Harrison College

The Relationship Between Jobs and Degrees

Thursday, August 26, 2010 by Vincent Darlage

Occasionally I hear graduates (from many colleges) complain that they have their degree, but cannot find a job - and they blame the college or the degree instead of looking to themselves. I have heard potential applicants say, "But can I get a job with a degree from (insert college name)?"

The answer to that is: "Sure you can. You could also not get a job. A lot of that depends more on you than on the degree. The degree just opens up the door for the opportunity to get jobs. It is up to you to convince the interviewer you are right for the position."

I know graduates with associates degrees who make more money than I do (I have a master's degree). They actively went out and found their dream jobs using some very basic strategies for success. I also know graduates with bachelors, masters and even one with a doctorate who cannot find work. They often do not try or have disqualifying personalities or characteristics, or they have a degree that has no market.

As an example, I knew a person who had a master's degree from a high-ranking college who could not find work. This person was brilliant. However, his personal hygiene and other factors were deplorable. He was filthy and had an odor surrounding him at all times. He cursed profusely, even in interviews. Was it his degree's fault he couldn't find a job? He blamed it on the degree, the college, the instructors and everyone but himself.

When I worked in accounting and HR, I did a lot of hiring. When I looked at a person's educational background, I didn't really care where he or she went to school, but whether he or she had the educational background I needed. Ultimately, at the interview, whether the person seemed a good fit for the company in terms of persona determined whether the person got the job offer - the college of choice didn't matter to me at that point.

I now work at Harrison College in Columbus, Indiana. Many amazing students have graduated from Harrison and found their dream jobs, many making more money than I am. Those who I have observed struggle to find jobs don't try for the most part. Some of these former students didn't try while at college (missing classes, not doing assignments, and always letting personal problems intervene with their education. Some even do not send out resumes and cover letters. They just expected the jobs to come when they graduated.

A degree does not guarantee a graduate a job - but it does open doors of opportunity. It is still up to the graduate to go through those doors and actually get the job. I don't care what college you attended, this holds true. Now is the time to get a degree if you don't have one - now is the time to find the opportunity for a better job. One of many things I love about Harrison College is our career services department. Our graduates have lifetime career services help... and our career services directors are good at their jobs.

Are you looking for a college for working adults with flexible class schedules so you can open up opportunities for yourself? Visit the Harrison College website today!

Harrison College tackles a great cause with the Colts and Indy Reads

Wednesday, August 25, 2010 by Mary Catharine Grau

Join the Harrison College Team to Tackle Adult Illiteracy This season, Harrison College has teamed up with the Indianapolis Colts to support Indy Reads, with the introduction of the Tackling Adult Illiteracy campaign. In honor of its dedication to education in Indiana, we have pledged to donate $26 to Indy Reads for every tackle #26, Kelvin Hayden, Colts Defensive Back, makes at Lucas Oil Stadium or away.

“I’m proud to be a part of a great challenge that benefits such a worthy cause. I’ll be making tackles that will make a difference in someone’s life, which is great motivation for this season,” says Kelvin.

Indy Reads, a Central Indiana nonprofit, is dedicated to assisting the more than 100,000 adults in Marion County who are not functionally literate. The non-profit has been working to “make Indianapolis 100% literate” since 1984, tutoring almost 1,000 adults in 2009. For every $1 donated to Indy Reads, an estimated $33 is returned to the community through increased wages and savings.

“On behalf of all our students and volunteer tutors, Indy Reads is so thankful to be a part of this great new partnership with Harrison College and the Colts. It is a real honor to be tackling adult illiteracy with these great supporters of our community, and Kelvin Hayden too! We believe that one of the most effective ways of making Central Indiana a better place to live is to improve the literacy rates of everyone who lives here. Not being able to read and write makes it hard to keep a good job, compromises one’s health care and safety, and is a significant barrier to being a good parent. Being able to raise money and awareness with this great partnership will have an immediate impact. We’ve got over 40 adult students on our waiting list right now who want to learn to read and take control of their lives. Colts fans can really make a difference!” Travis DiNicola, Executive Director of Indy Reads. (Watch a video about Indy Reads)

“Since Harrison was established more than 100 years ago, we have been dedicated to providing relevant education programs in the communities we serve,” said Jason Konesco, Harrison College President. “Partnering with Indy Reads, the Colts and Kelvin is a natural extension of Harrison’s core mission and values. We encourage our community to join the Tackling Adult Illiteracy team with Harrison College.”

