Education and Career Transition Guide for Servicemembers and Veterans
Special Section: Admissions Roundtable
Chief of Change Dawn A. Bilodeau Chief, DoD Voluntary Education Programs Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Force Education and Training
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June 2016
Volume 11, Issue 5
Transition Trends Corporate Connection: Joining Forces • Making the Transition: Veteran Workforce Development Programs • Careers & Degrees in Aviation
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MILITARY ADVANCED EDUCATION & Transition Features
Cover / Q&A MAE&T Supplement
Transition Trends
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6
A Career that Soars
Corporate Connection Joining Forces: 40 Companies Pledge to Hire Veterans
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The Mighty MBA Veterans and servicemembers find that Masters of Business Administration degrees give them a leg up in the career world, both in career opportunities and salary. By Holly Christy
Departments 2 Editor’s Perspective 15 Class Notes 25 CCME GRAPEVINE 26 MONEY TALKS 27 RESOURCE CENTER
June 2016 Volume 11, Issue 5
Degrees in Aviation offer attractive opportunities for military students who strive for the skies. Careers in aviation offer good job security and work in a variety of fields, like aircraft maintenance technician, aircraft dispatcher, airport manager, professional pilot, and air traffic controller. By: Jaime Fettrow-Alderfer
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Remain a Skilled Soldier for Life The Army’s Active Component to Reserve Component Program helps active duty soldiers transitioning to the reserve component to keep their families grounded in their local communities, remain an integral part of the Army, and leverage their skills to acquire meaningful private sector employment. By Jamal B. Beck
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Making the Transition… Veteran Workforce Development Programs Vocational acceleration for returning veterans is crucial in assisting with the successful transition of veterans into the community as productive and contributing citizens. It ensures that they can return to productive jobs in their communities in the shortest time possible, with necessary credentials.
16 Dawn A. Bilodeau
Chief, DoD Voluntary Education Programs Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Force Education and Training
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Admit One MAE&T asked schools: “What should a military/veteran student know about the admissions process, and how are schools poised to assist veterans and servicemembers in navigating this process?
University Corner Don Jeffrey Vice Chancellor for Military Affairs Campus Vice Chancellor, Dothan Campus Troy University
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The leading higher education resource for our nation’s servicemembers Targeted circulation reaches education services officers and content focuses on current trends in higher education and highlights pressing issues for military students.
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EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE
Military Advanced Education & Transition Volume 11, Issue 5 • June 2016
Education and Career Transition Guide for Servicemembers and Veterans Editorial Editor
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A group of military and veterans service organizations, joined by other organizations that share their concern, have expressed opposition to the amendment on “academic advising on DOD installations” that was recently adopted during the Senate Armed Services Committee’s consideration of the FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Bill. The Senate approved a massive defense policy bill that includes Sen. Joe Manchin’s provision easing for-profit colleges’ access to military bases. The bill passed without the compromise language Manchin’s office said he had worked out with fellow Democrats who Kelly G. Fodel were strongly opposed to his amendment. Editor The 20 groups that have signed on to a letter to senators say the language undermines the Pentagon’s current process of using a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to decide which educational institutions to allow onto bases. The letter was signed by: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Air Force Sergeants Association Air Force Women Officers Associated Association of the United States Navy Blue Star Families Higher Ed Not Debt Generation Progress Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America National Association for Black Veterans National Association of College Admissions Counseling The Institute for College Access and Success Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association & Enlisted Association Veterans for Common Sense Veterans Student Loan Relief Fund Veterans Education Success Veterans Legal Clinic University of San Diego Law School VetJobs VetsFirst Vietnam Veterans of America Young Invincibles.
Currently, only MOU signatories that agree to abide by federal rules regarding misleading recruiting are allowed on military installations. Access is granted through the installation education officer with approval by the base commander. DOD has also instructed installation commanders on acceptable commercial solicitation rules. The signatories to the letter maintain that the amendment is not necessary, as the DOD already maintains ample parameters for educational institutions to have significant and adequate access to military installations, especially for educational counseling. Access to military installations is controlled by DOD and the services, and the requirements are spelled out in the DOD Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which all schools wishing to participate in Tuition Assistance must sign. According to DOD, military students report that they currently have sufficient opportunity on base to consult with schools about their educational plans and needs. Despite the existing DOD regulations, the groups say they remain concerned that some educational institutions are still engaged in misleading and aggressive recruiting on military installations, as recent law enforcement actions have demonstrated. “Weakening the existing DOD regulations is the opposite of what servicemembers need right now,” the letter said.
Transition Trends
CORPORATE CONNECTION
Military Advanced Education & Transition
Joining Forces: 40 Companies Pledge to Hire Veterans
In 2011, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden came together to launch Joining Forces, a nationwide initiative calling all Americans to rally around servicemembers, veterans, and their families and support them through wellness, education, and employment opportunities. More than 1.2 million veterans and spouses have been hired or trained since the launch of Joining Forces. A recent announcement includes more than 110,000 new hiring commitments by 40 companies, and nearly 60,000 new training commitments for veterans and military spouses over the next five years, primarily in the fields of aerospace, telecommunications and tech. Included in this hiring commitment is Amazon, which has pledged to hire 25,000 veterans and military spouses. The Aerospace-Defense sector has pledged to hire a combined total of 30,000 veterans. The Telecommunications sector has pledged to hire a combined total of 25,000 veterans. In addition, 15 companies and organizations have committed to lead training programs, sponsor scholarships, and support certification courses for nearly 60,000 veterans and military spouses over the next five years. Many of these opportunities also offer interviews, internships, and other pathways to empower members of the military community with the knowledge, skills, or credentials to begin high tech careers. Companies that announced hiring commitments over the next five years include: 4 | MAE&T 11.5 | Transition Trends
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Amazon BAE Systems The Boeing Company General Dynamics Lockheed Martin Corporation Northrop Grumman Raytheon AT&T Sprint T-Mobile Verizon Accenture USAA Dell Inc. EMC Hewlett Packard Enterprise JPMorgan Chase & Co. Johnson Controls Leidos Tesla Motors GoDaddy
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Intuit National Vision Inc. Seagate Technology Siemens SpaceX Samsung Electronics America Samsung Austin Semiconductor HP Inc Solutionary First Data RBR Technologies Activision-Blizzard Coalfire General Electric LG Electronics USA Rockwell Collins Scaled Composites, LLC SolarCity Zenefits KKR
In addition, a number of companies have pledged their involvement in training and certification commitments. Salesforce.com has pledged to provide free Salesforce training to 35,000 veterans, military spouses and transitioning www.MAE-kmi.com
Transition Trends servicemembers over the next five years as part of its VetForce program. After completion of the VetForce program, veterans are connected to employment opportunities as Salesforce Administrators, Business Analysts, and Developers in the Salesforce customer and partner ecosystem. Amazon is committed to providing 10,000 transitioning military members, veterans or military spouses who are not Amazon employees with more than $7 million in Amazon Web Services (AWS) training and certifications for cloud computing skills. These AWS trainings provide an academic gateway for the next generation of IT and cloud professionals. Amazon is also committed to training 25 wounded warriors at AWS Boot Camps for functional roles in cloud computing and commercial companies operating in the tech space. VetsinTech has pledged to train 5,000 veterans in Salesforce, Cybersecurity, and Employment training programs over the next five years. Microsoft is committed to empowering transitioning servicemembers with relevant training through their Microsoft Software & Systems Academy (MSSA) in one of three 18-week learning paths: 1) Server & Cloud Administration; 2) Database & Business Intelligence; and 3) Cloud Application Development. More than 90 percent of MSSA graduates have gone on to secure meaningful jobs in the tech sector, or continue to pursue their education. Microsoft is committed to training 5,000 transitioning service members over the next five years. The Accenture Veteran Technology Training Program helps veterans become Java programmers. Accenture selects candidates and awards scholarships towards a twomonth Udacity course. Upon completion, veterans receive job interviews with Accenture for entry-level software engineering positions and are able to waive the college degree requirement. Cisco has pledged to provide $10 million as part of a Global Cisco Security Scholarship to help address the worldwide security talent shortage. The scholarship will offer training and certification to equip qualified individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to build a career in cybersecurity. Over the next two years, Cisco is offering scholarships targeting at least 1,000 qualified veterans and transitioning servicemembers to help them obtain industryleading training and certification. The scholarship program will launch this June. Sharp Decisions, Inc. pledges to train and hire 500 veterans and military spouses through the V.E.T.S. (Vocation, Education, and Training for Servicemembers) program over the next five years. The V.E.T.S. program provides platoon-based technology training—free of charge to the veteran or veterans’ spouse—in quality assurance, project management, business analysis, cloud security and cyber security. Those who graduate then deploy as employees of Sharp Decisions to corporate clients in the healthcare, financial services, media and telecommunications, and government sectors. Siemens will offer job training for 500 U.S. military veterans over the next five years. Siemens Product Lifecycle www.MAE-kmi.com
Management (PLM) software business will provide free training in digital lifecycle management and computeraided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) and computer-aided engineering (CAE) software. Siemens will invest up to $17,000 per eligible veteran for training to help enhance veterans’ qualifications for skilled positions with Siemens. SAP NS2 Serves has pledged to train and place 400 veterans in a career by 2021. One hundred of these veterans will have completed the program by May 2016. Graduates of the program will achieve the status of SAP Certified Consultant. Palo Alto Networks has pledged to train 400 veterans and transitioning servicemembers over the next five years through the Palo Alto Networks Academy program. After completion of the coursework and successfully passing the accreditation exam, candidates will receive their Palo Alto Networks ACE (Accredited Configuration Engineer) Accreditation. USAA has pledged to hire and train 300 transitioning military veterans through the Veterans for Information Technology (VetFIT) program through 2020. The 22-week program provides comprehensive software development training and an internship at USAA. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has pledged train and hire 300 transitioning service members with at least two years of experience in IT, intel or communications roles through the PwC Cybersecurity Hiring Initiative. The program places veterans into full-time cybersecurity roles across the country, and provides targeted education and training to support a successful transition into PwC as well as the professional services industry. The SANS Institute has pledged to train a minimum of 200 transitioning veterans over the next four years through its VetSuccess program. Graduates of the program receive highly regarded GIAC certifications and employment opportunities in the rapidly growing field of information security. Blue Star Families, in partnership with the Clinton Health Matters Initiative, has pledged to train 100 military spouses and caregivers through their SpouseForce program. SpouseForce is an 8-week training that provides participants with the knowledge and tools to prepare for the Salesforce Certified Administrator exam. Cengage Learning has pledged to provide 100 scholarships to help veterans and military spouses access the company’s wide range of online certificate training programs at higher education institutions. These programs lead to industry-recognized credentials and certifications, including CompTia Healthcare IT Technician, Graphic Design with Photoshop, and Project Management Professional (PMP). O
For more information, contact MAE&T Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.
