Course Feature: NUR 108: Transition to the Professional Nurse Role

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

When moving into the registered professional nurse (RN) role, it is important for students to have developed the knowledge and competencies necessary to succeed in this complex career. Topics affecting the everyday job of the RN include nursing history, nursing organizations, regulatory agencies, ethics, law, technology, health care delivery systems, and scope of practice. In NUR 108: Transition to the Professional Nurse Role, students learn how to transition to the RN role, by studying self-care behaviors, nursing competencies and core values, ethical principles and legal influences, regulatory frameworks, managing the care of patients using delegation and supervision, evidence-based practice, and nursing theories.

NUR 108 is a main requirement for the associate in nursing programs, and as Faculty Program Director Nicole Helstowski says, it allows students to bridge their current role in health care to the role of RN. Conveniently for students, it can be taken at any time during phase one of an Excelsior nursing education career; however, it鈥檚 most beneficial to take it as the first nursing course.

Students in Transition to the Professional Nurse Role come from varied backgrounds. Some are licensed practical nurses, paramedics, and military corpsmen; education provided in the course builds upon their current knowledge. 鈥淭he foundational support for professional practice is essential to functioning as an RN. The most significant takeaway [of this course] is the pivotal role of the RN as coordinator of care, patient advocate, and interdisciplinary team member. The RN role is complex and requires knowledge of evidence-based practice and fuels the spirit of inquiry,鈥� explains Helstowski. She adds that students also learn about the various roles RNs have within health care.

Nursing students have enjoyed the course. Satisfied comments include: 鈥淚 would recommend this nursing course because it really has made me think about the communication with patients on a daily basis鈥� to 鈥渢his should be the first course that we take when we start the nursing program classes鈥� and 鈥淚 loved the effective use of critical thinking throughout this class.鈥�

Faculty have also praised the curriculum of NUR 108, saying 鈥渁ll activities have value as they reach students with different learning styles and offer the content necessary for success鈥� and 鈥淭he discussions that included scenarios; these were good tools for developing critical thinking skills.鈥�

To make sure you get on track to become a well-rounded professional nurse, be sure to register for NUR 108: Transition to the Professional Nurse Role for next term.

Dean Mary Lee Pollard Gives Speech at Salute to Nurses Luncheon

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Mary Lee Pollard, Dean of the School of Nursing gave a speech to the attendees at the Times Union’s Salute to Nurses luncheon in celebration of National Nurses Week.听 You can now read the full speech here on Life at Excelsior College.

 

Good afternoon, I want to thank the Times Union and St. Peter鈥檚 Health Partners for hosting and supporting this wonderful luncheon. I also want to extend my deepest appreciation to the nurses in this room.

I can鈥檛 emphasize enough the importance of an event such as this, that recognizes the additional efforts and personal sacrifices all nurses in all professional settings make on a daily basis without the expectation of acknowledgment or an award.

Nurses have a long history of promoting social change from our place at the patient bedside.听 Our professional history is rich with social activists such as Florence Nightingale, Margaret Sanger, Dorthea Dix, Lillian Wald and Mary Breckinridge- individual leaders who sought to transform the social determinants of health while providing care to the most vulnerable and marginalized populations.

We have similar leaders in our profession today- nurses are involved with the fight for clean water for our communities.听 Nurses are fighting to preserve access to health care for all citizens, to end sexual violence against women and to end gun violence.

Very few appreciate just how physically and mentally draining the profession of nursing can be. 听The late nights and long days, the emotional challenges, the bureaucratic pressures 鈥� or to the extent that nurses often, sadly, sacrifice their own health for the sake of their patients.

Research by the American Nurses Association shows that nurses are actually more unhealthy than the average American.听 Nurses are more likely to be overweight, have higher levels of stress and get less than the recommended hours of sleep.

Hazards such as workplace violence and musculoskeletal injuries are commonplace in nursing practice.听 In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported RNs have the fourth highest rate of injuries and illnesses that result in days away from work when compared to other occupations.听 We all know if we didn鈥檛 report to work ill and injured, we would actually rank first.

I haven鈥檛 said anything none of you don鈥檛 already know. Sadly, for most of us, unhealthy nurses is our reality.听 Today, I am inviting all of you to join the Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation Challenge.听 It is a social movement developed by the American Nurses Association to transform the health of the nation by supporting nurses to take positive action to improve health.

If all 3.6 million registered nurses increase their personal wellness and support some of their family, community, co-workers, and patients to do the same, we would improve the health of our nation in ways no health plan or federal program could ever imagine.