Learn more at www.harrison.edu/colts.

Some thoughts on email

Wednesday, August 25, 2010 by Vincent Darlage

Email... a lot of people do not know how to use it properly. If you are emailing a friend, a casual tone is fine, but the problem comes when you get used to that style of email and you use the casual tone (and, unfortunately, casual spelling, grammer and acronyms) when emailing co-workers, superiors and customers.

My advice is to always use correct spelling, grammar and punctuation. Even if I am emailing my best friend, I do this. I don't want to get in the habit of spelling something wrong. I don't want to email my young son and set a poor example. Even if I text someone, I use correct spelling and grammar. It may be slower, but it keeps me in practice and keeps me professional in habit. Always spell-check your emails. Emails with spelling errors are not taken as seriously. Bosses may make judgements about your intelligence or competency based on your emails.

I cringe sometimes at the emails I get from people. Others send concise and properly worded emails. I love those. Good email etiquette is a skill which can save your job, so get into the habit. One of the worst things I see is people not typing in complete sentences. Sentence fragments are not clear. Sentence fragments are not understandable.

As more and more people use emails and texting to communicate, learning good emailing and texting habits will help you in the future. Don't get lazy with your electronic communications.

If you need more help with email etiquette, check out these 101 tips.

Are you looking for a college for working adults with flexible class schedules? Visit the Harrison College website today and become an adult learner!

Good Teaching: Having Fun

Tuesday, August 24, 2010 by Vincent Darlage

I recently read Richard LeBlanc's article, "Good Teaching: The Top 10 Requirements." For my blog today, I am going to discuss his tenth requirement: having fun, experiencing pleasure and intrinsic rewards.

Dr. LeBlanc is absolutely correct. Teachers have to enjoy their jobs and have to find their own intrinsic rewards. We are not paid a lot to teach. If we wanted money, there are far better ways to earn more of it. However, teachers love their jobs. We have fun. I look forward every day to coming to work and teaching. I miss my classes and students on breaks.

Here is a story to tell you how much I love my job. I had back surgery a few years ago and was told to take at least two weeks off to recover. No. I took the day off to have the surgery and was back at my job the next day. Why? I couldn't imagine sitting at home, in pain, wishing I was in class. Since I was going to be in pain anyway, why not be in pain doing something I love doing? I had a drainage bag attached to my back by a long tube. The tube reached to my pockets, so I just put the bag in my pocket, wore a suit coat and no one was any the wiser. Honestly, the drive was the worst part. Having fun and being in the classroom made me feel better. I think I healed faster than if I just sat at home and wished I was in the classroom.

I love to hear from students who have succeeded after they have graduated. Many of them now earn more money than I do. I love seeing the "light bulb" come on when the students grasp new concepts for the first time. I love graduation, seeing how professional many of my students have become. I love seeing new students come in, raw and uncertain, and watching them transform into trained and confident professionals. Every day brings its own rewards.

I love my job. I think every successful teacher loves their job just as much.

Are you looking for a college for working adults with flexible class schedules taught by instructors who have fun and enjoy their jobs? Visit the Harrison College website today!

“The key to change... is to let go of fear.”

Monday, August 23, 2010 by Erin Beck

Today the Harrison College Administration Offices and Online Division moved locations...at least most people. Prior to today we had three different buildings downtown where our employees were located. After today there are just two. While my department is staying put, I've heard a lot of varying comments regarding change.

Some people love change, others hate it but one thing you can't deny is that it is inevitable especially when you decide to go to college or when you graduate and look for a job.

The ability to adapt to change is a very valuable life skill. In order to adapt you must be able to refocus and figure out what choices to make in order to receive the best outcomes.

