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Off they go . . . By Tom Knox SUBURBAN NEWSPAPERS INC.
During students’ senior year of high school, when they are busy thinking about proms, studying for exams and practicing for competitions, it may be hard for them to imagine how life will change after earning that diploma. Many of them may have mixed emotions about starting their college career. We spoke with a few area high school students and asked them to share what they were most looking forward to or excited about and what they were most nervous about as they prepare to attend college this fall.
Mixed emotions as high school seniors look forward to starting college ASHLEY WEMHOFF High school: Ralston High School Most excited about: Being able to meet new people and have new experiences. I’ll miss my friends from high school, but I am also looking forward to making new ones, and I know I’ll enjoy having more freedom and responsibilities than I do now. Most nervous about: In some ways it will be exciting to move out from my parents, but at the same time it will certainly be different not having any family close by. It does make me a little nervous knowing I won’t be able to see them every day, but I also know they’ll only be a phone call away. Kody Rawson High school: PapillionLaVista High School Most excited about: All the new experiences I can get from college — such as internships and studying abroad. Most nervous about: The distance away from family — I won’t be able to go to their house and see them every night and just hang out with them.
beau marth High school: Bellevue East High School Most excited about: To be a part of college life and to try new things. I can’t wait to go to Husker games with my friends and take part in all the different clubs that my high school didn’t offer. I also am excited to study my major. I’ve been very passionate about engineering for a long time and it’ll be fun learning about it and being around people with the same interests. Most nervous about: Just as with anything new, it can be nerve-racking to be in a new environment with new people and instructors. I’ll be living with someone I don’t know and most likely won’t know anyone in my classes. I’ll have to make new friends and branch out to meet new people. Though I may feel this way now, I’m sure a week or two into the year I’ll realize those nerves were for nothing.
learning!
Katrina Flynn High school: PapillionLaVista High School Most excited about: Living in a new place. I have lived in Papillion for seven years and am ready to leave my house and reside in Kansas City where I want to go to college. Most nervous about: Leaving my parents. I’m scared of how it’s going to be without them and not having a home-cooked meal every night. jordan stickney High school: Bellevue East High School Most excited about: Starting a new chapter in my life. I am looking forward to meeting new people, getting involved in college activities, clubs and campus life with all the challenges college holds. Most nervous about: Living on my own and being away from my family. My family and I are really close; we do everything together. Not having them with me on a daily basis will be an adjustment.
THOMAS STOYSICH High school: Bellevue West High School Most excited about: Starting the rest of my life. These next four years are going to train me and give me some of the experience necessary for my career. And I can’t wait to start
Most nervous about: The new environment. It’s always a little nerve-racking moving to a new school, just like when I first came to high school. But hopefully getting involved, like I did in high school, will help me to fit in soon.
Gabrielle G. Williams High school: Bellevue West High School Most excited about: Finally starting my own chapter. This is what I have been training for during these past 18 years. I get to study what I want to study, make friends with people from all over the country and, of course, test out my new independence! Most nervous about: The same thing. I am going to an out-of-state school so I won’t know anyone except for the admissions staff. What if my classes are too difficult or if I’m truly not ready to be on my own? But even with these anxieties, I am still ready to at least take that first step in college and see for myself.
Reid Milliken High school: Papillion-La Vista South High School Most excited about: A lot of new opportunities and becoming more independent. Learning from mistakes as I step out of young adulthood and become an adult with more responsibilities. I’m also looking forward to extracurricular activities and the experiences that come with those in college. And looking forward to being able to focus on one area of study and doing something that I really enjoy. Most nervous about: The requirements for academics. It’s a big leap from what I’m used to here and without parents to push you it will be tougher to get self-motivated and stay responsible to get things done and show up to class on time. Megan Yank High school: Papillion-La Vista South High School Most excited about: Meeting new people and participating in new things and new experiences. I’m really looking forward to meeting new people and having fun in college. Most nervous about: Trying to balance school and work and having a social life. Although high school is a juggling act, college will be on a whole new level. KYLE SRAMEK High school: Ralston High School Most excited about: Meeting all the new people. I have tons of friends at Ralston that I’ll be sad to leave, but I’m looking forward to all the new bonds that I will make in Lincoln. I also can’t wait to start taking classes that will start building toward a degree that interests me. Other things such as research, studying abroad and living in a new city also excite me. Most nervous about: Admittedly, I will miss my family and friends back home, and it will be tough to leave them even though they will just be a short drive away. I’m also nervous about finding that I don’t like my field of study and not knowing what path to pursue. I am also a little worried about the first couple of weeks when I won’t yet have a close group of friends or a niche at the university.
ABOUT THIS SECTION College and Careers is published by Suburban Newspapers Inc. • For advertising information, contact Paul Swanson at paul.swanson@owh.com Special projects manager: Paul Swanson
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Special sections coordinator: Marie Douglas Copy editor: Jan DeKnock
• Special sections editor: Shelley Larsen
• Cover image: Metro Creative Connections
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Retail advertising manager: Dan Matuella Section designer and editor: Tom Knox
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10
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Nebraska’s only Top Ten University is also one of the safest. Top Programs. Top Professors.Top Competition. Top Value. Only 180 miles on I-80.
