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
(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
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. (February 14, 2008) - Dr. Stephen Scott, president of Wake Technical Community College, has named Rita Jerman as Vice President of Student Services for the college. In this position, Jerman will oversee a comprehensive program that supports students from recruitment and admissions to graduation and job placement. Jerman will replace Dr. Robert Ireland, who is retiring. She will assume her new role on March 1st.
Prior to this appointment, Jerman served as Registrar for Wake Tech’s Curriculum Education Division, where she supervised online and walk-in registration for more than 12,000 students. Jerman was responsible for student enrollment, admissions, and transfers; managed the degree audit system and graduation progression; and supervised registration services staff. She has twice been honored as Wake Tech’s Staff Person of the Year, most recently in 2007.
“Rita’s record speaks volumes,” says Dr. Scott. “Her commitment to students is clear in the work she’s chosen and the integrity she brings to it. She will be an inspiring leader for Student Services at Wake Tech.”
Jerman has also served as instructional supervisor, Assistant Registrar, and Associate Registrar for the college. Before coming to Wake Tech in 1989, she taught high school English and directed student activities in public schools in New York and North Carolina.
A North Carolina native, Jerman and her husband Ronald live in Fuquay-Varina. They have a son in high school and a daughter in college at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
RALEIGH, N.C. - Dr. Stephen Scott, president of Wake Technical Community College, reports that the College has received more than $2.5 million in grant funding since May of last year. Grant funds often provide the means for educational and other non-profit organizations to strengthen and expand programs beyond the scope of their regular operating budgets.
“Grants are definitely icing on the cake for a community college,” Scott says. “They allow for creative, innovative learning experiences that have a profound effect on teachers, students, and the community.”
Wake Tech encourages collaboration in pursuing innovation and quality enhancement collegewide. The Sponsored Programs and Grants Office leverages resources from private, state, and federal funding sources to support Wake Tech’s wide variety of new and ongoing projects and initiatives.
Among the grants awarded was $105,104 from the North Carolina Community College System’s BioNetwork to Wake Tech’s Applied Industrial Biotechnology division. The grant will allow Wake Tech to develop a certificate program in Applied Biotechnology to better meet the needs of employers in the Triangle area, and to improve job placement opportunities for graduates in biotechnology fields. The grant will also enable K-12 teachers to gain knowledge of biotechnology through summer coursework.
The following grants have also been awarded to Wake Tech:
From the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS)
- Facilities and equipment grant of $900,000 that will allow Wake Tech to start on a new 100,000 square foot Health Science Building six months earlier than anticipated - without having to wait for the release of school bond funds in July 2008. The new timeline will save the college significant construction costs; the building will expand efforts to meet the growing demand for nurses and allied health professionals.
- Minority Male Mentoring program grant of $20,000 that will leverage institutional matching funds to improve enrollment, retention, and graduation rates among minority male students.
- Professional development grants of 1) $22,353 to teach distance learning faculty to create digital video for online courses; and 2) $600,000 over three years to create a “Virtual Learning Center” with statewide partners.
- Small Business International Success Program grant of $5,000 to assist small business owners in NC in developing export markets and exploring technology transfer opportunities
- A second BioNetwork grant of $250,000 to design, develop, implement, and disseminate Virtual Environments for training students and workers in NC’s biomanufacturing industry
- Nursing education grant of $2,000 to support disadvantaged nursing students (students with disabilities and/or those at risk financially or academically) with counseling and other assistance.
From the John Rex Endowment
- Community Care of Wake and Johnston Counties partnership grant of $163,320 over three years. Wake Tech will provide the workforce development component of the project, recruiting and supporting bilingual students in medical and nursing assistant programs, assisting them with job placement upon graduation, and providing ESL classes for students and families.
From the US Department of Labor
- “Youth Build” partnership grant with Capital Area Workforce Development of $430,503 over three years to provide GED preparation and training in Construction Basics skills for college credits.
From the Bank of America Foundation
- Scholarship grants totaling $2,500, awarded to the Wake Tech Foundation to allow GED and Adult High School graduates to pursue diploma, certificate, and degree programs to increase career options and earning potential.
From the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund Commission
- A grant of $75,000 over three years to make all Wake Tech campuses tobacco-free and to improve the health and safety of students, staff, and visitors through a program of education, prevention, cessation support, and policy reform.