Change can be scary due to the following:

Fear of the unknown
Fear of failure
Fear of commitment
Fear of disapproval
Fear of success

In any case try to look on the bright side and keep your goals in mind. If you ever need help coping with change while at Harrison College or once you graduate and begin looking for a job, don't hesitate to talk with a staff member at your campus. We also offer FREE counseling services through Student Resource Services to all students and alumni.

To take advantage of this resource simply call 866-880-3504
Studentlifetools.com and tell them you are with Harrison College or the Harrison College Alumni Association.

*Quote from Rosanne Cash

Good Teaching: Mentoring

Monday, August 23, 2010 by Vincent Darlage

I recently read Richard LeBlanc's article, "Good Teaching: The Top 10 Requirements." For my blog today, I am going to discuss his ninth requirement: mentoring between senior and junior faculty, teamwork, and being recognized and promoted by one’s peers.

Mentoring is essential to good teaching. Mentoring was invaluable to me when I first started my career as an instructor. When I first started teaching, I didn't know much about teaching. My father was a junior high teacher, but I never really talked to him about how he does his job. I was coming to the position from an accounting position. I knew the subject and had a passion to teach, but I didn't know how to teach. Fortunately for me, the culture at the Columbus Indiana college promoted mentoring.

I owe much of my initial success to an accounting instructor named Michelle. She critiqued my classroom performance and constantly gave me tips on teaching better. Many of the tips included ideas listed by Dr. LeBlanc as a requirement for good teaching. I owe much of my continued employment to Michelle and her mentoring.

In return, I mentor other instructors. Whenever a new instructor is hired, adjunct or full-time, an experienced full-time instructor is asked to mentor the new one. This is an excellent program geared to help teachers excel. By mentoring others, I gain a deeper understanding of my own craft because I have to start analyzing what I do to explain it to another instructor. This gives me improved professional competency. Mentoring also keeps me fresh, renewed, and energized about my job. Mentoring enhances my self-esteem and builds my capacity for leadership.

There are many benefits to mentoring. According to Jennifer Wagaman, mentoring increases teacher retention, improved student achievement, and makes the mentor a better teacher.

Are you looking for a college for working adults with flexible class schedules taught by mentored instructors who are self-reflexive, professionally competent and energized about their profession? Visit the Harrison College website today!

Good Teaching: Support

Sunday, August 22, 2010 by Vincent Darlage

I recently read Richard LeBlanc's article, "Good Teaching: The Top 10 Requirements." For my blog today, I am going to discuss his eighth requirement: support via visionary leadership and tangible institutional support.

Good teaching requires a solid vision. I remember my wife working for a school who simply wanted people in their seats. They didn't care and they had no vision beyond making money off of these people. That is not an environment where good teaching is likely to happen. Good teachers find themselves unsupported at every turn in such environments. Everyone working there was demotivated and frustrated.

I can't help but to contrast that with Harrison College, especially the Columbus Indiana college. Yes, we are a profit-driven, but that is not our vision. Our vision from our leadership is to help students, to make their lives better, to be a force of good in the world, essentially. Our value statements include such statements as: "We value a personal, responsive, and attentive learning environment that exceeds student expectations. Our convenient, adaptable delivery methods enable students to balance life and college. We continually improve services to all members of the College community through assessment and feedback mechanisms," and "As a result of this educational experience, we expect our graduates to enhance their careers and embrace lifelong learning."

Notice the importance of our students in those statements. Of course it is not enough to simply state such things - Harrison College does these things. Actions speak louder than words, and the actions I see at this college attest in volume just how important students and education are to our leaders. At every turn, I feel supported in my own goals to teach.
I hadn't thought that much about it, but Dr. LeBlanc is absolutely correct - without visionary leadership and institutional support, good teaching becomes impaired.

Are you looking for a college for working adults with flexible class schedules taught by instructors led by visionary leadership and institutional support? Visit the Harrison College website today!

Good Teaching: Caring

Saturday, August 21, 2010 by Vincent Darlage

I recently read Richard LeBlanc's article, "Good Teaching: The Top 10 Requirements." For my blog today, I am going to discuss his seventh requirement: caring, nurturing and developing minds and talents.

