Career Development Assistance

As I've already mentioned in my previous posts, The Rule of Reason is about being informed and then making decisions based on that information.  There are myriad ways to find and explore data and I'll talk about many of them in posts to come.  But the one I want to focus on now is one I have not ever used before. 

Remember that conference I went to last week? The EduRG conference in Phoenix?  Well, while I was there I had the pleasure of attending a workshop given by GlobalTel Media Inc on using SMS to communicate with faculty, staff and students.  To date Harrison College has used SMS (texting) for building relationships and staying in touch with prospective students.  And it has been very successful for us, especially for the High School audience.  And with 88% of all phones in the US enabled for SMS, the audience demographic is growing older and our Adult Learner prospect is very adept at texting too. 


During the workshop the CEO, Robert Sanchez, detailed the other ways SMS could be used by a college.  These included:

• functional texts like "Sale in the bookstore"
• or emergency texts like "Classes canceled tonight"
• or reminders such as "Lab exam tomorrow"

• What is one thing you'd change about Harrison College?
• What is one thing you'd never change?
• What could we do to improve your classroom experience?
• How are you liking your textbooks?
• Are you planning on continuing your education to get a Bachelor degree?
• Would you prefer this class in an online format?
• How could career development assistance better meet your needs?
• Do you believe we have a flexible class schedule? If not, how could we improve?

Oh, the possibilities are only limited by the threshold our students would tolerate!

Ever wonder why colleges use advertising? Isn't it easy to pick the right college?

Find one you’ve heard about; go through admissions; and begin your collegiate career... Right?

Well it’s not that easy. It’s been reported that 1 in 4 college freshmen will drop-out of college before completing their freshman year. Why is this you might ask? Most of the time students drop out because they started off at the wrong institution in the first place. That’s why is so important that institutions like Harrison College advertise and inform prospective students about their benefits. 

So what are some of the benefits about Harrison College that we want to message out?

A Long History. In a world where many claim to be an expert, it’s comforting to know about a school that’s truly been a leader for more than 100 years.

Personal Support. We work with students one on one to help them reach their goals, from choosing a field of study to providing Career Development Assistance
 

Financial Aid. We’ll help devise the best plan to finance education – almost all

Harrison College students receive some form of college tuition assistance.

A Variety of Studies. We offer more than 30 programs in a wide variety of career fields in

business, criminal justice, health sciences, information technology and veterinary technology training.

Those interested in culinary arts or hospitality may learn at The Chef’s Academy.

Smart Choices. We develop our programs based on input from business leaders and research of industry growth trends to ensure that they offer strong career potential.

Career-Focused Degrees. Classes will center on selected areas of studies, period.

It’s all students need – and only what they need – to get the job they want.

Day, Evening & Online Classes. Students can enjoy flexible class schedule, including the ability to combine a distance learning college with varying levels of face-to-face, in-class instruction. Part-time and full-time study options offer even more convenience.

Multiple Campuses. We’ve strategically located our campuses to make it a reasonable commute for most anyone.

Lifetime Employment Assistance. We’re with our students every step of the way, providing guidance on writing cover letters, building resumes, interviewing, and starting great careers.

 
These attributes just name a few reasons why we advertise about the great opportunities that come with being a part of Harrison College.

 

Check out one of our commercials to see how we advertised our Long History attribute!

I wanted to post this important announcement. The MyCAA program has been put on hold as of February 16th. This is the program that is granting spouses $6000 to pursue an education. This has come to a surprise to many. Please check out the article DoD puts spouse career assistance on hold to read about this breaking news.

Have you been searching for a job in the Evansville, Indiana area?


Harrison College wants to help.


Harrison is an Evansville college, and known as a college for working adults. Education for employment is our specialty.  





Harrison College will be holding a Career Fair that is open to the Evansville community.  The career fair will be held Friday, February 12, 2010 from 11am to 2pm at the Evansville college campus located just off Green River Road at 4601 Theater Drive.

The following employers will be set up at the Indiana career college campus:

• HR Connects LLC
• Manpower
• T-Mobile
• Insight Communications
• Casino Aztar
• Deaconess Hospital
• Fifth Third Bank
• River Oaks Health Campus – Princeton
• Evansville Police Department
• American Red Cross
• Evansville Teachers Federal Credit Union
• Boresha International
• Accent Marketing – Tell City
• Shoe Carnival
• Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp.
• Max International
• Northwestern Mutual
• US Army
• Work One – Evansville
• Lowe’s

Harrison College is an Indiana career college specializing in career development assistance. 

Click here more information about an adult education program OR about the Community Career Fair.

