Heard it from a Friend Who

Posted on by Maria C. Sparks

Oftentimes the link between a student and Excelsior is a friend, co-worker, brother, sister, advisor in a military education office or at a community college, supervisor, spouse, or even a parent who earned a degree from the College and suggested their offspring do the same.

EMILY RILEY 鈥�16

When Emily Riley was preparing to attend Commencement in 2016, she shared her experiences for the blog Excelsior Life. What did earning her Bachelor of Science in Business mean to her?
鈥淎 lot of pride,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t took me a long time to get here. I鈥檓 really proud that I succeeded and I can say that I now have a bachelor鈥檚 degree.鈥� Riley had learned about Excelsior as a student at SUNY Broome, a community college in Binghamton, New York. SUNY Broome has a 3 + 1 program with Excelsior (students take up to 90 credits toward their bachelor鈥檚 degree at their community college and the final 30 credits with Excelsior), so Riley moved from her associate degree directly to her bachelor鈥檚 degree program.

DAVID WALDORF 鈥�15

鈥淢y sister had graduated from Excelsior so she knew all about it and kind of could help with guiding me鈥t really made signing up and all of that painless without question. She had already
been through it all, so I went right to her and talked to her.鈥�

LISA RAPPLE 鈥�86

School of Health Sciences Faculty Program Director Lisa Rapple may now be working for the College, but at one time, she didn鈥檛 know what it was. She earned her associate degree in respiratory therapy from SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York, before becoming the clinical coordinator for the respiratory care program at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, New York, and then moving on to teach in North Carolina. She was determined to pursue her education and so while working, she took courses at Syracuse University, UAlbany, and East Carolina University.

Upon returning to New York, she heard talk of Excelsior. She explains, 鈥淲hat managers were doing was typically getting a degree with Empire State [College] or Excelsior College, which I knew little to nothing about either one of them.鈥� Her boss had been attending Empire State College and had been struggling to complete his degree. Rapple wanted to pursue her graduate degree and recalls thinking, 鈥淚 have not got that time鈥 want to get my bachelor鈥檚!鈥� Thus, she decided to look into the other college she was hearing about.

Excelsior took much of Rapple鈥檚 credits and she received her bachelor鈥檚 degree in 1986. She went on to receive her master鈥檚 degree in education with SUNY Buffalo and then worked for Empire State College as an instructional designer for its online RN to BSN program. In 2013, she joined Excelsior College as the faculty program director for health care management.

Rapple鈥檚 connection to Excelsior doesn鈥檛 stop there. Her son, Jonathan, recently received his associate degree in liberal arts from the College. Excelsior accepted the majority of the credits he earned during his previous two years at Siena College, so he only needed to complete a math class and capstone. Finishing his associate degree was a dream come true. Rapple remembers Commencement: 鈥淲hen he walked across the stage [to get his degree], he was walking on air.鈥� He has told his friends about his experience with Excelsior, and he has begun pursuing his bachelor鈥檚 with the College.

CAROLINE METZGER 鈥�17

Caroline Metzger, a 2017 graduate, says it was a natural decision for her to choose Excelsior College. She had watched as her older sister Katherine Metzger and brother Peter Metzger took courses at the College and had good experiences.

She had watched, too, when Peter graduated in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Business. Caroline was already a student and had only the capstone course remaining when she viewed the webcast
of Commencement from abroad, where she was pursuing volunteer work. 鈥淚 was in another country in another time zone, and I was able to watch him graduate.鈥�

To her, that was yet another Excelsior experience that did not disappoint. The 鈥渆fficiency and effectiveness鈥� of the College made a difference for her. She benefited from the ability to determine the number of courses to take during a trimester and the ease of transition when returning to school after taking some time off to pursue a personal interest. For her and her siblings, Excelsior College provides the flexibility they鈥檙e looking for when combining school, volunteer work, and full-time jobs. 鈥淎s a college, typically the focus is on the student, but it鈥檚 difficult to negotiate through particular hurdles,鈥� says Caroline, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Business. 鈥淓xcelsior is flexible.鈥�

Word of that flexibility is passed down sibling to sibling in this family. Caroline鈥檚 younger brother John is already enrolled, and, as Caroline says, there are 鈥渢wo more kids to follow.鈥�

STEPHEN HANERFELD 鈥�15

鈥淎 number of years ago I realized that there was something missing in my life and a goal I hadn鈥檛 achieved yet. I had just gotten out of the Navy. I had served for about 9 and a half
years鈥nd I realized that it was the fact that I had never completed a college degree.