Dr. LeBlanc is correct: "It’s about devoting time, often invisible, to every student. It’s also about the thankless hours of grading, designing or redesigning courses and preparing materials to still further enhance instruction."

Students never know how much preperation time goes into the lessons, lectures, activities, grading and so on... and they shouldn't know. Those hours are invisible to the student, and that is okay. It is like all the invisible time spent caring for one's child that the child never appreciates until the child has his or her own child later.

Teachers have to care. That caring provides the motivation to nurture the student, to help that student reach his or her potential. Students are not motivated by instructors who do not care. What does it mean to care? It means that the student matter to the instructor, that the student's situation and learning are important to the instructor. My students know I am ready with a kind word for them, and that they can talk to me about their problems. They know they can share their feelings without getting hurt by me. This caring engages their commitment to learning. One of the more unfortunate things that can happen in a classsroom is for the student to feel invisible, as if the instructor doesn't care. That student isn't feeling engaged. That student doesn't feel as though he belongs. That student is probably going to drop out.

Are you looking for a college for working adults with flexible class schedules taught by caring instructors? Visit the Harrison College website today!

Good Teaching: Humor

Friday, August 20, 2010 by Vincent Darlage

I recently read Richard LeBlanc's article, "Good Teaching: The Top 10 Requirements." For my blog today, I am going to discuss his sixth requirement: humor.

I have to say, writing this particular segment of the blog is difficult. Not that I don't believe in humor, but because of spelling. I write role-playing books for a British company on the side, so I have to write with British spellings, so I had to rewrite portions of this because I kept spelling "humor" as "humour," the British spelling.

Humor is a major part of my classroom presentation. When I first started teaching at the Columbus Indiana college, I went in without knowing anything about teaching. I emulated what I thought a college professor would act like. I was stern and serious... and not fun. It was a horrible experience, both for me and for the students. The complaint was that I was "not human." In other words, I was somehow above the students and couldn't reach them. Their perception killed my ability to communcate to them. Later, after I learned this, I started telling little jokes, mostly about myself, or about a version of me I called "Zepe Zebowski." The jokes worked as an ice-breaker... and it let a bit of my humanity and "normalcy" shine out. Suddenly I had a relaxed classroom with students who could actually relate to me... and vice versa.

Are you looking for a college for working adults with flexible class schedules taught by humorous instructors? Visit the Harrison College website today!

Be Your Own Success Story

Thursday, August 19, 2010 by Jeanette Goins

It's a safe guess that you want to have a happy, successful future. You probably have figured that the basis for that future is a successful career in a field you will enjoy. You've also realized that success doesn't just happen. It's the result of a plan, carefully designed and followed. You're headed in the right direction as education is a vital element in finding success in a career.

Each of us must be self-reliant: that means that we must seize control of our own destinies. Consider your interests. What holds your interest today and what can you see yourself doing tomorrow? That's what you'll enjoy studying. If you're going to spend time, money and energy on an education, you want to be sure it’s one you’ll enjoy.

If you are interested in the opportunity of being your own success story, your plans for the future should include Harrison College. Harrison College offers the ease and flexibility of getting your education on your time – offering day, night, and online classes – giving you time for family and work while still having the opportunity to gain the skills you need to get the career you want.

The adult education programs of study at the Evansville College include Health Care Management, Medical Assistant, Medical Office Assistant, Medical Reimbursement Technology, Criminal Justice, Accounting, Accounting Assistant, Business Management, Business Marketing, Business Finance, Human Resources, Office Assistant, and Administrative Professional.

So what are you waiting for? Start your own success story today!

Good Teaching: Style

Thursday, August 19, 2010 by Vincent Darlage

I recently read Richard LeBlanc's article, "Good Teaching: The Top 10 Requirements." For my blog today, I am going to discuss his fifth requirement: style.

One of the buzz words we use around Harrison College is "edutainer," an amalgamation of "educator" and "entertainer." We, the instructors of Harrison College at the Columbus Indiana college, are definitely edutainers. We have to work the room. Sitting at the desk or standing behind the podium, staring at the book or a power point is not a good way to communicate. It does not educate. It is boring. A good instructor needs to work his classroom like an actor or comedian or host has to work a room. If you were hosting a party, wouldn't you make sure each and every person was getting the best experience they could be getting, or would you stand in one spot in your house? A good host works the rooms. So does a good teacher.