Read More About This:CarolinaNewsWire
RALEIGH, N.C. - Sometimes it takes more than an exceptional grade point average to make it into a university. That’s why Wake Technical Community College today announced its new Honors Program, designed to give students a competitive advantage in transferring to four-year institutions.
Sixteen students have enrolled in the program, which begins this semester at Wake Tech’s brand new Northern Wake Campus. Honors Program students will assume leadership roles in the classroom and elsewhere on campus, work with faculty to complete more advanced writing and secondary research assignments, and sharpen their oral presentation skills.
“Wake Tech is committed to preparing and supporting University Transfer students in every possible way,” said Dr. Stephen Scott, president of Wake Tech. “Our new Honors Programs gives them extra opportunities to develop their intellects and to build leadership skills, experiences which may indeed enhance their interest in earning a bachelor’s degree or higher.”
Wake Tech’s Honors Program has three core components:
- Honors Option courses: Honors students will meet with the instructor early in the semester to agree on a “contract” of extra assignments and/or leadership roles for the student. Currently, Honors Options are offered in 11 University Transfer courses.
- College Forums: The Honors Program will invite and sponsor guest speakers at forums designed to spur critical thinking and collaboration skills among students. The forums will be open to all students and faculty.
- Team Teaching: The Honors Program is encouraging and coordinating periodic joint meetings of classes in different subject areas, for debates, special lectures and presentations.
It is recommended that students have a weighted cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 in their senior year of high school or a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 in post-secondary work to be accepted into the Honors Program. Honors Options courses are approved as University Transfer classes according to the Common Course Articulation Agreement.
Wake Tech plans to expand the program and hopes to offer Honors Option courses at Main Campus by the fall of 2009
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
(ARA) - One of the biggest challenges college-bound seniors face is figuring out how to pay for school. Applying for scholarships should be one of the first steps in their search. However, scholarship myths continue to flourish and need to be dispelled.
Myth #1: Billions of scholarship dollars go unclaimed.
* In reality, the number of unused scholarships is minuscule.
Myth #2: Scholarships go only to the best students.
* Many scholarships are awarded based on elements other than academic achievement. Some scholarships are based on the student’s major field of study, involvement, ethnicity and geographic origin, as well as other factors.
Myth #3: Scholarship searches are worth paying for.
* This myth eventually will die as people discover the many free resources available on the Internet or in the print media. In many cases, scholarship search services charging fees turn out to be a scam.
So how do students and their parents sort through the myths and get to the facts? Start the process early — in December or January for the next school year — and utilize the resources around you. To find scholarship opportunities, start with your high school guidance counselor and local library for a list of possible resources. Next, check with your college financial aid office. Most states and many colleges offer scholarships, so students should also inquire about them. Finally, the Internet and organizational Web sites are excellent places to search. Remember, this information should always be free.
Don’t count yourself out just because you are not the valedictorian, class president, or star athlete. There are scholarships available for many interests, backgrounds, and abilities. The bottom line is – APPLY — and, the more scholarships for which you apply, especially local and regional opportunities, the better your odds are to be selected.
Scholarships come from many sources, but the student may have to do some detective work to uncover them. Though the scholarship application process can be time consuming, the advantage is most awards require similar information. So, once you complete your first application, you can easily reuse the same information for several additional awards.
For example, at www.usbank.com/studentbanking, you can apply to be one of 30 high school seniors to receive a $1,000 U.S. Bank Scholarship. Over the past 11 years,
U.S. Bank has awarded more than $290,000 in scholarship funding for this program. Scholarship award recipients are selected through a random drawing process. There are no essays to complete or minimum grade point average requirements. You simply must be planning to attend an accredited two- or four-year college full-time next fall.
The U.S. Bank Web site also features a powerful scholarship search engine. In partnership with Peterson’s, it offers students a free scholarship search. Peterson’s database contains nearly two million awards valued at more than $8 billion.
Scholarship Search Tips:
* Start Early — Experts recommend college-bound students and their parents start looking as early as their freshman year in high school. By identifying potential awards, students can choose classes and activities that will increase their chance at winning a specific award in the future.
* Use the Internet — Try to use two sources, make sure the profile submitted is accurate; don’t pay fees — it does not increase your chances of winning.