Developing the habit of being a lifelong learner should be a topic on the minds of all students today.  The world is changing more rapidly now than it ever has before. The desire and ability to learn continuously is an attractive quality to many employers.

More often than not, students are not sure what is involved or even how to develop themselves into lifelong learners.

Harrison College, a Columbus Indiana college, has taken a step toward introducing our students to the concepts of professional development.  Each quarter students are given the opportunity to attend a series of professional development seminars. These seminars are designed to provide an additional resource for career development assistance and both educational and career advancement opportunities in the future.

In February 2010, Columbus Indiana college students will have the opportunity to attend the following seminars:

Using INSPIRE—Tyler Munn from the Bartholomew County Public Library will teach students how to use the INSPIRE database for research projects.

Overcoming Test Taking Anxiety—Melissa Barnett, Director of Career Services will present proven techniques to overcome text anxiety and improve your overall grade and sense of well being when testing.

Presenting Yourself to Employers—Susanne Riehle, local business owner and leader of the Toastmasters in Columbus, provides tips and tricks for anyone preparing to interview.

Networking for Newcomers—Tim Cooney, an active member of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce and a successful business owner, introduces students to the concepts of networking and provides helpful hints for those new to the idea of networking.

Resume Writing—Students learn how to identify soft skills as well as transferable skills they can use to promote themselves when creating a professional resume for the first time.  This session will be led by me, Jeanni Urbahns, and students preparing for an upcoming internship/externship are encouraged to attend.
 

Recently, the Harrison College Columbus Indiana college campus submitted the following nominations for the Indiana INTERNnet IMPACT Award. The IMPACT Award is given in recognition of the hard work career services professionals, students and intern sits do to prepare students for successful careers after graduation. Below are the nomination we have submitted. The first nomination is for a student, Brenda Cox, and the second, for our Medical Program Coordinator, Kim Bricker-Brown.

 

Outstanding Intern Nomination--Submitted by Kim Bricker-Brown

Brenda Cox, a current Medical Assistant student completing her education at Harrison College and a 160-hour internship at Sandcrest Family Medicine has continually demonstrated superior leadership skills and professionalism.

After completing just 4 weeks of the externship experience she secured a position with the practice. Her employer noted that Brenda is always willing to learn new tasks and displays  an overall enthusiasm for both the externship experience and her new position.

In the classroom, Brenda is an extraordinary leader and mentor to her fellow students. She comes to class ready to learn, participates actively in discussions and assignments, and is always willing to lend a hand. She has always been willing to participate in volunteer opportunities such as a recent Health and Wellness Clinic at Rock Tenn Company in Columbus.

Having completing a recent course at another Harrison College campus, her instructor made a point to inform us that she was one of the best students she had ever had the pleasure to have in class. This comes to no surprise to one of her instructors at the Columbus Campus who remembers that Brenda would often go the extra mile to excel in her coursework and strives for perfection.

Most recently, Brenda had the opportunity to demonstrate her skills and capabilities as a medical professional when a classmate was involved in a car accident. She sprung into action to assist the driver of the vehicle, securing both the vehicle and the victim until emergency response personnel arrived on the scene. Brenda maintained both poise and confidence as she calmed the victim. She communicated effectively with emergency personnel both on the scene and when she took it upon herself to follow up with her classmate in the ER.

Outstanding Career Services Professional Nomination-Submitted by Jeanni Urbahns

I have nominated Kim Bricker-Brown, the Medical Program Coordinator (MPC) at the Harrison College, formerly Indiana Business College (IBC), campus in Columbus, Indiana, . 

Kim Bricker-Brown is the head of our Medical Assistant (MA) externship program. Every MA student is required to complete a 160 hour externship in a physician’s office. Every quarter Kim is busy making contacts and building relationships in the medical community in order to secure and support the MA externship program. Here are just a few examples of the effort she puts into the internship program.

• Kim provides every medical assistant student with information about the required externship from the moment they begin classes.
• Focus on the end career goal is maintained throughout the two-year, Associate of Applied Science degree program.
• Students are held accountable for their educational and professional progress.
• Students are given many opportunities to plan and prepare for their externship experiences. Many students live outside of the Columbus area; they are given additional support when seeking externships closer to their homes.
• If a proposed intern site has not had prior experience with the Harrison College MA externship programs, Kim will make an appointment to sit down with them face-to-face to explain all aspects.
• Kim makes quarterly site visits to check on the progress of each extern.
• Kim uses site feedback to strengthen the MA program and to assist externs on an individual basis.