Now, as Richard LeBlanc says, being entertaining does not mean the content lacks substance. The entertaining aspect of the communication makes the substance of it memorable! If a teacher makes the subject fun, the student is more motivated to participate and learn. It is a simple truth, but so many lecturers out there miss it.

Are you looking for a college for working adults with flexible class schedules taught by entertaining instructors with both style and substance? Visit the Harrison College website today!

Character Council Breakfast-August

Thursday, August 19, 2010 by Erin Beck

Every third Thursday of the month the Harrison College East campus hosts the Character Council Breakfast. A guest speaker from the Character Council of Indiana comes to speak on a specific character quality. This event is open to anyone in the Harrison family as well as in the community. It's a great place to network and get some professional development for yourself.

This morning's topic was Security.

Security is defined as structuring your life around that which cannot be destroyed or taken away.

It doesn't mean you should avoid risk but rather make sure that you are pursuing worthy values and that you keep those in mind even when you encounter adversity.

Security can be both a Cause (it's practiced) and an Effect.(it's experienced).

We practice security when we are mindful of a risk and then take appropriate precautions. For example, you know at any time your computer could crash (risk) so you back up your documents on an external hard drive (precaution).

We experience security when our life is built around unshakable truths. For example we feel secure about our information once we back it up on a hard drive.

Each of the character qualities that the Character Council talks about has 5 key concepts to help you develop the trait. For security:

1. Lay a foundation-adjust your thoughts and attitudes so that you can value what really matters
2. Build by principle-make daily decisions that reflect your priorities
3. Make necessary repairs-identify your responsibility in each situation and adjust your attitudes and actions to become productive
4. Weather the storm-remember your values and keep your word
5. Be a refuge-look for ways to invest in others and provide them security

For more information on Security and the other character qualities visit the Character Council of Indiana Website at www.charactercouncil.org.

They are also holding a Vision Dinner and Silent Auction in November. It is a fundraiser to help with character initiatives and ongoing training in schools, at work and in homes. If you would like to donate funds or silent auction prizes please contact the Character Council.

The next Character Council Breakfast at the Harrison College East Campus will be on September 16th from 7-8am. Breakfast is included and there is no charge to attend. The East Campus is located at 8150 Brookville Rd, Indianapolis, IN.

Good Teaching: Flexibility

Wednesday, August 18, 2010 by Vincent Darlage

I recently read Richard LeBlanc's article, "Good Teaching: The Top 10 Requirements." For my blog today, I am going to discuss his fourth requirement: flexibility.

Teachers cannot be push-overs, nor can they be totalitarian. They need to be flexible. I learned this early on. Often classes do not go according to plan. A teacher has to adjust to the situation. If students are catching on faster than expected, the instructor may have to start teaching new topics faster than anticipated. On the other hand, if students are not catching on as quickly as the teacher thought, the class needs to be slowed down. Questions can change the course of a class to make it more appropriate to the learning needs of the student. Teachers cannot stick too closely to an agenda, or even stick to the one way they prefer to teach. All students are unique - and all classes are unique.

I have taught accounting for nine years. I have taught the same classes over and over, but I have never been able to teach it the same way twice. What one class grasps quickly, another does not. That kind of flexibility is a must for teaching. Many times I have taken things out of the syllabus, and added other things in. Also, the professions we are teaching about change. They are not static professions. I have to be flexible to bring in new concepts, even if the syllabus or textbook does not incorporate the new things yet. Professional concepts change faster than the syllabi or textbooks can change. Teachers are more capable of bringing those new changes into the classroom in a timely manner than textbooks. But it requires flexibility.

Are you looking for a college for working adults with flexible class schedules taught by flexible instructors? Visit the Harrison College website today!

Flash Drives vs. Backpacks: This year's new student

Wednesday, August 18, 2010 by Erin Beck

Yesterday I was at the Indy downtown, Take 5 Tuesday event. This was a special day

where classes were canceled and students attended various professional development workshops like networking, internships, professionalism, social media, and money management. While at my alumni info table I over heard someone say, "Notice how all of the students have flash drives around their necks, I remember when they all used to carry backpacks."

