Simple Ways College Grads Can Give Back to their Alma Maters
(ARA) – A college education does far more than give graduates a competitive edge when entering the working world. For many people, college marked a time when they forged friendships and romances that last a lifetime. Is it any wonder, then, that so many college graduates seek creative ways to nourish their bond with their alma mater years – often decades – after they’ve left the college’s hallowed halls?
From following their college’s sports teams to carrying the same school coffee mug from job to job, many alumni are passionate about their schools. In fact, 57 percent of college graduates say their college years were the best years of their lives, according to the MyExpression(TM) Alumni Survey sponsored by Bank of America. Nearly 50 percent still consider themselves college sports fanatics and 58 percent would like their children to follow in their collegiate footsteps, the survey found.
With prices rising on everything from gas to groceries, it can become challenging for some alumni to make cash donations to their colleges or universities. More than half (55 percent) of survey respondents don’t donate to their alma maters, and just 27 percent donate $100 or more per year. Of those who don’t donate, 38 percent say it’s because they just haven’t gotten around to it, or that it is difficult to juggle donations amid other financial and time obligations.
There are, however, creative ways to support your school without spending a dime. If you still live near your school, you can volunteer with programs and campus events, provide tutoring in your major field or donate your time and professional experience by speaking with current students. If you no longer live close to your alma mater, contact the student services department to find out if there are ways you can participate remotely – whether it’s offering tutoring services online or volunteering a few hours for the school’s student information hotline.
Another easy way to support your alma mater is through affinity banking products. Bank of America offers branded credit cards, check cards and checks that support a variety of alumni organizations, professional organizations and charitable causes through its MyExpression product line. For passionate alumni, every time a new MyExpression alumni checking account is opened and for every subsequent purchase made with a MyExpression check card, a contribution is made to the alumni organization featured on the card. Given that two-thirds of alumni own college-branded gear, and nearly 50 percent proudly don a college-branded sweatshirt, a college-branded check card that gives back may be just the hassle-free combination of pride and passion alums are looking for.
“People are always looking for easy ways to support what’s important to them. However, prioritizing one’s college or university among so many other responsibilities – financially and otherwise – can be a tall order,” says Stephen Gillin, Affinity Banking executive. “That’s exactly where the Bank of America MyExpression alumni accounts fit in. Alumni can easily convert their school passion into support for their school, simply by making their everyday purchases with their MyExpression alumni account.”
Alumni and university fans can learn more about MyExpression Banking products at more than 6,100 Bank of America banking centers, or online at www.bankofamerica.com/myexpression.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
RALEIGH, N.C. – The Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University today announced it has received a $1 million challenge grant from the A. J. Fletcher Foundation to establish Legal Clinic space within Campbell Law’s new Raleigh location.
The grant will be applied to Campbell Law’s $27.5 million “Campaign for Raleigh.” Funds raised toward the challenge grant will help underwrite the Legal Clinic’s operations, which will focus on critical community issues such as housing and needs of low-income seniors, among other important social justice concerns.
Campbell Law School Dean Melissa Essary noted, “The creation of the Legal Clinic will allow our students – the next generation of community leaders – to work directly with those who often have no voice, and certainly no legal representation.” Essary continued, “It is our responsibility to help our students view the practice of law as a calling to serve others and we could not be more grateful for Barbara and Jim Goodmon’s support in accomplishing this objective.”
The Legal Clinic will be dedicated to providing low-income and other residents of the greater Raleigh region with pro bono legal services. Led by experienced clinical directors, the programs will be staffed by second and third year Campbell Law students. In addition to providing valuable service to individuals who might not otherwise be able to retain an attorney, the Legal Clinic will present future lawyers with practical, hands-on experience.
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
(ARA) – What do a recent global crackdown on Internet child pornography and the arrest of Dennis Rader, the infamous “BTK” serial killer have in common with the Sept. 11 attacks on America? All are high profile crimes investigated not only by conventional police investigators, but by those specially trained in computer forensics, a new area of crime fighting.
Computer forensics is a branch of forensic science pertaining to legal evidence found in computers and digital storage mediums. Experts in this field investigate data storage devices such as hard drives, USB drives, CD-ROMS, floppy disks, etc., identifying, preserving and analyzing documentary and other digital evidence.
While most of the attention given to people working in this field comes from the work they do with police to help solve high profile crimes, that is not the only role they play. Individual companies are hiring forensic computer experts to perform such roles as determining the root cause of a hacker attack, collecting evidence legally admissible in court, and protecting corporate assets and reputations from crimes such as white-collar fraud.
