Study Plans: Why They鈥檙e Important and How to Use Them

Posted on by Emily Miller

What is a Study Plan?

A study plan is a chart or schedule that allows you to block out time needed each day for well-defined learning activities, goals, and routine daily tasks. It鈥檚 especially helpful when trying to make time between your work life, social life, and other responsibilities to do your schoolwork.

Benefits of a Study Schedule

A study schedule offers numerous benefits that can enhance academic performance and overall learning experience. It helps in managing time effectively, promotes consistency and discipline, reduces stress, and aids in identifying and addressing knowledge gaps. Ultimately, it leads to increased productivity and improved academic performance.

How to Create a Study Plan

Everyone鈥檚 study plan looks different. Here is one way that you could create a study plan.

  1. Create a time chart of your current activities to see where and how you are spending your time in a typical week.
  2. List all the courses or topics that need to be studied and establish your study goals.
  3. Looking back at the time chart that you created, find blocks of time that you could use for studying. Even blocks of 20-30 minutes can be very useful. Using a calendar or planner, mark blocks of time for work, personal time, family time, and for your different courses and topics.

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What鈥檚 the Best Way to Use My Study Plan?

To make the most of your study plan, it’s essential to approach it strategically. By incorporating these effective techniques, you can optimize your learning and achieve your academic goals more efficiently.

Take Study Breaks:

Remember to take brief breaks to stretch, walk around, or grab a snack.听 You need to step away from your studying once in a while so you don鈥檛 get to stressed.

Switch Up Your Study Routine:

Change things up by switching between subject or study techniques. Change study locations periodically. Vary study techniques by course content (subject).

Create Mini-Deadlines:

While your syllabus should provide you with assignment due dates, you should make a habit of creating your own deadlines leading up to those due dates.听 Use these mini-deadlines to complete smaller pieces of your assignment as you work until the final product due date.

Fully Commit to Studying:

When you set time aside to study, be committed to studying. Focus on the task at hand and try your best to avoid distractions. One way to have successful study sessions is to create a beneficial environment. Choose a quiet, well-lit area that is free from interruptions and have all your supplies and resources on-hand.

Tackle the Most Important Content First

At the beginning of a study session,听 determine which content is the most important. Tackle that content first. You want to make sure you鈥檙e getting the most out of every study session, and the best way to ensure that is to make sure you鈥檙e covering the content that is going to impact your learning the most.

Use Every Spare Moment

It can be challenging, as a busy adult with a huge array of responsibilities pulling you in every direction, to find the time to study. Use every spare moment you can to study, even if it鈥檚 for only five or ten minutes.听 Flashcards work great for quick study moments. They are convenient, compact, and easily fit into a pocket, bag, of even in the console of your car.

Academic Integrity in an Online Environment

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

I can only imagine what faculty and administrators at on ground schools must be going through right now having to move hundreds of course sections online with only a few day鈥檚 notice. Having to quickly shift to the online environment can be stressful and present numerous challenges to these faculty who are used to teaching students face to face and having one-on-one discussions with students. Dealing with academic integrity issues has the potential to generate even more anxiety for these already stressed teachers.

Faculty who are new to online teaching may be concerned that students will be more likely to cheat in an online class than in an in-person class. According to George Watson and James Sottile鈥檚. 鈥淐heating in the Digital Age: Do Students Cheat More in Online Courses?鈥� research confirms that students are no more likely to cheat in an online course than in a face-to-face course, although students in online courses are more likely to cheat on online tests or quizzes by getting answers from each other. In his article, 鈥淟et Your Students Cheat on Exams,鈥� Wes Maciejewski suggests that we 鈥渓et鈥� students cheat by allowing them to use the resources that technology makes available and focus on modifying existing summative assessments to ask deeper and more conceptual questions. In the current situation, if faculty are able to roll out their online course a week at a time through the end of the semester, they may be able to redesign at least some assessments to take advantage of the learning management system (LMS) and other technologies and ask the students probing questions that will challenge them to think about the subject at hand. Assessments designed to encourage students to come up with their own topic, explore their own interests, or build on work they have previously done in class are also less likely to result in cheating.

