Bellevue University Wins Government Security News Homeland Security Award

Bellevue University’s Security Management Program received top honors in Government Security News (GSN) 1st Annual Homeland Security Awards in the “Best Training/Higher Education” category.

Finalists and winners in 35 categories were selected by a panel of objective and independent judges, according to GSN’s editor-in-chief, Jacob Goodwin, who oversaw the evaluation process. Winners were announced at an event GSN hosted in midtown Manhattan the night before the opening of two security expos at the Javits Center in New York City – Public Security & Safety and ISC East.

“The Security Management Program has gained tremendous momentum through the years and this award solidifies the program’s real learning for real life curriculum in developing students’ knowledge of security management best practices and industry preparedness,” said Greg Allen, Program Director, Bellevue University.

Bellevue University’s Security Management Program is comprised of a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science in Security Management. The Program is the largest combined undergraduate and graduate Security Management degree program in the nation, according to an April 2007 Security Magazine/Maddry and Associates study. Coursework covers the security management industry as a whole and includes: homeland security fundamentals, effective emergency planning, risk analysis, terrorism, cyber security, among others. Both degrees are offered in class and online through the University’s award-winning online learning platform.

“Bellevue University infuses real-life situations and lessons into the curriculum, so students can apply their knowledge in real-time to actual, on-the-job challenges, which contributes to our students’ success rate,” said Mary Hawkins, Ph.D., President, Bellevue University.

Graduate level students presented “Critical Infrastructure Planning” at the National Homeland Security Conference, and in 2006, students were invited to present at the ASIS International Conference as the only student presenters. Bellevue University’s Security Management Program is one of eight recognized by the Air Force Personnel Center for recruiting needs and developing future civilian leaders. Four of ten positions in the Palace Acquire Intern Program were filled by Bellevue University graduates last year, an unheard of ratio for one university.

William Bennett Commends Bellevue University

Former Secretary of Education William J. Bennett provided the keynote address at the Inaugural Signature Event of the University’s Center for American Vision & Values. The noted author and talk show host entertained over 300 guests at the Joslyn Art Museum on October 22.

The theme of Dr. Bennett’s address was America: The Last Best Hope – popularized by his best-selling book of the same title. He made several references to the Center’s Kirkpatrick Signature Series and hailed the Center as a shining example of how education should embrace and share America’s founding principles. The evening was filled with applause and laughter as the honored guest shared both inspirational and humorous stories about his colleagues in Washington D.C., and his experiences under the Reagan Administration.

The event was hosted by the University Foundation. Bellevue University Board Chairman Michael Simmonds performed the emcee duties. The turnout surpassed the Foundation’s expectations.

Dr. Bennett interacted with several of the Foundation’s guests and University staff members prior to the program. Books were signed and cameras were flashing. During that time Bennett received the Beacon of Ethics Award from the Omaha Business Ethics Alliance for his lifelong dedication to ethical leadership and values.

Dr. Bennett concluded his address by fielding topical questions from the audience. The evening ended with Bennett receiving a copy of the Kirkpatrick Signature Series textbook signed by University staff.

Bellevue University Receives Award of Excellence for Learning Program with The Home Depot

October 1, 2009 – Bellevue University’s strategic agreement with The Home Depot received the gold award for “Excellence in Academic Partnerships” at this year’s Chief Learning Officer Symposium held in Colorado Springs.

This is the second year in a row that Bellevue University received the Excellence in Academic Partnerships gold award. In 2008, Bellevue University was awarded the first-ever Excellence in Academic Partnerships award for its work with CACI International. Bellevue University is the only university to have received this gold award.

The Home Depot learning program was created exclusively for The Home Depot with input from retail subject matter experts, including The Home Depot senior management and Bellevue University faculty. The program, called Professional Retail Management, is only open to employees of The Home Depot, and is designed to develop Home Depot associates’ knowledge of successful retail management practices with a specific focus on the home improvement industry and an increase in strategic thinking capabilities. It is designed to support the development of a leadership pipeline for the company. Known as “the world’s largest specialty home improvement retailer,” The Home Depot has 2,000 stores in the United States.