Andrew Hildebrand, CPA, CVA, JD and dean of business programs at DeVry University in Fort Washington, Penn., offers this example of just how important a computer forensics expert’s role is in a corporate investigation of financial crime. “First a CPA would be contacted by an attorney to work on proving financial fraud. The CPA would need to have financial records and data, some of which may be in electronic format,” he says.
“Many times in these types of fraud cases, the suspect has attempted to cover-up the crime by deleting various documents, such as MS Word memos and MS Excel spreadsheets,” Hildebrand adds. “Once the accountants have some idea of what they are looking for, we can work with the computer forensics professional to recover the deleted material. During every step from seizure of the computer through to court testimony, the computer forensics professional will use their expertise to ensure that the data is recovered and the laws of evidence are respected.”
Realizing the growing need for trained professionals with this area of expertise, schools such as DeVry University, one of the country’s largest, publicly held, degree-granting higher education systems in the U.S., have developed special degree programs to train the experts of tomorrow. DeVry University offers an accelerated bachelor’s degree program in Computer Information Systems with a specialized track in computer forensics that can be completed in three years. As they are pursuing their degree, students learn how to follow the trail of computer clues that are left behind when someone commits a crime of technology. They also learn how to document evidence and how to coordinate with law enforcement to track the movements of the bad guys.
“Students will be prepared for jobs such as security auditor, security specialist, security administrator, security analyst, Web security manager, security director, digital forensic investigator, privacy officer and compliance officer,” says Rajin Koonjbearry, an instructor at DeVry University in Dallas. “These jobs are in high demand and will continue to grow because of new and changing regulatory requirements.”
Among the career avenues available for students graduating with a specialization in computer forensics:
* Law Enforcement. Police departments and sheriff’s offices nationwide are looking for computer forensics professionals to help them investigate computer-related crimes.
* Corporate. Those with a computer forensics background can help companies protect their computer systems from outside attacks.
* Private Organizations. Any private organization with its own network needs computer forensics professionals to maintain surveillance on their systems.
* Software Programmers. The advice that the computer forensics degree holder can provide a software company about the stability of their programs is always welcomed.
“We are responding to the changing IT industry in order to ensure DeVry University graduates are prepared to excel in emerging industry areas,” says Eddie Wachter, Ph.D., dean of academic affairs at DeVry University Central Florida. “Professionals who know how to protect companies and consumers from cyber crime will be in great demand in our increasingly networked world, and the new specialized options give our students the edge in this evolving industry.”
To learn more about DeVry University’s Computer Information Systems (CIS) degree program, log on to http://www.DeVry.edu .
Need for Prescription Drugs Propels Demand for Pharmacy Technicians
(ARA) - With our nation’s population, the demand for prescription medication is greater than ever before. This has created a huge need for pharmacy workers, according to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“There are numerous factors propelling demand for medication,” says Richard Nunez, department chair and certified pharmacy technician at Everest College, in San Francisco. “First, Americans are living longer than ever and need more medical treatments. Advances in medical technology are also producing more prescription drugs. The combination of these two factors is putting a real strain on the pharmaceutical industry to meet demand.”
The number of prescriptions filled increased by 60 percent in the span of a decade, rising from 1.9 million in 1992 to 3.1 million in 2002, according to the Association of Counter Drug Stores.
Nunez links this growth of the pharmaceutical industry to demographic changes. “The growing need for prescription drugs is one of the long term side-effects of the aging baby-boom generation. The pharmaceutical industry is one of many industries in healthcare that is feeling the repercussions,” says Nunez.
“Pharmacy technicians are one way the profession is responding to this need for workers,” he adds. “They really play a crucial role in a pharmacy. In many ways, the work of pharmacy technicians complements that of pharmacists. Pharmacy technicians help patients, explain dosages, update patient information, and help with labeling and filling prescriptions.”
Pharmacy technicians are one of the fastest growing professions in the U.S. right now. According to the National Pharmacy Technician Association, more than 39,000 pharmacy technician jobs open each year. And the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that pharmacy technician jobs are expected to grow more than 32 percent over the next decade.
Yet with increased demand, Nunez explains that the role of pharmacy technicians is changing. “Pharmacists just do not have the time to do everything themselves. Pharmacy technicians have to step in to fill multiple roles,” he says. Nunez explains that pharmacy technicians will begin to assume responsibilities for a range of tasks that were previously reserved for pharmacists or pharmacy aides.
“The profession has really had to develop in response to this need,” says Nunez. “Pharmacy technicians are no longer seen as simply assistants to pharmacists, but as full-fledged pharmaceutical professionals.”