Try as we may to entice students with thought-provoking and creative assessments, some of them will cheat or plagiarize. When this happens, you can generally handle academic integrity violations in online courses using the same processes that are used for in-person courses with the major difference being you will not be able to talk to offending students face-to-face. Communication about questionable writing or suspicious test-taking activities will typically have to occur via email, telephone, or video conferencing.

Written conversations through email should be carefully crafted as they may come back to haunt you when a student is struggling to defend themselves. A phone call or video conference with a student can be an effective way to communicate particularly when the responses to a few questions may clear things up. Asking a student to explain something they wrote in a paper can be an effective way to determine if they actually authored the work themselves. Most LMS鈥檚 provide a video conferencing tool such as Collaborate or Zoom and once faculty have moved their courses to the online environment, it would be wise to spend a few minutes becoming familiar with the communication tools that are available.

Less experienced college students may not always be aware they have cheated and the conversation with them may be more of a teachable moment than one with a punitive outcome. Forgetting to reference a source or using material they wrote for another paper are common examples of this. Providing rubrics is a way to make sure the students have a clear understanding of not only what they are supposed to do in an assignment but also how the assignment will be graded. It is important to reinforce messaging about academic integrity with every assignment.
This is also a great time to take advantage of the technology available to help identify cheating and plagiarism. Products like Turnitin Feedback Studio and the recently released Authorship Investigate can help the investigation of suspicious papers and identify those that may not have been written by the student (contract cheating) by comparing and analyzing meta-data from the paper against other work submitted to Turnitin by the student.

In summary, the same standards for cheating and plagiarism should be maintained and enforced in the online class that are used in the classroom. Effective and consistent communication with students is critical as well as communication between faculty and department chairs or other administration who support academic integrity issues. It鈥檚 important for department chairs and administrators to clearly define the roles of the online faculty member and make sure they know when they need to bring their department chair or other support staff into the conversation with the student.

Bettering Herself

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

Melissa Burger pursues higher education to improve her and her family鈥檚 lives

Full-time student, mother of four, and busy wife Melissa Burger, of Michigan, took advantage of her military benefits to return to school with Excelsior College to pursue her higher education. While going to school for an associate degree in liberal arts, which she earned in 2017, and a bachelor鈥檚 in liberal arts, earned in 2018, Burger became interested in cybersecurity from her IT courses. She has since decided to pursue a master鈥檚 in cybersecurity with Excelsior to challenge herself and increase opportunities for future employment.

Burger didn鈥檛 have plans to join the military, that is, until she acquired student loan debt from attending traditional brick-and-mortar colleges. A friend introduced her to the military鈥檚 intelligence community. Burger became interested in becoming a linguist and, after doing some research, decided the Air Force was the best place for her. From 2000-2004, Burger was a cryptologic language analyst, specializing in Arabic. Though the specific details of her job are top-secret, Burger was responsible for translating, transcribing, and analyzing messages.

Burger says she is driven to finish what she starts and completing her education is no different, which she says, kept being pushed aside for other life priorities. She supported her husband while he attended medical school and cared for her children鈥攐ne with special needs鈥攑utting her education on the back burner. 鈥淥ne day, I realized that I was trying to create an incredible future for everyone else but had forgotten that I could make their future better by bettering myself,鈥� she says. Burger heard about Excelsior from a friend and immediately contacted the admissions office.

The process of applying and submitting the required documents was simple, Burger says. 鈥淓xcelsior evaluated my credits and transferred over the majority of them, including those that were obtained in my military training,鈥� she says, adding that she also used her GI Bill® to cover many of her expenses.