The ANA has adopted a new definition of a healthy nurse- 鈥淥ne who actively focuses on creating and maintaining a balance and synergy of physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, personal and professional wellbeing.鈥澨� Perhaps, with time, this will become the way we define our profession.

I urge you to visit the American Nurses Association website and learn more about the Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation challenge.听 You can join this social movement with other nurses just like yourself and improve your health and the health of our nation.

Another way nurses are changing our profession is with the adoption of the 鈥楤SN in 10鈥� bill, signed into law by Governor Cuomo in December.听 The genesis of this bill came from nursing- the lobbying effort was completed by nursing.听 Nurses wrote the letters and met with legislators and stakeholders.

Although controversial- the bill is a significant if not a long overdue step toward improving patient outcomes and our status as a profession.听 As an innovator and pioneer in nursing education for more than 40 years, Excelsior has been a strong and vocal advocate for the BSN in 10 national movement and we are proud to see New York leading the way and becoming the first state to adopt the new requirement.

As this law is anticipated to create significant demand for advanced nursing credentials, New York must continue to recognize the contribution of nonprofit online nursing colleges such as Excelsior. Over the past four decades, more than 50,000 nurses have successfully earned a degree through us on their way to successful practice.

Together, Excelsior, traditional brick and mortar schools, hospitals and health care facilities, can work together as partners to maintain New York鈥檚 education capacity, improve overall nursing care and quality, and ensuring every New Yorker, including our most vulnerable have access to the high-quality health care they deserve 鈥� that is their right.

Today, we will hear many personal, highly emotional stories of nurses who have made a profound difference in the lives of their patients.

I hope you take these stories to heart 鈥� these are incredible individuals, who deserve to be recognized. But they aren鈥檛 unique, but rather a reflection of a profession devoted to self-sacrifice and social justice. These types of stories are playing out in every hospital and health care facility across the country鈥oday, we are not just recognizing the great deeds of the nurses in this room, but saluting 鈥� and saying thank you 鈥� to nurses everywhere.

 

 

 

 

Degrees at Work: Joseph Davern Cleans Up the Streets

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

When Joseph Davern was working as an electrician studying nuclear engineering technology at Excelsior College in 2010, he didn鈥檛 ever picture himself behind a dumpster performing CPR to save a heroin addict鈥檚 life.

All he knew as he was continuing a college career that started two years prior at the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee Telecommunications School was that he wanted more.

鈥淎fter one year in the program, I just knew it wasn鈥檛 for me,鈥� says the 29-year-old Nantasket Beach, Mass., native. 鈥淚 was missing something. I realized I had a passion to help people and desired to make an impact in the community. I had a calling to clean up the streets.鈥�

Eyeing a career in law enforcement, he chose criminal justice, and says that Excelsior made the transition an easy one. Davern started classes and immediately knew he was on the right path.

鈥淢y criminology instructor was a retired chief of police and he was simply fantastic,鈥� Davern says. 鈥淗aving an instructor that鈥檚 been in the field and who鈥檚 able to share first-hand knowledge and experiences was a great advantage. The amount of papers that we wrote was extensive, but it was a great learning opportunity and it prepared me very well.鈥�

As he was working toward his criminal justice degree at Excelsior, Davern tested his luck and applied to the Abington (Mass.) Police Department, knowing it can be a long acceptance process. In 2013, exactly two years after Davern dropped everything to pursue a career in law enforcement, he was offered a job at the Abington Police Department.

The key to balancing all of this 鈥� which includes his 5-month-old daughter Olivia 鈥� is determination and having an unbreakable support system. 鈥淓ven though this job has the ability to flip your life upside-down at any moment,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 had amazing support from my wife Brianna and I still do.鈥�

In 2014, Joseph attended the Boylston Police Academy and in his final year at Excelsior, Davern was honored with the 2016 Dwayn Hanford Award that recognizes the academic excellence and community service of a student who completed an undergraduate degree in the School of Public Service. That same year he graduated from Excelsior with his bachelor鈥檚 degree in criminal justice.

Switching gears from nuclear engineering to criminal justice was a big leap of faith, but Davern has no regrets.

鈥淪omedays I deal with overdoses, accidents, and domestic calls and other days I don鈥檛 have to handle anything serious at all,鈥� he says. 鈥淓ach day on the job is very different, which can be stressful because you really don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 going to happen, but I find peace in knowing that I鈥檓 making a difference in people鈥檚 lives every day.鈥�

And that unfortunately includes situations like the one when Davern found two older gentlemen behind a dumpster in a parking lot. One had overdosed on heroin, and the Narcan that Davern administered didn鈥檛 work.