Pharmacists have to focus more on patient care, and pharmacy technicians refer questions regarding prescriptions, drug information or health matters to them. Pharmacy technicians are responsible for measuring, recording and labeling medications, and they are also taking on more administrative duties, including updating patient profiles, preparing insurance claims and taking inventory of pharmacy stock.
As responsibilities of pharmacy technicians grow, obtaining certification is also becoming more important. “Although pharmacy technicians have traditionally received on-the-job training, employers are increasingly looking for employees who have prior professional degree,” says Drew Jones, Pharmacy Program director and certified pharmacy technician at Everest College in City of Industry, Calif.
More importantly, Jones explains that better training could lead to more professional opportunities. “The shortage of pharmacists opens up opportunities for better qualified pharmacy technicians to take on more responsibilities,” says Jones.
“We recognize the importance of this career in helping keep Americans healthy. Pharmacy technicians have become a crucial part of the pharmacy team, and we really stress the career’s potential to our students. They come to us to be part of an accredited program, because they recognize the new opportunities the career offers for qualified employees,” says Jones.
To learn more about career opportunities as a pharmacy technician, visit www.everest.edu.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
CHAPEL HILL - Chapel Hill investigators today released photos from a bank surveillance camera that they say show a man using an ATM card belonging to slain UNC-Chapel Hill student body president Eve Carson.Chapel Hill Police Chief Brian Curran said investigators have not identified the person in the photos, and can only say that he appears to be a black man in his late teens or early 20s. He appears to be wearing gloves, what looks like a hooded sweatshirt or parka and some kind of ball cap with a star on it.
Curran said the ATM photos were taken in the Chapel Hill area, but would not say specifically where or when.
“This is our biggest break so far in this case,” he said at a press conference this morning.
Curran said the ATM camera captured several photos of the man, including one showing him in a sport utility vehicle with a roof rack that may be Carson’s 2005 Toyota Highlander. He referred to the man in the photos as “a person of interest,” not the suspected killer.
Curran said police are putting together a timeline using Carson’s cell phone records, but said they have not found her keys. He repeated that investigators have no evidence to suggest Carson was specifically targeted.
“We believe, at this point, it feels like a random crime,” Curran said.
Carson, 22, was found in the Hillcrest neighborhood northeast of the UNC-Chapel Hill campus about 5:15 a.m. Wednesday with gunshot wounds, including one to the head. She was carrying no identification, and it was not until Thursday that police announced that they had confirmed her identity.
Her Toyota Highlander was discovered Thursday afternoon on North Street, around the corner from Carson’s house at Friendly Lane.
Carson’s roommates told police that they’d gone out at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday and that she had stayed home alone to study. Curran said this morning that police think Carson might have left her house after her roommates to make copies for school.
Police are still interested in speaking with anyone who thinks they saw Carson’s Highlander between 1:30 a.m. Wednesday and midday Thursday. The blue SUV has Georgia license plates, AIV-6690.
The UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees has pledged $25,000 to the Carrboro-Chapel Hill-UNC Crime Stoppers program for a reward for information leading to the arrest of a person or persons responsible for Eve Carson’s death. Police ask anyone with information about the case to call Crime Stoppers at 919-942-7515 or www.crimestoppers-chcunc.org
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Instilling the Savers’ Mindset in College-bound Grandchildren
(ARA) - Want to involve your grandchildren in paying for college? Get them saving while they’re still young, says grandparents.com money expert, Bambi Holzer. “If children grow up understanding money as a finite resource, they’ll understand the need to manage it properly,” says Holzer.
At around age five, children begin to understand how money works. That’s a good time to start teaching them about saving. They’ll start to catch on when, for example, they see how one week’s allowance may not cover the cost of a coveted toy. Use these and other similar “teachable moments” to initiate discussions about pocketing the change for the future.
While it can be tough, not opening your wallet every time your grandchild says “I want that!” teaches a similar lesson. Let them discover, as you likely did growing up, that saving for what they want is not only fiscally responsible, but psychologically gratifying.
How does it relate to a six-figure education? According to Holzer, who has 25 years of financial experience, “Students who are aware of the high cost of college and who assume some responsibility for paying for it (if even the smallest portion), will assign more value to their education and get more out of it.” She says it all starts with teaching money basics, as early as possible.
Holzer offers these tips to grandparents interested in getting their grandchildren involved in college savings:
Help them start a pint-size college fund.
Make it accessible to your grandchild and make sure he/she contributes to it. Track the account’s growth together, and keep it separate from ones their parents may have established. For a small child it could be a piggy bank or a jar. For an older grandchild, try a passbook savings account or even a mutual-fund account.