I had started when I was younger, I joined the military, and I never finished it. However, not knowing how to go about it, I ended up enrolling in a local community college. And for those of you who have done that, it鈥檚 really difficult to balance a degree or courses while having a life and work and everything that goes along with that.

Sitting in a classroom for three-and-a-half hours, three nights a week, and trying to find time to sleep wasn鈥檛 really working for me.

I thought it wasn鈥檛 going to happen, until I met a co-worker who told me about some courses he was taking though an online college called Excelsior.鈥�

 

An Ongoing Connection

Posted on by Maria C. Sparks

Mary O鈥機onnor 鈥�94 became acquainted with Excelsior College the way many others do. A mentor at work 鈥� in her case, a nurse manager at a hospital in Brookline, Massachusetts 鈥� told her about the College, then known as Regents. As a nurse manager without an advanced degree, O鈥機onnor wanted to earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree and progress in her nursing career. Nearly three decades later, the two remain friends and O鈥機onnor, an associate professor of nursing at Notre Dame of Maryland University, remains connected with the College.

In December 2017, she completes her second three-year term as an Excelsior College trustee. She joined the board of trustees as an ex-officio member in 2005 when she was elected president
of the Alumni Leadership Council. In that role, she remained on the board for two, two-year consecutive terms. As a trustee, O鈥機onnor observes Excelsior College from a different perspective, more behind-the-scenes. 鈥淚 can see how the mission is lived,鈥� she says, and adds, 鈥淭he people who are working at Excelsior are really dedicated to their craft in whatever they are doing 鈥� and it鈥檚 obvious they care about the students.鈥�

O鈥機onnor cares, too, and recently designated Excelsior College as a beneficiary of a portion of her estate. The decision to do so came easily. Her employer was changing retirement plan vendors, which is a natural time to review beneficiary designations. Her designated beneficiaries were now established adults, so that left her with some flexibility for allocating funds. 鈥淚 felt I could spread it around a little bit more, and Excelsior has always been one of my top two giving priorities: church and Excelsior,鈥� explains O鈥機onnor. Her gift qualifies her as a member of the Nyquist Legacy Society. Excelsior provided O鈥機onnor with a springboard to further education and opportunities. After earning her bachelor鈥檚 degree, she earned a Master of Science in Nursing from Northeastern University in 1997 and a PhD from George Mason University in 2005. She has published widely on nursing leadership, and applies this interest to her teaching of population health. She asks of her students, 鈥淎s nurse leaders, how are we impacting the health of the communities we serve?鈥�

The same could be asked about her impact as an alumna. Through her many contributions, O鈥機onnor positively affects the health and well-being of the Excelsior community she serves.

 

Learn in 3D

Posted on by Maria C. Sparks

A grant from the national science foundation funds simulations to teach work-ready skills for electrical careers

How can students enrolled in an online technology program gain the hands-on experience they need to be job ready in the energy industry? Michael Johnson, associate dean of technology in the School of Business & Technology, believes 3D educational simulations can prepare students with the skills they need.

The National Science Foundation agrees.

In June, the NSF awarded Excelsior College and Polk State College, a multi-campus institution in Florida, a three-year grant of more than $860,000 to develop 3D simulations to teach and assess
key skills in power generation and advanced manufacturing. The simulations would prepare technicians for skilled positions in the energy and manufacturing industries. This is Excelsior鈥檚 first-ever NSF grant.

