The Education Issue

PROFILES BY KARA SCHWEISS AND ADVERTISERS

ARCHDIOCESE OF OMAHA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

402.557.5600 lovemyschool.com S eventy schools in 23 Nebraska counties comprise Archdiocese of Omaha Catholic Schools, which “educate and nurture the heart, mind and soul of the whole person,” Assistant Superintendent Tracey Kovar said.

The schools strive to accommodate all families desiring faith-based education, Kovar added. Plus, a focused diversity initiative in place for several years supports the district’s diverse body, reflecting that students of all backgrounds are welcome, financial assistance available.

THE CUES SCHOOL SYSTEM & CUES FUND

402.451.5755 | cuesschools.org T he CUES School System consists of three inner-city schools: Sacred Heart, All Saints, and Holy Name. CUES schools provide excellence in education with special concern for the entire family. The values-based education uses blended learning, an approach combining online education and traditional classroom methods, and offers support for students and families beyond the classroom.

This year the CUES School System will serve more than 600 youth and their families. A majority of these students, pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, have already faced the pain that not having the economic means to handle their basic daily needs has wrecked upon their family and extended family structures.

CUES Student and Family Support Services directly benefit families facing socioeconomic problems by connecting them to resources in the Omaha metropolitan community. Families have been connected to a variety of services including meals, transportation, afterschool programming, and financial literacy education. “We break through language barriers, cultural differences, and economic challenges to help our students and families,” said Jim Swanson, student and family support services director.

With the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CUES School System is expanding its technology-based classroom model. The digital divide is a fundraising initiative, led by the CUES Fund, to provide technology to students so they can participate in e-learning.

The CUES School System is supported by private donations through the CUES Fund. Please visit their website to learn more.

MOUNT MICHAEL

BENEDICTINE SCHOOL

402.289.2541 mountmichael.com ount Michael Benedictine School boasts a storied past. “Mount M Michael began as St. John’s Seminary for young men looking to join the priesthood in 1955,” says director of admissions Thomas Maliszewski. “In the year 1970, it shifted to a college prep boarding school for young men. It has been Mount Michael Benedictine ever since, and many of the same monks and priests that began in the seminary remain at Mount Michael to this day.”

As a boarding school, Mount Michael stands out within the Omaha metro area. “The college prep curriculum, teaching staff, and monastic community are the highlights of a Mount Michael learning experience, however, the residential side adds a layer of independency, selfdiscipline, structure, and communal brotherhood that you absolutely cannot get at any other school in the area,” Maliszewski explains.

Students are challenged each day at Mount Michael in many different ways. The Benedictine values of Community, Hospitality, Integrity, Service, and Moderation are preached to the young men. While a Mount Michael education develops their minds, these values develop their soul.

CLARKSON COLLEGE

402.552.3100 clarksoncollege.edu D r. James Hauschildt assumed his role as President of Clarkson College on July 20, so he particularly appreciated the opportunity to address the newest group of incoming students at the recent fall orientation a few weeks later.

“I told them this: There are a lot of great educational institutions in Omaha and in this region and nationally, and you’ve chosen one known for preparing health care workforce professionals to enter into leadership positions and complex clinical deliv- ery,” he said. “(Clarkson College graduates) are exceptionally prepared, sought out and highly regarded.”

Dr. Hauschildt’s extensive educational background includes master’s degrees in nursing and business and a doctorate degree in education from the University of Northern Iowa. The Iowa native began his nursing career at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo, Iowa, and was a clinical nurse during his four years of service in the U.S. Air Force; he continues to maintain a license as a registered nurse. Prior to joining Clarkson College, Dr. Hauschildt led Good Samaritan College in Cincinnati and St. Luke’s College in Kansas City as president. At Clarkson College, he oversees more than 200 team members supporting 1,200 students pursuing health-related majors and occupations.

“We serve not only the Omaha area, but the Midwest and nationally; about half our students are online,” he said.

Our institutional Values of Learning, Excellence, Integrity, Commitment and Caring are among the many factors which drew him to the College, Dr. Hauschildt said. He also respects the 132-year-old institution’s success in evolving to meet changing needs such as a shortage of health care workers for rural communities, a growing geriatric population, and focus on new platforms for delivering education. And he’s proud to advance initiatives that are cultivating an increasingly diverse student body.

“I think this organization has responded very, very well to supporting our communities and approaching health care differently in the past, including health care delivery and how health care is funded,” he said. “I’m so very impressed and humbled to be here amidst a group that works so hard and is committed to service and education, helping provide people with opportunities they might not have otherwise had, especially in times of challenge.”