Show them the money.
Kids love to do chores for pay — sweep the floor, rake leaves, carry groceries, feed the pets. Put your grandkids on your payroll. By doing so, they learn the concept of working for money. Pay them in small bills and suggest (perhaps insist) that they put some of that money into the college fund.
Talk about scholarships.
Explain that students who excel in high school may be given scholarships that pay for part or all of their college education.
Consider the cost side.
Students who have a vested interest in paying for college may be more likely to consider the total cost of college when deciding where to go, making options like state schools, community college, and reducing credit hours through high school AP credit more palatable.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Bambi Holzer’s grandparent-oriented financial advice appears regularly on www.grandparents.com.
RALEIGH, N.C. and BOSTON, Mass. – In anticipation of Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law’s summer 2009 move to downtown Raleigh, the school has retained Shepley Bulfinch Richardson & Abbott of Boston, Mass. and Small Kane of Raleigh, N.C. to design and oversee the renovation of its future location. Campbell Law’s selection of the two firms is the next step in bringing its $27.5 million dollar building project to Raleigh, which is currently the largest U.S. capital without a law school.
Campbell University and School of Law leadership selected an innovative partnership between Shepley Bulfinch and Small Kane that will leverage the expertise of both firms. Shepley Bulfinch, founded in 1874, has designed some of the nation’s leading law schools and expansions, including projects at Georgetown University Law School, Marquette University Law School, Elon University School of Law, and Harvard Law School. Small Kane enjoys a reputation as one of Raleigh’s top design firms for business and education. Joseph Bille of Shepley Bulfinch will be the principal designer and Shane Webster of Small Kane will oversee the design implementation and construction in Raleigh. Kerry Kane, Small Kane principal, will be a creative consultant to the project.
“Shepley Bulfinch is a highly respected firm of national reputation and Small Kane has distinguished itself within the Raleigh business community with skillful designs and project implementation,” said Campbell School of Law Dean Melissa A. Essary. “This creative partnership will allow Campbell Law to utilize the exceptional talents of these firms to design a world-class law school in downtown Raleigh. The new Campbell Law building will be a signature legal education facility in North Carolina’s capital city.”
Jim Roberts, vice president for business/treasurer of Campbell University explained that plans call for the complete renovation of the 107,000 square foot building at 225 Hillsborough Street in Raleigh, including the development of a state-of-the-art law library, courtrooms, classrooms, common spaces, and gathering spaces. The redesigned law school is scheduled to open in August 2009.
“As the chair of Campbell Law’s ‘Campaign for Raleigh,’ I could not be more pleased with the dynamic partnership between Shepley Bulfinch and Small Kane, said Frank B. Holding, Jr., CEO of First Citizens Bank. “The law school will truly have the best of both worlds: a firm that has designed several of America’s premier law schools working with a firm that understands the dynamics of successful project execution in Raleigh. It will be a win-win for Campbell Law and the Raleigh community.”
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
RALEIGH, N.C. - The Wake Tech Board of Trustees approved a proposal to add competitive athletics to the community college’s programs, starting this fall. The Board’s approval allows Wake Tech to join the National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) as a Division I member of Region 10.
Wake Tech will immediately begin the search for an Athletics Director. The program will begin with women’s volleyball, men’s soccer, and men’s and women’s golf. Soccer is already a campus-wide passion; volleyball and golf classes are offered in Wake Tech’s physical education program. The college will add basketball next year, and softball and baseball the following year.
“Athletics is new territory for us,” said Dr. Stephen Scott, president of Wake Tech, “and one that we’re excited about exploring. We know an athletics program will offer students new opportunities and a richer college experience. It will also build college spirit and bring new community support for Wake Tech.”
The new athletics program is expected to cost about $176,000 the first year. Student fees will be increased from $10 to $20 per semester to cover the cost, as no state funding can be used to support athletics. Wake Tech’s Student Government Association supports the new program and the fee increase it will require. Late last year the SGA asked the Board of Trustees to approve the plan.
“Students are really excited about this!” says Juan Hoyos, Wake Tech Student Government Association president. “Right now, many students come here to get a degree and move on, but athletics will build school pride and generate interest in other campus activities and initiatives. It will add a whole new dimension to college life at Wake Tech,” Hoyos says.
The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that athletic programs have seen a resurgence among the nation’s community colleges, with more than 40 colleges adopting new sports programs since 2004. Nineteen of North Carolina’s 58 community colleges offer competitive sports. In addition to enhancing student life, leaders believe athletics will heighten interest from area athletes, improve student retention rates, foster college spirit, and attract revenue from private sources.