“Because the Professional Retail Management program was created with retail industry subject matter experts and Home Depot leaders, key leadership capabilities are built into the courses to support career growth opportunities for students,” said Michael E. Echols, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, Bellevue University. “The strategic relationship between Bellevue University and The Home Depot is a prime example of innovative corporate learning designed to meet strategic business goals and needs.”

“An important part of the relationship is the measurement of the business impact of this program on corporate performance,” continued Dr. Echols. “Bellevue University’s Human Capital LabSM will measure the impact of the learning program to provide ongoing information on how to make better investment decisions on the leadership pipeline at The Home Depot.”

The Professional Retail Management program can be taken as a major for a Bachelor of Science degree from Bellevue University. It is offered online through Bellevue University’s award-winning Cyber-Active® Learning Platform making it accessible to employees around the globe.

Strategic agreements such as this one with The Home Depot have fueled Bellevue University’s quick path to becoming one of the nation’s leading resources in corporate learning and measuring its impact on business performance.

Bellevue University has been recognized as a leader in corporate learning by industry experts:
 Bellevue University is the only accredited university to win a Corporate University Best in Class (CUBIC) award and has won the award twice. In 2005 and 2007, Bellevue University won “Most Innovative Corporate Resource.”
 In 2007, Dr. Michael E. Echols was named one of the Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals in the U.S. by Training Industry, Inc.
 In 2008, Bellevue University’s Strategic Initiatives Division and Human Capital Lab received an honorable mention in Bersin & Associates Learning Leaders competition for “Vendor Innovation.”

Learn more about Bellevue University’s corporate learning initiatives, innovative offerings including learning solutions and customized learning programs designed to meet corporate needs and create lasting strategic advantage at www.CorporateLearning.com or by calling 877-824-5516.

The Learning in Practice awards are presented annually at the Chief Learning Officer Fall Symposium. The awards are sponsored by Chief Learning Officer Magazine.

Bellevue Artist Creates His Own String Theory

Matching known acquaintances through a collection of photos on a wall is a familiar scene in a television crime drama as the detectives try to narrow their list of suspects. Bellevue University’s Jeffrey Hug is taking that approach and raising it to an art form. The Assistant Professor of Graphic Design and Photography has something special planned as a participant in a local art project known as the Empty Room.

The Empty Room is a six month long experiment where individuals are given access to an “empty room” where they are free to share their creative ideas with the Omaha community. The room is located at 13th and Webster streets and offers participants roughly 700 square feet to express their creativity. Each participant has the run of the room for an entire month. Hug’s idea was chosen for the October exhibit.

Inspired by crime dramas and a belief that people need to stay connected, Hug will fashion his empty room into a live adaptation of a Facebook page. Visitors to the exhibit will place their photo on a wall and connect their photo to other photos of people they know. They will use a piece of string/yarn to physically connect their photo to others. As the possible combinations increase with the number of visitors, the resulting connections will create an ever-changing visual. By the end of the month, the room could represent a tangled mess that would frighten even the most seasoned air traffic controller. The bigger the mess, the greater the success according to Hug who believes the more people stay connected the better. The project has been dubbed, “String Thing” by its creator.

Hug’s master plan includes a step beyond the exhibit’s October lifespan. He has made arrangements to convert the yarn used in the exhibit into hats and gloves for the homeless. Bellevue University staff and students are encouraged to donate yarn to the project. Donation boxes will be located throughout the campus. Donations will also be accepted at the exhibit during its October run.

For more information, visit http://emptyroomstringthing.com/.

Education Consortium to Help Bellevue University Students Compete in Global Intelligence Community

Bellevue University has been named to the Great Plains National Security Education Consortium (GP NSEC). The consortium is part of the Intelligence Community Center Academic Excellence program which provides academic, research, cultural immersion and other outreach activities focused on national security-related topics. The goal of the program is to develop students with the knowledge of international and cultural issues, foreign languages, analysis, and critical thinking skills required to serve the 16 federal agencies that make up the intelligence community.