Burger decided to pursue liberal arts for her associate and bachelor鈥檚 degrees because of the broad foundation it provides. 鈥淚 felt like it afforded me the opportunity to develop a broad knowledge base that would allow me several avenues to pursue,鈥� she says. After taking some IT courses, she discovered how exciting the cyber field is and decided it would be enjoyable and challenging to learn something that would be out of her element. Shortly after she earned her bachelor鈥檚 in 2018, she re-enrolled in Excelsior鈥檚 Master of Science in Cybersecurity program.

Excelsior鈥檚 online platform and flexible course structure has proven to be perfect for Burger鈥檚 studying habits. 鈥淥nline learning allows me to continue my education in a setting that is conducive to my family鈥檚 lifestyle and needs,鈥� she says. Burger鈥檚 family has been understanding and supportive of her education. Sometimes, she says, she has to take her books with her on their outings or reschedule fun events. 鈥淚 am grateful for the sacrifices [my family] has made so that I can finally check off this goal,鈥� she says. Excelsior faculty members have also been helpful in answering Burger鈥檚 questions and supporting her. She also relies on her classmates when she needs help with coursework or navigating online learning.

Burger has also taken advantage of Excelsior鈥檚 welcoming online community by joining the Excelsior College student chapter of the National Cybersecurity Student Association. She says she has engaged with experienced students and mentors while part of the club and been able to learn from videos, documents, and training that she wouldn鈥檛 normally have been aware of. 鈥淚 have been able to gain skills and learn techniques that I would never have had the opportunity to learn or apply further in the classroom,鈥� she says. She has also been able to join with the chapter as it participates bi-annually in the National Cyber League competitions, competing against other colleges to solve real-life cybersecurity problems.

The cybersecurity practice is good for Burger, who plans to work in the cybersecurity field, though she isn鈥檛 sure quite where she wants to land. She is researching and creating a plan on how to obtain further certifications to prove she is prepared to work in the cybersecurity arena. She is happy she made the move to pursue her education and encourages others鈥攅specially other veterans鈥攖o do the same. It鈥檚 important to make time for your future now, says Burger, adding, 鈥淵ou are worth it, and there are many people, including , the ever-so-helpful library staff, and your academic advisor who will support you. You are worth a better paying job, more self-confidence, that promotion at work, and so much more.鈥�

GI Bill庐 is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at .

 

New Initiative at Excelsior College Will Help Stopout Students Complete Their Degree

Posted on by Alicia Jacobs

Partnership with ReUp Education combines coaching, technology to help students return to college

Embargoed until March 4, 2020.

Albany, NY 鈥斕� Excelsior College recently launched a program designed to help stopout students鈥攖hose who have some college experience but no degree鈥攔eturn to school and graduate. Through a partnership with social impact startup the initiative provides personalized support for stopout students through a combination of predictive analytics and hands-on coaching and mentorship.

James N. Baldwin, president of Excelsior College, stated, 鈥淓xcelsior College is a regionally accredited, not-for-profit distance learning institution founded in 1971. We have a long history of helping students from all backgrounds not just complete their degree but also chart pathways to success after graduation. This collaboration is the next step in our ongoing effort to help adult learners realize higher education鈥檚 promise of social and economic mobility and prosperity.鈥�

According to recent from the National Student Clearinghouse, more than 36 million Americans have some college experience but have not completed their degree. This trend has significant implications for students鈥� financial well-being over time: a college degree translates to an average of $1 million additional earnings over a lifetime, and college graduates are when compared to those with only a high school degree.

Excelsior College鈥檚 new initiative was specifically developed to provide support for students who have some college, many of whom are over the age of 25 and balancing work and family commitments outside of their studies. Proprietary technology developed by ReUp Education will enable a team of coaches to conduct direct outreach to students and support them through the re-enrollment process, as well as provide guidance throughout their college experience as they pursue their degree.

