Rural Leader Magazine December 2022

DECEMBER 2022

COVER STORY

Music may be a helpful tool for caregivers to cope with mental, emotional burden of GetRuralLeaderMag.com their rolepg. 11 | DECEMBER 2022

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Contents

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Rural Leader Magazine, LLC is a digital publication that highlights every day people doing extraordinary things nationally and abroad. www.RuralLeaderMag.com www.GetRuralLeaderMag.com

About Us

Launched in March 2014, Rural Leader Magazine, LLC is a digital publication with a mission to highlight every day people doing extraordinary things in business, education, music, community, art, sports, and leadership nationally and abroad.

Rural Leader Magazine honors exemplary individuals on a variety of levels, such as the 20 under 20 Honors, 40 under 40 Honors, Best Small Town Restaurant, Small Town America’s 100 Most Influential People, the Scholars of Collegiate Distinction, Fifty under Fifty, and the Eagle Elite Club.—

6 Three Reasons Why Skills-Based Education Aids in Career Success

15 Closing the digital equity gap positions all students for success

8 Navigating the Vast World of Mental Health Apps

18 In Global Race for STEM Leadership, Private Investment Is Necessary for the U.S. to Win

9 Prioritizing Vision Health for Healthy Aging: Top Tips COVER STORY 11 Music may be a helpful tool for caregivers to cope with mental, emotional burden of their role 13 Top 5 tips for a happy hosting experience this holiday season

20 Online higher education remains a compelling, affordable option for a degree 21 How cutting-edge RNA-based gene expression testing can help tailor treatments and improve outcomes for women with early-stage breast cancer

Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, in English, or other languages, is prohibited without written consent.

Send editorial ideas to Kuanita Murphy, PhD, Editor-in-Chief editor@ruralleadermag.com Contact Us info@ruralleadermag.com editor@ruralleadermag.com ruralleadermagazine@gmail.com

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Tell us what you think about our publications, if you have a great idea for a story, or to just share. We may print your comments in Rural Leader Magazine. By sending us your comments, you’re giving permission to call you for an interview. Please be sure to include your name, address, email address, and phone number so we can reach you. Write to us at info@RuralLeaderMag.com—

Editor’s Note Dear Readers, Inside this issue, there are a number of great articles about leadership best practices, building positive self-esteem and productivity! We hope you enjoy this issue.

As always, I hope you enjoy this issue and continue to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Thanks again for your continual support!

Sincerely, Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

What you do matters. @RuralLeaderMag

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3 Reasons Why Skills-Based Education Aids in Career Success The pandemic catalyzed a new way of learning and an increased need for upskilled employees across a number of industries emerged. As a result, many high school graduates are pursuing nontraditional education pathways with 73% of high schoolers believing a direct path to a career is critical in considering postsecondary education. And adults, especially those working in more technical fields, are seeking continued education to gain the skills needed to advance their careers. Meanwhile, organizations find skills-based education valuable too, with many organizations reporting that professional certification increases confidence in the reliability, knowledge, and competence of its staff.

As students balance career opportunities and the demands of everyday life with learning, they need flexible programming that will give them skills relevant to their current or desired careers. And as they weigh the different education options that exist, non-traditional education options such as DeVry University, that offers skills-based learning, play an 6

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important role in empowering workforce readiness amongst all types of learners.

Previously, a traditional four-year higher education track was positioned as the only viable option for students looking to carve out a successful career path. To succeed in today’s economy, learners need to absorb future-ready and technical skills through continued education, which may not include a traditional four-year degree. Skills-based learning provides students with the opportunity to develop a strong academic foundation while providing real-world onthe-job experience.

Here are three reasons why acquired-skill learning is an important driver for career development and helps move the economy forward: * Higher education institutions should provide more flexibility for traditional and non-traditional learners to pursue a desired career path.In a time when skill is being given the same credence as education in hiring practices, non-traditional learners have an opportunity to advance in their careers due to accessibility,

where upward mobility may not have previously existed. Higher education institutions should work to support non-traditional learners by incorporating skills-based learning models that are adaptable based on industry and employer needs. Acquired-skill learning pathways empower students to refine and commoditize their skillset in parallel.