The simulations will be incorporated into the associate degree in technology program, in the nuclear/power plant, electronic/ instrumentation, and electromechanical concentrations. Through the
simulations, students would learn safety techniques; gain the experience of using electrical tools to do a job task, such as troubleshooting an electrical component; and reading a blueprint.
With simulations in the program, students would gain workforce readiness skills along with industry certification to support their electrical careers. Students who earn a grade B or higher earn the Center for Workforce Development鈥檚 Energy Industry Fundamentals certificate acknowledging their competencies and foundational knowledge of electrical work.

鈥淩esearch has shown that simulations are an effective method to reinforce concepts and enhance students鈥� learning experience,鈥� says Johnson, the principal investigator on the grant. Simulations provide students an opportunity to repeat the scenario several times such that they have a better understanding of the content. Additionally, simulations allow students to perform the activities in a safe environment and learn from their mistakes.鈥�

Johnson explains the simulations will give students immediate feedback as they progress through the scenario. For example, if the student selects the wrong tool or equipment, they will receive
feedback with an explanation of why it was incorrect. Conversely, when the student does the simulation exercises correctly, text pops up to explain why the choices were correct and reinforces the learning. 鈥淭he final scenario will be a graded exercise that compiles all competencies required to perform an electrical job task,鈥� says Johnson, and adds that the student will receive a final grade with any relative feedback.

Students who earn the Energy Industry Fundamentals certificate are better prepared for electrician careers in the energy industry, and electricians are in high demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects job opportunities to expand by 14 percent between 2014 and 2024, a rate that鈥檚 much faster than average.

The 3D simulations are on schedule for completion in early 2018, and a firm has been hired to assess their impact on how students achieve course outcomes. The simulations eventually will be offered as open educational resources.

 

Check it Off!

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Time management tips and tricks to reach your goal

People are consumed and busy with so many things, from kids, work, and personal responsibilities to military life, school, and more. It is honestly hard to juggle it all. As student success coaches, we talk to students daily about how to manage their time effectively to complete their degrees. We know they are more than just students; they are people with busy lives, too.

One of the questions we ask students is, 鈥淗ow do you manage your time?鈥� Sometimes the answer we hear 鈥� after a chuckle 鈥� is, 鈥淚 just do it.鈥� We wish it was as simple as that. Time management is key to achieving any goal, whether it be earning your degree or meeting a professional goal at work. You might have a system in place to manage your time. If that鈥檚 you, great! Read on to enhance what you are already doing. On the flip side, if you get to the end of your day or week and feel like you haven鈥檛 accomplished much, read on to learn some tips and tricks on how to manage your time better.

  1. PRIORITIZE: There can be a lot of items to check off your list. Ask yourself these questions: Are they worthy to make the cut on my to-do list? Am I checking things off my list for the sake of checking things off a list? Am I completing tasks that will help me reach my end goal? Am I being effective with my time? What is the urgency? Once you answer these questions, you will have a clearer picture of what your priorities are and can adjust your to-do list accordingly.
  2. SET GOALS: Your goal may be to complete your degree, get a new job or even purchase a home. How do you make sure you get there? Make the goal SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable,
    Realistic, and Timely. You want your short-term goals to build up to your long-term goals. One approach to use is to set mini goals. A mini goal may sound funny, but the small goals will lead to the larger end goal. If you make your goal specific, you are more likely to achieve it!
  3. MOTIVATION: What is the motivation behind pursuing your goal? Take time to answer this question. Once you have captured this, write it down, tell a friend, share it with the world! When you have a hard day and don鈥檛 feel motivated, this will serve as an excellent reminder as to why you are working toward this goal.
  4. SUPPORT: Who is encouraging you in your life to achieve your goal? It is important to be surrounded by people who can cheer you on along your journey and celebrate your progress. Whether it鈥檚 a coworker, family member, or neighbor, these people are there to support you! Tell someone 鈥� anyone 鈥� now. It feels good when people take interest and ask, 鈥淗ey, how is it going with your goal?鈥� or 鈥淗ow can I help?鈥� These supporters can provide help when you need it.
  5. FIND UNINTERRUPTED TIME: Try to find free, uninterrupted time in your schedule to concentrate on making progress toward your goal. For a week, keep a log each day and write down when you have free time when you can work uninterrupted. Also, write down how your energy level is. Does it make sense to study or write cover letters at 10 pm when you are tuckered out? Take note of these times and adjust your schedule accordingly.

