Universities Weblog

By Courtney Phillips

It seems every time the government even mentions the phrase “economic stimulus” the scammers’ ears perk up and they are chomping at the bit to start taking the money of unsuspecting victims.  Well, the latest stimulus package is no exception and they are striking while the iron is hot.

How does it work?  Well, this one is a bit more transparent and less clever than some of the scams we have seen in the past but will still be successful as so few outside of the Beltway actually understand how the stimulus will affect them. 

Phone solicitors call unsuspecting individuals and tell them they are with (Insert Fake Company Here) and tell them that, because of President Obama’s stimulus bill, they can receive a reduction in their credit card interest rates if they just provide their information and account numbers.

This is an especially insidious scheme in these tough economic times when everyone is looking for ways to save some cash.  Often when they receive such calls, they are inclined to share information they would normally know to keep to themselves in the hopes it will be used to their benefit.

There are also those being told via the post that their business is entitled to a tax rebate through the stimulus package and that they are being assessed by the Small Business Administration regarding their eligibility for such a rebate.  And, of course, they are asked for personal information to establish their eligibility.

While these are two of the more common stimulus scams, they are not the only ones out there.  These scams will evolve and become increasingly more complex as time goes on and the stimulus package funds are distributed to their respective entities.

What you need to know if you are an individual or small business owner is that, more than likely, you will not personally benefit from the stimulus package and need to vigilant of anyone wanting to exploit your lack of information on the issue.  If you are unclear about the distribution of this money, you will want to examine it more closely and do a bit of research to ensure you understand the benefits of the package and what sectors it will cover.
 

By Courtney Phillips

At many schools, community service is a graduation requirement.  And, for many students, working in a nursing home or other geriatric facility is how these service hours are fulfilled.  While it is not always the first preference for how students would like to spend their time, most come away with a deeper understanding of themselves and the elderly folks with whom they work.

Below are five tips for bridging the divide between students and their older (and wiser) new friends:

1.    Sympathy – Young people need to realize they will someday be old and that everyone eventually faces the challenges of aging.

2.    Communication – If there is discomfort or awkward silences, addressing them gently can be a great ice breaker.  Perhaps the student will admit he is nervous or unsure about how best to approach the situation.

3.    Humor – Students should keep their senses of humor.  While this does not mean they are not cruelly amused in any way, students should keep things light and fun whenever possible.

4.    Common ground – There is SOMETHING the student and their older counterpart have in common.  By working to find that common ground, all involved will learn more about one another and ultimately bond over their resulting similarities.

5.    Respect – As stated previously, both the young and old have plenty to learn from one another.  If each chooses to respect the life experiences of the other, it will prove to be a very profound experience.

While working in a nursing home once, I found myself faced with an angry woman from whom I wanted to escape.  She was unhappy, unhealthy and, I thought, insane.  But, I was personally assigned to keeping her company and had to make the best of it. 
After asking her questions about herself I found that she had attended the same church as my grandmother.  It turned out that she not only knew my grandmother but had gone to high school with her.  Though they hadn’t spoken in years, they were good friends when they were younger. 
We spent that afternoon (and many thereafter) talking about their old neighborhood and my grandmother’s school days.  My grandmother died when I was ten and I never had the chance to learn much about her life.  The experience was one of the best of my life.
 

By Holly McCarthy

With the economic crisis worsening and many speculating that far more bad news is on the horizon, many people have gone to disturbing extremes when dealing with their situations.  There are other things to do when disaster strikes, and faith is one thing that can help you and others weather the storm.

Compassion

Showing compassion for your fellows is one approach to dealing with times of crisis.  If you are able to help others in need or not, compassion for others goes a long way in helping us to realize that we are all being affected.  Don’t allow yourself to fall into the “better him than me” trap; situations change and tables can turn.  

Empathy

Try putting yourself in someone else’s shoes for a change.  Practicing empathy helps us not only to be thankful for that which we have, but often is a call for action.  Be willing to take on different perspectives and see what you can do to help rectify the situation.  Every little bit helps.

Humility

Often, we feel like our lives are on a certain course and that planning for the future is a way of ensuring that we don’t fall too hard in life.  Economic crises reawaken our sensitivity to many things, among them the realization that even the best laid plans often go awry.  Realizing that we aren’t always the ones in control of our destinies helps bring back a much-needed sense of humility and helps us band together for a common cause.

Service

Crises are also opportunities to rise above the daily struggle and beyond our comfort zones into the realm of service.  What better way to help your fellow human beings than by doing whatever you can to make sure those less fortunate still live with the essentials?  Offering time, money, or other Christian services to work toward overcoming great obstacles puts your faith into action and renews togetherness in communities and breaks down barriers.

Spirituality

The worst thing a person can do during tough times is to lose hope.  Faith, and spirituality are great sources of strength that will help you to weather the storm, which you can make stronger with a Christian college education.  Open your heart and stop focusing on the negative.  Have faith and know that better times are around the corner.

By Holly McCarthy

When in a position of leadership, there are many things that need to be conveyed to those who follow your lead.  Rather than just being a manager or supervisor, the most important thing is to be an effective leader.  Leaders possess a wide array of skills and traits that set them above the rest.  What follows is a brief list of some traits that good leaders should possess.

Excellent Communication Skills

If you want to be taken seriously as a leader, your communication in all forms needs to be highly effective.  We live in a world that involves written and verbal communication constantly.  The grammar and language in an email is just as important as the way you present yourself in person.  You are the one in the spotlight most of the time, so the way you speak and how you convey your thoughts to others is something that is always under scrutiny.