鈥淔or the first time in my experience, it failed,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 had to perform CPR on a living human being for the first time behind that dumpster. For what felt like an eternity, 30 seconds of breaking this guy鈥檚 ribs, he came back to life. Even though this was an extremely traumatic experience, it affected me in a very positive way, because without me, he would鈥檝e lost his life that day.鈥�

He was also recently involved in a high-speed car chase that thankfully ended without any serious injuries.

鈥淎nother incident that will stick with me forever was being involved in a very dangerous car chase,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 was chasing a middle-aged man, and he was driving erratically at a very high speed. He went to the extreme of attempting to hit me in my car as well as coming very close to crashing into school buses full of children. I had to smash into him in order to stop him and put my own life at risk. Having the ability to respond well under high-stress situations is key in law enforcement.鈥�

When it came time to start college, being a police officer never crossed Davern鈥檚 mind, but he realized quickly that he had a different calling, and was able to successfully transfer majors within Excelsior and quickly pivot to a successful career in law enforcement.

鈥淟ooking back, the criminal justice classes I took mirrored my job very well,鈥� he says. 鈥淲ithin the next couple of months, I am going back for my master鈥檚 degree. I鈥檝e decided to go back to Excelsior not only because of my excellent experience the first time around, but also because its nationally accredited. My goal is to become chief of police with a Master of Public Administration. I believe you can always better yourself with another degree!鈥�

Professional Advice from Joseph Davern:

On time management:

鈥淚 trained in martial arts, was going to school full-time to become a police officer, and taking care of a family. My advice is get all of the work you can done at the beginning of the week and don鈥檛 put anything off.鈥�

>On networking:

鈥淎 lot of people feel uncomfortable talking to strangers, but I like talking to everybody. I think talking to as many people as possible is so important. Throwing your name out there is key to networking. You shouldn鈥檛 be intimidated to talk to someone just because of their position.鈥�

On the book to read for this industry:

鈥淚n the police academy, we read . This job changes you and your life, and this book describes how to deal with that and what things you should look out for.鈥�

On being a police officer:

鈥淣ever lie. Clich茅, but this is the best advice I鈥檝e received so far in this business. Integrity is the most important trait to stand by. If you don鈥檛 have integrity, then you are useless as a police officer.鈥�

Army University Partnership Provides Pathways for Soldiers to Earn Their Degree

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Excelsior College was recently chosen as one of Army University鈥檚 official partners to provide degree pathways to soldiers based on military training. The partnership is part of the Army University Continuing Education Degree Program (CEDP), which matches Army schoolhouses with civilian colleges.

Army University aligns many of the Army鈥檚 education programs under a unified academic structure. It was first established in 2015 and became fully operational in November 2017. This new concept provides accelerated roadmaps to college degrees for Army soldiers, giving enlisted members the opportunity to obtain a college education while simultaneously serving our country.

The Army University-Excelsior College partnership will provide the following degree options to active-duty service members:

Each of the offered programs is intended to match military career fields to degree programs and ensure students receive maximum credit for Army training.

鈥淭he leadership skills gained through military experience are second-to-none,鈥� said Sue Dewan, executive director of the Excelsior鈥檚 Center for Military and Veteran Education. 鈥淏y aligning Army training with Excelsior College degree programs, soldiers will be well-prepared to advance their college educations and accelerate their military careers or successfully transition into civilian careers.鈥�

Excelsior is one of just two initial colleges selected to partner with the U.S. Army Ordnance School and CBRN School, and one of six initially selected to help Army soldiers develop their leadership and problem-solving skills through the Army-wide CEDP Leadership Initiative.

While the Army University partnership is new, Excelsior College has had a longstanding relationship with the military and military families since the early 1970s. Excelsior was recently named to list, coming in at No. 4 on the top 20 list of online and nontraditional schools, which evaluates colleges based on survey responses and data from the federal Education, Defense and Veterans Affairs departments.

Over the past four decades, Excelsior has assisted more than 68,000 military service members in advancing their educations and earning their degrees. To learn more about Excelsior鈥檚 programs for members of the Army, visit .

听

 

In one word I would describe my experience with Excelsior College as _________.

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Our Excelsior College students come from all sorts of different backgrounds and experience levels, juggling a host of work, family and personal commitments while earning their degrees online.

Some students are changing careers, while others are looking to step up to the next level in their current industries. Some are getting additional degrees, while others are working on their first collegiate diplomas. Some transfer in credits from other institutions or receive credit for workplace training while others start from scratch at Excelsior.