In the end, the comments of our extern site managers lead me to feel that Kim would be an excellent candidate for the INTERNnet IMPACT Award for Outstanding Career Services Professional.


Chris Armuth, Office Manager, Nashville Family Medicine, Nashville, Indiana

“I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know how pleased we are that we participated in you MA externship program. In 2008, we decided for the first time, to take on a Medical Assistant extern. She turned out to be an excellent student, who was willing to learn anything we were willing to teach. She ended up being someone that we hired with a great attitude and work skills. We couldn’t be happier with our new employee. Thank you for sending her our way and we look forward to working with you in the future.”

Trish Huffman, RN, Internal Medicine Associates, Columbus, Indiana

“Internal Medicine Associates has had the opportunity within the past year to have had three students from Indiana Business College (IBC). We also had a student extern from another college.

With having students from two different colleges, I have to say I am more impressed with the students from IBC. Students from IBC seemed more prepared and eager to do tasks at hand of a Medical Assistant. I would often have to remind myself that they were not on the payroll!
I can say that we have hired 2 out of the 3 students from IBC this past year. I would recommend this program to anyone.”

So, you are thinking about enrolling in an adult education program. Good for you! If you are in the process of selecting a college, you will want to add Harrison College to the list.
 

Check out the Harrison College Columbus Indiana college campus Career Services Year End Report for the 2008-2009 academic year.


Under the leadership of Melissa Barnett, Director of Career Services, Harrison College graduates are experiencing great success in Columbus, Indiana and our surrounding communities.
 

Career Services Year End Report
 

During the 2008-2009 School Year, Harrison College-Columbus Graduated:
 

71 Business and Medical Students Graduated from Harrison College, Columbus, Indiana campus during the 2008-2009 Academic Year
 

Of these graduates:
 

35 Are working IN their field of study


10 Are working in a position RELATED to their field of study


 4 Are working in a position OUT of their field of study


14 Are CONTINUING EDUCATION (This includes dual and triple majors and enrollment in Bachelor’s degree programs.)


  3 Are still SEEKING employment


  5 Are out on Military, Medical, or Maternity Leave
 

What does this mean for our students and our communities?
 

 Harrison College Columbus Campus educates in areas of employment need!
 

 Harrison College Columbus Campus graduates career-ready individuals.
 

 Harrison College Columbus Campus supports local employers by providing resumes of qualified candidates at no charge to the employer.
 

 Harrison College Columbus Campus offers an Employer Commitment!
 

 Harrison College Columbus Campus Career Services is doing very well in comparison to other campuses around the state! As a matter of fact, Columbus is currently 2nd in the state with their IN FIELD and overall employment percentages.

 
Are you curious about how we compare with other colleges and universities around the state? It's your right to know, so don't hesitate to ask any college you are interested in attending what their student employment placement rates were last year. To learn more about our overall graduate employment rates, click here.


In a recent survey of over 35, 000 students from over 840 colleges and university reported that only 26% of the 2008 graduates had applied for a position and been hired for the position.
                                                                            (As reported in The Republic)
 

When was the last time you gave yourself a pat on the back for a job well done? Really, that long ago? Well, I can relate. Too often we concentrate on the areas where we need improvement and simply dismiss those where we have done a good job. This is all part of human nature I think—or at least part of our culture enough to make it seem so.
 

Focusing on the negative can be a big roadblock to success.
 

Making a change in this cycle has been a focus of Harrison College, and Indiana Career College, for many years now. By using proven strategies developed by The Pacific Institute, students, staff and faculty alike learn to build positive attitudes—therefore increasing our personal and educational success rates.
 

At Harrison College Columbus Indiana college campus, we have noticed a direct link between positive attitudes and student retention (this means that our students enroll and stay in college until they graduate—AKA COMMITMENT!) and employment rate.  It’s a simple concept that basically means that people who view obstacles as challenges are more effective in dealing with what life throws at them as a student and as an employee.  And from an employer’s standpoint, people with a positive attitude toward change are more open to career development assistance too—and this is a good thing!
 

As I mentioned, this isn’t just something we introduce to our students in the life-skills based course they all take, this is also taught to our employees. It is clear that positive employee attitudes have led to more long-term employment by staff and faculty alike. Long-term employees translate into a more consistence and happy environment for employees and students. I feel that the “culture” we have created through the practice of these concepts is a big factor in that Harrison College has been recognized as one of Indiana’s Best Places to Work for two years in a row.
 

If you are looking for a way to changed your attitude and in turn change your life—as a student or an employee— check out Harrison College.  We just might be the positive atmosphere you need to experience success as a student or employee!
 