Transition Trends | MAE&T 11.5 | 5
Careers in AVIATION
A Career that
Soars
Attractive opportunities wait for those who wish to fly high with a degree in aviation. William Shakespeare wrote “My soul is in the sky,” in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. For some, a career in aviation isn’t just for the soul but for the heart and mind, as there is a variety of lines of work that can be explored. Several universities offer current and former servicemembers opportunities to study career paths to the sky.
Kansas State University Polytechnic The Salina campus is home to one of the world’s first and most highly ranked collegiate unmanned aircraft programs with focuses in operations and engineering. “Students in this program are prepared for careers as UAS operators and managers,” Dr. Kurt Barnhart, AssoKurt Barnhart ciate Dean of Research, said. Kansas State University “With a focus on actual field Polytechnic operations, our students graduate with many hours of actual UAS operations and real work experience.” Kanas State Polytechnic also has an internationally acclaimed professional pilot program in which students are prepared for careers as professional airline, corporate, military or general aviation pilots. 6 | MAE&T 11.5 | Transition Trends
By Jaime Fettrow-Alderfer MAE&T Correspondent
“Graduates will earn their commercial pilot certificate with instrument and multi-engine privileges in addition to an instrument flight instructor certificate,” Barnhart said. In addition, the university offers an airport management program in which students are prepared for careers in the highly specialized field of airport management, and they graduate ready to go to work for a major airport, having taken their American Association of Airport Executives initial test. In this scenario, graduates are ready to work for large aircraft manufacturers or aircraft sustainment companies. These programs have proven suitable for both current and former servicemembers, especially the professional pilot program for which the GI Bill covers all tuition and flight fees. Often those in the service have worked with or close to aircraft, so this career field isn’t totally new territory for them. Since military and civil aviation have developed hand-in-hand throughout history, aviation has always enjoyed a level of civil/military reciprocity in terms of people, technology and terminology, plus a shared airspace so the standards are similar. K-State is a yellow-ribbon school and has a strong veterans’ support organization. Kansas is home to multiple military installations and K-State is very near Ft. Riley, so the faculty and staff are all very familiar with and eager to work with our vets. In some programs, the percentage of veterans hovers around 20 percent. The professionally intensive programs can be challenging and somewhat demanding in terms of time because there is a significant amount of lab time involved in most of our programs. www.MAE-kmi.com
Transition Trends “Once a student graduates, the student will be working in, with, and around vehicles that operate in the national airspace system (NAS), which is a complex, highly regulated environment with little tolerance for error, so we must ensure students are prepared,” Barnhart said. “However, this is practical aeronautics, not actual rocket science, so students needn’t be academic superstars but they do need to be prepared for hard work and long hours outside the classroom learning their craft.” Nevertheless, hard work can pay off. Currently there is a shortage in many sectors of the aviation/aerospace industry, so often it is a matter of picking what area of the world one wants to live in and going from there. “In aviation we often say that attitude determines your altitude,” Barnhart said. Barnhart said a career in aviation can be very satisfying as one is helping people and equipment travel around the globe safely. “There is camaraderie in this field in that it takes dedication and a high skill level to move these big metal vehicles miles high at hundreds of miles an hour,” Barnhart said. “Further, we are at a very exciting time in the history of this technology in that we are on the verge of some game-changing breakthroughs in terms of vehicle speed, level of automation, and efficiency including space operations.” It’s a good time to be part of a growing industry.
University of North Dakota Students considering aviation programs at colleges in the Midwest can investigate the University of North Dakota’s aviation department. Students can choose seven different majors, ranging from aviation and airport management to aeronautics focusing on commercial Ken Polovitz aviation, unmanned aircraft University of North Dakota systems, flight education, air traffic control or aviation technology management. “All UND aviation academic majors are challenging,” Ken Polovitz, Assistant Dean of Student Services at the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences said. “They are liberal arts based with a very structured and rigorous flight training component.” UND is an attractive choice for former servicemembers; currently, the college has 50 veterans enrolled. The two academic majors sought most are Commercial Aviation, helicopter and fixed-wing and Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations. The University of North Dakota has earned the distinction of a military friendly institution and has a full service support office for veterans and their families. “Flight training costs are a significant hurdle for any student at any collegiate aviation program,” Polovitz said. “Having VA www.MAE-kmi.com
benefits assist with the costs makes this option even more appealing.” Student enrolled in UND’s aviation program will have access to more than 140 aircraft, simulators and UAS platforms, allowing students to gain critical experience for success. Polovitz said nearly 60-percent of the program’s students will eventually land a career in professional flight, either commercially or as a corporate pilot. Polovitz also reiterated the available opportunities in the growing aviation industry. It’s a good choice for someone looking for variety and job security.
Thomas Edison State University There are plenty of opportunities for aspiring aviation students at Thomas Edison State University. The university in Trenton, New Jersey, offers associate degree programs in Aviation Flight Technology, Aviation Support, Aviation Maintenance Technology, and Air Traffic Control. Donald S. Cucuzella It also offers bachelor degree programs in Aviation Flight Thomas Edison State University Technology, Aviation Maintenance Technology, Air Traffic Control and Aviation Management. “Our Academic Review Process in these fields enables us to award credit for FAA licenses that our students already possess,” Donald S. Cucuzella, assistant director of the School of Applied Science and Technology at Thomas Edison State University, said. “The approved licenses encompass credentials typically held by civilian and military aircraft dispatchers, transport pilots, certified flight instructors, helicopter pilots, control tower operators, flight engineers as well as commercial and private airplane pilots.” Thomas Edison State University has 3,516 active duty military personnel, 144 reservists and 566 military veterans enrolled in the School of Applied Science and Technology’s undergraduate programs. Also offered is a Master of Science in Applied Science and Technology program for students interested in obtaining leadership positions in a variety of technical professions and a recently developed Master of Science in Information Technology degree program that prepares students for leadership roles in the fields of Cybersecurity, Data Management and Analytics, Health Information Technology, Information Assurance, Network Management, and Software Engineering. The degree programs are challenging; online learning requires independent thinking, scholarship and motivation. Course mentors evaluate and grade students’ assignments, but they do not specifically teach students. In addition, with online learning, it is expected that students actively contribute to course discussion boards. “Our students tell us that their degrees have helped distinguish them in their field, set them apart in the job market, strengthened their résumés while they transitioned to civilian Transition Trends | MAE&T 11.5 | 7
Careers in AVIATION life and prepared them for managerial roles,” Cucuzella said. “In addition, I learned from speaking to our contacts in the aviation industry, a degree often equates to security for many aviation-related positions.” Cucuzella said students in Thomas Edison State’s program have chosen aviation-related fields because of the dynamism of the industry. It’s a field with continuously expanding technologies, accountability and leadership requirements, so a degree can be a valuable companion to students’ existing hands-on knowledge and industry experience. “It takes about two minutes near the runway of any international airport to realize the vast human resource requirements and career potential in the field,” Cucuzella said. Thomas Edison State University provides specialized educational opportunities for active duty military and veterans, awarding them maximum credit for their previous military training, certifications and professional licenses. In addition, servicemembers receive personalized attention. Operation College Promise (OCP), a national policy, research and education program, joined the university in 2015, where it continues to support the transition and postsecondary advancement of U.S. military veterans. The university also developed the online Operation Vet Success portal that serves as a virtual resource center guiding veteran and active duty students toward degree completion, connecting them with useful resources and helping them to prepare for civilian life.
Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology Vaughn College is a private, four-year college that enrolls more than 1,600 students in master’s, bachelor’s and associate degree programs in engineering, technology, management, and aviation on its main campus in New York City and online. Vaughn College offers an Pete Russo array of aviation pathways Vaughn College of Aeronautics and certificates in conjuncand Technology tion with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that may enable students to qualify for positions in some of today’s hottest aviation fields. The college offers two certificates, four associate’s degrees, seven different bachelor’s of science degrees and a master of science in airport management. Once a degree is completed, Vaughn students are prepared for a variety of careers including the following: an aircraft maintenance technician, aircraft dispatcher, an airport general manager and other positions in an airport from customer service to airport operations specialists to airport managers, as well as professional pilots and air traffic controllers. “The study of aviation maintenance also prepares students to install, assemble, diagnose and maintain the high-tech equipment that powers today›s transportation, energy and defense 8 | MAE&T 11.5 | Transition Trends
systems,” Pete Russo, Aviation Department Chair and Assistant Professor, said. “The Aviation Training Institute graduates have been recruited by telecommunications companies as well as transportation firms and public utilities.” Vaughn’s ground school courses prepare flight students with a strong academic background in the theoretical aspects of flight. They cover private pilot and instrument ratings, as well as commercial. Vaughn’s ground school classes prepare students to take FAA written exams and serve as a required complement to their flight training Students can expect the highest level of academic support both inside and outside of the classroom. Student progress is monitored by Vaughn’s flight staff to ensure that a morethan- satisfactory level of training is achieved. In fact, Vaughn has a new $1 million flight simulator lab that features a fleet of training devices. “Vaughn recently added a new, state-of-the-art radar and tower training facility, and the new ATC laboratory will complement our flight simulator laboratory and provide students with experience on the newest systems used in the field today,” Russo said. “Both the tower and radar training environments will support the same airport and airspace that students will encounter upon entering the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Academy.” Russo said a full-time student can complete the AAS degree program in four semesters or two years and the BS degree program in eight semesters or four years. As far as a job outlook, she points out the forecast for aviation jobs in very high as there will be unprecedented demand for people to pilot and maintain airplanes. “To meet this tremendous growth, the 2015 Boeing Pilot and Technical Outlook forecasts that between now and 2034, the aviation industry will need to supply more than one million new aviation personnel—558,000 commercial airline pilots and 609,000 maintenance technicians,” Russo said. Vaughn’s Veterans organization is a student organization made up of men and women who have served in all branches of the armed forces. Their goal is to offer exciting extra-curricular activities, networking and fellowship for veterans studying at Vaughn as well as assisting fellow vets in the transition from military to academic life. Career Services works with students in the different programs and takes into account what the different requirements are that employers seek in prospective candidates for hire. For additional support, Vaughn College has a new full-time internship coordinator. “Ninety-eight percent of Vaughn College graduates are placed in professional positions or choose to continue their education within one year of graduation,” Russo said. “They work in 20 countries and all 50 states.” It’s clear – the opportunities associated with a career in aviation are endless, abundant and varied. O
For more information, contact MAE&T Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.