It鈥檚 a true melting pot of talent, so we thought we鈥檇 ask our dedicated Facebook followers to describe their Excelsior College experiences in one word. We were blown away by the volume and diversity in responses, so a sincere thank you to everyone who contributed. Here is a recap of the conversation.

Question: 鈥淚n one word I would describe my experience with Excelsior College as ________.

Comments:

Jason Garmendiz听Challenging!听I got my degree in December 2017 and in March 2018 got a promotion!听A college degree really makes a difference in the job market!

Takeah Fancy听I’ll soon find out…

Christopher Williams听Phenomenal

Janet Huizenga听Amazing!!!!

Tom Galliher听Life-changing

Shannon Callaghan Chobert听Empowering!!听鉂�

Joke Asubiaro听Rewarding

Tracey Perez听Rewarding!

Michael C. Antinucci听Focused.

Tom Hoeg听Enlightening

Helaine Goldenberg Berl听Worthwhile

Dan McDonald听Great !!

David Ward听Rewarding

Tara Triassi听Life-changing!

Clint Bailly听Decisive??

Sterling Brown听Amazing!

Dawid Catorce听Fun

Silvia Gula听For me over 25 years ago was an excellent way for me to complete my bachelor degree.

John Skid Markley Extremelyhelpfulforasuccesfulmilitarycareer!

Eric L Stockard听Finally (a degree with 5 schools worth of credits and no degree)

Ermenita Zyka Ka莽ani听Life-changing

Cheryl Natale Vitale听Challenging!

Michelle M. Peters听Low-stress

Scott Morton听Outstanding

Jeff Gleason听Convenient

Oscar Turner RN听Profitable

Bry-Ant Harry听Awesome

James Thompson听Discombobulating. A little chaos and change is a good thing now and again.

Tory Robinson听Deft.

Gary Vincent听Relieving! Not a student here, but needed one more class in ethics to graduate on time with my college, so I took advantage of the Business Ethics excel exam, and now I鈥檓 graduating on time!

鈥淚f I could give any advice to new students it would be鈥︹��

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

If you could give any advice to new students entering college, what would you say? It seems like such a simple question with such a simple answer. Yet, how do you put years of advice, lessons and experiences into one answer?

At Excelsior College, we believe it鈥檚 important that our students not only feel connected with their peers, but also let them know that we鈥檙e here for them as well. Our Facebook #FillInTheBlankFriday posts were created to do exactly that. We understand the challenges, time and effort it takes to finally cross the finish line and receive that diploma 鈥� while juggling other family and professional commitments. We鈥檝e been there ourselves.

We truly value the Excelsior community, and are sincerely thankful for the great insight our alums and current students doled out on this post.

Question: If I could give any advice to new students it would be鈥�

Comments:

Shannon Callaghan Chobert 鈥� 鈥淲rite out your reasons for doing this. Write down your goals. Write down that you believe in yourself. Put it on an index card and keep it with your study materials and read it every single day and when you feel discouraged. You will succeed. It works.鈥�

Shaintell Green-Alexander 鈥� 鈥淭ell your family and friends what you鈥檙e doing and that there may be a few things that you鈥檙e going to have to say no to, but it will all be worth it when you鈥檙e done and they witness you dance across the stage at commencement.鈥�

Patrick Jones 鈥� 鈥淔irst, if you encounter challenges in your classes, ask for assistance from your instructors. Their sole goal is to promote student success. Second, keep on pace with your assignments. Successive module learning outcomes build on those earlier in the course. If you fall behind, it can be very difficult to get back on track.鈥�

Cheryl Natale Vitale 鈥� 鈥淏e organized and stay on top of all your required work. Be determined and never give up. It will all be worth it when you see your diploma!鈥�

John Harold 鈥� 鈥淒o the work. Put in the effort. Stay focused. Don鈥檛 make excuses.鈥�

Nichole Koren Smith 鈥� 鈥淗onestly, it鈥檚 far more work than I ever did in classroom-based classes.鈥�

Shannon Callaghan Chobert 鈥� 鈥淚 did the LPN to RN bridge. Failed first CPNE, passed on the second attempt. Worth every minute of anxiety, hard-work, patience: every penny. Loved Chambersburg twice.鈥�

Todd Willbur 鈥� 鈥淭rust the process. Put the time in.鈥�

Todd Ginapp 鈥� 鈥淒evelop time management right away.鈥�

Cesar Munguia 鈥� 鈥淭ime management. For a while, I did three courses at a time. Time management was critical to get three papers turned in every week and maintaining my GPA.鈥�

Doris D Preslar Leveque 鈥� 鈥淜eep moving forward. Work through any setbacks. Keep your eye on the prize.鈥�

Adrianne Boyd 鈥� 鈥淒on鈥檛 give up! You can do it!鈥�

Julie Kovach Nestor 鈥� 鈥淗ave discipline.鈥�

Raymond Farparan 鈥� 鈥淪hut yourself off from the rest of the world and put in hard work.鈥�

Melanie Frees 鈥� 鈥淒on鈥檛 procrastinate. If the DB is due Thursday, turn it in a day or two earlier!鈥�

Ron Freeman 鈥� 鈥淪ave all your work; you鈥檒l need it for your capstone.鈥�

Rebecca Price 鈥� 鈥淗ave a blast, check references and give good ones.鈥�

Dakotah Rae 鈥� 鈥淒on鈥檛 take out student loans for your education.鈥�

听Be sure to follow us on for more news and insight from the Excelsior community.

 

 

Concussion Safety for Spring Activities

Posted on by Audrey Paslow

As the weather warms and we get a reprieve from cabin fever, it鈥檚 important to stay safe as we take our physical fitness outdoors. One common and preventable injury is concussion, which is a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that results from a direct or indirect force sustained to the head or body. Depending on the area of the brain affected, individuals may experience symptoms of headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, sleep issues, and increased symptoms while exercising. While this topic is often discussed in terms of sports-related injuries, it is important to keep in mind all areas where concussions can occur. As you gear up to exercise outdoors, keep in mind some of these safety reminders:

  • Wear your helmet! Whether riding your bicycle to work or taking your motorcycle out to enjoy a spring ride, remember that helmets play an important role in the reduction of head injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 26,000 brain injuries related to bike accidents are annually treated in children and adolescents in the emergency department. Also, wear reflective clothing when riding in low light and follow appropriate traffic laws.
  • Inspect playground equipment each spring. 杏吧原创 10 percent of emergency department visits for playground-related injuries in children are for concussions or TBI. Seventy-five percent of these injuries occur on public playgrounds, most often on the monkey bars or other climbing equipment. Injury rates are among the highest in April and May. When looking for ways to keep your child safe, be sure to inspect the equipment, check that there is soft ground (mulch or sand) underneath, safety rails are in place where appropriate, and that your child is using equipment that is appropriate for their age.
  • Reduce your risk of falls. The CDC reports falls are the most common cause of TBI in young children and older adults. For adults over the age of 65 especially, 1 in 4 will fall each year. These falls can unfortunately lead to a variety of health issues, including concussions. If you enjoy hiking or walking outdoors, be sure to wear appropriate footwear and scan for obstacles that may be in your path (such as potholes or tree stumps).
  • Don鈥檛 forget about spring sports. While not the most common cause of brain injury amongst any age group, sports often make the news because of head injuries. While many of us commonly think of concussions as only occurring in football (think of the recent articles on the NFL or the movies 鈥淐oncussion鈥� or 鈥淟eague of Denial鈥�), a study in USA Today shows girls鈥� soccer now eclipses boys鈥� football for the number of concussions. Use a helmet and other safety equipment, follow the rules of the game, and practice good sportsmanship.

If you suspect a concussion in yourself or a family member, find a health professional who can evaluate and provide treatment. A great training resource for brain injury for children is the

Have a safe and healthy spring!

 

Disclaimer:听The views expressed here are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Excelsior College, its trustees, officers, or employees.

Course Feature: GENE 350: Advanced Genealogical Research

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

Genealogical professionals approach and solve difficult identity inquiries by thoroughly dissecting, analyzing, and reassembling complex genealogical problems. In GENE 350: Advanced Genealogical Research, students examine how to apply best practices and strategies to solve identity cases that are similar to the cases professionals would work on. Students work together, discussing ethical considerations, investigating difficult genealogical questions, and practicing peer review. The course prepares students for careers and/or further professional study in the practice of genealogy.

Instructor Melinde Byrne explains, 鈥淲e discuss current cases and their ethics, like finding birth parents or children, the settlement of Prince鈥檚 estate, the government鈥檚 use of the 1940 census to send Americans of Japanese descent to concentration camps during World War II, or a woman claiming to be Salvador Dali鈥檚 daughter suing the Spanish government for the return of Dali鈥檚 paintings.鈥� Students also study a case involving locating Alyce Hall, an African-American 鈥淭op Secret Rosie鈥� who created long-range bombing algorithms for the U.S. Army during World War II.