I am not sure if I have ever really shared this with anyone, but I truly do feel like Harrison College is a second home for me and the people who work here are my family.  I have been a student, a student worker, and an employee at the Columbus Indiana college campus. I have worked in collaboration with many of the other employees from our campus locations around the state and within our distance learning college.  It was no surprise to me that Harrison College, formerly Indiana Business College, was listed on the Indiana Best Places to Work list two years in a row!

Today I want to give a big shout out to the Harrison College Muncie Indiana college campus.  Our Muncie campus offers degree programs through our schools of Business, Health Sciences, and Criminal Justice. With a student body 230 people strong, the focus of the Muncie campus is just like that of my own campus—STUDENT-CENTERED EDUCATION AND SERVICE.
 

Muncie also offers flexible class schedules, day and evening classes, and even online course options. Students at the Muncie Indiana college campus enroll in the adult education programs in search of career development assistance and career advancement that often comes along with a college degree.
 

As an Indiana accredited college, Harrison College (all 14 ground locations and our distance learning college) takes pride in providing students with the education and hands-on training they need to succeed in the job market today.
 

I feel safe to say that even though it is 103 miles away from where I sit right now, if you stop by the Harrison College Muncie Indiana college campus, you will greeted with a smile, given useful information, and treated with respect—not because I sent you there, but because that is just the way we do it!
 

Every day on my way to the Harrison College Columbus Indiana college campus I drive by a house that is under construction.  Some days I look at that house and think WOW, how exciting it would be to build a house from scratch. Picking out all the finishes—wood floors, tile or carpet—selecting the paint colors—well, the list goes on and on.  Building is just the art of taking an idea, even a dream, and making it into something real.
 

Well, enrolling in an adult education program is a lot like building a house from scratch.  The first thing to consider is the blueprint. What do you want it to look like when you are done? Finding the right career path is a big part of this step. Are you looking for a career as a medical assistant or would a career as a systems administrator be the right path for you? Both are very stable career choices, but which one works for you? What do you want out of the college you attend? A quality education? Career development assistance? Employment assistance during college and for the rest of your life? Financial aid assistance from trained professionals? Maybe even just something as simple as service and a friendly atmosphere?  The simple fact is that many people would shop longer and give more thought to the choice of a contractor than they do the college they choose to attend.
 

Once you have determined your blueprint, the next thing to consider is the foundation. A strong foundation is the key to having lasting value in your investment—be it a house or a college degree. Look at the various types of options available in adult education programs like distance learning college degrees to attending a local ground campus. Finding the atmosphere and the flexible class schedules that will work for you will increase your probability for success.  Keep in mind that this is a foundation—the base on which so much more will stand, so look for an Indiana accredited college for the best value.
 

Be mindful of your timeline. It is easy to get started on something and lose track of the goal of completing it. If you are entering a college for working adults or if you have attended college before, find out what you need to do as the student to ensure that your previously earned credits will be reviewed and applied if possible. Keep your eye on prerequisite courses that may not be offered ever semester or quarter as missing one of these could bring your education to an abrupt halt.  Another option is to look for a college with an atmosphere much like Harrison College where the Dean provides scheduling options based on the individual student. After all, the goal is to educate and graduate students in a timely manner and with the least amount of confusion to the process.
 

What about budget? Of course budget is always a consideration. Make sure you complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on time (prior to March 10th each year) to qualify for Indiana scholarships and grants. The process can be confusing, so don’t be afraid to ask questions of the professionals in the Financial Aid department at your school.
 

If you are considering taking that first step to building a strong and successful future, consider Harrison College. With campus locations in Indiana and Ohio and distance learning opportunities globally, Harrison College may be the right college to provide you with the tools you need to get started.

At one time or another, I think that many of us suffer from what I like to call “professional vertigo.”




Vertigo is a condition often associated with a sensation of dizziness, confusion and a disoriented state of mind. In the ever changing world that we call “business,” it is not uncommon for our jobs to cause these same sensations. I started thinking about all of the different businesses having to make staffing changes during the economic downturn. 


If asked, I believe that admissions teams at many of the Indiana accredited colleges, would agree that adult education programs have seen an increase in enrollments due to professional vertigo.
 

Jackie Griffith, Admissions Representative at Harrison College and graduate of Indiana Business College, explains it like this, “As the economy changes, so do the jobs. In order to stay employed or perhaps find a new job, people are finding it necessary to go back to school to earn a college degree or update a degree earned years before.”
 