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For the third straight year, the University of Nebraska at Kearney is ranked a “Top 10 Public Regional University in the Midwest” by U.S. News & World Report. The only Nebraska school ranked in the top ten and the most afforadable University of Nebraska degree available. UNK has been a part of Nebraska since 1905. It is a university of 7,199 students from nearly all 93 Nebraska counties, 49 states and 58 countries. You can select from 170 undergraduate, 25 pre-professional, and 34 graduate degree options as well as the English Language Institute for international students. With a 17-1 student-to-faculty ratio, students benefit from more than 300 faculty who are widely recognized for excellence in scholarship, teaching and research. The award-winning faculty, including Nebraska’s first (and only) United States Professor of the Year, Dr. Richard Miller, have received National Science Foundation grants, authored national publications, and received numerous outstanding teaching, research and creative awards.
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unk.edu | 800.KEARNEY | BeALoper@unk.edu | facebook.com/UNKearney | youtube.com/user/UNKearney The University of Nebraska is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution. United States Professor of the Year sponsored by Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and the Carnegie Foundation. UNK Creative Services 2013.
One of The Top Ranked Campuses For Safety By StateUniversity.com
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e g e l l Co COMING SOON the big red Road show When: March 3, 1 to 3:30 p.m. Where: CenturyLink Center Omaha, 455 N. 10th Street Admission: Free What is it: A chance to get to know what UNL has to offer Parking: Several options available downtown near the center
OMAHA AREA COLLEGE FAIR When: April 7, 1 to 3 p.m. Where: University of Nebraska at Omaha — Sapp Fieldhouse, 60th and Dodge Streets Admission: Free Before you attend: Students should register for a barcode at nebraskacollegefairs.org, print the barcode and bring it with them to the college fair so that college representatives can scan their demographic information. Parking: The parking garage on southeast side of the campus, just east of Sapp Fieldhouse, will be available.
By Tom Knox
S
SUBURBAN NEWSPAPERS INC.
till not sure which college to attend or what to expect of the colleges on your favorites list? Then maybe you should head to a college fair. College fairs offer all kinds of information about a college: student life, research history and financial-aid programs to name a few. There are at least two upcoming college fairs that you should consider. The Big Red Road Show will be at the CenturyLink Center Omaha on March 3. This event is a chance for future college students to see what the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has to offer. From more than 75 different booths, prospective students can learn what life as a Husker is all about. The other fair is sponsored by EducationQuest and is to be held at UNO’s Sapp Fieldhouse on April 7. Joan Jurek with EducationQuest said “students should come with questions about admission requirements” for the schools in which they are interested. Students should also be ready to ask about scholarship opportunities, housing and other topics. There will be a variety of representatives from large and small schools, two- and four-year colleges, and public and private institutions. Jurek expects there to be about 80 colleges represented at the fair. Besides the Omaha fair, EducationQuest has plans for college fairs at the University of Nebraska at Kearney on April 21 and at Southeast Community College in Lincoln on April 14. “It really is important to start this process early,” Jurek said. By starting early, in their sophomore and junior years, students will have time to figure out what the requirements are of the colleges they are interested in and will have time work on their GPA and ACT scores if necessary. Students may want to ask themselves “what do I have to do in high school that will get me into the college I want?” said Jurek. And while this fair is aimed at early planners, high school seniors and nontraditional students are also encouraged to attend. So, time to stop procrastinating and get to a college fair.
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA
UNO is ranked #6 in the nation for military support. —Military Times, 2013
The UNO Bachelor of General Studies Degree is in the top 5 percent of online degrees in the country. —U.S. News & World Report, 2013
Learn more by visiting www.dcs.unomaha.edu
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After the offer — negotiating your way to a better salary
Y
our job search has finally paid off. After all the networking events, résumé re-dos and mock and real interviews, you finally got an offer for the job you wanted. So now what? Do you just take it or do you dare negotiate? “You should always negotiate a higher salary,” said Vanessa Jackson, assistant director of career services at the Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago. Jackson added, “Hiring managers expect this so they do not offer the highest salary in their range.” Be polite. “Say, ‘Thank you very much for this opportunity. I am so excited to join your company.’ Then move into the negotiation,” added Shannon Delecki, assistant director of career services at the Art Institute of Michigan. But before you ever get that offer, make sure you’ve done your research. “Know the average salaries for the position and for the market,” Delecki said. And this isn’t a time to be modest about your potential value to the company. “Tell the company why you are worth more than you are being offered. Show them how you will contribute to the company’s profits and help their bottom
line,” Delecki said. How much should you ask for? Jackson recommends anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 above the company’s offer. After thanking your future employer, you should say something like, “but I’m hoping to negotiate a salary closer to $XX.” There are times that companies may not be able to budge on the dollar amount. This could be an opportunity to negotiate other benefits such as vacation time. “Ask the company whether they can be more flexible about vacation or PTO days,” Delecki said. And those extra benefits don’t end there. Companies sometimes pick up the tab for day care, can offer flex time and even allow employees to work from home on certain days to defray commuting costs. “I’ve known people who negotiated immediate vesting in the company’s 401(k),” Jackson said. She also stresses that the higher you are on the food chain the more perks you’ll likely be able to negotiate. If you’ve just scored your first job, your new employer may not accommodate as many requests. And speaking of requests, make sure yours don’t sound
brandpoint
like demands. If they do, you could negotiate your way right out of a job. The negotiation is a balancing act. You want a higher salary but you have to remember that you’re looking to work
with the person on the other end of the negotiation. Be gracious. “That’s why it’s important to say ‘thank you’ and ‘I was looking for a salary closer to,’ ” Jackson said.