After discussing case studies like these, the students discuss the methods and techniques for solving them, including using syllogism (a logical argument using deductive reasoning), identifying bias, gaps, negative evidence, and applying standards to proof, to solve a case from their own experiences. Students have enjoyed the hands-on learning experience. Jennifer Armstrong Zinck says, 鈥淚 was able to answer a challenging research question that I had been working on for 15 years. The methodologies taught in the course increased my ability to think outside of the box and solve complex genealogical problems.鈥� Allison Ryall adds, 鈥淭his course was hands-down the one thing that expanded my mind and analytical skills regarding problem solving and genealogical problems. The assignments are unique and creative and taught me how to look at things in an entirely different way.鈥�

鈥淪tudents who love a challenge and hope to make a difference with cutting-edge methods embrace this class,鈥� says Byrne. She adds that there is a lot to learn in such a fast-moving field. The area of genealogical research is always growing. Byrne says, 鈥淧eople who have been doing research for years鈥攚hether it be identifying missing heirs, naming John or Jane Does, helping to identify relatives of MIA or KIA soldiers for proactive DNA testing, tracking a susceptibility to illness, or finding birth parents or children鈥攁ll can benefit from using standards and learning from fascinating casework.鈥�

Consider signing up for GENE 350: Advanced Genealogical Research if you would like to learn the strategies and techniques genealogy professionals use to solve complex identity problems.

Healthy Eating for Busy People

Posted on by Kelly Hunger

I often hear from my clients and Health Sciences students that staying on a healthy path is difficult with the fast-paced world in which we live. As a busy working mom of three children under 3 years old (a 3.5-year-old and twin 16-month-olds), I would have to say that time is literally of the essence to get a healthy meal on the table. I could not accomplish this feat without meal planning, prep, inspiration, tools, and a little help from Sesame Street.

Planning is key. Meal planning is the new buzz word for a fast-paced life. According to the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity, 鈥淚ndividuals planning their meals were more likely to have a better dietary quality, including a higher adherence with nutritional guidelines as well as an increased food variety. Additionally, meal planning was associated with lower odds of being obese in men and women and overweight in women only.鈥�

Each week I sit down and write a Monday鈥揝unday list of dinners that I know are quick, healthy, and delicious. No one wants to eat boring food, so I attempt to give each day a consistent main theme that helps with the busy week and provides overall balance. Not much of a planner? There is an app for that, literally down to the list! Digital Trends and 听 have lists of apps to choose from. Many of the apps also have creative meal inspiration. There鈥檚 something for nearly everyone!

Here are some tips that might work for you:

  • Plan 鈥渢heme of the day鈥� dinners. Big Meal Sundays (double batch meals for leftovers or lunch), Meatless Mondays (bean burger, frittatas, or join the veggie noodle craze), Taco Tuesday (lighten up with ground bison or turkey, 1/2 pack of low-sodium taco seasoning mix), Boneless Chicken Thigh Wednesdays (ok, it doesn鈥檛 flow, but you get the idea and they are easy to cook), Take Out at Home Thursday (veggie pizza, tofu stir-fry, Indian spiced cauliflower), and Fish
  • Prep & Pair: I then pair each main course with a fitting vegetable and potential There are some great vegetables out there that come pre-packed (think Mexican slaw for Taco Tuesday) that can easily be mixed, microwaved, or roasted in under 20 minutes. If you can鈥檛 purchase pre-cut veggies, just add some time to your prep list on the day off and store appropriately. My fast and healthy go-to grains include brown rice (instant or not), polenta, faro, and quinoa.
  • Add a dose of inspiration: There are a lot of good resources out there these One of my favorites is the Real Simple magazine website. They give you at least five recipes each month with the time needed for preparation and cooking and a nutritional breakdown.
  • Have the right tools on hand: Anything that can decrease your time preparing and cooking is worth the money spent: Instant Pots, crockpots, grills, air tight containers, blenders, hand choppers, and the list goes

Other meal planning tips:

  • A faster, better breakfast: Some go-tos are oats (cold, hot, slightly sweet, or savory) and smoothies (low-fat Greek yogurt, frozen vegetable, and fruit).
  • Quick-pack lunch: Leftovers make great lunches, especially on top of greens or in a quesadilla. Really on the run? I love portion-packed nuts, apples, other quick-eat fruit, and Greek Yogurt

I know meal planning can be painful but based on my experiences with clients, it will help you optimize your dietary options and meet your long-term health plans. Remember it鈥檚 a lifestyle change, but it is a change worth making.