“So many of the adult students I meet with are in need of some type of career development assistance because they now find themselves with new responsibilities in their current job or in need of finding a new career position,” adds Gina Pate, Director of Admissions at the Harrison College Columbus Indiana college campus.
 

Griffith is quick to add, “Those I talk with seem to understand that the key to surviving this economy is the ability to adapt and evolve. They know that in order to stay successful or to be successful in a new career, finding a college for working adults is the best way to have a competitive edge.”
 

If you find yourself suffering from professional vertigo, take a deep breath, relax and call Harrison College. Offering degrees in Health Care Management to Fashion Merchandising courses—from Criminal Justice to Veterinary Technology training—Harrison College has something for everyone!
 

In April of 2009 Indiana Business College made their biggest announcement since opening the distance learning college division. We announced that we were changing our name. Indiana Business College had become Harrison College.

WOW, was about the only thought that came to my mind as all the employees listened to Ken Konesco make the announcement via conference call across the state. I am an Indiana Business College graduate and I wasn’t sure how I felt about the new name. Sure, it sounded good, but what did it mean to who we are and what we do? I understood that the word “Business “ did not accurately depict who we had become—after all, over half of the students at the Columbus Indiana college campus were pursuing degrees in Medical Assistant or Medical Reimbursement Technology. And “Indiana” wasn’t really representative to us with the addition of our Online division and the addition of a Columbus Ohio ground campus scheduled to open in the fall of 2009. But there were things about Indiana Business College that I hoped would not change with our name.

Career-Focused Education—Our history shows that many people desire an education focused on specific career skills. More now than ever before, people find value in cutting to the chase so to speak. With access to the world at our fingertips, fewer people feel the need to complete as many general education courses and just get to the heart of the matter. As a student I valued that my time was not spent taking courses I didn’t really need to function as a professional in an office setting.

Student-Centered Education—I chose Indiana Business College specifically because I was recognized as an individual and a CUSTOMER. I value customer service regardless of where I am, and college was no exception. There were many aspects of attending college that were new to me—Financial Aid and class schedules were just two that came to mind. At a large community college I didn’t receive any service and left feeling very discouraged. From the moment I entered the Columbus college campus I knew Indiana Business College was different. The service I received gave me just enough confidence to get started. As an employee, I have always taken pride in continuing to provide that service to students every day.

Career Services—Well, this is a no-brainer! What a HUGE bonus this was to me as a student. Not only did I feel confident that I would receive a quality education and a degree that would take me places, but I was promised assistance in finding a career position when I graduated. On top of that, that promise carries over for my lifetime.  I found no other local college able to say that they had such documented success with graduate career placement.

These are just a few of the things that I KNOW set Indiana Business College apart from the other colleges in our area. Would they continue to be a part of our culture as we became Harrison College?

Well, almost three months later I am happy to say that Harrison College is living up to the expectations I had as a graduate. I am proud to be an employee of the only college to make it onto the Indiana Best Places to Work list for 2009.

Would you like to experience an education built around the skills you need and the fact that you are an individual? Would you like to work for a company that values education and service? If you answered yes, please visit our web site at www.harrison.edu .

As I flipped through the newspaper this past weekend I came upon an article that talked about the current job market, local unemployment rates, and recent college graduates. Now, I don’t want to sound like I don’t keep up on things, but I was shocked. Unemployment rates ranged from 8.4 in Johnson County to 13.4 in Jennings County. There were also recent statistics from a survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. This survey included over 35,000 students from over 840 colleges and universities. I focused on the information regarding 2008 graduates and found two things—first, 24% of the graduates surveyed had continued on to pursue even higher degrees and second, (and this was the part that surprised me the most) only 26% of the 2008 graduates had applied for a position and been hired for the position. 

Working for an Indiana career college, this information shouldn't’t have surprised me, right? That is what one would think. However, the successful rate of employment for Indiana Business College/Harrison College graduates is so far from these numbers that I actually wondered if I were seeing things right.

In 2008, Melissa Barnett, Director of Career Services at the Columbus, Indiana college campus, wrapped up the year with a 79% rate of employment for the graduates from that year. That 79% represented graduates that were employed in their field—that means that those with a degree in Medical Assistant were working in physicians’ offices and those with majors in Business Marketing were using their degrees on then job!

And here we are in the early stages of the 2009 reporting period, in one of the toughest economic times I can personally recall, and our current placement rate is already sitting at 81%! How awesome is that?

I would urge anyone currently considering college as a means for career advancement to ask those colleges what they do to assist their graduates in finding employment in their field of study at graduation and even beyond. And if their answer includes employment rates below 70%, call the nearest Harrison College campus or check us out online.