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Transition Trends
making the Transition
Veteran Workforce Development Programs The Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University (IVMF) has released a report resulting from its Vocational Acceleration for Veterans Grant Program—a project funded by the Walmart Foundation through which the IVMF oversaw grants to a network of colleges and universities with student veteran-focused workforce development initiatives implemented in partnership with local workforce development agencies, businesses, and industry collaborators. The report highlights three schools—Del Mar College (Texas), Tarrant County College (Texas), and Wake Technical Community College (North Carolina)—and their unique continuing education programs that equip veterans with skills highly sought after by local and regional employers. Authored by Zach Huitink, an IVMF research associate and a PhD candidate in Public Administration at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School, the Vocational Acceleration Report showcases how each program blazed a trail to success. The case illustrations highlight the programs’ approaches to recruitment and service delivery, survey their achievements to date, and identify five best practices that could inform how other colleges and universities implement vocational acceleration programs to advance both veteran employment and their underlying educational missions. “These programs demonstrate the untapped potential of higher education to not only build a skilled workforce that will sustain American competitiveness in a rapidly changing global economy, but also position veterans and transitioning servicemembers to contribute to that future and ultimately www.MAE-kmi.com
succeed,” said IVMF Senior Director of Research and U.S. Army veteran Dr. Nick Armstrong. “Considering the freshly honed skills that these veterans bring to the workplace, combined with their discipline, leadership, and unwavering commitment to mission accomplishment, hiring veterans is not just a good deed for employers to do—it’s good for business.” Keys to Success: Best Practices for Delivering Vocational Acceleration Services to Veterans and Transitioning Servicemembers • Pursue a multi-faceted recruitment strategy that leverages both personal- and institutional-level relationships with public, private, and nonprofit partners; • Design a program that harnesses existing resources and infrastructure to maximize program enrollment capacity and minimize time required to complete training; • Raise program stakeholders’ “veterans IQ” by providing tools and knowledge necessary to understand the unique needs veterans bring to the learning environment; • Continuously gather data and feedback to tailor training to area employers’ needs; and • Plan for the future: develop a vision and a plan of action for delivering additional training modules that equip veterans with more highdemand skills. “By incorporating these practices into the development and implementation of their own programs, colleges and universities can put themselves in
a stronger position to succeed using the vocational acceleration approach to advancing veterans employment,” said Zach Huitink, author of the report. According to Anthony M. Caison, Sr., Vice President for Workforce Continuing Education at Wake Technical Community College, vocational acceleration for returning veterans is crucial in assisting with the successful transition of veterans into the community as productive and contributing citizens. “Providing vocational training in an accelerated format for veterans with the requisite skills ensures that they can return to productive jobs in their communities in the shortest time possible, and with the industry credentials to go along with it,” shared Caison. “Providing these opportunities to our returning veterans benefits the surrounding community and local economy by providing the foundation for stable veteran military families that have returned home and are able to contribute to the local economy through income earned as a result of valuable vocational training.” Jerry Hutyra, Coordinator of Workforce Training at Tarrant County College, added: “There were many achievements with veterans completing the IVMF training program, and it has furnished Tarrant County, the Dallas-Fort Worth regional area, and the State of Texas with ‘critically trained’ workforce members.” View or download the report at http://vets.syr.edu/studentsuccess. O
For more information, contact MAE&T Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.
Transition Trends | MAE&T 11.5 | 9
Firm Foundations, Specializations, and Big Returns By Holly Christy, MAE&T Correspondent The enormously popular Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree was born out of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College in 1900. As they do now, students in the early days of the MBA programs learned broad-based skills in finance, human resources, operations, and all that it takes for a business to succeed. As corporations grew larger and the global marketplace became more competitive, and certainly with the advent of the Internet, businesses found that they needed executives with more specialized skills and abilities. Graduate business schools, which were by then located across the United States and around the world, responded by tailoring their programs to allow their MBA candidates to choose specializations that would build on their broad management foundation and make them particularly employable in the new business environment. MBAs are, in fact, particularly employable. A Bloomberg article entitled “MBAs are Graduating into the Best Job Market in a Decade” indicates that worldwide, 84 percent of corporations are looking to hire MBAs, and in the United States the figure rises to 90 percent. What’s more, these newly minted MBAs are earning impressive salaries. US News & World Report recently released its findings from 129 business schools, and found that the average starting salary for an MBA is about $92,000. Business schools are quick to point out that these figures indicate an enormous return on investment, and make pursuing an MBA incredibly worthwhile. An MBA is a popular choice for Veterans and active duty military members. The Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University says there is a “strong correlation between military service and entrepreneurial success” such as one aims to achieve with an MBA. The school continues, “Veterans own 9 percent of all businesses nationwide and employ 5.8 million people. According to research by the Small Business Administration, veterans are twice as likely as nonveterans to pursue business ownership, and the five-year success rate of veteran-owned businesses significantly surpasses the national average. Why is this? Military training develops many of the skills and traits that translate to successful entrepreneurship. These include comfort with autonomy and uncertainty, self-efficiency, ambition, a desire for achievement and effective decision-making.” For military and civilian students alike, it’s important to find a school that “fits.” Now that the market is poised to hire MBAs, and students can customize their education to suit their career aspirations, many business schools are seeking to both equip their MBA candidates and structure their programs so that they are as beneficial and useful as possible. For some, that means an intensive and fully-immersed oncampus experience. For others, it means a flexible way to earn their degree while working full-time and often taking care of a family. Still others prefer to combine the on-campus and online platforms, finding that a hybrid program gives them the best of both worlds. These schools each have something unique to offer their MBA candidates.
Ohio State University The Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University offers its MBA program strictly on-campus. Alison Merzel (Senior Director of Graduate Recruiting, Admissions and Financial Aid) says there’s 10 | MAE&T 11.5
a benefit to this structure, “All of Fisher’s programs take place on campus. A large portion of the value of a Fisher MBA is the opportunities our students have to work together in small groups, network, participate in on-campus recruiting events, executive speaker series, and work with our award-winning Office of Career Management on a regular basis.” She adds, “Unlike larger MBA programs, Alison Merzel our intentionally small cohort size Ohio State University cultivates a tight-knit, collaboratively competitive community focused on individual goals at every level. From faculty and academic advisors to career management consultants, Fisher is committed to our students’ success.” In order to accommodate students in varying stages of their careers, Fisher delivers the MBA program in three distinct ways: the Full-Time MBA, the Working Professionals MBA, and the Executive MBA. The Full-Time program takes two years - four semesters, with a summer break during which students participate in an internship. The Working Professionals program meets for classes in the evenings. Most students take two classes at a time and graduate in eight semesters, including summers. The Executive MBA program consists of sessions that meet three consecutive days a month (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) over a 17-month period. No matter the format, Merzel explains, “Our curriculum provides students with the core knowledge critical to business leaders and the flexibility to tailor a degree to meet individual goals in a variety of industries. Once students complete the core curriculum, they can design an elective curriculum by selecting from a variety of majors or design one to suit their unique career goals and aspirations. Degrees can be further individualized through courses at other colleges within The Ohio State University. Fisher also provides a rich portfolio of dual degree offerings that allow students to earn their MBA and another Masters level or PhD degree.” Regarding military and veteran MBA candidates, Merzel says “Fisher takes a deliberate approach to recruiting highly qualified military service men and women. We value their unique perspective and recognize the great value their experiences bring to the classroom. Veterans and military students have a solid foundation of practical training and leadership experience. An MBA from Fisher can help them capitalize on the skills their military experience provided to increase their value in the corporate or non-profit world. An MBA also provides the tools to make a smooth transition out of the service by introducing students to a variety of civilian companies and growing their professional networks.” At Fisher, students will find numerous veterans benefits including: Automatic qualification for in-state tuition under the “Ohio G.I. Promise,” a number of scholarships specifically designated for military candidates, waived application fees for current and former military members, support during and after the program from the Fisher Veterans Association and the Ohio State Office of Military and Veterans www.MAE-kmi.com
Services, and opportunities to participate in the national MBA Veterans Career Conference. Merzel adds that the average starting salary for Fisher’s veteran graduates in 2015 was $100,750 and 100 percent reported receiving job offers within three months of graduation.
Rutgers Business School Rutgers is also an on-campus MBA program, but they have recently announced that an online MBA platform is under development. Their current programs are located on their New Jersey campuses, which according to Margaret O’Donnell (Executive Education Program Manager) puts them, “Geographically situated within the center of global business, so RBS has exclusive access to top executives Margaret O’Donnell who lead the world’s largest corporations and often serve as guest speak- Rutgers Business School ers. They hire RBS grads, too! Our strong partnerships with these corporations are pivotal to the RBS experience.” Rutgers students can participate in the full-time, part-time, or dual-degree MBA programs. O’Donnell says, “With a wide variety of concentrations to pursue vast career goals and without regard to prior experience or education, [our] MBAs go on to become leaders in cor-
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porations, excel in their discipline, and build businesses of their own. Rutgers MBA students work hard in a collaborative environment to get the research-based knowledge and real-world practical skills necessary to reach their professional goals. Students who choose a Rutgers MBA get immediately connected to an unrivaled alumni and corporate network and learn in an ambitious and entrepreneurial environment that gets business ideas rolling.” The full-time MBA at Rutgers is a traditional program, with a proven track record. Last year, MBA graduates had a 98 percent job placement rating. The full-time program also has various international study options, to include trips to China, Costa Rica, India, France, and Germany, as well as exchange programs with wellregarded European graduate schools. About the part-time MBA, Rutgers’ website explains that “students can begin the part-time MBA at any time: in the fall, spring, or summer session. They may also apply to begin the part-time MBA program as a non-matriculated student if they have not yet taken the GMAT/GRE. Students already pursuing a bachelor’s degree and admitted to BS or BA/MBA program at Rutgers can begin taking classes toward the part-time MBA while completing their bachelor’s.” Rutgers also offers many dual-degree MBA programs presented in conjunction with other schools and institutions at Rutgers. They clarify that typically dual degree programs are completed as part of full-time study and may not be compatible with part-time study. For current or former service members, a great and unique entrée into an MBA program is the Rutgers Mini-MBA: Business
“My today started when I realized my leadership skills were building blocks. After serving my country with tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, I was equipped with the fundamentals. But I knew there was room to grow and more to learn. At the University of Nebraska at Omaha, I found a highly ranked program available online that worked with me while overseas and helped develop the skills I apply in my role each day. Thanks to my advanced degree, I’m able to use my leadership and managerial expertise to tackle administrative challenges. And I’m excited to see my opportunities continue to grow today and tomorrow.” JEFF LEHMKUHL Master of Public Administration University of Nebraska at Omaha
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Management for Military and Veterans. O’Donnell explains, “This program was designed with significant input from veterans and is taught primarily by veterans who have themselves made successful transitions into business careers.” The university’s website describes, “The Mini-MBA: Business Management for Military and Veterans program offers an overview of the key concepts, tools, and techniques that are required to succeed in a challenging civilian business environment. This program uniquely mixes veterans, transitioning military personnel, and civilian employers in the same classroom to provide all with a better understanding of how to capitalize upon years of military training, and how the knowledge and skills gained apply to a civilian workplace. It is highly interactive and features focused learning experiences centered on subject areas vital to a successful shift to a business career. By examining and discussing personal examples and case studies, recent veterans, current military personnel anticipating transition in the short term, and civilian managers will acquire a solid foundation in current business theory and practice. After completing this program, all participants (veteran and civilian) will have a solid framework for productively adapting in the workplace.” Rutgers prides itself on its diversity, which they say is as a key ingredient in meeting their innovation goals and staying ahead of the competition. O’Donnell mentions, “We recognize how much veterans contribute to our diversity, enriching the learning environment for their classmates. This is also one of many reasons our world-class faculty are so military friendly.”