By following these helpful tips and tricks, you can make your time management more effective and make progress toward your goals. Remember this is a process; it may not be perfected overnight. But with some changes to your daily or weekly schedule, you can do it!

 

Fall 2017 Issue

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

To read selected articles from this issue of the Excelsior College Magazine, follow the links below.


Featured

Cool Courses

Various course images

The College offers鈥攁nd students are taking鈥攕ome interesting courses. Find out what students say about these eclectic choices.

Heard it from a Friend Who

Talk bubbles

Sometimes a chance conversation or seeing a family member pursue their degree is all it takes for someone to enroll.

Magic Man

Nelson Torres

Graduate finds rewarding career behind the scenes at the Smithsonian

President’s Perspective

Our Moment of Truth

New & Noteworthy

Alumna Karen Cox Addresses Graduates

Lifelong Learning

Check it Off!

Career Corner

Update Your Outdated Resume

Upward

Learn in 3D

Giving Back

An Ongoing Connection

Alumni Connection

5 Questions
Alumni Achievers

Alumni Notes

Allied Alumni

 

More Past Issues

 

Update Your Outdated Resume

Posted on by Maribeth Gunner

Make simple improvements to showcase your unique value

Although some basics remain the same, resume trends change and you need to change with them to remain competitive. Dusting off your resume and adding the most recent employment experiences will not suffice. To open doors in the workforce today, resumes should reflect a fresh, modern look with certain contemporary elements. Try these suggestions to rejuvenate your resume.

OPTIMIZE THE TOP:

The top portion of your resume is prime real estate. A hiring manager will scan this first, allotting only about 6鈥�8 seconds for reading, so the content must
count. Include your complete contact information. Your full name should be set apart in a large readable font. In addition to your name, email, phone, and address, add your LinkedIn profile, online portfolio, or personal website address if you have one. Most employers will screen candidates on social media, so be a step ahead: maintain a polished, professional account, and provide
the URL. If you are still holding onto an AOL, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account, consider acquiring a more widely accepted Gmail account. The others are often viewed as dated, and do not lend a tech-savvy impression. Finally, if you have an email address that is quirky or unprofessional, change it to convey a business tone.

REPLACE YOUR OBJECTIVE:

Rather than using an aspirational career objective at the top of your resume, focus on what you can do for an organization. A succinct Summary of Qualifications offers a more eclectic overview of your strengths, highlighting areas of expertise, experience, and core skills in several brief bullets. Not only does this approach pinpoint your specific qualifications that align with the needs of the organization, it also provides more latitude to showcase your personal brand.

CUSTOMIZE FOR THE JOB:

Avoid using the 鈥渙ne-size-fits-most鈥� approach and tailor your resume to each job you鈥檙e applying for so there is a clear match between your qualifications and the position requirements. Read the job posting carefully to identify unique phrasing, key terms, and skill sets that are being sought. Include these key words in your resume by integrating them within the professional summary and the work experience section. Key words are also necessary to get past the applicant tracking software many companies use to weed out unqualified
applicants. If enough correct words are detected, the system sends on those who qualify for staff review. Without the right key words, your resume may be rejected before human eyes ever see it.

INCLUDE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Simply listing your duties and responsibilities will not effectively reflect your past performance. Accomplishment statements capture your unique contributions and underscore your positive impact in the workplace. Quantify your information whenever possible with results-oriented statements. Describe how you applied your skills and achieved goals. Did you improve an office process? Were you a team leader? Did you reduce costs for the company? Replace those drab descriptors with accomplishment statements that highlight your achievements, and don鈥檛 forget to weave in those important key words along the way.