Apprenticeships represent one form of skills-based learning that encourages students to further their education without having to pursue a four-year degree.

With National Apprenticeship Week celebrated this year from Nov. 14 to Nov. 20, these programs provide hands-on learning experience that education institutions can integrate into their academic framework to satisfy a student’s desire to learn while becoming proficient at a specific trade or skill in tandem. An example of this in real time is DeVry’s partnership with CompTIA which brings tech and IT apprenticeship opportunities to students from diverse backgrounds, while helping organizations recruit new talent to fill their staffing needs. * Skills-based learning increases employer and employee confidence in industries of high importance.Acquired-skill learning opportunities are being offered across a variety of industries to satisfy a need to fulfill critical job roles in an increasingly technology-forward society. Industries such as engineering, cybersecurity and tech require employee skills to be as up-to-date as possible. Hands-on learning models provide learners with the training and abilities they need to be proficient in their respective industries.

“It’s paramount for higher education institutions to continue creating shorter, agile forms of education, and work closely with partners such as CompTIA, to provide hands-on learning experience while preparing learners to thrive in careers shaped by continuous technological change,” said Elise Awwad, DeVry University’s chief operating officer.

As job demand in industries of high importance persists, employers are sourcing employees with varying educational backgrounds to help fill open roles in their companies, according to a study from Harvard Business Review and Emsi Burning Glass,

higher education institutions can act as a springboard for non-traditional students to obtain a skillset and join the workforce at a faster pace.

“Creating educational pathways that are sustainable and tailored to meet individual student needs is just one way DeVry is working to close the skills gap and stimulate the nation’s pool of talent,” added Shantanu Bose, Ph.D., DeVry University’s provost and chief academic officer. * Skills-based learning helps bridge the opportunity gap and increase diversity in the workforce. As the country works to expand upon its training-based programs, the level of diversity within the workforce is increasing as a result. Competency-based learning tracks offer workforce solutions to help fill job roles while simultaneously creating greater accessibility for a more diverse group of learners to seek out continued education. Increased awareness around these opportunities drives continued growth and diversification of the workforce because these programs are open to all. Recent studies show that employers who prioritize diverse hiring in their companies saw greater financial gains and idea flow amongst employees. When students from various backgrounds are empowered and equipped with the resources they need to facilitate continued education, the needle moves forward on innovation and creativity in the workplace.

Skills-based programs comprise a vital part of the U.S. workforce and are a key contributor to the economy. Competency-based programming provides students with highly flexible alternative education pathways, making them accessible to all types of learners. An increased awareness and recognition of these career pathways also allows companies to hire from a diverse pool of talent, sparking innovation and creativity in the workforce. As skills-based education gains momentum, students of all kinds have the ability to chart a path towards professional success that’s tailored to meet their academic needs.—

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Navigating the Vast World of Mental Health Apps This article is sponsored by Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. Mental illness is a growing crisis in America that has been compounded by the pandemic1,2. In fact, more than 52 million adult Americans reported experiencing a mental illness in 2020 alone, according to the National Institute of Mental Health3. The silver lining is people are talking about their mental health and there are more options for getting help than ever before4.

“As conversations around mental health are normalized around the world, many people are exploring new and different management tools and resources to combat their condition,” said Dr. Stephen Schueller, associate professor of Psychological Science and Informatics at the University of California.

Schueller continues, “In fact, one of the more common tools people are turning to are mental health apps.”

It’s estimated that more than 10,000 mental health apps are currently available in major apps stores5.

With so many apps to choose from, it can be overwhelming to navigate through the options, prompting questions such as “what’s the difference between 8

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these apps?” or “which app is best for me?”

Understanding the Differences Between Apps So, what are the differences between mental health apps and what features should potential users consider? As this is a relatively new and fast-growing area of healthcare, it’s important to understand that there are different categories of mental health apps designed to address specific objectives.

These include overall wellness apps and digital therapeutics: * Wellness Apps Wellness apps are software intended to promote healthy behaviors and wellness through things like teaching meditation skills, helping users stick to healthy habits, and providing general information and tips. They are not treatments for mental health conditions. These apps are generally not supported by evidence-based research and are not regulated6,7,8.