How Excelsior Awakened Lauren Harlow鈥檚 Passion for History

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Twenty-four-year-old Lauren Harlow never expected to find herself researching and writing about artifacts and historical documents at Historic St. Luke鈥檚 Church, the oldest church in Virginia. But, after her experience in Excelsior College鈥檚 history curriculum, and with encouragement from her Excelsior professor Robin Campbell, Lauren鈥檚 volunteer experience at St. Luke鈥檚 has helped her discover her true passion.

鈥淢y entire Excelsior experience gave me the confidence to take on new tasks,鈥� Lauren says. 鈥淚f it鈥檚 possible, I would be thrilled to work at St. Luke鈥檚 full-time, and Excelsior truly helped me discover that interest.鈥�

Lauren, who lives in Norfolk, Virginia, began her Excelsior career in fall 2015 pursuing an associate degree in liberal arts with a focus in history. She discovered Excelsior through her husband, Andrew, a lieutenant in the United States Navy and an Excelsior alumnus with his bachelor鈥檚 degree in liberal arts.

鈥淚t was a great experience for him, and he spoke very highly of the Excelsior professors and course structure,鈥� Lauren says. 鈥淢y experience has been much the same. The convenience of Excelsior is great, and I can access educational resources at any time of the day.鈥�

Andrew鈥檚 career requires the family to move frequently, so when deciding to pursue higher education, Lauren knew she needed something flexible that would allow her to adhere to her own schedule while receiving a high-quality education that positioned her for success.

鈥淎s a Navy family, we completed two moves when I was studying for my associate degree, and we went through a six-month deployment,鈥� Lauren says. 鈥淣ot having your partner there is certainly one of the hardest things, and it made school challenging. But, I could chat and email my peers and professors at any time and have in-depth conversations. It felt like I was actually in a classroom.鈥�

Lauren, an avid learner and history buff, participated energetically in all her courses. After completing her general education classes, she delved into more specialized courses, learning about the histories of eclectic subjects like pirates and witches. It was within Excelsior鈥檚 history curriculum that Lauren was introduced to , a 17th-century historical site in Isle of Wight County. Programs there preserve, promote, and interpret the 100-acre site.

As a part of her public history class, Lauren had to search for a job in the Norfolk area that she found interesting and relevant to her field of study. She came across a position as a volunteer historical research assistant at St. Luke鈥檚, and at first, she didn鈥檛 plan on applying. However, her instructor Robin Campbell encouraged her to pursue the opportunity to grow her professional skills and become involved in the community.

Lauren decided to apply to the position and she was accepted. From October 2017 through January 2018, she performed online research to update the church鈥檚 artifact database, wrote blog posts for the church鈥檚 website, and networked with other professionals and institutions to exchange information and insight.

鈥淭here are so many aspects about Historic St. Luke鈥檚 Church that I love, but one of the most interesting experiences was learning the remarkable stories behind the historic building,鈥� says Lauren. 鈥淲hen you inspect the church very closely, you realize there were so many decisions, people, and amazing things that led to it standing there, right in front of you.鈥�

Though Lauren hadn鈥檛 initially intended on working at St. Luke鈥檚, the skills and knowledge she attained while attending Excelsior allowed her to excel.

鈥淢any skills that I learned through Excelsior transferred very nicely into being a historical research assistant,鈥� Lauren says. 鈥淓xcelsior gave me skills in critical analysis, writing, problem solving, and communicating, which all helped me perform my job well at St. Luke鈥檚.鈥�

Lauren鈥檚 volunteer term has ended at St. Luke鈥檚, but as that chapter of her life comes to an end, another begins. Armed with her associate degree, Lauren will return to Excelsior in fall 2018 to pursue her bachelor鈥檚 degree in history, which will allow her to continue to pursue her passion.

鈥淓xcelsior has proved to fit my life, no matter what challenges arise,鈥� says Lauren. 鈥淢y goal is to work as a curator within American history, and I know a bachelor鈥檚 degree with Excelsior will provide me with a solid foundation. I鈥檓 really looking forward to the next couple years with them.鈥�

 

Professional Advice from Lauren Harlow

On networking:

Connect, connect, connect. Whether it be volunteering or testing out an internship, start and start now. Building a network takes effort and it takes time to benefit from that network. The larger your network and more connection you have adds value.

On trends within her industry:

There鈥檚 been a major push for a complete digitization of archives, not only to preserve history, but also to make history more accessible to the general public.

On the best books she鈥檚 read for her industry:

Any book on the Constitution is going to change your life. 鈥淭he 5,000 Year Leap鈥� talks about the constitution from the perspective of the founding fathers. I use quotes from it all the time. I would also recommend 鈥淒ecision in Philadelphia.鈥� In contrast to 鈥淭he 5,000 Year Leap,鈥� this book gives more of a technical approach to how the Constitution was written.