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The Rutgers Office of Veteran and Military Programs and Services are a committed partner for military and veteran students. Dedicated to ensuring a smooth transition and supportive environment, their programs and services are designed to assist these students in their academic pursuits and ultimately, find rewarding employment after graduation. O’Donnell adds, “Rutgers recognizes that veterans simply need the right academic framework to combine with their military training and experience to unleash their enormous potential.”
University of Nebraska at Omaha MBA Director Lex Kaczmarek says, “We work closely with UNO’s Office of Military and Veteran Services, which provides military, veteran, and dependent students with resources and services developed to help them succeed.” UNO also attributes this success to their programs being application-oriented, enabling students to immediately utilize concepts learned in the classroom in their work environment. In fact, the UNO MBA program integrates the “triple bottom line” framework, used by the majority of Fortune 500 companies, across its curriculum to help develop ethical leaders who are able to effecLex Kaczmarek tively anticipate challenges, unearth University of new opportunities, and understand Nebraska at Omaha the relationship between social, economic and environmental trends. At UNO, eleven MBA core courses focus on leadership, accounting, finance, economics, ethics, information technology, organizational behavior, marketing, strategic financial management, business analytics, and strategy. In their final core course, students complete a pro-bono consulting project for a non-profit organization. With over 150 approved electives across a wide variety of areas, students are able to tailor their three elective courses to fit their specific interests. And for those students who wish to focus their electives in a specific area, there are nine available concentrations: supply chain management, collaboration science, electronic business, health care management, human resource management, international business, investment science, risk management and sustainability. The program can be completed full time or part time, with evenings courses tailored to working professionals. Kaczmarek says, “Our program is offered primarily on campus, although we offer some online classes. Students benefit from group projects and a rich learning environment that comes from face-to-face interactions in the classroom.” UNO also offers a dual MBA – MS in MIS program in collaboration with the Peter Kiewit Institute and has additional joint program offerings with the University of Nebraska Medical Center, including the MD-MBA program, MBA-MPH program and the Pharm.D.-MBA program. Kaczmarek explains the MBA’s appeal to military and veteran students, “The application-focused nature of the MBA program suits mature students with military experience particularly well.” For those looking to transition out of the military into civilian careers, she points out that UNO offers MBA Leadership Seminars which connect students with business and community leaders to discuss relevant issues. She adds, “Employment opportunities for UNO MBA graduates within the metropolitan Omaha area include five Fortune www.MAE-kmi.com
as electives and can specialize in accounting finance, marketing, supply chain, entrepreneurship, and business analytics - plus real estate, for on campus students. Syracuse University Syracuse has a long tradition being a proud supporter of military members and Amy McHale, Assistant Dean for Masters veterans. In 1946, the university welcomed Programs at Syracuse’s Whitman School returning World War II vetof Management, explains that erans under the G.I. Bill of they have both on-campus Rights and enrollment triand online MBA programs, pled overnight. In addition, “For our on campus MBA, McHale explains, “we have students spend four semeshad a unique cooperative ters on campus (two years) endeavor between Syracuse and are recommended to University and the Departseek an internship between ment of Defense since 1952. the two years. For our online The Defense Comptrollership students, they typically take Program (DCP) is a 60 credit two courses four times per Amy McHale hour program that the stuyear. They spend about 90 Syracuse’s Whitman dents complete in 14 months. minutes each week for ten School of Management Graduates are awarded a Masweeks watching high quality ter of Business (MBA) degree and an Execuinteractive videos prepared by our faculty tive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) and another 90 minutes per week in live sesdegree.” The goals of the Defense Comptrolsions of 15-20 students hosted on the Adobe lership Program are to “provide students Connect platform. In the eleventh week we with the essential tools of private and public hold finals. Our online students must also sector business practices and the ability to complete three weekend-long conference analyze and develop public policy.” Because style residencies at locations including on the Department of Defense is striving to campus, in other domestic cities, and interimprove the efficiency and effectiveness of its nationally.” She adds, “Unlike many other business practices and processes, both skill online programs, MBA@Syracuse students sets are considered essential. This unique meet weekly in live, face-to-face classes and program provides the essential educational engage with faculty and peers.” skills for financial managers to assist Defense Syracuse has found that working profesleadership in making the hard resource decisionals, active military, and veterans often sions to transition the department to a more prefer their online program due to the flexefficient and effective organization. ibility it offers in terms of scheduling their live session courses. McHale points out, “our online program applicants tend to be on Park University average about 35 years old with 10-12 years of work experience. Our full time students The Park University MBA is offered are younger with fewer years of work expeentirely online, or in an accelerated 8-week rience.” She reiterates, “An blended delivery format (for MBA provides students with those who reside in the Kanthe opportunity to advance sas City area or in Austin, their career, potentially move Texas, and El Paso, Texas). to another business field, or in There are five terms per the case of military students, academic year and courses [it can] help them to transiare made available in both tion to a civilian career.” formats during each term. The 54-credit MBA proJackie Campbell (Director gram at Syracuse is made up of the Master of Business of twelve core courses and Administration program) Jackie Campbell six electives. The core courses describes, “The curricular Park University provide a foundational backdesign and modes of course ground in accounting, finance, marketing, delivery are intended to provide our adult supply chain, entrepreneurship, law, inforstudents with a high degree of flexibility mation technology, and leadership. Stuwithout compromising academic integrity. dents choose their remaining coursework Those students choosing to enroll in blended 500 companies, thriving large and small companies, startups and nonprofit organizations.”
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courses will participate in weekly online and on-ground components to their course. This provides the students an opportunity to obtain clarity, receive just-in-time instruction, one-on-one and small group tutorial support, and apply the learned concepts covered in the online component during the class sessions.” To promote student success, the Park MBA program utilizes service learning, case studies, action and collaborative learning, as well as simulations that mimic real world scenarios faced by operational professionals. Campbell says, “The curriculum has been purposefully designed to instill in graduates the competencies necessary to excel in corporate America. The core curriculum provides a solid foundation of the common professional components and includes business law and ethics, operations management, strategic marketing, organizational behavior and leadership, strategic management, accounting for decision making, and managerial finance.” Building from the core curriculum, the students choose one of the concentration options: finance, human resource management, international business, management information systems, management accounting, quality management, project management and a general concentration that allows students the option of choosing elective courses to match their career goals. Park is currently developing additional concentrations as well. There are compelling reasons for military and veteran students to pursue an MBA. Campbell says they can “leverage their military experience by coupling it with an internationally recognized and respected credential, gain a competitive edge in industry by earning the credentials and developing the competencies necessary for a long and successful career, earn more income over their lifetime, and enhance job security.” Park University strives to make advanced education accessible. Campbell explains, “In keeping with the long and proud tradition at Park University, which spans more than 140 years, the MBA program has reduced barriers to program entry. We only require that applicants complete an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or the equivalent if a degree is earned abroad. In addition, a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 is expected; however, lower GPAs are considered on a case-by-case basis. Finally, the applicant must complete a graduate application. There is no requirement to complete a standardized entrance exam (such as the GMAT or GRE) or submit a résumé or letters of recommendation for consideration.” She continues, “Park’s MBA program will accept up to 9 hours of graduate credit even if those hours were previously applied to a conferred graduate degree. Through the MBA program, students can participate in our sequential degree program. This means that the MBA graduates can pursue a second graduate degree and receive up to 12 credits in course substitutions. The MBA program can be completed in as few as six 8-week terms.”
Indiana University Indiana University has designed its programs with students’ needs in mind, and offers its MBA program on-campus, online, and as a hybrid of the two. The full-time, residential, on-campus program “guides students toward their professional goals in a culture of collaboration.” According to Erin Vincent (Director of Admissions and Student Services), this is a good option for students “who are looking to transform their careers and want to be immersed wholly in their experience.” In the online MBA program, students complete their education while continuing to work or be deployed anywhere in 14 | MAE&T 11.5
the world. Indiana’s evening MBA is a hybrid ideally suited for students who thrive in the classroom structure, but also appreciate the ability to learn effective ways to manage projects and communicate virtually. Regarding the different course delivery methods, Vincent says, “The advantage is not really how the method of learning is applied, but what is best for the student’s situaErin Vincent tion. For a military student, they may Indiana University want to start working on their career while they are deployed and when they are finished, move into the next level in their career. In this case, the online MBA may work best. Alternatively, if a military student has been working in supply chain but wants to move into finance, the full-time program may be the best for their need. It is really a transformative opportunity.” She notes, however, that military students are often drawn to the online MBA’s flexibility. “Since 1999, we have prided ourselves on allowing students to take up to five years to complete their course work. This allows students to balance their current obligations – in the military and at home – and obtain their degree. Many are able to apply what they learn in the classroom in their own situation at work.” Vincent says that Indiana University crafts its programs based on what companies want when they’re looking to hire executives. “Companies want the entire package. The MBA is the basis. They want people who can get the job done with little to no ‘ramp-up’ time. Leadership, communication, management, team building, business strategy, identifying issues and analyzing problems, and the execution of business plans are a few of the many skills obtained from an MBA.” She offers several reasons why an MBA is a smart choice: salary potential, return on investment, and industry acceptance. “Top-tier companies value students who have an MBA and they know these students perform well and demonstrate the necessary skills and knowledge for the job.” As part of our Indiana University’s MBA program, the Kelley School of Business recently launched a new academic and career advising initiative called Propel, which aims to enhance the support of military students. Vincent describes the initiative, “What’s different about our approach is that most schools wait for students to approach them for career advice. Propel features step-by-step proactive interaction that begins with the student meeting with admission coaches and continuing to have touchpoints throughout the program. Propel challenges students to prepare their professional development plan. Learning expectations are applied and include a review of the plan of study and coaching of a student’s work/life balance. An academic advisor helps students to identify challenges and crafts the strategies to help them meet their professional goals. A career coach provides guidance on how to best use the resources for networking with companies and alumni. So, at the end, a military student will be able to focus on a civilian career or continue to grow within their military career.” O
For more information, contact MAE&T Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.
