University Associate Professor Talks Online Learning with EduTech Digest

Among the first universities to offer an MBA online, Bellevue University has won multiple awards from the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) for its leadership in online learning. The university began offering online degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels more than 15 years ago. In 2006, Karla Carter, currently Associate Professor, College of Information Technology at Bellevue University, becameinvolved in online learning. Here, Karla offers up her thoughts about the fast-growing area, some of the reasons behind online learning and what her take is on the future of online learning in this informative discussion.

Click here to read the entire article.

University Featured in USA Today Article on Adults Returning to College

The question more midcareer people are facing these days is should I go back to school?

 Finding the answer to such a question can be difficult because a myriad of issues are involved. The investment of time and money weighs heavily on those who may have limited resources and lots of family obligations. Or it can be simply a question of whether more education will pay off in getting a better job or help employment prospects in the future.

Dr. Mary B. Hawkins, president of Bellevue University in Nebraska, says that many mid-career adults first need to make an honest assessment of their industry when thinking about returning to school.

Click here to read the entire USA Today article.

Fox Business News Quotes Bellevue University President on Adults Returning to College

Bellevue University President Dr. Mary B. Hawkins identifies three challenges adult learners have to overcome when going back to school.  Click here to read the entire Fox Business News article.

Larry Crowne Movie Strikes Chord Within University Mission

The recent premiere of Larry Crowne, a movie about a displaced worker who returns to college to earn a degree and a better life, goes to the heart of Bellevue University’s mission.  University President Dr. Mary Hawkins has interviewed with several media outlets to discuss how the University has successfully served students like Larry Crowne for years.  On the broadcast front, the Dr. Hawkins’ comments were included in a segment on BTV and JUNS TV in Seattle.  She also appeared as a guest on WVOX 1460 AM New York.  A number of blogs have covered the story including: Glass Door, BAck to School for Grownups, Pick the Brain, The Work Buzz, and Employer Branding News.  The quote below currently appears on the Back to School for Grownups blog…

 “Every day I see people – people like Larry Crowne – work hard to overcome obstacles to get the education they need to succeed.  Many of them work full-time, have aging parents in need of care and attention, or are parents themselves.  Often, they are facing difficult financial realities.  But, they are eager to learn and many of them are the first members of their families to attend college. They persevere because they understand that getting an education will change their lives for the better.  Like Larry Crowne – they are reinventing themselves, improving their job prospects, and enriching their understanding of the world around them.”

Click here to read President Hawkins’ comments in Employer Branding News.

Click here to read President Hawkins’ comments in the CareerBuilder.com Job Seeker Blog.

University Partners with AIM Institute to Prepare Students for College

In partnership with the AIM Institute, Bellevue University’s College of Information Technology is hosting a summer academy for area high school students. The goal is to spark interest in technology career fields. This week, 30 students are engaged in creating a YouTube video series that features interviews with technology professionals. The students are working with University faculty and the University’s Center for Learning Innovation to research career fields, create interview questions, conduct the interviews, and produce the videos.

 

The students attend high schools in Council Bluffs and Papillion/La Vista. Some of the students are in AIM’s College Bound Club, which is geared toward students who will be the first in their families to attend college.  Others are in AIM’s College Access Program, which helps prepare students who might not otherwise go to college.

 

The students invite you to join them for the video premieres, which they will present this Thursday June 23 at 1:00 p.m. in the main campus Auditorium.

University Student Bares Baseball Soul

The following is an excerpt from a Bellevue University student’s piece on baseball. The piece recently appeared in the Omaha World Herald:

As I approached my stadium seat, I could see that a couple of fans of the opposing team were already adjacent to me. I love sitting next to fans of the opposition. Those who drive to an opposing team’s stadium are not casual in their love for the game. Those are the people I most enjoy spending a summer afternoon with.

Three hours is a long time to sit next to a stranger cheering against your team. It is long enough to delve into his thoughts, feelings and experiences of the game. In an interview with a fan of most any persuasion, one of two phrases is sure to be uttered: “My dad …” or “When I was a kid …”.

Click here to read the entire piece by Jill Finn.

Innovators View Learning as Investment, Not Cost

Bellevue University Business Development Manger Debbie Spongberg contributed to a recent article in the Midlands Business Journal.  The metropolitan area was recently named by Kiplinger’s as among the top 10 for college graduates regarding jobs, crime rate and cost of living. The article focuses on how enrollment growth and expanding programs at local higher learning institutions are binding area businesses together.