On time management:

Everyone is different, but what works best for me is writing down all my tasks. I write down everything I have to do in a particular week, break that down into tasks for the day, then down to the hour. The key is to create and stick to a schedule that works for you.

What one thing do you know now that you wish you knew when you were getting your Excelsior degree?

Get plugged into a historical community early. Your experience can benefit the organization as well as your own career in the long run.

Best advice for the business world:

Keep an open mind no matter what line of work you鈥檙e in. Consider the other side of the argument before you draw any conclusions.

 

Tips for Managing Stress

Posted on by Marisa Iacobucci

When I was in graduate school for social work, every professor without exception emphasized the importance of self-care. I heard time and again that taking time out to relax, exercise – whatever it takes to manage the stress 鈥� was critical for success in school. My first thoughts: What time? Where is this magical time coming from? With a full-time course load and managing my home life, where exactly will I find time to relax? Back then, when I had that rare extra moment, I fell asleep!

Does this sound familiar? I have good news – there are some simple things you can do to manage the stress in your life. The reality is that, with some exceptions, stress (good or bad) isn鈥檛 going away. However, being proactive on how to manage the challenges we face is helpful.

One powerful stress management tool I often use is tapping. Tapping, also known as EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) is a form of energy medicine and involves tapping on various acupuncture points on the body. Gary Craig, one of the early developers of EFT, has an excellent video outlining the . This, too, can be done anywhere and at any time. I encourage you to give it a try!

Another very simple and quick technique I use to calm my stress is Soft Belly Breathing. This short breathing meditation involves breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, slowly and deeply. When you breathe in this way, you cannot be anxious, because it鈥檚 not physiologically possible for your body! Go to the to listen to James Gordon, creator of Soft Belly Breathing, teach soft belly breathing. Once you鈥檝e learned it, you can do it anywhere 鈥� before a test, in a traffic jam鈥nytime.

Lastly, the messages we tell ourselves on a regular basis 鈥� that inner chatter 鈥� can be powerful. Give yourself healthy, calming messages. These may be short sentences, such as 鈥淚 will remember to breathe as I write my final paper.鈥� Or, you may want to use simple meditations. I want to share this brief meditation from the book 鈥淪avor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life鈥� by Thich Nhat Hanh, which can help you set an intention for your day:

As you wake up each morning and before you get out of bed, breathe three in-breaths and out-breaths, repeating the following verse silently for each in-breath and out-breath:

Breathing in, I fill my new day with

joy/ faith/ love/ gratitude/ mindfulness/ ease/ harmony.

Breathing out, I smile.

For the in-breath, choose one of the words that most appeals to you.听

Interested in learning more about managing your stress? Register for HSC402 Managing Stress today! This course teaches many practical strategies to alleviate stress. 听For now, as you finish reading this, take a nice deep breath.

 

Facial Exercises for Anti-Aging

Posted on by Jeff A. Pence

Changes in how we look occur naturally as part of the aging process, but fortunately, not all is lost in this battle! As is the case with many things, we do have some control over this process. Facial muscle exercises are not at all dissimilar to resistance exercise elsewhere in the body. As little as 30 minutes a day of focused facial muscle exercises can maintain tone in the facial muscles and help us to look and feel younger.

In a proof of concept study, researchers at found that by spending 30 minutes a day exercising the muscles of the face, participants were able to tighten and lift the cheeks to appear younger. The participants practiced 32 different facial expressions which they generally held for one minute each.

One exercise, 鈥淭he Cheek Lifter,鈥� consists of working the cheek muscles. The steps are as follows: Open your mouth and form an O; with your lips over your teeth, smile to lift your cheeks; place your fingertips lightly on the top part of the cheek so you can feel them lifting; and repeat the up and down motion for one minute.

The changes in the study participants were blind-assessed by dermatologists by looking at their before and after photos. Doctors used a standardized facial aging scale and rated 19 features at the beginning, middle, and end of the study. At the start of the study, the dermatologists rated the patients to be 50.8 years on average; because of the exercises, that dropped to 48.1 over the course of the study.

It鈥檚 important to realize that chronological age is not the only factor involved. Stress, lack of sleep, poor nutrition, and a sedentary lifestyle can accelerate the effects of aging and make individuals appear older

To learn more about this and other relevant topics, consider taking HSC 316: Mind, Body, and Health. The course is interesting, informative, and introspective and shows us that taking an active role in monitoring risks to our health can really pay off.