鈥淚t鈥檚 increasingly clear that non-traditional students are now the majority of higher education鈥檚 student population,鈥� said Sarah Horn, cofounder and CEO of ReUp Education. 鈥淭his is about bringing together technology and mentorship to help colleges re-engage with these learners in ways that reflect鈥攁nd respond to鈥攖heir unique needs and challenges.鈥�

ReUp Education helps colleges and universities engage and re-enroll stopout students through a unique blend of predictive analytics technology, data, and personalized coaching. Once students have returned to school, ReUp provides ongoing support to foster personal accountability, encouragement, and guidance to equip students with the tools to persist and succeed. This approach provides a continuous support mechanism for every returning student, including first-generation and underrepresented students, who are disproportionately more likely to not have access to an effective support system for navigating college.

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ReUp Education Media Contact: Ben Watsky, Watsky@whiteboardadvisors.com

听Excelsior College Media Contact: Alicia Jacobs, ajacobs@excelsior.edu听 听518-464-8531

听杏吧原创 ReUp Education

ReUp Education is the expert in understanding, engaging, and re-enrolling stopout students. Through its unique blend of data, technology, and specialized coaching, ReUp has engaged more than 150,000 stopout students across a wide range of universities and helped re-enroll over 8,700 students. ReUp is based in San Francisco, and is funded by leading education and social impact investors, including Entangled Ventures, University Ventures, Serious Change Investments, and The Impact Engine.

ABOUT EXCELSIOR COLLEGE

Excelsior College (excelsior.edu) is a regionally accredited, not-for-profit online college focused on helping adults complete their degrees and advance their careers. The college contributes to the development of a diverse, educated, and career-ready society by valuing lifelong learning with an emphasis on serving individuals historically underrepresented in higher education. Founded in 1971, Excelsior meets students where they are 鈥� academically and geographically 鈥� removing obstacles to the educational goals of adults pursuing continuing education and degree completion. Our pillars include innovation, flexibility, academic excellence, and integrity. Learn more at excelsior.edu.

Today鈥檚 Interview & Workplace Attire

Posted on by Tammy Spenziero

What do you wear to an interview and what exactly is workplace attire? Answers certainly vary on this topic, sometimes 鈥攐r even especially鈥攄epending on your generation.

Think about what people notice about you first. What difference does a first impression make based on the setting you are in? First impressions go a long way and leave a lasting mark. The reality is that people make judgment calls as well as assumptions based on what they see and how they personally interpret looks. This is normal unless inappropriate or illegal.

Imagine these scenarios when you see a candidate you are about to interview. It does not matter what or where the job is. It could be for a music producer in Nashville, Tennessee; maybe it is a technical engineer role for a start-up in Silicon Valley, or a dog walker in Albany, New York. The first candidate walks in the door wearing ripped jeans, a tank top, baseball cap, and flip flops. They look at you and say, 鈥淗ey, how are ya?鈥� without shaking your hand. Your next candidate greets you in a button-down blouse, pleated pants, and dress shoes while extending a hand to shake. A final candidate is wearing Converse sneakers, a long skirt, and a black long-sleeve polo shirt with a huge gold Gucci logo across the front and kindly says, 鈥淗ello nice to meet you,鈥� as you greet them.

What is your first impression of each of them before they even begin talking to you in an interview setting? What judgment calls have you already made in your mind about them and what does it mean for their chances of being hired? Now, picture all three individuals on the job in the same attire with the same demeanor. What does that initially make you feel about them?

You always win when you dress professionally regardless of the job. Judgment will be made on your attire and the way you present yourself. Have a firm handshake, stand tall, smile, and project confidence. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. You cannot avoid this, so make the right one! Give your best impression in your answers, personality, and attitude in an interview and on the job, and do the same with your attire. Dress neatly, be clean, and show effort. Hiring managers want someone who would represent their company well. They see your first impression as the same impression you will give clients or customers of the organization.