Consortium members will develop courses and activities that play to their institution’s unique strengths. Bellevue University brings several strengths to the partnership including online learning expertise and long-standing military associations. The University will offer three new curriculum programs including two Certificates of Completion and one master’s degree program. Under development is an online program known the U.S. Intelligence Structures, Systems, and Roles Certificate. The program will introduce undergraduate students to the intelligence community and its role in national security. In addition, a Strategic Deterrence Certificate is under development and will be offered to graduate students online. The University will also develop a 36-hour online master’s degree program that expands on the themes of the undergraduate World Security and Strategic Studies program.

“These 16 federal agencies are looking to better identify talent by broadening the pool of student candidates who have an awareness of the emerging cultures of the world,” said Dr. Therese Michels, Ph.D. and Dean of College of Arts and Sciences. “Our programs will provide students an excellent foundation to address real world intelligence community issues.”

The GP-NSEC is one of several consortium programs already in place. The program was established in 2005 to meet the nation’s increasing need for a diverse workforce of intelligence community professionals who are educated and trained to address national security objectives.

“These new programs support our guiding principle to positively impact the lives of our students,” said Dr. Mary Hawkins, Ph.D., president, Bellevue University. “The collaboration among the four partner universities will play a key role in the success of this initiative. In addition, the new programs compliment the University’s active-learning approach and provide our students an exciting avenue for new career choices.”

University to host forum on national security issues

On September 11, Bellevue University will host a forum to explore national security issues with an inside look at the threats facing America today.

Anthony (Tony) Campanella, Vice President for Intelligence Programs at CMX Technologies, will deliver the keynote address at “The State of Security in the Heartland and Beyond: Assessing the Homeland Threat,” a free event open to the public that runs from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. inside the University’s Hitchcock Humanities Center. Following his keynote address, Campanella will take part in a round table discussion moderated by Bellevue University Associate Professor Greg Allen.

Prior to joining CMX, Campanella provided consulting support to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Department of Defense Counter Intelligence Field Agency, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). At DHS, Campanella provided support to the Office of Intelligence and Analysis.

Prior to entering the private sector, Campanella served as an Intelligence Officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). Campanella served in numerous crisis and contingency support roles at DIA, coordinating national intelligence support to deployed military units. At DIA, Campanella was selected to represent the Agency at the White House, serving as a Senior Duty Officer at the White House Situation Room.

A former Marine, Campanella served six years based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., with the 2nd Marine Regiment and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). While in the Marines, Campanella completed three NATO deployments to northern Norway and two six month Mediterranean “cruises” aboard U.S. Navy ships.

Although the event is free, space is limited. Attendees are encouraged to reserve their spot by going to www.bellevue.edu/9-11.

Bruins heading for action as fall sports begin

The Bellevue University athletic teams will be in action later this month as the volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer teams open up their 2009 seasons. All three programs had very successful seasons last year and are looking for continued success this fall.

Volleyball
The Bruin volleyball team returns 10 letterwinners and four starters from last season’s 32-6 squad, which went undefeated through the conference season, advancing to the NAIA National Tournament for a second-straight year. The team finished with a No. 4 national ranking.

Bellevue opens the 2009 campaign at the Red Raider Classic on Aug. 28-29 in Orange City, Iowa. The Bruins will open the home portion of their ledger with the Bruin Labor Day Classic on Sept. 4-5.

Men’s Soccer
Bellevue University head men’s soccer coach Matt Briggs returns 11 letterwinners and seven starters from last season’s 14-4-1 squad that captured the 2008 Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference title, and advanced to the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship for the first time in school history. The Bruins finished the season with a No. 6 national ranking.

The Bruins open the 2009 campaign at home with a 7 p.m. contest against Doane on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. at Tranquility Park.

Women’s Soccer
The Bellevue University women’s soccer team lost three letterwinners, including both goal keepers, from last season’s 13-5 squad that finished second in the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference. Three of Bellevue’s five losses were by one goal, including a 2-1 setback at 10th-ranked Park in the MCAC Tournament championship game.

The Bruins return nearly all of their offensive scoring leaders. In addition to a strong nucleus of returnees, Head Coach Andrew Nicolarsen welcomes nine talented players to the 2009 roster.

Bellevue opens the 2009 season at home on Saturday, Aug. 29 when the Bruins host Iowa Wesleyan at 11 a.m. at Tranquility Park.