“There are a wide range of wellness apps available to patients as well as clinicians, but these apps have little to no oversight from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and many of them have not been reviewed or studied in a clinical trial to support claims

of efficacy or safety,” according to Schueller. * Digital Therapeutics. Unlike wellness apps, digital therapeutics are defined as high-quality software applications that help prevent, manage or treat a medical condition. These are often recommended and used under the care of a physician9.

Digital therapeutics help empower patients and clinicians with intelligent and accessible tools for addressing a wide range of conditions through high-quality, safe and effective data-driven interventions9. According to Schueller, these apps must meet certain core principles regarding user privacy, security and clinical evidence9. * Prescription Digital Therapeutics Within digital therapeutics, there are prescription digital therapeutics, or PDTs9. “PDTs require more rigorous and additional testing in clinical studies and ultimately must gain clearance from the FDA, demonstrating they can treat a condition safely and effectively,” said Schueller. “Importantly, PDTs can only be prescribed by a clinician.”

Having a foundational understanding of available apps and the difference between app categories is the first step, but there are also a few key questions to ask while navigating the vast world of mental health apps, including: * Are there data or studies showing this app is e­ ffective at what it claims to do? * Who is the app developer and what experience do they have in mental health? * How will personal data be protected? Will data be shared with third parties? * What do trusted sources (like clinicians, regulators or independent rating groups) say about this product?

“Taking the time to do the research and ask the critical questions is an important step before using any health app,” said Dr. Schueller, adding, “However, if you are experiencing symptoms of a mental illness, don’t try to rely on an app alone, talk to a doctor about a treatment plan that is right for you.”

For more information on navigating the vast world of mental health apps click here.— References * Kearney, A., Hamel, L., & Brodie, M. (2021, April 14). Mental health impact of the COVID-19 pan-

demic: An update. KFF. https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/poll-finding/mental-health-impactof-the-covid-19-pandemic/ * Mental health - A Workforce Crisis. American Heart Association CEO Roundtable. (2019, March 5). https://ceoroundtable.heart.org/mental-health-aworkforce-crisis-report/ * U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Mental illness. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/ mental-illness * Naslund, J. A., & Aschbrenner, K. A. (2021, September 12). Technology use and interest in digital apps for Mental Health Promotion and lifestyle intervention among young adults with serious mental illness. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports. https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.jadr.2021.100227 * Clay, R. A. (2021, January 1). Mental health apps are gaining traction. Monitor on Psychology. https:// www.apa.org/monitor/2021/01/trends-mentalhealth-apps * Stoyanov, S. R., et al. (2015, November 3). Mobile app rating scale: A new tool for assessing the quality of Health Mobile Apps. JMIR mHealth and uHealth. https://mhealth.jmir.org/2015/1/e27/ * Bakker, D., Kazantzis, N., Rickwood, D., & Rickard, N. (2016). Mental Health Smartphone Apps: Review and Evidence-Based Recommendations for Future Developments. JMIR mental health, 3(1), e7. https:// doi.org/10.2196/mental.4984 * Torous, J., Luo, J., & Chan, S. R. (2018, March).

Mental health apps: What to tell patients. Current Psychiatry. https://www.mdedge.com/psychiatry/ article/159127/depression/mental-health-apps-whattell-patients * Digital Therapeutics Alliance. Digital Therapeutics: Combining Technology and Evidence-based Medicine to Transform Personalized Patient Care. (2018, October). https://www.dtxalliance.org/wp-content/ uploads/2018/09/DTA-Report_DTx-IndustryFoundations.pdf

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COVER STORY

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Music may be a helpful tool for caregivers to cope with mental, emotional burden of their role For people living with interstitial lung disease, the burden of their diagnosis may feel, at times, overwhelming and isolating. An umbrella term that refers to a category of more than 200 types of rare and potentially serious lung diseases that can cause scarring of the lungs, interstitial lung disease may present a physical, mental, and emotional burden that can affect patients and extend to caregivers, too.

It’s a reality that Vera-who has been a caregiver for her younger sister Cheryl for more than 20 yearsknows all too well. Vera always had a special bond with her sister, but their relationship took on an even greater meaning in 2001 after Cheryl was diagnosed with sarcoidosis, a condition which causes inflammation throughout the body-often including the lungsand can lead to interstitial lung disease.