Appropriate dress is specific to the employer and their policy. Two articles I鈥檇 like to share:

  • . David Solomon came on the scene as CEO in July 2018, making this dress code change in less than one year. Could it be that his alter ego 鈥淒 SOL鈥� wants Goldman to be respected for keeping things real and removing the intimidation fear factor stigma of this investment banking powerhouse?
  • . This is my all-time favorite. Highly recommend for all organizations! Check out this article and think about what this dress code policy really means.

The moral of this story?

  1. Use common sense, good judgment, and dress appropriately!
  2. If you question it, don鈥檛 wear it!
  3. Smile and be sure those pearly whites are clean before doing so!

Fulfilling the Promise

Posted on by James Baldwin

Almost 50 years ago, Excelsior College was founded as a noble experiment: a higher education institution focused on providing adult learners with a flexible and affordable pathway to a credential鈥攁nd to a middle-class life. We initially achieved our mission through the assessment of learning and the aggregation of credit earned from inside and out of the classroom. Soon after, we added credit by examination. In the early 2000s, Excelsior stood among the first to develop and offer college classes via fully online instruction.

Our success can be attributed, in my view, to an unyielding resolve to meet students where they are, academically and geographically, and the courage to adapt what we do and how we do it as the marketplace demands. We were founded to disrupt, but we succeeded by adapting to changing preferences鈥攆irst, with credit by examination and, later, with online instruction.

Today, we have unleashed a transformational agenda. The Great Recession, demographic changes, and globalization have ushered in a new knowledge-based economy. State investment is retreating; alarm bells on the rising costs of an education and the value of a degree have reached a crescendo, and student choice is moving rapidly beyond traditional notions of education and credentialing. As a result, higher education institutions everywhere must consider how to best navigate this challenging terrain to fulfill their promise.

At Excelsior, we are creating a learning ecosystem that strengthens and seamlessly integrates all our offerings: instructor-led and self-paced courses, independent study for credit by examination, prior learning assessment, and stackable credentials. We鈥檒l offer not only traditional associate, bachelor鈥檚, and master鈥檚 programs but also articulated degree pathways and skill-based professional development opportunities created in concert with employers. Excelsior students and alumni will be true lifelong learners who can engage with the College at any time of their life to meet their personal and professional goals.

For us, exceptional service manifests in compassion, agility, respect, trust, and empowerment. Our commitment to putting learners first is the foundation of this new ecosystem. We can develop the highly responsive level of service today鈥檚 learners need so they can stay competitive in our evolving knowledge-based economy. With our integrated academic offerings, we can ensure the promise made at our inception鈥攖o provide learning when, where, and how it is needed鈥攆ulfills the promise of Excelsior College.

Ever upward.

James N. Baldwin, JD, EdD
President

 

John Caron Becomes Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin
Arrow up
John Caron, the new provost and vice president of academic affairs, has a vision to elevate the student learning experience at Excelsior College. Photo: Mike Hemberger

In July 2019, John Caron was named the new provost and vice president of academic affairs at Excelsior College. He is the College鈥檚 second-ranking officer with strategic responsibilities that span the entire institution.

Caron has worked for more than 20 years in higher education in various senior leadership positions. Caron was provost at Endicott College; associate dean, Krieger School of Arts & Sciences at Johns Hopkins University; senior associate dean, academic and faculty affairs at Northeastern University; associate dean, School of Professional Studies at Brown University; and interim dean of admission and the first year at Bennington College.

During his career in higher education, he has worked to remove barriers to success, managed recruitment, provided academic strategic direction, and revamped, retired, and launched new programs. Caron has served on senior leadership teams and led strategic priorities to align with the vision of the institution.