MAKE YOUR EDUCATION WORK FOR YOU:

The education section on your resume can be an advantageous way to outshine your competitors. Placement of your educational credentials depends on your current career status and what you want to emphasize. If you鈥檙e a recent graduate, or a career changer with a more current credential that supports your transition, lead with education at the top. If you have had a steady career path, place the education closer to the bottom of your resume. Graduation dates are not necessary unless you are a recent college graduate with no professional experience. Unfortunately, listing the dates can work against you as you progress in your career. Ideally, the employer is most concerned about the degree, not the date.

PAY ATTENTION TO FORMATS AND FONTS:

Employers will give less than 20 seconds to review your resume, so keep it organized, legible, and easy to navigate. Stay away from densely packed text, too many mixed font types and sizes, and lengthy paragraphs. Make sure there are no typos. Use bullets and proper spacing. The goal is to create an aesthetically attractive, uncluttered, formatted resume with easy readability.
With these few revisions, you can easily transform your resume into a more modern, well-crafted resume that will clearly illustrate your value, bring you to the forefront, and increase your employability.

 

Magic Man

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin
Graduate finds rewarding career behind the scenes at the Smithsonian

The halls of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History are quiet. Nelson Torres passes by the elephant standing impressive in the rotunda. He glances toward the Hall of Mammals,
knowing that Smithsonian staff has made sure each of the exhibits is open and safe; the escalators are in working order; the air conditioning is ready to cool the mass of patrons coming through the doors in a few short hours. He is behind the scenes, in the shadows, but he helps ensure all the Smithsonian museums are accessible and ready for the public.

Torres, a 1997 BS in Liberal Arts graduate, is the associate director of business operations within the Office of Facilities Management and Reliability at the Smithsonian Institution. He oversees the facilities budget and workforce, procurement process, and property management for the Smithsonian鈥檚 19 museums, National Zoo, and a handful of research centers across the country 鈥� 13 million square feet of space.

鈥淚 really like business, I really like managing resources and programs, and seeing how those programs work and thrive,鈥� says Torres of his position. His interest in business management stems back to his high school days. He pursued accounting in college, but ended up going into the Marine Corps where he stayed for the next 20 years. He says of his managing experience in the service: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 where I learned the rudimentary, hands-on, practical business management鈥� .鈥� Torres completed his bachelor鈥檚 degree with Excelsior College and earned a Master in Public Administration from Webster University. After he retired from the service, he went on to earn a PhD in business from Northcentral University.

His team is responsible for providing the human, budgetary, and property resources to facilitate the cleanliness, appearance, and maintenance of the iconic Smithsonian Institution facilities. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of the back room, enterprise sort of thing that people don鈥檛 see and maybe take for granted that will always work,鈥� he explains. He may work behind the exhibits, but he enjoys seeing the payoff every day. That鈥檚 what gets him up in the morning. 鈥淪eeing the tangible and almost immediate results of what we do, whether it鈥檚 getting lighting somewhere or flooring, or making sure things are clean,鈥� say Torres. 鈥淚t just really is seeing that tangible result; that the visitor experience goes on uninterrupted, and that it鈥檚 a good experience here at the Smithsonian.鈥�

In his interview with Candid Career, an organization that provides informational interview videos featuring professionals in myriad careers, he describes his daily responsibilities to viewers. Torres is one of a dozen Excelsior alumni who have shared their career trajectories through Candid Career. Excelsior鈥檚 Career Center houses the short videos on its website so that students
and others can learn about the various professions of Excelsior graduates. The videos are also shared on the Candid Career site.