Vera has been a “constant presence” in Cheryl’s life throughout some of her most difficult moments. But there was one moment, in particular, when Cheryl says she came to fully realize the impact that her diagnosis had on her older sister.

“I remember my surgeon and I were discussing my options. I was handling the conversation casually, and I looked over at my sister, and she was just sobbing. She was taking it all in and grieving over me,” Cheryl recalls. “It made me realize that this journey, as hard as it is, isn’t just difficult for us [patients]. It’s difficult for those who share it with us, too.”

“I was so emotional. Just to see your younger sister, hearing that she might pass away...it took so much from me because she is my best friend. I wasn’t sleeping. I was worrying about her,” says Vera.

Vera’s experience is not unique. Research shows that feelings of depression and anxiety may occur in people living with interstitial lung disease and can even affect loved ones and caregivers, too. This can take a toll and an increasing number of caregivers say their role has impacted their own health.[1] For Vera, music and song have been critical in helping her cope with the emotional burden that caregiving can have.

“There were times that Cheryl was really sick and couldn’t really get around. I would get into bed and lay right next to her, and I would sing to her,” she says. “I rely on music to help navigate the ups and downs of this journey. It’s something I use to support my sister, but it’s also something I use to motivate and inspire myself.”

Inspired by stories like Vera and Cheryl’s and the potential impact that music and breathing can have, Boehringer Ingelheim recently introduced Tune In To Lung Health®, a program designed to raise awareness for interstitial lung disease and bring to life how music and breathing can help people cope with the mental, emotional, and physical burden of this disease.

The program features New York Yankees legend Bernie Williams, who lost his father to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, one of the most common forms of interstitial lung disease. The Latin Grammy nominee speaks openly about how important music was for him and his family following their loss.

“Music played a critical role in helping me cope with the loss of my father. I was listening to a lot of the music that he used to listen to when he was growing up, and I used that as a way to feel connected to him even after he passed,” says Bernie.

For Vera, Bernie, and others caring for a loved one with interstitial lung disease, music can be an outlet to cope with the stress of caregiving. Visit www.TuneInToLungHealth.com to learn more about interstitial lung disease, listen to curated streaming playlists from the ILD community, and hear from those affected by this disease, including Vera, Cheryl, and Bernie.— [1] National Alliance for Caregiving, AARP. Caregiving in the United States 2020. AARP. https:// www.aarp.org/ppi/info-2020/caregiving-in-the-united-states.html. Published May 14, 2020. Accessed September 30, 2022.

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Top 5 tips for a happy hosting experience this holiday season The holidays are coming up, which means your life will be full of family, friends and many delicious meals. To keep everything running along merrily this year, why not take steps to make hosting less stressful, and a lot more joyful?

Here are 5 key tips and a few must-have kitchen essentials that can make your holiday hosting easier than ever.

1. Stock your pantry before the holidays. Even before finalizing your holiday menus, ensuring that your pantry staples are well stocked will prevent last-minute panic runs to the store for things like flour, salt, cooking oil and chocolate, lots of chocolate. Take inventory of your cupboards to see if any of those kitchen necessities are running low - then you’ll be ready for all kinds of tasty recipes.

2. Don’t underestimate your prep time. If your recipe says a dish takes 45 minutes to prepare and cook, build in an extra 30 minutes when scheduling your meal prep time before guests arrive. Even better, prep or cook some items (or components) ahead, so they’re pre-chopped or ready to take from the fridge and reheat. Everything always takes longer than expected, so you’ll relieve a lot of stress if you know you’ll have time to do it well. Then you can relax, put on your favorite music, gather your ingredients and get ready to make holiday magic.

3. Let many hands make light work. Holiday cooking and baking memories with friends and relatives may be some of the best memories from your own childhood, so go ahead and let your family and friends help out with some of your meal preparation, cooking and table setting. Even little hands can do a few simple tasks to help, and the more the merrier!