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CLASS NOTES
Compiled by KMI Media Group staff
Student Veteran Receives Google Scholarship Elizabeth Jones, an engineering student at the University of West Florida and a military veteran, is one of only eight students in the United States to receive the Google Student Veterans of America Scholarship of $10,000 for the 2016-17 academic year. As part of its commitment to military veterans, the global technology leader partnered with Student Veterans of America to establish the highly competitive national scholarship program. “Elizabeth was the perfect candidate for this scholarship, and I had a strong feeling that she would be selected when I wrote a recommendation for her,” said Dr. Mohamed Khabou, chair of the UWF engineering department. “She does not shy away from challenges and is willing to work hard to tackle any obstacles that come between her and her goals.” Khabou notes that Jones is a very serious, disciplined and hardworking engineering student, whose leadership skills were showcased during her service as president of the student chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, where she advanced the level and frequency of technical workshops and field trips for her peers. A veteran of the Marine Corps, Jones calls serving in the military one of the best and most important decisions of her life. “During my service, I learned vital skills in leadership, communication and teamwork, among others, which continue to be applicable in my personal and professional life,” she said. “Being a military veteran is a part of who I am as a person, and I am both proud of and grateful for that.” Jones set herself apart through her focus on renewable power and energy sources, as well as her participation in student organizations including the
UWF student branch of the IEEE, the UWF Mathematics Association and the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Chapter 146. “Being an active student and looking for ways to improve our world, from my perspective, match the values of Google and the Student Veterans of America,” Jones said. “I feel as though I have been entrusted with an opportunity to become more, or better, than perhaps I might have been; I must strive to earn this scholarship by having a positive, professional impact on the world through my degree field.” For more information about the UWF engineering department, visit uwf. edu/engineering.
Design Plan for National Veterans Resource Complex Culminating a six-month design competition, Syracuse University announced SHoP Architects has been selected to conceptualize and design the new National Veterans Resource Complex (NVRC). “Today represents another significant step in our efforts to be the best place in America for veterans,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “The NVRC is a physical testament to Syracuse University’s commitment to supporting veterans and their families throughout our history, and into our future. It will serve as a lasting reminder of the important role our service men and women play in our society. I am grateful to the members of the Selection Committee for their tireless efforts on behalf of the University and want to thank them for their commitment to identifying the right design partner for this critically important project.” The NVRC will serve as the enduring home of the University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), which has served more than 48,000 veterans and military families. The
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NVRC will offer state-of-the-art vocational and educational programs designed to advance the economic success of the region’s and the nation’s veterans and military families. The NVRC will include classroom spaces to accommodate local and national veteran-focused programming. It will also house a conference center and a roughly 1,000-seat auditorium, which will be available for use by the whole campus and fills a critical space void. The conference center and auditorium will host community activities, lectures and national convening events and conferences. The facility is also expected to include gallery space exhibiting the University’s storied legacy of serving America’s veterans. Designed as a LEED-certified facility and constructed in accordance with universal design practices, the NVRC will be an inclusive facility that welcomes and accommodates veterans and visitors with disabilities. The NVRC is tentatively scheduled for completion in the spring of 2019.
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Chief of Change
Q& A
Ushering the DoD VolEd Program Into a New Phase of Strategic Planning
Dawn A. Bilodeau Chief, DoD Voluntary Education Programs Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Force Education and Training Dawn Bilodeau is the Chief, Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Education Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Personnel and Readiness, Force Education and Training. In this capacity, she is responsible for oversight and administration of adult, non-traditional, voluntary, continuing, and post-secondary, higher education programs for the Department of Defense worldwide; the quality oversight and review of all military education programs; and the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES). In her previous position, Ms. Bilodeau served as the Deputy Director and Chief of Budget and Finance for Headquarters Army Continuing Education. During her 17 year career in military voluntary education, she has served from Kentucky to Kosovo with multiple assignments to the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Ms. Bilodeau is a native New Englander, hailing from Lewiston, Maine. Her military ties are strong as the spouse of a Marine Corps and Army Veteran and the daughter of an Air Force Veteran. Ms. Bilodeau has a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from Arizona State University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Bates College. She is also a graduate of the Army Management Staff College Sustaining Base Leadership and Management (SBLM) program. Her honors include the Department of Defense Exceptional Civilian Service Award, the Army Meritorious and Superior Civilian Service Awards, Army G1 and Army Human Resources Command Civilian of the Quarter, the CCME John Brian Service and Leadership Award, the U.S. Bank Government Outstanding Achievement Award for Innovation and the NATO Medal. Q: Much has changed in the Voluntary Education landscape since we interviewed you two years ago. Can you bring us up to date on what is new from the DoD perspective? A: Two years ago, we were coming to the end of a major overhaul of the Department of Defense (DoD) Instruction 1322.25. The Instruction went into effect in the summer of 2014, and triggered much of the changes to which your question alludes. Over the last few years, DoD Voluntary Education has experienced policy changes and fiscal constraints that fundamentally altered the operating environment. This included implementing the President’s Executive Order 13607 which emphasized the importance of education in the Armed Forces by establishing guidelines, requirements, and accountability 16 | MAE&T 11.5
measures, or “Principles of Excellence,” for educational institutions receiving federal funding. Implementing policy changes and the DoD Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (DoD MOU) across the Department has been a monumental effort that continues in earnest to this day. The DoD MOU boasts over 2,700 signatories to date, and more than 100 compliance items requiring DoD oversight. We set up a web-based infrastructure to accommodate this, populated it with all school application materials and tuition rates, fees, policies, etc. This was a major effort and the fact that www.dodmou. com is running smoothly today is a testament to the dedicated efforts of our partner institutions and our internal team of professionals. Amidst all of this hard work, DoD proactively engaged in the development of a strategic plan to guide Voluntary Education efforts over the next five years. It focuses on promoting access to quality educational opportunities, ensuring military student readiness and success, enabling a community of support, and promoting a culture of organizational effectiveness. The DoD Voluntary Education vision, “Shaping quality voluntary educational experiences to foster better servicemembers, better citizens,” speaks to the value of education throughout the servicemembers’ Military Life Cycle, from recruitment through to transition into civilian life. We have truly embraced this new plan and tied all of our initiatives, projects, programs, and services to its tenets. www.MAE-kmi.com
Q: In the midst of changes to the external environment, there have also been some internal adjustments for DoD Voluntary Education. What can you tell us about these? A: The most significant internal adjustment has been to move the DoD Voluntary Education Program to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness, under the umbrella of Force Education and Training. To me, this is an affirmation that education is a readiness driver. Think about it. The same office concerned with planning force levels, training the fighting force, and transitioning the fighting force back to civilian life is now concerned with the off-duty higher education of that force. This puts our programs squarely on the continuum of the Military Life Cycle. This means that DoD recognizes that Voluntary Education impacts readiness of the force at all stages of the servicemember’’s tenure. listen intently as Dawn Bilodeau, Chief, Chief, DoD Voluntary Education, gives an update on the DoD Voluntary Anybody reading this magazine might say, “Of Attendees Education Program. [Image courtesy of Lifetouch Special Events Photography/Al Suckow] course—we’ve known that for decades.” But it is a • managed a growing number of reports or responses to Congress milestone moment for the program to know that Defense leaderand the public ship shares the recognition that education is fundamental to the • developed an institutional compliance program for rollout in success of the Armed Forces and plays a critical role in the recruitfiscal year 2017 ment and retention of high-performing talent, the preparedness of servicemembers for 21st century warfare, and ensuring successful The one thing that we are most proud of is that we have accomservicemember transitions to civilian life where they become active plished all of these things as parts of a holistic approach and with the and engaged citizens. We believe that the Voluntary Education enterfull and near-constant input of the entire Voluntary Education enterprise will feel the positive impacts of this shift both now and years into prise; the Services, servicemembers, partner institutions, industry, the future. and other federal agencies all have provided input helping to shape these efforts. The result is not only individual projects that we can Q: What specific projects/initiatives has your team worked to be proud of, but initiatives that fit seamlessly to form the structure support the many changes that you mentioned? of our strategic vision. There is so much more work to be done, but I could not be prouder of my staff and all of our enterprise stakeholdA: Thank you for the opportunity to brag on my team for a moment! ers who have stepped up to craft a vision and execute to make that I have a permanent staff of four, plus extended support from the vision reality. Services and from the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support. Between them they have developed some amazing products Q: What does the next two years hold for Voluntary Education? since I last spoke to you. We have: • • • • •
• •
• • •
issued a new DoD Instruction and companion DoD MOU on-boarded more than 2,700 partner institutions developed a five year strategic plan invested in research to better understand our military learners established integrated tracking metrics to assess the Voluntary Education program advancement toward the five year strategic plan with a focus on student outcomes built and launched the TA DECIDE information and comparison tool created and released the Higher Education Preparation (HE Prep) curriculum through Joint Knowledge Online enhanced the DoD MOU application process with an automated tuition rate and program tool managed a compliance inbox and complaint system adjudicating thousands of queries and complaints collaborated with Federal partners and other vested stakeholders on Principles of Excellence items of mutual interest
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A: I keep mentioning our five year strategic plan because it will drive our Voluntary Education activities over the next five years. Toward this end, we will spend a great deal of energy solidifying the gains that we’ve made toward the Principles of Excellence and making sure that we continue to move forward. We also want to increase our understanding of the impact that our programs are having on the readiness of the force and, really on society at large. Here are a few teasers of what’s to come. Just last month we rolled out our newly revised degree networks within the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges. This was the result of a year-long effort to review the current two and four-year networks, prune some for both size and workforce relevance, and add several that have bright employment prospects for the future. The result will be a phased approach to opening institutional applications for these new networks. Later this year, DoD will unveil a new institutional compliance program to replace the old Third Party Education Assessment program and even older Military Installation Voluntary Education Review program. This has been several years in the MAE&T 11.5 | 17