Interviewees like Torres are asked to talk about their educational background and work experience, what they do at work, and their loves and challenges of the job. They give guidance on how to prepare to enter the field or obtain a similar position, and also share any final advice. Alumni are also asked about their experience with Excelsior College. Maribeth Gunner Pulliam, the director of career services at the College, said it is beneficial to have alumni featured on the Candid Career website. 鈥淣ot only do our own students get to see them, but prospective students get to see them, and students across the United States get to know the Excelsior brand,鈥� she said.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 have to be out聽there; I don鈥檛 have to be in front鈥夆�︹��.鈥塀ut I love making magic, and I love making things happen.鈥� 鈥揘elson Torres 鈥�97

Torres鈥檚 video has become popular on the Candid Career site and it鈥檚 easy to see why. He is dedicated but also credits his staff for making his job so enjoyable. 鈥淭hey are one of the reasons why I come to work. It鈥檚 a very pleasant, very collegial, very nurturing environment鈥� . I love that my work involves people and budgets and procurements, but it also involves working with the staff of different museums and different art galleries or the National Zoo or a research center and possibly finding a common theme that we all can work together toward.鈥�

At the end of each day, Torres leaves feeling physically and mentally tired, but more than that, he says he often wonders, 鈥淒id I do enough? Did I do enough today to ensure that tomorrow is going to be a great day for not only our staff but for our visiting public?鈥� In his position, he often has to think about the next day; it鈥檚 important to think strategically about what鈥檚 next. In this respect, Torres鈥檚 job is never over.

But that鈥檚 how he likes it, and even though he admits it鈥檇 be interesting to be somebody鈥檚 chief of staff, he would still enjoy working behind the scenes. I don鈥檛 have to be out there; I don鈥檛 have to be in front,鈥� he says, 鈥淏ut I love making magic, and I love making things happen.鈥�

 

Alumna Karen Cox Addresses Graduates

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

鈥淚 feel at home here at Excelsior with all of you and your stories,鈥� Commencement speaker Karen Cox said, addressing more than 400 Excelsior graduates and their friends and family in July. Cox
earned her associate degree in nursing from Excelsior (then Regents College) in 1982 and is president of the American Academy of Nursing.

She relayed her own upbringing in Independence, Missouri, and her journey to become a nurse. She told graduates that receiving their degrees meant they would 鈥渓earn, grow, and find meaningful ways to contribute and leave the world 鈥� whatever your piece of it is 鈥� better than you found it.鈥�

鈥淏ut most importantly, never lose your voice. Say what needs to be said in the name of what is right, just, and fair.鈥� 鈥揔aren Cox ’82

Cox shared stories of ordinary people who had a profound impact on the lives of others by 鈥渏ust doing their jobs.鈥� She reminded graduates that they, too, can have an impact on the lives of others; that they each can and will make a difference. 鈥淏ut most importantly, never lose your voice. Say what needs to be said in the name of what is right, just, and fair,鈥� she said.

Cox ended her address by saying to graduates, 鈥淪o, ladies and gentlemen, give them Hell and ever upward!鈥� Graduates applauded enthusiastically at these rousing words.

Cox is executive vice president and COO of Children鈥檚 Mercy鈥揔ansas City, an independent, academic medical center in Missouri. She also serves as assistant dean for Clinical Partnerships at the University of Missouri鈥揔ansas City (UMKC), and is the inaugural endowed chair for the V. Fred Burry, MD, and Sandra Hobart Burry Chair in Nursing Advocacy and Leadership to recognize her
local and national advocacy and leadership work. In addition to her degree from Excelsior College, she earned a BS in Nursing from the University of Kansas, and an MS in Nursing and PhD from UMKC. In 2006, she received the Carrie B. Lenburg Award from the Excelsior College Alumni Association. The award recognizes a nurse who demonstrates commitment to nursing education as well as academic and professional accomplishments in the field of nursing.

 

Our Moment of Truth

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

On July 14, Excelsior College held its annual Commencement in Albany, New York.

The ceremony, in the Empire State Plaza Convention Center, located a stone鈥檚 throw from the state capitol, was attended by staff, faculty, local dignitaries, and more than 400 graduates from throughout the nation and the world, accompanied and cheered on by family and friends. The chance to meet each graduate as they walked across the stage 鈥� to shake their hand, offer my congratulations, and wish them well on the journey ahead 鈥� made for a truly special experience.