4. Use the right tools for the job. Cooking and baking are so much easier (and much more fun) if you have the best tools possible for the job. Here are some kitchen must-haves that can make your holiday hosting seem effortless: GoodCook Quick-Baste Roasting Pan - You’ll be ready for any major holiday gathering with this 13x17 pan that comes with a locking rack. It’s large enough for all your favorite chicken, beef and pork roasts, and it can even handle a 25-pound turkey.

Constructed with a unique v-shape that allows for the collecting of juices and liquids, you can safely baste in half the time and leave the oven door open for a shorter time to keep cooking temperature consistent. Made from heavy-duty steel, it has a durable nonstick coating that is safe for metal utensils.

GoodCook Meat Tenderizer - Worried about serving tough meat? Worry no more. This double-sided mallet features a textured side for breaking up fibers in tougher meat and a smooth side for flattening GetRuralLeaderMag.com | DECEMBER 2022 13

TOP 5 TIPS, CONTD FROM PAGE 13 cutlets. It’s also the ultimate tool to ensure that your seasonings and toppings are perfectly pulverized, as it’s suitable for crushing nuts, smashing garlic, or mincing ginger spices that will add a delicious dash of flavor to your recipes. Plus, with the single-piece, cast aluminum construction, it is ideal for sanitary use and cleanup.

GoodCook Digital Thermometer - Make sure all your food is properly cooked with an accurate thermometer that has an easy-to-read digital display so you can read the temperature quickly. Its stainless probe has a protective sleeve with a rotating temperature guide for quick reference. As simple to clean as it is to use, when your work is done, you can easily sanitize, fold and store away until next time.

GoodCook AirPerfect Nonstick Baking Sheet - Be ready for cookie swaps or spontaneous baking moments with these insulated cookie sheets that provide even baking and moister cookies. Available in two sizes, you’ll have your pick of perfecting a small or larger batch. Even better, the sheets are designed to keep cookies from burning on the bottom, delivering golden brown results every time - and with the slide-

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off surface and secure indented handle, cookies are easier than ever to remove. As an added bonus, the nonstick surface makes it a snap to clean.

5. Clean as you go. If you can do some of the cleanup during the preparation and cooking process, you’ll not only maximize your prep surface, but you’ll also make it a lot easier to finish the cleaning after the festivities have wound down for the day.

There’s nothing more satisfying than collaborating with loved ones to prepare a celebration, so take time to have fun and savor the moment. Taste your own food, spend time with the people you care about and enjoy the wonderful holiday feeling you’ve helped to create.

Between the best tools, help from family and friends, plus your upbeat, can-do attitude, your holidays this year can be more fun, festive and flavorful than ever. Find more products to help your holidays be merry at GoodCook.com.—

Closing the digital equity gap positions all students for success

A sense of normalcy can be found again in K-12 classrooms across the country, but change is ever present. Although most students are now able to attend class in person, learning loss from COVID closedowns is apparent, especially for students who lack internet access.

The pandemic accelerated the already problematic digital equity gap - the difference between students who have reliable access to technology and internet and those who don’t. Connectivity in today’s learning environment is a necessity for students to have equal opportunity to learn and thrive.

Deciphering the digital divide. The digital equity divide was like a volcano bubbling below the surface before the pandemic. Allen Pratt, the executive director for the National Rural Education Association, forecasted in a 2019 op-ed the dangers of inadequate internet access: “Without broadband connectivity, kids living in rural areas are being prepared to compete in a 21st-century economy with 20th-century tools.”

When the pandemic hit, that volcano erupted. As classrooms across the country closed down, learning for millions of kids came to a near halt because they

didn’t have the technology and internet connectivity to continue their school work. That learning loss compounds today as teachers are now tasked with the challenging job of helping students catch up when they are months behind.

In fact, the National Center for Education Statistics released education progress scores showing just how devastating the last two years of unfinished learning have been for 9-year-old schoolchildren, particularly the most vulnerable. While math and reading scores dipped across the board, Black and Hispanic students lost 13 points and 8 points respectively, compared with five points among white students.

Each point lost, according to Andrew Ho, a professor of education at Harvard who was quoted about the scores in a recent New York Times article, is the equivalent of about three weeks of learning. That’s 39 weeks of lost learning for Black students alone.