Leader in Adult Learning Introduces Job Loss Deferment Plan

Bellevue University, a leader in adult learning, recognizes that the single most important investment one can make to secure employability – especially today – is education. This is why the University is introducing a Job Loss Deferment Plan. The unique plan allows students who are involuntarily laid off to stay in school, focus on learning, and complete their college degrees. All tuition, fees, and loan obligations will be deferred for up to 6 months, allowing the students time to search for new jobs, degrees in hand, without the additional concern of paying these costs immediately.

Giving students an opportunity to stay in school to complete their degrees makes this plan different from others that provide loan deferment, but may necessitate students to drop out. Other plans limit their programs to selected students. Bellevue University’s Job Loss Deferment Plan applies to all actively enrolled students.

“Recent Labor statistics indicate that unemployment is nearly twice as high among those without bachelor’s degrees than among those with college degrees,” said Scott Klene, the University’s Senior Director of Student Financial Services. “So encouraging our students to stay in school is an important objective of this plan. We want to give adults assurance that they can confidently pursue their life goals through education, even in this recession.”

“Our leadership in adult learning stems from keeping our finger on the pulse of what adult students need,” added University President Mary B. Hawkins, Ph.D. “What we know today is that adults are more convinced than ever that a college degree is the key to success. But concerns about financial security can create a barrier to enrolling. By breaking down this barrier, we enable more adults to arm themselves with education – the most valuable tool in attaining viable and fulfilling employment.”

Bellevue University’s Job Loss Deferment Plan is available to all actively enrolled students. Classes for degree programs start throughout the year, and are offered online and at 10 campus locations throughout America’s Heartland. For more information on Bellevue University and the Job Loss Deferment Plan, contact www.Bellevue.edu.

University to Host Open Houses for Potential Students Aug. 4 and Aug. 5

Bellevue University on Tuesday, Aug. 4 will host “The Best Investment in You” Open House. The event is free and will be held in the University’s Margre H. Durham Student Center at 6:00 p.m. Prospective students interested in completing their bachelor’s degrees can learn more about Bellevue University’s flexible credit transfer policies, accelerated degree completion programs, available career-relevant bachelor’s degrees, and financial aid. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with Admissions Counselors and Financial Aid Specialists.

On Wednesday, Aug. 5, Bellevue University will host “JUMPSTART” from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Margre H. Durham Student Center. High school juniors and seniors are encouraged to register and will have the opportunity to meet with Enrollment Counselors, Financial Aid Specialists, faculty, and current students. Through an organized scavenger hunt, attendees will get to tour campus. Attendees can enter to receive a $1,000 book grant for the 2009/2010 Fall semester. Lunch will be served and registration is required.

Employee Succeeds at the Challenge of being a Student and a Soldier

The remarkable story of one Bellevue University student and employee showcases the perseverance that allowed him to serve our University, his educational goals, and first and foremost, our country.

After a one year deployment in Iraq, Mike Damato has returned to his position as Safety Administrator at Bellevue University. The deployment was Damato’s second during his nearly five years with the University. Damato’s relationship with the University began as a student in the Security Management bachelor’s degree completion program.

Following the events of 9/11, Damato learned from instructor Greg Allen that the University had created a new position dedicated to protecting the University, its students, and employees.

In 2003, Damato joined the Navy Reserves after a 17-year break in service (he was active duty Navy from 1976-85). “It was a call to do something,” he said. “If I was in the reserves, it would free someone else to go fight the war.” He was shocked when called to action, not just once, but twice. Damato is grateful that he works for an organization where he can also do his part serving his country. “The University has been extremely supportive,” he said. “My wife was able to complete her master’s degree during my first deployment, and I was able to complete mine during this last deployment.”

While already successful in his career and service, Damato began the online master’s program in Security Management before learning he would be deployed a second time. After a short break while preparing for the deployment, he was able to complete the degree while in Iraq utilizing the University’s exceptional online learning platform.

The University is proud of its commitment to those serving in the Armed Forces and their families,  here in Bellevue and worldwide.  Bellevue University was recently named a Top 10 Military-Friendly College/University, and was selected as a participating school in the MyCAA program.