Direct

Going hand in hand with communication skills, good leaders are very direct people.  As a leader you need to know exactly what it is that you want and convey that to those beneath you.  It is very important to say what you mean and mean what you say, to quote a cliché.  Being direct about what you want without backing down ensures that there is no “wiggle room” in regard to your expectations.

Fairness

Good leaders are often put in the situation of having to judge or arbitrate between others that work for them.  Fairness is something that requires patience and a touch of humanity.  The ability to listen to both sides of an argument or situation and be able to make an informed decision that is fair and just is another one of the skills good leaders need to maintain success.

Capable

Sometimes you need to lead by example, and this is a great way to demonstrate that you can do anyone’s job that works for you if you have to.  You can do this without saying a word; just roll up your sleeves and get in the trenches with your employees for a few hours here and there.  Nothing earns respect from people quite like demonstrating that you are willing and able to get your hands dirty once in a while.

Kind, Yet Firm

The benevolent leader is not an anomaly in the business world and is a trait worth cultivating.  If you are able to demonstrate through leadership that you can be kind and just to people, you are well on your way to creating a fantastic working environment for your employees.  However, when things go wrong, you must be able to be firm and assert yourself.  There is no reason to always be harsh or too kind; treading the line between these two types of behavior is what great leaders do.  

I blogged on Tuesday about a new piece in the Chronicle of Higher Education on the recently released 2006 Survey of Earned Doctorates. It took a couple of days, but I got my own copy of the tables on Baccalaureate-Origin that show where a doctoral candidate earned their undergraduate degree. I can’t figure how the people at the Chronicle arrived at their conclusions. As I read the numbers, Tsinghua U. and Beijing U. are first and second – which is what the Chronicle said. But Berkeley ranked third, Seoul National University ranked 4th, and Cornell ranked fifth. (The Chronicle placed Seoul NU third, Cornell fourth and Berkeley fifth. A spot at the top of this list is a mark of prestige for major accredited universities. It says that their undergraduate programs produce students who can go on. For a list of the top 50 institutions whose undergraduate alumni went on to earn doctorates in 2006, click "read more" under the picture…
© abbamouse

Stuck in a career rut, need a degree to pull you out, but can’t find time to sit through classroom lectures? Fear not. If you can get online (and I know you can because you’re reading this), you can earn a degree or certificate without having to quit your job. Distance learning has made it easy to earn necessary credentials and gain career mobility. Here are a few options to consider:

National American University offers bachelor‘s programs in business, healthcare management and information technology.

Northcentral University features undergraduate and graduate degrees in psychology and business.

Saint Leo University offers programs in business, accounting, criminal justice, and computer information systems.

South University has bachelor’s degree programs in business administration and information technology.

Tulane University offers an MBA certificate program.

Villanova University offers certificate programs in human resources, organizational leadership, finance and accounting, and Six Sigma.

Chomping at the bit to become the next Naked Chef? Here’s a New York Times article about home-based cooking classes, a fresh approach that seems a bit half-baked. But perhaps it’ll whet your appetite for more information on culinary arts education. If so, check out these programs: Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Miami, Las Vegas and Atlanta Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago Pennsylvania Culinary InstituteWestern Culinary InstituteTexas Culinary AcademyCalifornia School of Culinary Arts Hospitality and Restaurant Management Program Orlando Culinary Academy

Not long ago I presented at a conference for leaders of proprietary, or for-profit, colleges. I went with the notion that such schools were still relatively small, with limited courses, outdated facilities, small budgets and questionable reputations. Boy was I wrong.

For-profit schools have shed those stereotypes and now compete quite well with "traditional" colleges and universities. By catering primarily to working adults, these institutions have established a strong and permanent foothold on the landscape of American higher education. Many combine face-to-face classes with online instruction, offering maximum flexibility.

If you’re busy with a job and family, want to complete your degree, and can’t find programs that meet your schedule and particular needs, don’t fret. Visit the following sites and request more information. Your career will thank you.

The National College of Business & Technology, with campuses ranging from Virginia to Tennessee to Kentucky, offers programs in business, technology, health care, paralegal studies, hospitality management and broadcasting.

The Katherine Gibbs School, whose storied history dates back to 1911, has nine campuses throughout the Northeast. At the Philadelphia campus, for example, you can study design, business and technology.

The Chubb Institute gives students the skills necessary to become information technology professionals. Campuses are located throughout New York and New Jersey, and in Chicago, Arlington, VA, and Alpharetta, GA.

DeVry University has emerged as one of the nation’s leading for-profit institutions, with campus locations across the nation. You’ll find associate degree programs in electronics and health information, and Bachelor Degree programs in fields ranging from biomedical engineering to business to IT. DeVry also features the Keller Graduate School of Management, with Master Degree programs in accounting, human resources, and information systems, among others, as well as graduate certificate programs.

Herzing University, with campuses in Atlanta, Birmingham, Madison (WI), Minneapolis, New Orleans and Orlando, and across Canada, offers instruction in IT and business administration.

Colorado Technical University operates campuses in Colorado Springs, Denver, and Sioux Falls, SD, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates in business and information technology.

Sanford Brown College has campuses in Missouri, Illinois and Ohio, with a curriculum featuring business, technology and health care.

Vatterott College offers a wide array of programs in management, design, health care and information technology. Campuses are located throughout the Midwest.

Westwood College of Technology has campuses in California, Texas, Colorado and Illinois, and offers aviation programs in Houston, L.A. and Denver.

And of course, the nation’s largest university, the University of Phoenix, also features campus locations nationwide and overseas. You can join the other 135,000 students from around the world studying business, technology, education, nursing, health care, counseling and criminal justice.