Initially, Wake Tech will rent facilities for practice and games. The Wake Tech Foundation will look for private donors to help pay for future athletic facilities, including new fields at the college’s Northern Wake Campus. Wake Tech has never had a formal athletics department, although the college did sponsor competitive teams in the late 1960s and 1970s, including baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, golf, and bowling.
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
Raleigh, NC: Lorraine Stephens, president of Lorraine Speaks and L. Stephens & Associates, announced that she has been named as a member of the North Carolina State University (NCSU) College of Management’s first Diversity Advisory Board. The board’s first meeting was held on Friday, January 25 and focused on bringing together diversity leaders, managers and directors from 14 Triangle area companies with strong diversity initiatives and three College of Management faculty members.
One of the key goals of the college that the board will support is providing exemplary educational opportunities that prepares students to engage in an increasingly global business climate. This initiative includes expanding efforts to support high achieving students from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
“Becoming a member of the NC State College of Management’s first Diversity Advisory Board is both and honor and privilege,” said Lorraine Stephens. “I am excited about moving forward with an opportunity to continue to emphasize the value diversity within the university and its student body.”
To learn more about Lorraine Stephens or her role on the Diversity Advisory Board, send an email to lorraine@lorrainespeaks.com
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
CARY, N.C. — SciQuest, Inc., the global leader in helping academic and research-centric organizations realize the potential of strategic procurement, today announced that Clemson University has selected SciQuest’s full suite of eprocurement solutions as the foundation for its entire source-to-settle procurement process. More than 4,800 users across the University will utilize the new eprocurement system.
“Clemson is redefining the term ‘top-tier research university’ by combining the best of two models: the scientific and technological horsepower of a major research university and the highly engaged academic and social environment of a small college,” said Brett Dalton, chief financial officer of Clemson University. “We searched for an eprocurement solution with a proven track record generating savings and greater efficiencies through a strategic and user-friendly approach to procurement. SciQuest emerged as the best choice to provide that service for us.”
Researchers’ procurement needs are unique in that they make unforeseen, ad hoc purchases of disparate materials and chemicals as experiments evolve. Scientific protocols demand uniformity, consistency and a fast response-all factors that challenge one-size-fits-all eprocurement systems and traditional, paper-based processes.
Functionality and features within the SciQuest solution as well as its extensive online catalog of scientific suppliers address these unique aspects of the research environment. With an all-inclusive eprocurement system in place, researchers can spend more time finding cures and uncovering new discoveries, and less time searching for and ordering the specialty supplies they need to complete their work.
With SciQuest eprocurement, all users, including researchers, will simply login to the application, browse the extensive electronic marketplace of suppliers, and compare and select the items and services they want to buy-all in an intuitive, Web-based shopping environment that brings campus-wide purchasing together in one system. The solution suite will also automate and streamline purchase order placement, tracking and management, allowing Clemson to securely distribute orders electronically to its suppliers through a single integration point.
Through eprocurement, Clemson can harness the full value of pre-negotiated contracts and volume discounts as well as negotiate additional strategic contracts where needed. SciQuest makes it possible to more effectively steer purchasing towards contracted specialty suppliers, such as small and minority- owned businesses and suppliers that satisfy environmental and sustainability goals. The University’s financial departments will also attain real-time visibility into institution-wide spending, ensuring that purchasing decisions are strategic in nature and help to advance the University’s mission.
An added benefit of implementing the SciQuest system is that it will now be easier for suppliers from across the state of South Carolina to vie for business with Clemson University. Suppliers will be able register at a single access point in the SciQuest system-ensuring that all can easily compete in the competitive bidding process.
“We are pleased that Clemson University selected our eprocurement solution suite as one of the pillars to reach its goal of becoming a top-tier research institution,” said Stephen Wiehe, president and CEO of SciQuest. “The signing of Clemson University is further validation of our market leadership in the research-centric and higher education markets. We strive to provide customers with the solution they need to deploy eprocurement within the context of their changing business and resource requirements. We look forward to helping Clemson reach its goals by freeing the campus community to focus on their mission, not the administrative tasks required to attain the goods and services they need.”
More than 60 of the best known colleges and universities, including 14 of the top 20 in U.S. News and World Report’s 2007 ranking, use SciQuest’s eprocurement solutions. Additional customers include nine of the 15 largest pharmaceutical companies and other research-centric organizations, such as research centers, research hospitals and specialty surgery centers
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