making as we reviewed best-practices from both industry and government and intentionally crafted a compliance program that will help us identify risk and work with institutions to mitigate that risk before potential impacts are experienced by servicemembers or the institutions that serve them. Q: How can you reconcile the fact that many of the products and services that DoD has developed or improved seem to be designed to replace the counselor? A: Let me be clear: the lifeblood of our operation is the skilled and dedicated counselors that our enterprise has recruited, trained, cultivated, and sustained for more than 40 years. These experts have more to do than time to do it. Any tool that we can provide to lighten their load is welcome. I firmly believe the expertise of counselors who are knowledgeable in postsecondary education and the issues affecting servicemembers is vital to helping servicemembers navigate the vast amount of information available and pursue clearly defined educational goals. I recently read an academic report which stressed that virtual solutions in the hands of a skilled instructor are like autopilot on the flight controls of an expert pilot. Autopilot does not replace the pilot, but rather frees the pilot’s hands and attention for other critical tasks. That is very much how I see the virtual and automated tools that we have helped to develop—freeing up the counselor’s time to engage in significant discussions (i.e., educational goal setting, degree and certificate exploration, education and career roadmap development, and pertinent benefits review). But to replace counselors with automated tools is, frankly, unthinkable. Q: The Navy has recently decided to go with an all-virtual model for counseling Sailors. What are the advantages/disadvantages of this strategy A: In our newly-developed strategic plan we stress using empirical assessments to understand the unique requirements of our military learners. Unfortunately, empirical or data-driven studies that cite either advantages or disadvantages of replacing face-to-face counseling with virtual counseling are lacking. This puts me very much in a ‘wait and see” mode as Navy explores new territory. I started my career as an education counselor, as did most of the folks I work with. For decades we have seen the positive effects of face-to-face counseling in the hundreds or thousands of lives we’ve touched. It is hard to imagine a more effective model, but we will let the evidence speak as it accumulates. Today’s technology is certainly capable of supporting a virtual counseling enterprise and customer demand for self-service, automated solutions is at an all-time high. As such, I remain open and optimistic that the Navy will continue to meet Sailors’ postsecondary educational needs and I pledge my unflagging support to ensure the continued success of Sailors participating in our Voluntary Education programs. Q: Will the Voluntary Education domain ever settle down into a “business as usual” pattern? A: “Business as usual” translates to “Change is constant.” And really, if you think about it, there have been very few quiescent periods over the last 40 years. The Department’s Voluntary Education Program, as a formalized operation, was coming into being during the 18 | MAE&T 11.5
post-Vietnam drawdown. It survived the budget doldrums that followed, grew with the Reagan-era buildup, and survived the oil embargos, the dot-com bubble, the housing meltdown, sequestration… you name it. Every time there has been national and worldwide economic shift there seems to be a concomitant downstream impact on Voluntary Education. While there doesn’t appear to be any slowing of the operational tempo any time soon, we are committed to keeping Voluntary Education programs, especially our valuable tuition assistance benefit, up and running to support servicemembers. Q: Time for a hardball question: Will the DoD Voluntary Education program still exist in 20 years? A: Here is what we know that is largely undisputed. In-service education benefits were designed as a recruitment tool. The fact that they are consistently cited as a top-three reason for joining the force means that they are still seen as a fulfillment of that social compact first conceived with the transition to the all-volunteer force in the early 1970s. We also know the program is as popular as it has ever been. Last year we touched more than 800,000 lives in some direct way, and more than 300,000 of those encounters involved tuition assistance. Given these stats, it is hard to imagine our professional fighting force not heavily engaged in off-duty educational pursuits. Still, there is a lot that we do not know. We do not know what that educational investment gets for our servicemembers and for our military. It is a big investment for both, and we simply have not developed a sound method for assessing the return on investment. At the same time, DoD and the Services are placing a stronger emphasis on the role of education in maintaining future readiness. Education prepares individuals to think critically, develop leadership skills, and acquire other tools that are crucial to 21st century readiness. As such, I think that the single most important thing we can do today to ensure that the DoD Voluntary Education program will still exist in 20 years is to invest in the infrastructure and processes that will enable us to understand the economic impact of our programs in both the aggregate and the lives of individuals. Fortunately, this too is part of our new strategic planning efforts. Q: Any final thoughts or other issues you’d like to highlight? A: First and foremost, I would like to offer my heartfelt appreciation for the extended Voluntary Education enterprise at work around the globe to deliver quality educational programs and services to our women and men in uniform. Many of our stakeholders (both internal and external) face deep uncertainty regarding potential layoffs, budget cuts, and organizational restructuring. I am also intimately aware that many more are looking to their left and right and wondering what happened to those who used to share the burden with them. They are doing more with less and “surge” performance seems to be the new norm. Despite these challenges, very few see any opportunity or—to their enormous credit—any desire to take their foot off the gas. They just keep charging forward doing their best to support servicemembers. My hat is off to all of them. Equally as important, to all the servicemembers and spouses out there burning the midnight oil to stay ahead of their studies—we are all here for you. Voluntary Education programs are designed to meet your needs. Engage with us and tell us how we can better support your efforts. O www.MAE-kmi.com
The Army’s Active Component to Reserve Component Program makes it possible. By Jamal B. Beck It’s hard to believe that the U.S. Army almost lost its current noncommissioned officer of the year after a stellar start to a military career. Sergeant First Class Andrew Fink, currently a healthcare specialist with the Army Reserve’s 409th Area Support Medical Company, served as an Army Ranger combat medic on active duty prior to making the decision to transition to a civilian career. He would’ve missed the camaraderie and professionalism the active component instilled in him, and the Army would have continued the mission without the extensive skills, experience, and leadership of an exceptional Soldier. Fortunately, the Army’s Active Component to Reserve Component (AC2RC) program allowed Fink to continue serving our Nation with the most formidable ground combat force on earth —strengthening the force through the retention of the leadership, dedication, and expertise Fink developed, tested, and perfected through deployments, exercises, and education.
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“I lost something when I left active duty, and the Army Reserve enabled me to be a Soldier for Life and regain a sense of purpose and pride that civilian life alone could not do,” said Fink. “I separated from active duty after completing my four-year stint in a Ranger regiment, then transitioned to the Army Reserve through the AC2RC program to finish my bachelor’s degree. I love being a part of the Army; that’s why I am an Active Guard and Reserve Soldier.” The Army is currently legislated to draw down in size from 490,000 to an end-strength of 450,000 Soldiers by the end of FY18 to balance readiness and the needs of a smaller force. Maintaining readiness, managing talent, and keeping the Army strong in the face of sequestration may challenge units and their leadership to do more with less. As more and more highly skilled Soldiers separate from the Army, their well-honed technical skills, leadership expertise, and commitment to duty leave with them. This departure of military expertise could leave the Army, and the Nation, devoid of the
MAE&T 11.5 | 19
invaluable skills and experiences needed to continually assure our allies and deter or defeat adversaries.
The Army’s Active Component to Reserve Component Program The Army’s Active Component to Reserve Component program ensures that the Army maintains appropriate levels of qualified active duty Soldiers by offering them the opportunity to continue service as Citizen Soldiers in the Army Reserve or Army National Guard. Active duty Soldiers transitioning to the reserve component may keep their families grounded in their local communities, remain an integral part of the Army, and leverage their skills to acquire meaningful private sector employment. These Soldiers may also continue to receive many of the benefits earned while serving on active duty! The U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard Bureau formed the Reserve Component Transition (RCT) Branch to provide training, policy management, manning and oversight of the Reserve Component Career Counselors (RCCCs) and Silver Siege Officers (SSO). More than 145 RCCC counselors and 16 SSOs are stationed at over 45 installations worldwide to counsel eligible enlisted Soldiers and officers about opportunities for continued service in the Guard or Reserve. RCCCs provide information and counsel through “Continuum of Service” briefs. These briefs offer information for continued
military service and current Army Reserve and Army National Guard incentives, stabilization policies, programs, and opportunities available to Soldiers transitioning from active duty. Soldiers also receive counseling to help transition their experience into a new or matching career field, presenting opportunities to continue to provide value to the reserve components, civilian employers, and the Total Army. “Our counselors essentially serve the needs and desires of the separating Soldier,” said Major Kyle Key, Deputy Chief of the Reserve Component Transition Branch. “We are component neutral and present the latest information so they can make informed decisions. We also operate a help desk Monday through Friday at the RCT, providing critical policy as well as information technology support to counselors worldwide.” The tangible and intangible costs of losing experienced Soldiers and their unique skills sets are high. In FY15 alone, the RCT helped transfer 10,837 service members to the reserve components, saving more than $900 million that may have otherwise been invested in developing and training initial entry Soldiers, according to Key. “When newly trained Soldiers get to their units, it takes years to develop the knowledge, expertise and battle tested skills that Soldiers transitioning from active duty can provide,” said Key. “It is one of the most effective accessioning programs in the Total Army and addresses the need for mid-grade NCOs and junior officers in both the Guard and Reserve.”
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Benefits and Bonuses Citizen Soldiers gain many of the health care benefits, applicable recruitment bonuses, education assistance, commissary access, and other benefits, options, and payments available to them while on active duty. Other incentives were developed to help convince qualified Soldiers to transition into highly-valued MOSs and remain available as funding allows. For instance, the Selected Reserve Incentive Program (SRIP) offers an Enlisted and Officer Affiliation Bonus for Soldiers who transfer from the Active Component to an Army Reserve Troop Program Unit (TPU) or Selected Reserve Unit (SELRES): • For enlisted Soldier transfers, the options and payments include a 6-year enlistment, payable up to $15,000 in either a lump sum payment or installments or a 3-year enlistment/ reenlistment, payable up to $7,500 in either a lump sum payment or installments. • Mobilization Deferment. Active component Soldiers who transfer directly into a TPU are authorized the 24-month stabilization period. The Army National Guard’s policy varies state by state. • Military Service Obligation (MSO) Reduction. Soldiers transitioning from the active component are eligible to reduce their MSO in exchange for a commitment to transition directly into a TPU or a SELRES.
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• Prior Service Enlistment Bonus (PSEB). Soldiers may qualify to receive the PSEB upon assignment to the USAR. Soldiers must have no more than 16 years of total military service with an honorable discharge at the conclusion of all prior periods of service. They may be either MOS qualified (MOSQ), or qualified in their career field, or non-MOSQ, or non-qualified, to receive it. • Prior Service Student Loan Repayment Program. Payable up to $20,000 for Soldiers who contract for a 3- or 6-year period. • Officer/Warrant Officer Accession Bonus. If qualified, Army Reserve Soldiers receive a lump sum payment of up to $20,000 after assignment and award of duty qualifying Army Occupation Code/MOS. Additionally, leadership opportunities available in the reserve components often enhance marketability in the private sector as employers are seeking the same skills that produce successful Soldiers. In many cases, Soldiers and their family members may be eligible to participate in job placement and training opportunities such as the Army Reserve’s Private Public Partnership program and employment transition programs offered by the National Guard. RCCCs have shaped training and employment prospects so that Soldiers are able to continue providing value to the reserve components, civilian employers, and the Total Army in their hometowns.
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Qualification Criteria Soldiers must be eligible for processing into the Army Reserve, Army National Guard, and Individual Ready Reserve per AR 601-280, para. 7-4 to participate in the AC2RC program, including: • Age. Soldiers must be able to attain 20 years of qualifying service for retired pay by age 60. • Citizenship. A Soldier must be a U.S. citizen or an alien who has been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence. • Trainability. Soldiers enlisting or transferring for an MOS, other than a currently held primary, secondary, or alternate MOS, must meet the current aptitude area scores. • Education. If accepting retraining, Soldiers must meet all education requirements listed in AR 611-201 and in the RETAIN MOS qualifications file. • Medical. Soldiers fully eligible to reenlist in the Regular Army based on their last physical examination are qualified to join the Army Reserve or National Guard. • Moral and Administrative. A career counselor must review the Soldier’s Military Personnel Records Jacket to determine if any moral or administrative disqualifications exist. AC2RC reinforces the Soldier for Life program through successful reintegration of qualified and interested active-duty Soldiers
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and their families into the reserve components for continued military service opportunities. The program gives the Army Reserve and Army National Guard access to highly qualified mid-level leaders who will share Army values, technical skills, and leadership alongside fellow Citizen Soldiers, ensuring the reserve components continue to provide key enabling capabilities to the Total Army and Joint Force. For more information about the AC2RC program, please contact the RCT Branch at (502) 613-4200 or follow the links below: • U.S. Army Human Resources Command: https://www.hrc.army. mil/enlisted/reserve%20component%20transition%20branch • U.S. Army Reserve: http://www.goarmy.com/reserve.html • U.S. Army National Guard: www.nationalguard.mil O Jamal Beck is Deputy Chief of Executive Communications for the Office of the Chief of Army Reserve. He is a prior-service Air Force officer with over 17 years of federal service to the Department of Defense. He holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and master’s degrees in marketing and business administration.