At a time when some are questioning the value of higher education, events like this remind us of the importance of Excelsior College and all institutions of learning.

Education creates new opportunities and new pathways to knowledge. It broadens perspectives and facilitates intellectual, emotional, personal, and spiritual development.

Education represents our infinite quest for the truth. And, despite what we read, see, and hear in the news and on social media today, the truth matters.

As educated citizens, it is our responsibility to engage with each other in civic discourse based upon knowledge and facts. Our future depends upon our willingness to demand the facts, insist upon the truth, and hold our leaders accountable for the truth.

Education is vital to our representative democracy, helping to create a better informed, more civically engaged citizenry that applies its knowledge of the facts and habits of mind to advance the human condition.

Some have described our current times as the 鈥減ost-truth鈥� era. Our response is and should be to affirm our commitment to learning 鈥� and to redouble our efforts to seek and uphold the truth.

For 46 years, Excelsior College has been assessing and validating knowledge acquired through military service, professional development, life experiences and course taking, providing adult learners with a tailwind that propels them forward. Our commitment to validating learning and knowledge remains steadfast 鈥� as does our resolve that the truth matters . It always matters.

 

CPNE and Me: Patricia Posey

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

Patricia Posey will never forget the day that she passed the Clinical Performance in Nursing Exam; it was on what would have been her grandmother鈥檚 birthday: November 11.

Posey鈥檚 grandmother was the one who had encouraged her to become an RN. She told Posey to pursue the nursing path when Posey was a young girl. Sadly, she never got to see Posey reach her goal. 鈥淔or years, I kept telling myself If I had just known how to do CPR, I may have been able to save her life,鈥� Posey recalls, remembering her grandmother dying in front of her. Posey was then determined to pursue nursing. The path was not easy, however. She became a LPN and immediately knew she wanted to pursue her associate degree in nursing. Unfortunately, life threw some stumbling blocks in her way and she needed to focus on family instead of school.

Soon, however, Posey was ready to return to school and decided on Excelsior. 鈥淚 decided Excelsior would be a good choice for me because it would allow me several options of obtaining my degree.鈥� Posey took advantage of every way she could receive credit; she registered for courses, took exams for credits, and transferred in credit from her time at a community college.

She also took advantage of the resources Excelsior offered to study for the CPNE. Posey says she reviewed her study guide, watched the School of Nursing鈥檚 webinar series, 鈥淐onversations with Kim,鈥� and other related videos, used the messaging system to ask questions, and attended a workshop.

Her biggest support, though, was her husband. No matter how much she struggled or how exhausted she was, Posey says her husband was right there, cheering her on. In summer 2018, Posey experienced a series of personal challenges when her daughter briefly went missing and then her brother, whom she had recently reconnected with, was murdered. 鈥淲ithout my husband鈥攅ven though I was so close to finishing鈥擨 probably would have given up. I just didn鈥檛 have the energy to continue with anything at that point,鈥� recalls Posey. He encouraged her to keep studying and to finish what she started.

And she did just that. Posey passed her CPNE on November 11, 2018 at in Utica, NY. She says her associate degree in nursing means advancement in her career and she isn鈥檛 done learning, either. She plans to pursue her bachelor鈥檚 and then her master鈥檚. She wants to become a nurse practitioner or focus on education. 鈥淢aybe one day I will have the opportunity to be a CE or CA for Excelsior College. How awesome would that be?鈥�

CPNE Tips from Patricia Posey

  • 鈥淩each out and ask for help. Excelsior staff is there to help you. They respond very quickly and can point you in the right direction to get you back on track with whatever you are struggling with. You didn鈥檛 come this far to fail鈥�. don鈥檛 give up鈥�. If I can do this, so can you.鈥�
  • 鈥淚 recommend utilizing all the material that Excelsior College gives you. This will prepare you for what you are trying to accomplish.鈥�
  • 鈥淢ake mnemonics according to the way you learn and can remember them. This will help you when you鈥檙e under stress while performing your CPNE.鈥�
  • 鈥淚 recommend that you do not use social media during your testing weekend. Only focus on your goal.鈥�
  • 鈥淓at healthy, get plenty of rest, and go into the testing site with confidence, determination, and compassion.鈥�
  • 鈥淵ou will most likely never meet these patients again, but treat them as if they were one of your family members. Trust me, it will help ease your nerves [and] at the same time [you will] provide competent nursing care.鈥�

Getting the Most Out of a Job Fair

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

Whether you have a job and are looking to make a change or are currently unemployed, job fairs can be a great way to meet with recruiters. Navigating a job fair can be difficult, though, so here are some great tips to ensure you have a successful job fair experience.

Know Your Intention/Your Objective

At a typical job far, a recruiter meets hundreds of job or internship seekers. The ones who are prepared and concise stand out. Walk into the room with intention and with clear objectives. The registration or welcome desk will often have a list of employers and/or layout of the fair so you can have an idea of where to start. Be sure to check this list so you know exactly where you鈥檙e going and aren鈥檛 just wandering aimlessly without clear direction.

Bring the Necessary Collateral

Be prepared with collateral both for the job fair and your online presence. Be sure your items are professional and error free. Excelsior鈥檚 Career Center has resources for current students that can assist with job search preparation. Have your items reviewed by someone you trust.
鈥� Your resume. Most recruiters prefer an old-fashioned paper resume that they can read on the spot. Successful job fair applicants should bring plenty of concise and informative resumes in a neat briefcase or portfolio.
鈥� Use social networks to your advantage. This can be LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. LinkedIn, which was created for the business community, is an ideal online network for job hunters. Many companies are using LinkedIn to research and find candidates. LinkedIn helps companies leverage the networks of their employees as well. Many successful job fair applicants connect with their recruiters on LinkedIn after their initial meeting.
鈥� Business cards. At minimum your name, email address, and cell phone number should be on the card.

Perfect Your Elevator Pitch

This is a short statement 鈥� 30-60 seconds鈥� of who you are and what you are looking for. Remember to mention what you have to offer. Savvy job fair attendees focus on how their experience benefits the company and offer tangible insight on how their skills benefit the employer. The key objective is for the recruiter to be compelled to want more time with you.

Research and Target Companies

The average job fair has 60鈥�100 companies. There will be companies you are somewhat familiar with and others you have no idea what they do. Smart candidates take the time to thoroughly research the job fairs they attend. They find out what companies will be on the premises and decide which companies are of interest to them. They then read as much as they can about their favorite companies. When they arrive at the job fair, they have a short list of companies they want to make a personal connection with. Therefore, research is critical to maximize the event. From your research, have a short list of 鈥渕ust see鈥� companies. Download a list of the companies you are targeting and put them into a central list.

Know:

鈥� What they do
鈥� Your elevator ppeech
鈥� Why you are interested
鈥� Two great questions for the recruiter.

Additional Tips to Maximize Your Experience

鈥� Arrive early so you can review your research before entering the room.
鈥� Go alone so you can completely focus on the event.
鈥� Have your collateral ready.
鈥� Dress professionally and conservatively. Even if you are applying for a position that will likely require a uniform or carpenter pants, wear a freshly pressed suit and comfortable yet professional shoes, and make sure that hair and nails are freshly groomed.
鈥� Manners Matter. Never assume that Mr. Fred Johnson wants to be called Fred. Reference him as 鈥淢r. Johnson鈥� until he says otherwise.
鈥� Recognize the social cues that your interview is over. Many candidates make the mistake of lingering at the booth, or returning to the recruiter repeatedly during the fair. Or they send daily emails to the recruiter asking for progress reports. While appropriate follow-up is important, pestering them will not land you your dream job.

Visit Excelsior鈥檚 ; to explore career exploration tools, conduct self-assessments, find careers best fit for you, and more.