Caron was drawn to Excelsior鈥檚 unique story and way it serves underrepresented students. He continues to be inspired by Excelsior鈥檚 people who care about adult learners and says, 鈥淯nlike other colleges and universities that are scrambling to serve different populations in new ways, Excelsior has stayed true to its mission.鈥�

As provost and vice president of academic affairs, Caron鈥檚 vision for Excelsior鈥檚 future consists of four strategic pillars. In his own words:

  • 鈥淥ffer high quality courses that are engaging and relevant to our learners鈥� experiences. If we achieve this goal, students will register for more courses and tell their friends and family about Excelsior. Word-of-mouth is still a powerful way to expand the value proposition of an Excelsior education.
  • Remove barriers to success. Removing barriers to admission, course registration, financial aid, and advising will lead to increased retention and persistence. I also believe we need to position the College to be a partner for life with our alumni. If we want to have a partnership for life with our students, our learning ecosystem needs to include multiple pathways for our alumni to stay engaged with the College.
  • Position prior learning assessment to be a game changer for the College. Many competitors are now branding themselves as a degree completion school. Moreover, major companies like Walmart, Amazon, and Google are offering training for college credit as a way to acquire and retain talent. I believe Excelsior is uniquely positioned to evaluate and award college credit for training.
  • Revamp existing programs and offer new programs and credentials aligned with industry needs. Today鈥檚 learners are consuming information in different ways and at lightning speed. The workforce of the future demands that workers acquire skills they need quickly and affordably.鈥�

Though the pillars are Caron鈥檚 overall hopes for the future, there are some things that faculty and students can expect to see during the next few years. For instance, courses that will create a more meaningful interaction between instructors and students, integrate career readiness skills, and inspire faculty to be creative and innovative are in development. Excelsior has also hired a company to conduct an external review of the student experience from discovery to graduation so that the College can improve outreach strategies where needed.

鈥淎s provost, Dr. Caron will be a key driver in developing academic offerings and strategies that are aligned with the changing landscape of higher education, so that Excelsior may maintain positive growth and advance its position among peer institutions,鈥� says President James N. Baldwin.

 

President Baldwin to Retire in July 2020

Posted on by Maria C. Sparks

James Baldwin, the president and chief executive officer of Excelsior College, will retire on July 3, 2020. Baldwin was appointed to the role by the Excelsior College Board of Trustees in October 2016, after serving as the executive vice president of the College since September 2014.

A strong proponent of the transformational power and enduring value of education, Baldwin has focused the College on providing adult learners with degree completion and career readiness opportunities. 鈥淗e has done an excellent job of providing leadership to the College at a time filled with change,鈥� said Helen Benjamin, chair of the Excelsior College Board of Trustees, in announcing Baldwin鈥檚 plans. 鈥淭he Board and I are proud of his work and feel strongly that he has set the College on a course for future success.鈥�

A national search is underway for the next president, who will be the fourth since the College鈥檚 founding in 1971.
 

Excelsior Welcomes New Members to Board of Trustees Vol 1

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin
Arrow up
Trustees new to the board are (left to right) Kent Clark, Jennifer Gentry, Karen Kocher, and Quintessa Miller.

In January 2020, four new members joined the Excelsior Board of Trustees: Kent Clark, president and chair of the board of Clark Advisory Group and former CEO of AMVETS National Service Foundation; Jennifer Gentry, chief nursing executive, Providence Portland Medical Center; Karen Kocher, global general manager, skills and employability, 21st Century Jobs; and Quintessa Miller, a plastic surgeon practicing at Fort Walton Beach Hospital NWF Multispecialty Physicians LLC.

A military veteran, Kent Clark is certified in board and advisory work in cybersecurity, governance, finance, audit, strategic planning, and development for nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Prior to joining AMVETS, he was chief appropriations advisor and national security director for the office of U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young. Clark is the non-executive director of the National Association of Nonprofit Organizations and Executives and is the past national commander general in the Military Order of Foreign Wars. Clark earned a Master of Arts in Public Policy Management from Georgetown University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts from Regents College in 2000, after receiving an Associate of Arts in Industrial Technology and Business from Pierce College.