For more information, contact MAE&T Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.
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SPECIAL SECTION
MAE&T asked schools: What should a military/veteran student know about the admissions process, and how are schools poised to assist veterans and servicemembers in navigating this process? Yocencia L. Deal Associate Vice President Graduate & International Admissions American Military University We are dedicated to educating those who serve, or have served, and have worked hard to refine our admissions process to make it as simple as possible for our military students. We keep our overall fees to a minimum and recently eliminated our Transfer Credit Evaluation fee. There is no fee to apply and the application can be completed in less than 15 minutes. Once students have applied they are assigned a dedicated admissions staff member who understands the challenges our military and veteran students may face and assists them with submitting required documentation, completing the registration or transfer credit process, and navigating the classroom and eCampus. Our collective goal is to educate and support military members, veterans and their families as they navigate the academic world. We have dedicated admissions personnel, many of whom are themselves veterans or have worked with servicemembers for a number of years. We have flexible business hours to be available whenever current or prospective military students need guidance, whether via phone, email or chat. Our admissions and support staff help them understand their degree and financial options, and guide them to other services they may need such as disability accommodations or tutoring. We have a military and VA funding department which can answer questions and help the student navigate securing tuition assistance and veterans benefits. APUS recently opened a new Veterans Center on its Charles Town, West Virginia campus, which, along with our existing virtual veterans center, offers valuable resources and information to our veteran students. In addition to the eCampus, we also offer ClearPath, a communication and networking tool which offers students a variety of learning applications as another route to understanding enrollment www.MAE-kmi.com
processes, tuition assistance, VA funding options and a host of other topics. Within ClearPath, students can connect with peers and also join communities of interest.
Scott Golden Online Director of Admissions ECPI University ECPI University values military/veteran students because we find their maturity level and added life experiences elevate the level of learning throughout campus. They’ve served us; now we seek to serve them by making the admissions process as effortless as possible. Most of our military admissions team is comprised of former service members or spouses whose first objective is to help prospective applicants find the right program that builds upon their interests, aptitude, and military experience. After that, our financial aid experts help them navigate the GI Bill, Vocational Rehab programs, and Tuition Assistance for active duty personnel. We also offer registration/application fee waivers with copy of LES or “honorable discharge” on DD214. What’s more, ECPI University carefully evaluates military/veteran students Joint Services and any college transcripts to determine if we can award college level credit for their prior military training schools. Throughout the admissions process, our advisors are highly accessible via text, email, phone and chat. The Department of Veteran Affairs has recognized ECPI University’s outreach to Veterans by assigning a full-time Vet for Success Counselor (VSOC) here on campus who is available for one-on-one counseling about VA benefits for any Veteran or military student. How are you poised to assist veterans and service members to navigate this process? Our team walks the military/veteran student through the application using “Zoom” or “Join.me” sites. We also request official MAE&T 11.5 | 23
SPECIAL SECTION transcripts on their behalf (when possible) to help alleviate the anxiety of ordering multiple college transcripts. We even help them find their DD214 if they don’t have a copy. Each student is assigned a team of professional experts in admissions policies, credit transfer, financial aid, and student services. From there, our student service group assists with scheduling, technology requirements, class attendance, and tutoring if needed. What’s more, once a person is enrolled, they have access to our Career Services Department, which assists them with resume preparation, interview techniques, career paths to consider, and job search strategies.
Mary Fisk Coordinator of Veterans Outreach Office of Veterans Programs Penn State University There are any number of things a military/veteran student needs to know about the admissions process here at Penn State. First, ensure you meet all of the criteria required for your major. Visit not only the university’s admissions page for general criteria, but also the web page for your academic department. Some majors carry higher entrance requirements than the university in general. Second, ensure you have submitted ALL required documentation. High school and college/university transcripts are required and an
application will not progress one inch until they are received. Also, it is required that you submit any and all college/university transcripts; it’s not an option. If you have requested that your high school or college send your transcripts to admissions, it is a good idea to call admissions after a week or two to verify they have received them. Some institutions are notorious for taking their time, so make a pest of yourself until you know Penn State has received them. This is your application, be vigilant and proactive. Penn State’s Office of Veteran’s Programs has an Outreach department where 12 work/study students, employed by the VA, attempt contact with every veteran or active duty military member who has identified themselves as such on their application. We track their applications through admissions and assist them with any questions they may have pertaining to the university, housing, possible campus employment, the use of a GI Bill or other educational benefit, as well as their GI Bill application through the VA. This is for all Penn State applicants at all campuses, not just University Park. Once they are accepted and have committed to PSU, we offer a variety of services to assist them with any concerns or issues they may encounter throughout their entire Penn State academic career, from applicant to graduate. O For more information, contact MAE&T Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.
Dean S., Alumnus Businessman. Airman. Dad.
Introducing the Military and Family Scholarship. Our new Military and Family Scholarship caps the cost of tuition at $250 per credit hour, saving up to 50% in out-of-pocket costs for active duty military, Reservists, National Guard and their spouses and dependents. TROY is committed to keeping higher education affordable for those who sacrifice so much. That’s the Trojan Warrior Spirit, and it’s alive and well at Troy University.
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Feel it at troy.edu/militaryspirit or call 1-800-586-9771. Bring images with this icon to life with the Layar app. troy.edu/scan © 2016 Troy University
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CCME 2016 San Antonio Concurrent Sessions by
The Council of College and Military Educators (CCME) held its annual conference in San Antonio, Texas in February 2016. The CCME symposium is a professional development opportunity for military educators to learn about educational and career services for military members and veterans provided by colleges, universities, non-profit organizations, federal agencies, etc. A full day of the symposium was devoted to small group forums called Concurrent Sessions, designed to facilitate the exchange of information on educational programs, strategies and innovation that assist servicemembers and veterans to achieve academic and career success. 62 presentations were conducted at this year’s CCME concurrent sessions, all drawing a large number of attendees who were interested in the many variety of topics that focused on current and best practices in the voluntary military education arena. This year’s CCME conference theme was “Opening Doors and Advancing Lives”, and in support of that theme, the Concurrent Sessions provided seven professional development tracks to allow attendees to work towards a certificate. Tracks included: • • • • •
Best Practices Innovations in Voluntary Education Military/Veteran Student College Initiatives Newcomers to Voluntary Education Student Tracking
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• •
Transitioning from the Military Health Care Transition Opportunities for Servicemembers
Approximately 200 attendees participated in one of these tracks, with the Best Practices and Innovations in Voluntary Education being the most popular. Due to the fact that San Antonio is the heart of military medical services and training schools, the many presentations that fit into the health care transition opportunities also resonated very strongly with conference participants. Next year’s CCME conference will be held in Atlanta, Ga. from March 6-9, 2017. The conference theme is “Collaboration: Strengthen Ourselves for Those We Serve.” The CCME executive board will determine the Concurrent Sessions’ professional development tracks in the coming months, with the call for proposals being released in May on the CCME website. As in previous years, all proposals will be evaluated on the description and quality of content, adherence to the conference theme and category, universal broadness of scope, purpose and content, and the intent of the proposal to engage the audience. We encourage all interested parties to keep an eye on the CCME website at http://www.ccmeonline.org/annualsymposium as information regarding next year’s conference and call for proposals is posted. For additional information regarding Concurrent Sessions, please contact committee chair, Kelly Wilmeth at Kelly.wilmeth@umuc.edu.
Kelly Wilmeth
We look forward to another year of engaging dialogue and active participation at the CCME 2017 Annual Symposium in Atlanta. Note from Franc Lopez, CCME President: CCME thanks Kelly Wilmeth, Vice President and Director of University of Maryland University College – Europe, for her review of the recent CCME 2016 Symposium Concurrent Sessions. For more information about our organization, please visit CCMEonline.org. O
Francisco Lopez
Note from Franc Lopez, CCME President: CCME thanks Kelly Wilmeth, Vice President and Director of University of Maryland University College – Europe, for her review of the recent CCME 2016 Symposium Concurrent Sessions. For more information about our organization, please visit CCMEonline.org. For more information, contact MAE&T Editor Kelly Fodel at kellyf@kmimediagroup.com or search our online archives for related stories at www.mae-kmi.com.
MAE&T 11.5 | 25
MONEY TALKS
Compiled by KMI Media Group staff
Ed Department Targets For-Profits
On June 13, the Department of Education proposed regulations to further protect student borrowers and taxpayers against what it calls “predatory practices” by postsecondary institutions. The regulations are intended to clarify, simplify, and strengthen existing regulations that grant students loan forgiveness if they were defrauded or deceived by an institution. The proposed regulations would also hold financially risky institutions accountable for their behavior and ban schools’ use of legal clauses to sidestep accountability. The Department says the new regulatory effort builds on the Obama Administration’s commitment to protect taxpayers’ and students’ investments and ensure that all Direct Loan borrowers can engage in a process that is efficient, transparent and fair when applying for a loan discharge based on the misconduct of the institution. “We won’t sit idly by while dodgy schools leave students with piles of debt and taxpayers holding the bag,” said U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. “All students who are defrauded deserve an efficient, transparent, and fair path to the relief they are owed, and the schools should be held responsible for their actions.” The proposal was criticized by the for-profit college industry. Steve Gunderson, president and CEO of Career Education Colleges and Universities, said: “The regulation… will cause millions of students to lose access to higher education and leave American taxpayers on the hook for billions of dollars. How this will increase the number of career ready graduates, is unclear. We agree that poor performing institutions, as well as those institutions that are financially at risk, should be monitored closely to protect students. But what the Department fails to acknowledge is that these issues exist across all of higher education, not just private sector institutions… we hope they will put aside this foolish and costly proposed regulation, but based on their poor track record we doubt they will listen to voices of reason.” The proposed regulations would streamline relief for student borrowers who have been wronged and create a process for group-wide loan discharges when whole groups of students have been subject to the misconduct. They also establish triggers that would require institutions to put up funds if they engage in misconduct or exhibit signs of financial risk.