Finally, make sure you can live with and on your salary. Jackson counsels job seekers, “Know what you need to make to sustain your lifestyle.” — Brandpoint
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Where the tech jobs are: in the ‘clouds’ The sky is the limit for cloud computing as it continues to drive job growth garnering interest from Main Street, Wall Street, corporations and governments. A 2012 Microsoft-commissioned report by the International Data Corporation indicated that spending on cloud services will generate nearly 14 million jobs worldwide by 2015. In the past decade, cloud computing pioneers such as Amazon, Salesforce, Google and Apple have developed comprehensive cloud services, platforms and applications. Now, traditional businesses of all kinds — even those that don’t operate in the technology space — are incorporating cloud services more frequently. In fact, a related study from the Sand Hill Group suggests that cloud computing may generate more job growth in the coming years than the Internet itself did during the 1990s. Cloud computing provides the means through which technology-based services — from computing power and infrastructure to applications, processes and collaboration — can be immediately accessed by users through the Internet, or the “cloud.” This instant access can result in greater flexibility, reduced environmental impact, lowered costs and tightened security for businesses. Due to heightened demand for these
benefits, business intelligence company WANTED Analytics reports more than 12,000 cloud-related jobs — from software engineers and software developers to cloud architects and security specialists — were advertised online in April 2012. That represents an increase of 50 percent from the previous year and more than 275 percent since April 2010. As the nature of information technology continues to evolve, requiring its workforce to obtain cloud-based knowledge, understanding and technical skills, some higher education providers have launched degree programs that align with cloudrelated fields. “As cloud providers grow the scale of their service offerings, and more businesses embrace and capitalize on them, there will be increasing demand for professionals who possess cloud computing skills,” said Thomas Bieser, a solution architect for HP. Hiring managers seeking to fill cloud computing and related positions desire candidates with problem-solving skills, an eye for security concerns and good communication skills for working with professional teams or clients. Job seekers with these attributes and an applicable educational background may find career success in cloud computing. — Brandpoint
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Considering self-employment? Career fields with double-digit growth Americans were born to make lemonade. If you have any doubt about the resiliency of U.S. workers, consider the many reports that indicate millions of Americans are turning life’s lemon of layoffs into an opportunity to work for themselves. With unemployment rates still high, many people are looking to self-employment to create stable, rewarding careers for themselves. Self-employment offers many advantages, including more flexible work schedules, less job uncertainty and the satisfaction of working for yourself. If you’re considering a career change to self-employment and want to start your own business, insurance may be the field for you. It’s one of four fields, including child care, accounting and financial planning, that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts will see double-digit growth in the next few years. Opportunities in the insurance industry for sales agents will grow 22 percent between now and 2020, according to the BLS’ Occupational Outlook Handbook. Agents help clients understand their
insurance needs and choose policies that best fit those needs and protect the things that are most important: homes, automobiles, businesses and above all else, lives. The insurance field offers quick entry, even for those with only a high school diploma, and profitability can be even more accessible for those who pursue professional training. Companies such as Farmers Insurance, which is expanding into eastern states from its base in California, offer selfemployment opportunities for those who wish to run their own agencies. Farmers provides training and can even assist with startup financing at attractive terms. Along with all the benefits of selfemployment, including a more flexible work schedule and the potential to work at home, agents who align themselves with an established company such as Farmers can enjoy the benefit of working with a well-recognized brand. While it may be difficult to predict what the country’s overall unemployment rate will be, there is still plenty of good news for career-changers looking for fields that offer growth potential.
BR A N D P O INT
Choosing a career in insurance, financial planning or another industry that anticipates double-digit growth in the next decade can help many career-changers achieve their dream of becoming successful entrepreneurs and help them make lemonade out of life’s lemons. — Brandpoint
One benefit of self-employment is a flexible work schedule.
Your choice for higher education
Bloom at College of Saint Mary
College of Saint Mary offers a variety of specialized majors and programs that prepare you for success after graduation. We invite you to visit the university, tour the campus, talk with current students and discuss your future with us.
402-399-2355 � 800-926-5534 CSM.edu � enroll@csm.edu
Offering 30 undergraduate programs including: � Biology/Chemistry � Business � Nursing � Occupational Therapy � Physician Assistant
College of Saint Mary is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
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