Spongberg explained that Bellevue University partners with employers to meet their strategic goals.  She said, “Organizations that view learning as an investment rather than costs that need to be controlled are the innovative leaders in their prospective industries. They understand that investing in their assets today provides financial benefits in the future. The mindset of ‘cost-reduction in human capital’ often needs to be changed in many organizations.”

Read the entire article in the June 3, 2011 edition of the Midlands Business Journal (subscription required).

Find out why Bellevue University is nationally recognized and respected as a thought leader in human capital development and ROI.

Women’s Center for Advancement Honors President Hawkins

University President Dr. Mary B. Hawkins was honored this week at the Women’s Center for Advancement’s 24^th Annual Tribute to Women luncheon.  WCA members described Dr. Hawkins as a collaborative team builder, focused on ways to make meaningful education opportunities available to non-traditional students. Each year the WCA honors women who make a difference in the community and inspire others to do the same.

Click here to view the WCA profile of Dr. Hawkins currently appearing in special edition of MetroMagazine.

Commencement Addresses Feature Dreams, Pencils, Falcons and Focus

Simplicity and the reaffirmation of graduates’ dreams highlighted the addresses given at Bellevue University’s Spring 2011 Commencement.  Nearly 800 graduates participated in the June 4 ceremony and everyone in attendance heard inspiring remarks from commencement speaker Lynn Blodgett, president and CEO of Affiliated Computer Services (ACS), A Xerox Company, and student speaker Katy Gregory of Bellevue, Nebraska.

Gregory, who received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree, focused on how life lessons from graduates’ educational experience will impact their lives in the simplest ways.  She encouraged graduates to persevere through coming challenges using the pencil parable as their guide. “You will do many great things in life but you must allow yourself to be held in another’s hand and not be afraid to ask for help,” said Gregory. She continued, “It is in those situations that we have the opportunity to learn the most.”

Continuing the pencil parable, Gregory reminded graduates that they will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, which is necessary to become a better person. She also encouraged graduates to “use their erasers” to correct their mistakes and leave their mark where ever their journey takes them. 

Gregory is a Dean’s list student and four-year stand-out on the Bruin volleyball team, where she was one of three seniors who lead the Bruins to four consecutive NAIA national championship tournaments. Her future plans include applying her expertise to assist children in need. 

Commencement speaker Lynn Blodgett admitted his amazement at the level of support and faith the University leaders have in their students. Blodgett told graduates, “The key to success is having someone believe and support you, and after meeting with your President and Board of Directors it’s obvious that the University is your greatest cheering section.”

Blodgett praised graduates for their tenacity and urged them to continue chasing their dreams while maintaining focus on their respective aspirations. He said, “You never gave up even though your backs were tired and your eyes were heavy.”  He reaffirmed graduates’ reasons for reaching this milestone and reminded them that now is the time to maintain focus, much like a falcon that sees the horizon while spotting its target thousands of feet below, and turn those dreams into progress.

Blodgett graced the audience with heartfelt examples of selflessness witnessed in his lifetime and assured those in attendance that the most important thing they could do with their education is help those in need.

Blodgett’s pioneering work in the business process outsourcing market was recognized in 2009 when he was inducted into the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals’ Hall of Fame. In addition to being an internationally recognized authority on corporate outsourcing, Blodgett is the author of the critically acclaimed photo book, Finding Grace: The Face of America’s Homeless, published in 2007.

Dr. William H. “Bill” Fleming received an honorary Doctor of Commerce degree from the University. Fleming, a retired pediatric cardiac surgeon, spearheaded the development of a regional heart program at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center in Omaha. He was recognized for professional achievements, entrepreneurship, community service, and philanthropy, including scholarship support for the University’s South Omaha Outreach Program.

A total of 772 graduates participated in commencement with 239 receiving their master’s degrees and 533 receiving their bachelor’s degrees.

Bellevue University Celebrates 2011 Spring Commencement

A total of 772 people participated in Bellevue University’s spring commencement Saturday, June 4. Of those participating, 239 earned their master’s degrees and 533 earned their bachelor’s degrees. Bellevue University now confers degrees monthly. Since the university’s last commencement, in winter 2011, the school has conferred 601 undergraduate and 281 graduate degrees.