We are health care.

ClarksonCollege.edu

ONLINE MBA DEGREE CAN BE A ‘CAREER ACCELERATOR’ Bellevue University Continues to Build on 20+ Years of Online Expertise

Bellevue University’s online Master of Business Administration program has produced nearly 2,500 graduates since the mid-1990s.

BELLEVUE UNIVERSITY

402.293.2000 bellevue.edu B ellevue University first introduced its online Master of Business Administration program in the 1990s— making it one of the first in the country.

After three decades, the university and its College of Business have both culminated a long history of experience that makes it an expert in online learning.

“Bellevue University has been successfully recognizing and meeting the challenges of effective, online learning since the mid1990s,” said Dr. Kevin Schieuer, Professor of Finance. “Many of the requirements and challenges of successful online education that institutions are just learning about today are ones BU recognized and began building institutional solutions for over 20 years ago. Through our commitment to a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, we are continually refining, improving, and advancing those educational solutions to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.”

Dr. Rebecca Murdock, dean of the College of Business, who took over the college in April 2015, has spent her career fostering innovation in education.

“Graduate degrees in general help students advance their careers,” Murdock said. “However, MBA degrees are still viewed around the globe as career accelerators. In other words, earning an MBA degree has the potential to boost a career because the individual becomes broadly prepared to lead at a strategic level across organizations.”

Bellevue offers 19 concentration areas within its MBA program, ranging from accounting to cybersecurity to health care and more. All courses address their respective topics from international and global perspectives, which is part of the inherent reality of modern business.

Students who enroll in the MBA program at Bellevue University can choose to attend via an online cohort or a traditional track.

Students in the traditional and cohort MBA options progress with tight-knit groups of peers who contribute unique academic and professional perspectives and experiences. Through dynamic and engaging real-world course activities and projects, students develop and strengthen their leadership skills, including those in problem-solving, decision-making, and team building; and thereby prepare themselves for today’s collaborative and dynamic business environments. The online MBA cohort allows students to take one six-week course at a time, while traditional MBA students take one or two courses over the traditional 12-week terms depending upon their personal schedules.

Bellevue University alum Megan Jorgensen is working behind the scenes as a medical lab scientist at one of the world’s leading health care organizations to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Jorgensen completed an MBA with a health care concentration at Bellevue University in 2019 to position herself for future career advancement opportunities.

“My MBA opened me up to the bigger picture of the business side of health care,” said Jorgensen, the 34-year-old wife and mother of two. “I believe it also helped me grow and become more capable of filling a leadership position as someone who can understand and integrate the business and clinical sides.”

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Nine locations 531.MCC.2400 mccneb.edu e-Think R . Re-Solve. Everyone’s normal routines and activities have been interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many are working and learning from their homes. Businesses and schools are also adjusting to better help people work and learn from home.

Metropolitan Community College has made changes to help all its students be able to learn anytime anywhere. Nearly all classes have been moved online, or precautions have been put into place to keep everyone healthy and safe, without cutting the quality of the classes.

MCC Continuing Education provides a full continuum of lifelong education and engagement opportunities to meet the needs of all ages. Signature programs include College for Kids and Teens, MCC Explore: Lifelong Learning for 50+, Science On a Sphere and a variety of courses that fit the needs and wants of our community. This fall, MCC Continuing Education courses have also moved to an online format

to ensure safety for learners of all ages. Now, no one has to leave their home in order to learn a new skill.

MCC Continuing Education is still offering courses on a wide variety of topics, with hundreds of options to choose from. Even with the courses being entirely online, the quality of the classes will remain first-rate. Many classes will be offered via Zoom teleconferencing, with an experienced instructor leading the class virtually.

In College for Kids, children can take different art, robotics, coding, animal and Science on a Sphere courses. College for Teens is also offering courses, including Becoming a YouTube Star, ABCs of Sign Language and Animation Using Photoshop.

For adults, MCC Continuing Education has many classes that are normally offered, now all online. This includes culinary, music, dance, technology, horticulture and more. For classes that require certain supplies, such as culinary courses, supply lists will be provided or supply pickup will be available at an MCC location so everyone can properly participate safely from home.

This fall, MCC Continuing Education is offering new courses that are topical. In the class Buying Groceries Online, students will learn how to use various grocery ordering apps on iPhone and Android. Also offered is Mental Wellness During the Pandemic. This class will help navigate pandemic life successfully and how to stay mentally healthy during this difficult time.

To see the full list of all MCC Continuing Education offerings, or to sign up for courses, visit mccneb.edu/ce/ online or call 531-MCC-5231.