Closing the gap. Closing the digital equity gap is key to recovering learning loss from the pandemic as well as for positioning all students for success in the future. That’s why some technology companies are stepping up to lead the way in helping students GetRuralLeaderMag.com | DECEMBER 2022 15

CLOSING DIGITAL EQUITY CONTINUDED FROM PAGE 15 nationwide, especially those that have in the past been overlooked.

“T-Mobile announced our Project 10Million initiative in 2019 and launched it in 2020. We saw this massive issue right in front of us and set out to eradicate it. We activated against an audacious goal of providing 10 million at-risk students with a free hotspot, free or highly subsidized data plans and access to at-cost laptops and tablets,” said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile.

From inception to today, T-Mobile has invested $3.65 billion in services to connect more than 4.3 million students through collaborations with school districts and student families across the country.

This is especially important as hybrid school environments become the new normal, where kids need to tap into the internet to do their homework and

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studies during afterschool hours.

“While we’ve worked closely with over 1,500 school districts around the U.S. and have options available for consumers to directly participate in the program, we’ve also seen great results from new approaches. We’re partnering with reputable youth networks such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, which expands our reach into the nonprofit’s 230 agencies across 5,000 communities,” said Sievert.

Parents and guardians of eligible K-12 students can enroll in Project 10Million at T-Mobile.com/project10million. School administrators and educators can learn more about Project 10Million and apply for their district at T-Mobile.com/p10m.—

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In Global Race for STEM Leadership, Private Investment Is Necessary for the U.S. to Win As America races to accelerate innovation across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), public and private sector investments are essential to advancing new technologies. The bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 represents a solid step forward in the country’s path to investing smartly in STEM education and programming. Notably, the act allocates investments in STEM at K-12, community college, undergraduate, and graduate levels. It’s one way to ensure that more people from all backgrounds, regions, and communities around the country gain access to STEM education and training opportunities.

However, the responsibility to expand access to STEM resources does not rest solely on the government’s shoulders. Commercial and private institutions, as well as individuals (especially teachers and parents), continue to shore up the country’s competitiveness by working to educate and inspire future generations to explore STEM careers. And good thing, because STEM occupations are projected to grow at twice the rate of all other occupations in the next decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2019-29 employment projections.

A thriving example of a private program that helps prepare young people for STEM careers, one award-winning online collection of hands-on STEM activities attracts thousands of visitors each month.

Offered by 4-H, America’s largest youth organization, in partnership with HughesNet, the world’s largest high-speed satellite Internet provider, the platform presents hundreds of interactive activities designed for students from Pre-K through high school. As easy to do at home as they are in a school setting, here are just a few of the activities available on the platform to ignite student interest in STEM: * With the How Do Satellites Communicate Augmented Reality (AR) Experience, viewers explore an

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animated model of a satellite and how it connects people to the Internet. * In this Space Exploration Experience, a virtual astronaut explains how to grow food in space, operate a lunar terrain vehicle and see firsthand what it takes to live and work among the stars. * Code Your Communication educates budding computer programmers about coding through this fun activity creating a bracelet with a message in binary code. * Science Bug: Electrical Circuits has children exploring how circuits work and even making their own light-up “science bug” necklace. * Get in Gear! teaches students about the power and mathematics of gears as they assemble and test different sets to see how small actions can create big movements.

“The STEM students of today are tomorrow’s technology leaders. These 4-H activities make high-quality STEM education materials available to them no matter where they live,” said Peter Gulla, senior vice president of marketing at Hughes. “The innovative engineering behind HughesNet requires a strong science, technology, engineering, and math foundation, so we understand the importance of STEM. We proudly support 4-H in inspiring the new generation of STEM professionals.”

HughesNet delivers a fast connection for people who live beyond the reach of other Internet services.

Recognized as the Best Rural Internet Provider of 2022 and Best Satellite Internet Provider of 2022 by U.S. News & World Report 360 Reviews, HughesNet high-speed satellite Internet connects millions of Americans to STEM education and much more. Visit hughesnet.com/4H to access a world of online STEM resources.—

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Online higher education remains a compelling, affordable option for a degree Increasing tuition and mounting student debt is making a college degree more difficult to achieve.