In her role as chief nursing executive, Jennifer Gentry is responsible for nursing strategic plans, quality outcomes, and caregiver wellness across the Providence Portland Medical Center facility. Previous to her current role, Gentry worked for Christus Spohn Healthcare System based in Corpus Christi, Texas, from 2012 to 2017, as a nurse manager, director of nursing operations, regional chief nursing officer, and chief nursing officer. Gentry is also an instructional faculty member and clinical examiner for Excelsior鈥檚 associate degree in nursing program. She is a member of several organizations, including the American Nurses Association, Texas Nurses Association, and Del Mar College Nursing Advisory Board. A three-time graduate of Excelsior College, Gentry earned an associate bachelor鈥檚, and master鈥檚 degree in nursing, in 2004, 2011, and 2015, respectively. She received her practical nursing education from Coastal Carolina Community College.

Karen Kocher has held senior human resources, health care, and sales leadership roles in insurance, information technology, consulting, and business outsourcing across the United States, Europe, and Asia. Prior to her current position, she was the chief learning officer and talent executive for Cigna Corporation; the global content executive, Software Division at IBM; and vice president/P&L leader at New England Learning Services Business for IKON Office Solutions. She is a member of six boards, including the Glint Advisory Council, Jobs for America鈥檚 Graduates, and UpSkill America鈥檚 Business Champions. She has received many awards, including the Women Super Achiever Award, a Global HR Excellence Award, 2015. Kocher has been featured in several publications, is the contributing author of three published works, and has earned the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Strategy and Communications from DePaul University.

A highly decorated member of the Air Force, having achieved the rank of colonel, Quintessa Miller has served as commander for the 96th Surgical Operations Squadron. In addition to practicing at Fort Walton Beach Hospital NWF Multispecialty Physicians LLC, she is a staff plastic surgeon at Eglin Hospital, Eglin Air Force Base. Her areas of specialty include breast reconstruction, massive weight loss surgeries, wound care, body contouring, facial cosmetic surgery, Mohs reconstruction, generalized reconstruction, and injectables. Miller is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. She is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, and the Florida Medical Association. Miller鈥檚 honors include the Surgeon General鈥檚 Award for Best Scientific Paper Presented in Plastic Surgery by The Society of Air Force Clinical Surgeons 50th Annual Meeting, the Paul W. Myers Award for Excellence in Resident Research Competition Award, and the Air Force Achievement Medal, among others. She earned an associate degree in mathematics from El Camino College, a bachelor鈥檚 degree in mathematics from the U.S. Air Force Academy, and a medical degree from the Morehouse School of Medicine.

 

Two-Time Graduate Kane Tomlin Becomes President of the Alumni Association

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

As an executive consultant with the Florida Department of Transportation, a professor of applied cybersecurity for Tallahassee Community College, and an instructor of national security for Excelsior College, Kane Tomlin is familiar with leading teams and seeing projects through to completion. That experience plus his extensive background in project management and two degrees from Excelsior College make him a good fit for the role of president of the Excelsior College Alumni Association.

Tomlin, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been a member of the Alumni Leadership Council since 2015 and became president of the Alumni Association in July 2019. Tomlin has been managing projects in information technology, military operations, and law enforcement for 20 years. He is a former special programs administrator for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and is one of the original subject matter experts for the CompTIA Project Management Certification exam. He is a PMI-certified project management professional, a certified technical trainer, a certified e-business professional, a CompTIA certified project manager, a cyber certified expert, and a certified security professional.

Many people would be surprised to know that Tomlin is also a retired master diver from the U.S. Army. That鈥檚 not the most interesting thing about him, though, he says. Tomlin and his wife are building an elderly dog rescue in their home city for older dogs who are often overlooked at shelters. Given that you can often find Tomlin enjoying bonfires with his wife and dogs in their backyard, it鈥檚 no wonder he has a soft spot for canines.

鈥淚鈥檝e met some truly huge leaders in their fields. Being able to text a question to a rocket scientist, or a chief nurse, or a retired CEO鈥夆�� Excelsior alumni make up some of the smartest and hardest-working people I have ever met.鈥� 鈥揔ane Tomlin

Tomlin started college in 1998 at Texas A&M, and after changing schools a few times while working and trying to finish his degree, he enlisted after 9/11. In 2006, Tomlin discovered Excelsior College while he was on active duty in the Army and enrolled as soon as he learned he was only a few credits away from finishing his degree. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business in 2012.