It got me thinking about technology and the different generations that we have currently enrolled in higher education. It's true, older generations remember writing papers...actually handwriting them with a pencil or pen. Today's generation has never known life without a word processor. They don't need to carry all of their books, folders and papers around in a heavy backpack because most of their books are online and the only folders they have exist in their My Documents.

To go along with this, Beloit College publishes an annual "Mind-Set" list. This list describes the current typical freshman class. While I find these things interesting it is important to note that at Harrison College we have many different generations and our first quarter students (freshman) may not be your typical 18 year old. However, I think you'll find this list pretty entertaining.

For more information on the Beloit List click here-http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/2014.php

The Beloit College Mindset List for the Class of 2014

Most students entering college for the first time this fall—the Class of 2014—were born in 1992.

1. Few in the class know how to write in cursive.

2. Email is just too slow, and they seldom if ever use snail mail.

3. "Go West, Young College Grad” has always implied "and don’t stop until you get to Asia…and learn Chinese along the way.”

4. Al Gore has always been animated.

5. Los Angelenos have always been trying to get along.

6. Buffy has always been meeting her obligations to hunt down Lothos and the other blood-suckers at Hemery High.

7. "Caramel macchiato” and "venti half-caf vanilla latte” have always been street corner lingo.

8. With increasing numbers of ramps, Braille signs, and handicapped parking spaces, the world has always been trying harder to accommodate people with disabilities.

9. Had it remained operational, the villainous computer HAL could be their college classmate this fall, but they have a better chance of running into Miley Cyrus’s folks on Parents’ Weekend.

10. A quarter of the class has at least one immigrant parent, and the immigration debate is not a big priority…unless it involves "real” aliens from another planet.

11. John McEnroe has never played professional tennis.

12. Clint Eastwood is better known as a sensitive director than as Dirty Harry.

13. Parents and teachers feared that Beavis and Butt-head might be the voice of a lost generation.

14. Doctor Kevorkian has never been licensed to practice medicine.

15. Colorful lapel ribbons have always been worn to indicate support for a cause.

16. Korean cars have always been a staple on American highways.

17. Trading Chocolate the Moose for Patti the Platypus helped build their Beanie Baby collection.

18. Fergie is a pop singer, not a princess.

19. They never twisted the coiled handset wire aimlessly around their wrists while chatting on the phone.

20. DNA fingerprinting and maps of the human genome have always existed.

21. Woody Allen, whose heart has wanted what it wanted, has always been with Soon-Yi Previn.

22. Cross-burning has always been deemed protected speech.

23. Leasing has always allowed the folks to upgrade their tastes in cars.

24. "Cop Killer” by rapper Ice-T has never been available on a recording.

25. Leno and Letterman have always been trading insults on opposing networks.

26. Unless they found one in their grandparents’ closet, they have never seen a carousel of Kodachrome slides.

27. Computers have never lacked a CD-ROM disk drive.

28. They’ve never recognized that pointing to their wrists was a request for the time of day.

29. Reggie Jackson has always been enshrined in Cooperstown.

30. "Viewer Discretion” has always been an available warning on TV shows.

31. The first computer they probably touched was an Apple II; it is now in a museum.

32. Czechoslovakia has never existed.

33. Second-hand smoke has always been an official carcinogen.

34. "Assisted Living” has always been replacing nursing homes, while Hospice has always been an alternative to hospitals.

35. Once they got through security, going to the airport has always resembled going to the mall.

36. Adhesive strips have always been available in varying skin tones.

37. Whatever their parents may have thought about the year they were born, Queen Elizabeth declared it an "Annus Horribilis.”