* Think small — Competition can be tough for large awards. Smaller awards ($1,000 and less) typically have less competition and are easier to obtain.
Additional free scholarship Web sites you may want to visit are:
* www.collegeboard.com/scholarships
* www.collegeplan.org
* www.collegescholarships.com
* www.collegenet.com
* www.scholarships.com
Courtesy of ARAcontent
RALEIGH, N.C. - Wake Tech’s new Public Safety Training Center opened to serve the growing needs of area law enforcement and other public service agencies. The Center, at 321 Chapanoke Road in Raleigh, will train law enforcement officers, firefighters, corrections officers, and emergency medical service providers. It is the first centralized facility for training of this kind in Wake County.
“Safety is paramount,” said President Scott, “a concern for every individual, every family, and the whole community. Our Public Safety Training Center will train and prepare the safety professionals we depend on and will need even more as our region keeps growing.”
Wake Tech currently provides in-service training to more than 4,500 law enforcement and fire safety personnel each year. Enrollment in law enforcement classes alone has more than doubled in just the past five years - from 7,100 to 14,400. (These figures include personnel who return to Wake Tech for repeat training in a variety of areas.) Until now that training, for local police departments, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the State Highway Patrol, the State Bureau of Investigation, and the N.C. Department of Corrections, has taken place at 16 locations around Wake County.
The training of fire and rescue personnel is also on the rise. Enrollment in these classes has grown 33 percent over the past five years - from 8,600 to 11,500. Due to the nature of the training, much of it will continue to be offered on site at fire department facilities across the county.
Right now, the Public Safety Training Center occupies just 18,520 square feet of the Chapanoke Road facility’s total 100,666 square feet. Wake Tech purchased the building and completed Phase I renovations - offices, classrooms, and a weight training facility - with approximately $5 million in funds from the 2004 county bond referendum.
Design on Phase II renovations will begin next year, with completion planned for 2010. Wake Tech plans to make the Center a model regional training facility with the addition of a mock courtroom and jail, a booking center, and additional classrooms for forensics and other instruction. Emergency Medical Training will be added as well. Nearly $14 million in bond funds, approved in October of this year, will support these renovations.
“Our officers and instructors have waited a long time for a facility like this,” said Anthony Caison, Wake Tech’s Dean of Public Safety Training. “It will offer the latest technologies and high quality training they need - all under one roof.”
The Public Safety Training Center will begin with courses offerings such as Crime Scene Investigation, DWI Detection, and Field Training Officer instruction.
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
RALEIGH, N.C. - Pending final approval from the State Construction Office, Dr. Stephen Scott, president of Wake Technical Community College, announced that Wake Tech’s new Public Safety Training Center is set for its planned January 2008 opening. The Center, at 321 Chapanoke Road in Raleigh, will train law enforcement officers, firefighters, corrections officers, and emergency medical service providers. It will be the first centralized center for training of this kind in Wake County.
“Safety is paramount,” said President Scott, “a concern for every individual, every family, and the whole community. Our Public Safety Training Center will train and prepare the safety professionals we depend on and will continue to need as our county grows.”
Wake Tech currently provides in-service training at 16 locations for area law enforcement agencies, including local police departments, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the State Bureau of Investigation, and the N.C. Department of Corrections. Enrollment in these classes has more than doubled in just the past five years - from 7,100 to 14,400. Wake Tech also provides on-site training for firefighters at fire departments throughout Wake County.
The Public Safety Training Center will initially occupy just 18,520 square feet of the facility’s total 100,666 square feet of space. Wake Tech purchased the building and completed Phase I renovations - offices, classrooms, and a weight training facility - with approximately $5 million in funds from the 2004 county bond referendum.
Design on Phase II renovations will begin next year, with completion planned for 2010. Wake Tech plans to make the Center a model regional training facility with the addition of a mock courtroom and jail, a booking center, and additional classrooms for forensics and other instruction. Emergency Medical Training will be added as well. Nearly $14 million in bond funds, approved in October of this year, will support these renovations.
“Our officers and instructors have waited a long time for a facility like this,” said Anthony Caison, Wake Tech’s Dean of Public Safety Training. “It will offer the latest technologies and high quality training they need - all under one roof.”
The Public Safety Training Center will begin with courses offerings such as Crime Scene Investigation, DWI Detection, and Field Training Officer instruction.
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