While policymakers are implementing debt forgiveness, nothing is addressing the root cause of the problem - traditional colleges and universities have built unsustainable cost models that can only be supported with ever increasing tuition. This leads to students believing they have no options, so they continue to willingly incur mountains of debt.

While some students choose to forgo college or dismiss the value of a graduate degree, many students are discovering a better way. One that doesn’t sacrifice the proven value of education to provide career-enhancing skills and advancement. Fully online institutions provide low-cost tuition models, largely due to lower operational costs, without sacrificing quality of education. Further, online higher education remains an affordable and attainable option for many students or working adults wanting to advance their career paths affordably.

High-cost education is often confused with quality, especially regarding four-year or advanced college degrees. But with historic levels of student debt combined with a significant shortage of skilled job applicants, isn’t it time to redefine how we measure the worth of a college degree? Online higher education institutions offer degrees that are significantly less expensive than traditional colleges or universities and offer substantial value and quality. A reflection of that value and quality is within graduation rate statistics where the norm for institutions is around 46 to 64 percent, according to Education Data Initiative and the National Center for Education Statistics.

The New York Times’ The Daily podcast recently aired “The College Pricing Game,” that suggested federal student aid programs, which are covered under Title IV, unfortunately exacerbate the affordability of education. In fact, one could argue that these programs have caused the student debt crisis because they have made students and parents desensitized to cost. At the same time, these federal loan programs incentivize institutions to raise tuition year after year.

Student loan forgiveness, which has been touted as a potential saving grace, is at most a temporary solution and doesn’t truly address the central issue: traditional colleges and universities are too expensive.

Tuition, fees and housing at many state-funded universities range from $10,000 to almost $30,000 20

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a year, depending on whether students are in-state or out-of-state. Including student loans and loss of income, the cost of a bachelor’s degree can exceed $400,000.

Affordable, accessible higher education solution Fully online and non-traditional colleges and universities are filling that widening gap within the fractured education system, allowing students from all backgrounds and financial means to achieve success.

Leading online college American College of Education (ACE) breaks the link between the cost of tuition and the quality and accessibility of education. ACE’s funding is rooted in how much it costs to deliver a quality education rather than the maximum amount of government loans accruable through Title IV. Global insights from HolonIQ Smart Estimates are projecting online education to grow by more than 12 percent annually through 2025. While it’s easy to directly correlate this growth with the COVID-19 pandemic, online (not remote) education has been growing for years, and there is a larger shift that needs to be recognized and addressed. Higher education should be accessible rather than exclusive and online colleges are pioneering the use of technology to increase academic quality and reduce cost. Without significant real estate and overhead expenses, these universities offer high-quality education programs, from micro-credentials to doctoral degrees, at a fraction of the cost of traditional colleges and universities. With affordable programs, fully online universities offer graduates the ability to cover the cost of their degrees within the first year or two of graduating.

“ACE has an unwavering commitment to putting students first, and this involves intentional attention to their concerns from cost to quality to flexibility,” said Geordie Hyland, ACE President and CEO. “Our low cost doesn’t require sacrificing quality, and we want to be a solution to the student-debt crisis and not a contributor. At the end of the day, many of our students graduate with minimal or no debt while earning a quality education that enhances their career development and contributions to society. We hope our efforts can inspire other institutions to do the same.”—

How cutting-edge RNA-based gene expression testing can help tailor treatments and improve outcomes for women with early-stage breast cancer One of the best tools available to personalize treatments to help improve outcomes for women with breast cancer is gene expression profiling. The ability to determine highly specific information about an individual tumor by analyzing how the genes express themselves differently provides an opportunity to identify the right treatment for the right patient at the right time. Gene expression profiling gives unprecedented levels of information to help a woman and her doctor make the most informed decision about her treatment plan.

However, certain genomic tests have blind spots that can lead to undertreatment. A recent publication has shown a 21-gene assay to be less accurate in providing information for Black women, a group at higher risk than most. According to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, while breast cancer incidence rates among Black and white women are similar, their mortality rates are markedly different - 41% higher for Black women. And among women under 50, this disparity is even greater: the mortality rate of young Black women from breast cancer is double that of young white women.