38. Bud Selig has always been the Commissioner of Major League Baseball.

39. Pizza jockeys from Domino’s have never killed themselves to get your pizza there in under 30 minutes.

40. There have always been HIV positive athletes in the Olympics.

41. American companies have always done business in Vietnam.

42. Potato has always ended in an "e” in New Jersey per vice presidential edict.

43. Russians and Americans have always been living together in space.

44. The dominance of television news by the three networks passed while they were still in their cribs.

45. They have always had a chance to do community service with local and federal programs to earn money for college.

46. Nirvana is on the classic oldies station.

47. Children have always been trying to divorce their parents.

48. Someone has always gotten married in space.

49. While they were babbling in strollers, there was already a female Poet Laureate of the United States.

50. Toothpaste tubes have always stood up on their caps.

51. Food has always been irradiated.

52. There have always been women priests in the Anglican Church.

53. J.R. Ewing has always been dead and gone. Hasn’t he?

54. The historic bridge at Mostar in Bosnia has always been a copy.

55. Rock bands have always played at presidential inaugural parties.

56. They may have assumed that parents’ complaints about Black Monday had to do with punk rockers from L.A., not Wall Street.

57. A purple dinosaur has always supplanted Barney Google and Barney Fife.

58. Beethoven has always been a dog.

59. By the time their folks might have noticed Coca Cola’s new Tab Clear, it was gone.

60. Walmart has never sold handguns over the counter in the lower 48.

61. Presidential appointees have always been required to be more precise about paying their nannies’ withholding tax, or else.

62. Having hundreds of cable channels but nothing to watch has always been routine.

63. Their parents’ favorite TV sitcoms have always been showing up as movies.

64. The U.S, Canada, and Mexico have always agreed to trade freely.

65. They first met Michelangelo when he was just a computer virus.

66. Galileo is forgiven and welcome back into the Roman Catholic Church.

67. Ruth Bader Ginsburg has always sat on the Supreme Court.

68. They have never worried about a Russian missile strike on the U.S.

69. The Post Office has always been going broke.

70. The artist formerly known as Snoop Doggy Dogg has always been rapping.

71. The nation has never approved of the job Congress is doing.

72. One way or another, "It’s the economy, stupid” and always has been.

73. Silicone-gel breast implants have always been regulated.

74. They’ve always been able to blast off with the Sci-Fi Channel.

75. Honda has always been a major competitor on Memorial Day at Indianapolis.

Good Teaching: Being Responsive

Tuesday, August 17, 2010 by Vincent Darlage

I recently read Richard LeBlanc's article, "Good Teaching: The Top 10 Requirements." For my blog today, I am going to discuss his third requirement: listening, questioning, being responsive and remembering that each student and class is different.

A good teacher knows how to communicate, which includes listening, questioning and being responsive. A good teacher also knows how to get his students to respond back. Listening is an important skill for any teacher. Listening doesn't just mean "hearing," though. Communication from students comes from far more sources than oral communication - they also have body language we need to pay attention to, attendance can be a form of communication, how they treat others or themselves can be communication.

Questioning is also an important skill. Questioning is a sign of a learner. Instructors need to be learners as well as teachers. By modeling learning behavior we can teach students to question and learn. Teachers need to model the process of scholarship, not just hand out a bunch of facts which are likely to be obsolete in ten years. Students also learn to ask questions by asking them - and then receiving feedback on the question. If instructors do not answer questions, then the student doesn't learn the value of questioning! A student asking a question is at that very moment a self-motivated learner. Motivating students to learn is difficult, so when it is happening, we need to encourage it by responding to the question.

Everyone is different. Every person you meet is fighting a battle of some kind. Instructors need to treat everyone as individuals, as human beings, while remaining professional. A good instructor doesn't stereotype and doesn't treat his students like they came out of a "cookie-cutter."

Are you looking for a college for working adults with flexible class schedules taught by instructors who are responsive to your questions and responsive to you as individuals? Visit the Harrison College website today!

Good Teaching: Substance

Monday, August 16, 2010 by Vincent Darlage

I recently read Richard LeBlanc's article, "Good Teaching: The Top 10 Requirements." For my blog today, I am going to discuss his second requirement: substance and treating students as consumers of knowledge.

Teachers need to be aware of what it is like to work in the field. Teachers need professional development and need to talk to professionals in the field to stay on top of current practices, current trends, current needs. Further, professional development shows an enthusiasm for the subject (see my last blog entry) and models life-long learning for your students and other instructors.