Although it took him 14 years to earn his undergraduate degree, he earned a Master of Science in Criminal Justice just two years later in 2014. Tomlin went on to earn a doctorate in strategic security from the Henley-Putnam School of Strategic Security at National American University, a post-graduate certificate in leadership development from the University of Louisville, and a post-graduate certificate in project management from Florida International University.

As president of the Excelsior College Alumni Association, Tomlin also leads the Alumni Leadership Council and is an ex-officio member of the Excelsior College Board of Trustees. He will serve a two-year term.

Here鈥檚 more from Tomlin on his experience with the College and his interest in the Alumni Leadership Council.

What impact did the College have for you?鈥�It would not be an understatement to say Excelsior changed my life. Once I re-enrolled in college, I was promoted faster, and I was encouraged to complete my master鈥檚 and doctorate, and then to enter academia and begin teaching. I would never have thought of myself as a college professor prior to Excelsior. After I left the service, I was also able to find rewarding and lucrative work fairly easily, which I attribute in no small part to having multiple degrees from Excelsior on my resume.

How did you become involved with the Alumni Leadership Council?鈥�I received an alumni email and noticed a link at the bottom to apply for the ALC (then called the Alumni Advisory Board) and I decided that it would be pretty cool to give back to the College once I had some extra free time after my master鈥檚 was complete. During my phone interview, I got to know the other members of the ALC, and then I really got excited about possibly being selected. My first Commencement was when I met the other ALC members in person and from that moment on, I felt like a part of an awesome family of Excelsior alumni. The members of the ALC compose a dream team.

What motivates you to keep engaged with the College?鈥侷 think staying engaged with Excelsior College is a huge win-win. My personal network has expanded, and I鈥檝e met some truly huge leaders in their fields. Being able to text a question to a rocket scientist, or a chief nurse, or a retired CEO, or countless others I鈥檝e met on the ALC is immensely rewarding personally and professionally. Excelsior alumni make up some of the smartest and hardest-working people I have ever met. Selfishly, I gain a great deal of insight and mentorship by being able to interact with them. I also think the College and ALC benefits from my involvement and desire to give back to our community.

What鈥檚 the best career advice you鈥檝e received?鈥�My Dive School commander, Captain Shawn English, used to tell us all the time to 鈥渃hoose the harder right, over the easier wrong.鈥� It might sound clich茅, but he lived it every day. His advice and example have inspired me for my entire Army career and beyond. He was killed in action on December 3, 2006, but I hope I鈥檝e made him proud since.

 

Rep. Paul Tonko Receives an Honorary Degree

Posted on by Maria C. Sparks

On September 3, 2019, President James N. Baldwin awarded an honorary degree to Rep. Paul D. Tonko, a sixth-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New York鈥檚 20th Congressional District in the Capital Region.

鈥淭hroughout his career, Congressman Tonko has been a champion for the working class and advancing policies that create jobs. He has been a champion for the underserved and underprivileged,鈥� said Baldwin, heralding Tonko as an advocate for education and for adult learners.

Tonko had planned to attend Excelsior College鈥檚 48th Commencement on July 12 and receive the honorary degree, but he was needed in Washington, DC, for a critical vote on the 911 Victim鈥檚 Compensation Fund. He opted to speak to graduates via a recorded video.

In recent years, Tonko has worked with Excelsior College on many initiatives and events, such as the Nyquist Leadership Series and Workforce Development Strategy and Policy Forum, and supported a grant for Excelsior College to develop the Diagnostic Assessment and Achievement of College Skills (DAACS). In 2014, he helped the College with a grant establishing new and creative uses of technology to increase college opportunities for low-income students.