cutbacks in defense spending, CCME is taking on a new perspective and working on reorganizing goals and impetus. Instead of an interchange between colleges, universities and government workers, it will feature speakers from government education and attendees from educational institutions working with military education.

All this to say, CCME is alive and well and is still providing an excellent interchange of ideas for our various military and civilian educators. O Note from Jim Yeonopolus, CCME president: CCME would like to thank Mebane Harrison, current president emeritus of CCME and former Army and Navy education director, for her contribution to this month’s Grapevine.

For more information, contact MAE Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE...

CCME 42ND ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM & EXHIBITION January 26-29, 2015 • Anaheim, California At the Anaheim Marriott, 700 West Convention Way, Anaheim, CA, 92802

26 | MAE 9.4

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The advertisers index is provided as a service to our readers. KMI cannot be held responsible for discrepancies due to last-minute changes or alterations.

MAE RESOURCE CENTER Advertisers Index Academy of Art University................................................................. 23 www.academyart.edu American Sentinel University............................................................. 9 www.americansentinel.edu/military Baker College........................................................................................ 5 www.bakercollegeonline.com/demo Excelsior College................................................................................. C3 www.excelsior.edu/military Grantham.............................................................................................. 7 www.grantham.edu/mae Complete Florida................................................................................ 27 www.completeflorida.org Kaplan University............................................................................... 16 www.mos.kaplan.edu Park University................................................................................... 11 www.park.edu/mae Penn State World Campus................................................................ 13 www.worldcampus.psu.edu/vets Thomas Edison State College........................................................... 25 www.military.tesc.edu Troy University................................................................................... C4 www.troy.edu/spirit University of Maryland University College..................................... C2 http://military.umuc.edu/milstudent Western Governors University.......................................................... 21 www.wgu.edu/maeg

Calendar June 13-15, 2014 V-WISE (Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship) New York, N.Y. http://whitman.syr.edu/vwise October 2-3, 2014 2014 MBA Veterans Career Conference Chicago, Ill. http://mbaveterans.com/2014-conference January 16-18, 2015 V-WISE (Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship) New Orleans, La. http://whitman.syr.edu/vwise January 26-29, 2015 CCME Annual Symposium Anaheim, Calif. www.ccmeonline.org February 22-24, 2015 2014 Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the U.S. Alexandria, Va. www.amcsus.org

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Insertion Order Deadline: May 29, 2014 Ad Materials Deadline: June 5, 2014 MAE 9.4 | 27

UNIVERSITY CORNER

Military Advanced Education

Barb O’Reilly Director of Military and Veterans Affairs Education Management Corporation Q: What are you most proud of at your schools?

Q: This is your first job in the education sector. Why did you choose Education Management (EDMC)?

A: My background is in the military and I have a strong passion for serving the veteran population. I was attracted to EDMC because of our steadfast commitment to veterans’ education. As I tour the nationwide campuses of our four education systems, including The Art Institutes system of schools, Argosy University, Brown Mackie College system of schools and South University, I see that every school has faculty and staff that are committed to our servicemembers.

Q: What are your schools’ backgrounds in military education?

A: Military and veteran students tend to be attracted to the programs and curricula we offer. The ability to take classes either online or in a traditional classroom environment creates flexibility. Having start dates throughout the year also means that veterans do not have to wait to begin classes.

Some of our most popular programs for military and veteran students include media arts and fashion, behavioral sciences, business and legal, and culinary. Veterans are naturally drawn to careers where they can continue to serve, thus the focus in behavioral sciences and legal.

In addition, I think veterans are drawn to The Art Institutes schools for media arts, fashion and culinary programs because such disciplines blend behaviors required in the military with the opportunity to be creative.

To be successful in these programs, characteristics such as personal discipline and a good work ethic, which are honed in the military, are extremely important, but at the same time the programs foster creativity and personal expression, which are not necessarily valued in the military.

Q: What makes your schools unique in the benefits and programs you offer to military servicemembers?

28 | MAE 9.4

A: We offer programs at every educational level from certificate to doctoral programs.

Additionally, a number of the courses offered

by The Art Institutes, Argosy University and South University can either be completed at one of their ground campuses or online.

This allows a veteran to get the right education for his or her needs—on his or her schedule.

An example of one specific unique program is Argosy University’s Master of Science in organizational leadership. The program focuses on developing the qualities of transformational leadership, and is specifically tailored to military officers, because we award credit for specific military education courses typically required for field grade officers.

Q: What are the most pressing tasks and issues that your schools currently face?

A: We serve a segment of the population that, despite their best efforts and intentions, may not otherwise have access to affordable higher education. Our students are generally older than the traditional college student, from diverse economic backgrounds, and many are military veterans, so we must always work to deliver them valuable skills and training that they find relevant and deliver it to them—in the classroom or online—in a way that works for their schedules, as many are single and working parents with busy schedules, but who are nonetheless committed to advancing themselves through a higher education degree.

A: As I have toured many of our 110 schools across the country and in Canada, the people with whom I have met have left a lasting impact. From the VA certifying official to the campus president, faculty and staff are accessible and committed to student success.

At our schools, if a student has a challenge, he or she receives personalized service and support. Recently at one of The Art Institutes schools, the campus president told me how a veteran student was struggling to complete a business plan for one of his classes. He did not have any ideas for the project, so the president asked the veteran a few questions about what he did in the military. The Marine responded that he did security and soon realized that his military experience provided the basis he needed to create a business plan for a private security company.

Additionally, some of our schools have military resource centers. This dedicated space is very important to the student veterans, because it allows them to experience the camaraderie and support that only other veterans can provide.

Q: Looking ahead, how will your schools realize their core objectives and aspirations?

A: First, and most importantly, we must continue to provide affordable careerfocused education that teaches our students the skills they need to be successful in the workforce upon graduation. Veteran unemployment remains an issue, especially among younger veterans and post-9/11 veterans. We must continue to invest in our more than 250 career services professionals across our network to provide them with the most individualized career placement strategy, advice and counsel. Our career service professionals have strong relationships with employers nationwide, and they are steadfastly committed to helping our veterans (both current students and alumni) transition to civilian life. O www.MAE-kmi.com

We make it possible.

You make it happen.

Our dedicated Center for Military Education has been proudly serving servicemembers and veterans for more than 40 years. ◉ Military and veteran tuition discounts ◉ Maximum credit for prior military training ◉ 8-week online courses and credit by exam options “It was great. Excelsior awarded me 54 credits for courses I’d already taken, even one that other colleges wouldn’t accept for my math requirement. Then they granted me 34 credits for my military training.

Altogether, it added up to more than half of the credit I needed to graduate.”

Paul Tapia, ‘10

◉ Financial aid, including Post-9/11 GI Bill, VA benefits, and Military Tuition Assistance ◉ Success Strategies course for military and veteran students ◉ Lt. Col. Bryant A. Murray Veterans Center ◉ Online military and veteran career transition resources

BS in Criminal Justice Certificate in Homeland Security

ACCREDITED ■ NONPROFIT ■ ONLINE Excelsior College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Call: 888-647-2388, ext. 1352 Visit: excelsior.edu/military

Harrison B., Student Two tours of duty. Dad. C.J.

SO LD I E R BY DAY.

WA R R I O R

BY N I G H T.

If anyone understands the warrior spirit, it’s you. Strength and commitment are at the core of everything you do. Whether it’s online or in-class, our public university is equally dedicated to helping you accomplish your career goals. Do what you love, and be great at it. That’s the warrior spirit, and it’s alive and well at Troy University.

© 2014 Troy University

Feel it at troy.edu/spirit or call 1-800-586-9771.