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Additionally, the proposed regulations require “financially risky” schools and proprietary schools in which students have poor loan outcomes to provide clear, plain-language warnings to prospective and current students, and the public. The rules also make it simpler for eligible students to receive closed-school discharge. Finally, in a major step to protect student borrowers and prevent schools from shirking responsibility for the injury they cause, the proposed regulations would prohibit the use of so-called mandatory pre-dispute arbitration clauses and class action waivers that deny students their day in court if they are wronged. Under these regulations, schools would no longer be able to use their enrollment agreements, or other pre-dispute arbitration agreements or clauses in other documents, in order to force students to go it alone by signing away their right to pursue relief as a group, or to impose gag rules that silence students from speaking out. “These regulations would prevent institutions from using these clauses as a shield to skirt accountability to their students, to the Department and to taxpayers,” said U.S. Under Secretary of Education Ted Mitchell. “By allowing students to bring lawsuits against a school for alleged wrongdoing, the regulations remove the veil of secrecy, create increased transparency, and give borrowers full access to legal redress.” Last September, the Department began a negotiated rulemaking process to clarify how Direct Loan borrowers who believe they have been wronged by their institutions can seek relief and to strengthen provisions to hold colleges accountable for their actions. Current provisions in federal law and regulations allow borrowers to seek discharge of their Direct Loans if their college’s acts give rise to a state law cause of action. The third and final session of negotiated rulemaking was held in March, but the committee did not come to a consensus on a draft of the rule. The Department took the committee’s feedback into account when drafting this proposed regulation. The proposed rule publishes in the Federal Register on June 16, and the public comment period ends Aug. 1. The Department will publish a final regulation by Nov. 1.
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The advertisers index is provided as a service to our readers. KMI cannot be held responsible for discrepancies due to last-minute changes or alterations.
MAE&T RESOURCE CENTER Advertisers Index
Calendar
American Military University................................................................................21 www.amuonline.com/mae Baker College.........................................................................................................C2 www.bakercollegeonline.com ECPI University......................................................................................................12 www.ecpi.edu/military Excelsior College....................................................................................................20 www.excelsior.edu/military Stratford University...............................................................................................13 www.stratford.edu/vest Troy University.......................................................................................................24 www.troy.edu/militaryspirit UMUC......................................................................................................................C4 http://military.umuc.edu/mae University Of Nebraska..........................................................................................11 www.online.nebraska.edu
October 6-8, 2016 2016 MBA Veterans Career Conference Chicago, Ill. http://mbaveterans.com
In the Next Issue of:
March 6-9, 2017 2017 CCME Professional Development Symposium Atlanta, Ga. www.ccmeonline.org April 11-13, 2017 11th Annual Virginia Advisory Council on Military Education (VA-ACME) Symposium Westin Virginia Beach Town Center www.vaacme.org
July/August 2016 Volume 11, Issue 6
Cover and In-Depth Interview with
Leah K. Matthews
Executive Director Distance Education Accrediting Commission Special Section:
Distance Learning Features: • Roundtable: Online Schools • Service2School
Transition Trends: Corporate Connection Trends in Distance Learning Homeland Security Careers
To Advertise, Contact: Conni Kerrigan Tel: 301.670.5700 | E-mail: connik@kmimediagroup.com www.MAE-kmi.com
MAE&T 11.5 | 27
UNIVERSITY CORNER
Military Advanced Education & Transition
Don Jeffrey Vice Chancellor for Military Affairs Campus Vice Chancellor, Dothan Campus Troy University any time. Supporting this is our institutional history as a public university, our regional accreditation, the Troy Military and Family Scholarship and our Troy for Troops Centers, which support academic and career success while providing a place to study, Veterans Affairs counseling, camaraderie and more, and are available to military students at all Troy locations either physically or virtually.
Q: Can you give us a brief background of your institution? A: Founded in 1887, Troy University is a public, historic, international university with more than 150,000 alumni. Students choose Troy for its quality academic programs, reasonable costs and availability of financial aid, outstanding faculty, and flexible in-class and online class offerings. Students on the Troy, Ala. campus enjoy a traditional college experience, while adult students are the centers of attention at campuses in Dothan, Montgomery and Phenix City, Ala., as well as at locations around the world and online. The University offers 224 undergraduate and graduate academic programs and concentrations. Q: What is your school’s background in military education? A: The University began serving the military in 1950 at Fort Rucker, Ala. Today, the University serves our men and women in uniform from four campuses in Alabama, 25 student support locations in the United States and abroad, and through TroyONLINE, which makes the degrees of the University accessible 24/7/365. We are partners with the Air Force in GEM and AU-ABC, with the Marines in the Leadership Scholar Program, with the Navy in the Distance Learning Partnership, and are an LOI institution in GoArmyEd. The University continues to deliver the Master of Science degree in International Relations under the PACOM contract and is a Degree Network System (SOC) provider. Q: What makes your school unique in the benefits and programs you offer to military servicemembers? A: The most unique benefit that Troy offers to the military community is our Military and Family Scholarship. It caps the cost of tuition at $250 per semester hour for our currently serving servicemembers, National Guard and Reserves, and their spouses and dependents. Troy might be the only university in the country to offer such “military 28 | MAE&T 11.5
supportive” tuition rates at undergraduate and graduate levels to all members of the active component and their families. This pricing model creates savings in excess of 25 percent at the undergraduate level for families and dependents and 50 percent for graduate work for servicemembers, spouses and dependents. The scholarship also eliminates out-of-pocket tuition costs for active duty, undergraduate and graduate users of Tuition Assistance. Q: What online degree and certificate programs do you offer and how do these distance learning programs fit with the lives of active duty and transitioning military personnel? A: One of the early pioneers to provide distant education to servicemembers, Troy University offers 40 degree programs and 13 certificates completely online. Our more popular programs for our military students include degrees in Psychology, Criminal Justice, and International Relations. Military students find the 24/7 flexibility of Troy Online courses fits perfectly with their mobile life helping them to complete their education from anywhere, anytime, around the globe. A complete listing of undergraduate and graduate degrees may be found at http://www.troy.edu/academicprograms. Q: How has your school positioned itself to serve military students? A: For our military personnel and their families, the University has positioned itself as a provider of quality driven, relevant and affordable education available anywhere, at
Q: What have been some of the biggest lessons you have learned since assuming your current position? A: Perhaps the biggest lesson I’ve learned since assuming my current position is that the term “military friendly” has become so overused that it has lost its true meaning. We prefer to espouse the concepts of “military inclusive” and “military successful.” The inclusion reflects the practice of ensuring that the military population at the University is involved in all aspects of the Troy experience and not treated exclusively as its own entity. Our military students tell us that they want to be treated as students at Troy; not as “military students.” And, “successful” obviously reflects our commitment to creating an academic and supportive framework which will make it possible for our military students to reach their academic goals and realize the full benefit of their educational journey at Troy. Q: Do you have any closing thoughts? A: I could be the poster child for military education. I served 20-plus years in the Army and retired. The GI Bill allowed me to achieve my associate and bachelor degrees and a Ph.D. My career in higher education started almost 40 years ago at Troy University. I have served five times as dean of four different colleges, and served three times as vice chancellor in two different capacities. I am a tenured full professor, and my foundation of philosophy was grounded by the military. I have had the privilege of serving my university, while serving my country in the military, and now serving our military families with their higher education needs. www.MAE-kmi.com
Military Advanced Education & Transition 2016 Editorial Calendar ISSUE
COVER Q&A
SPECIAL SECTION
FEATURES
TRANSITION TRENDS
CLOSING DATE
The CCME Issue
FEB 2016 (11.1)
MAR/APR 2016 (11.2/3)
MAY 2016 (11.4)
Jeff Cropsey CCME President
Joseph C. Sharpe, Jr. Director, Veterans Employment & Education Division American Legion
Jeff Allen Director DANTES
Student Scholarship
CCME Trending Topics
Degrees in Nursing
Spotlights
Hiring Vets
Corporate Connection
Training Faculty in Veteran Concerns
Prepping for Degrees in Human Resources
PU
BL
H IS
HE
D
E SH
D
CCME Highlights Degrees/ Careers in Criminal Justice Corporate Connection
Public Private Partnerships
Certification Programs
Student Veterans of America
Degrees/ Careers in Logistics
Minuteman Scholarships
Corporate Connection
PU
P
B
S LI
L UB
I
The MBA Issue
JUNE 2016 (11.5)
Dawn Bilodeau DoD Education Chief
Online MBA Admissions Roundtable
Traditional MBA AC2AR Program
Degrees/ Careers in Aviation Corporate Connection
6/10
The Distance Learning Issue
JULY/AUG 2016 (11.6)
SEP 2016 (11.7)
OCT 2016 (11.8)
Leah Matthews Executive Director, Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC)
Service2School Trends in Online/Distance Learning
Roundtable: Online Schools Accelerated Online Degrees
Amy Moorash Deputy Director and Chief Advising/Apprenticeship Programs Armed Forces Continuing Education System
VoTech Programs and Degrees
Gary Harrah President NAIMES
Academic Resource Centers
Marine COOL Program
Degrees in Homeland Security Corporate Connection
Nanodegrees
Degrees/Careers in Information Technology
Community College of the Air Force
Corporate Connection
E-Books STEM Careers Joining Forces
Degrees/ Careers in Healthcare Corporate Connection
7/13
8/29
9/30
The Jobs & Recruitment Issue
NOV 2016 (11.9)
Eric Eversole Director US Chamber of Commerce
Apprenticeships Community Colleges
Veteran Employment: How Schools Can Help
Degrees in Law Corporate Roundtable
10/28
MAE’s Guide to Colleges & Universities
DEC 2016 (11.10)
Robert M. Worley Director Education Services Department of Veterans Affairs
MAE&T’s 2017 Guide to Colleges and Universities
Roundtable: Admissions Counselors Foreign Language Degrees
Degrees in Education Corporate Connection
12/2
This editorial calendar is a guide. Content is subject to change. Please verify advertising closing dates with your account executive.
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THAT WAS MY MOMENT.” Gene Sizemore 25-Year Army Veteran Bachelor of Science, Management Studies
TRANSITION TO A SUCCESSFUL POST-MILITARY CAREER Gene’s UMUC education gave him the confidence to apply for a senior-level position in the federal government after he retired from the military. Learning online with coursework featuring real-time projects prepared him with the skills to get the job. Now he leads teams in today’s digital business environment. At UMUC, you can • Discover 90+ programs and specializations, including business, cybersecurity, IT, public safety and more • Complete your bachelor’s degree in two years or less with up to 90 credits for prior education, military experience and training • Take advantage of 140+ classroom and service locations, including military installations throughout the world Ranked the No. 1 University for Veterans in 2015*
Call 877-275-UMUC (8682) or visit military.umuc.edu/mae to learn more. *Military Times ranked UMUC No. 1 in its Best for Vets: Colleges 2015 annual survey of online and nontraditional colleges and universities.
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