Disparities in cancer care for Black women are found in all aspects of a patient’s experience - including access and representation in clinical trials, treatment, care center access and testing. While there are many complex socioeconomic factors that contribute to these racial disparities, differences in

biology could play an important role. Black women are disproportionally affected by more aggressive subtypes of cancer, according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. They often can benefit from more aggressive treatments or targeted therapies, so it is critical Black women and their providers have the addition of biological insights into the tumor when making treatment decisions.

Genomic insights should be accurate for everyone: Fortunately, there are gene expression tests that have more consistent results in Black women than others on the market. One of them, the MammaPrint® test, analyzes 70 of the most important genes associated with the risk of distant metastasis - in other words, the risk the cancer will spread to distant sites.

With results typically available in six days or less, MammaPrint enables quicker, more comprehensive biological insights into the tumor to enable informed decisions on pre- and post-operative treatments which can easily be ordered on a biopsy or surgical sample. It is critical healthcare providers and their patients make correct treatment decisions at the time of diagnosis so they have the best chance of cure. If the best treatment for that unique tumor isn’t selected, and the patient develops metastatic disease, it then becomes an incurable disease which will shorten the life of that woman.

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including genomic information into the biology of her tumor, when selecting the appropriate therapy to maximize cure while maintaining quality of life. The hardest dilemma for providers is finding the right balance between treatments aimed at maximizing cure, with the least toxic options to achieve that cure.

In a recent landmark trial, nearly half of the women that appeared to have high-risk tumors based on conventional clinical assessments were actually found to have a MammaPrint Low Risk result, and were able to safely forgo chemotherapy in favor of other less toxic treatment options without compromising their chances for survival.

Another innovative test, BluePrint®, that can be ordered with MammaPrint, examines 80 genes to identify the molecular subtype of an individual tumor. The tumor is then accurately classified as one of three subtypes, revealing valuable information about its behavior, what drives its growth, long-term prognosis, and response to therapy. When the test is ordered on the biopsy tissue, results are typically ready in time for a patient’s pre-operative consultation, so the care team has the right insights for the right treatment at the right time. In a recent study, 22% of patients were further classified from their original subtype based on clinical or pathological factors into a molecular subtype - identifying an opportunity to tailor appropriate treatments to that patient’s specific molecular profile - which they otherwise would not have known - and predict likelihood of treatment response.

“Having detailed information about the biology of a woman’s cancer quickly helps pinpoint the most effective and timely treatment, and by ordering MammaPrint and BluePrint, a physician will be more confident in selecting the treatment option best suited for her individual tumor, no matter her race,” said acclaimed breast surgeon Dr. Princess Thomas Williams from the Breast Care Specialists of Carolina.

“These tests provide the most specific information we can currently get to help women of all backgrounds receive the best possible health outcomes, and it’s important to remember not all genomic tests are the same. Using the most comprehensive one can ensure the results are consistent regardless of race and eth-

nicity so you can rely on the insights when making critical treatment decisions.”

Because the MammaPrint and BluePrint tests analyze a total of 150 genes in the tumor - more than any other RNA gene expression test - they are able to capture the diversity of pathways driving tumor metastasis and tumor growth. In fact, the BluePrint test is the only test capable of identifying the hormone-receptor-positive cancer tumors that will actually clinically behave like triple negative breast cancers which are some of the aggressive tumors necessitating more aggressive therapy to ensure strong outcomes. Studies have shown Black women had more than double the chance of having that higher risk ER+/Basal type of tumor than white women.

Only BluePrint can identify these higher risk Black women who otherwise could have been undertreated had they not had their gene expression profile.

The need for more diverse clinical testing: Beyond the immediate need to ensure each woman with breast cancer has the information she needs to make timely decisions about treatment with her care team, there is also a need for genomic information that is representative of and effective for diverse patient groups. Black women comprise only 1-3% of clinical trial participants, despite being seven times more likely to die as result of breast cancer than white women.

It’s important to shine a light on these disparities, and more progress needs to be made to improve outcomes for Black women with breast cancer. It’s vital to recruit more Black women to participate in clinical trials so they are represented in the data being used to guide care. Improvements can start just days after diagnosis by giving Black women access to the best gene expression profiling of their tumor that they can rely on for their specific cancer.

To learn more and access resources on the right genomic test for you, visit agendia.com.—

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