Students deserve the best. They are paying for current, correct knowledge. If instructors treat the students as consumers of knowledge, then the instructors are motivated to make sure they are giving the students what they are paying for: substance.

Are you looking for a college for working adults with flexible class schedules taught by developed instructors? Looking for substantive classroom experiences taught by instructors with in-field knowledge (not just theoretical knowledge)? Visit the Harrison College website today!

Education and Employement

Monday, August 16, 2010 by Chris Hutchinson

A recent op-ed piece appearing in IBJ.com highlights the importance of boosting education in this country to positively impact companies and the economy. The author of the article, Jamie Merisotis, mentions that Indiana is far below the national 2025 goal of 60% of citizens holding a quality college degree. Harrison College shares the opinions of Mr. Merisotis' article and continually works towards graduating students with viable degrees to positively impact local, regional and national companies in a wide variety of fields.

Harrison College is based out of Indianapolis, IN and has 13 campus within the state as well as one campus in Columbus, Ohio. Harrison College campus locations beyond the Indianapolis area include Anderson, Columbus, Elkhart, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Lafayette, Marion, Muncie and Terre Haute. In addition to onground locations, Harrison College has an online division that serves students in over 20 programs, including Business Finance, Medical Assistant, Accounting, Criminal Justice, Information Technology and Health Care Management, to name a few.

As the economy becomes more globalized, it is vital that individuals in this country have meaningful college degrees in order to compete in the ever-changing marketplace. For a complete listing of programs offered by Harrison College, please visit the following link.

Students Televise Support for Harrison College

Friday, August 13, 2010 by Mary Catharine Grau

New Harrison TV commercials are set to launch August 23^rd and feature very special guest stars from Harrison College. The commercials showcase local professional talent as well as local Behind the Scenes of Harrison College TV Production Harrison College talent, including professors, faculty and our very talented students.

All of these committed Harrison superstars are extremely dedicated to their school and education and excited to share the benefits of Harrison with the public. Each one chose to share almost a full day with our production crew without any of the green room perks and only a simple thank you as pay.

On the set, it was enlightening to talk to each student about why Harrison is their college of choice, as well as their exciting career plans after graduation. Our student stars represented a range of programs from Medical Assisting to Business Management to Criminal Justice to Fashion Merchandising and even commuted from the Harrison College Muncie campus to show their support and school pride.

Stay tuned for more Behind the Scenes information on the new Harrison College Campaign.

Good Teaching: Passion

Thursday, August 12, 2010 by Vincent Darlage

I recently read Richard LeBlanc's article, "Good Teaching: The Top 10 Requirements." For my blog today, I am going to discuss his first requirement: passion.

I am a firm believer in passion and enthusiasm. I think they are contagious. If you can instill a passion for learning into your students, you've gone a long way toward accomplishing your task. Enthusiasm is better than confidence in many ways. How can teachers who aren't engaged in their subject expect to engage others in it?

One of the worst mistakes an instructor can make is to openly disparage his or her subject, or tell the students he or she doesn't like the subject or want to teach it. Loving the material and being willing to share or show that enthusiasm only enhances the learning experience for the student.

Even if an instructor doesn't like the subject, he or she should behave otherwise. Sometimes enthusiasm is like a smile. Once you force that first smile, eventually you are smiling for real and discover reasons to smile. You may have to fake the enthusiasm sometimes, but that opens the door to find real reasons to be enthusiastic.

Are you looking for a college for working adults with flexible class schedules taught by enthusiastic instructors? Visit the Harrison College website today!

A New TV Campaign Is Coming Your Way!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010 by Ashley Smith

There’s a new TV campaign launching on August 23^rd that shares some important attributes about Harrison College. The new TV campaign consists of two TV spots that message our college’s Flexibility/Convenience and Variety. The new spots are memorable, fresh, and are part of the 1st ever full-marketing campaign for Harrison College!

But, even more importantly, the spots feature real students, faculty, and staff, and you wouldn’t believe how much time and effort it takes to get a 30 second TV spot up and running!

So here it is in a nutshell…After the marketing team determines that strategy, the research is complete, and we know what we want to say and how we’re going to say it…the fun can begin!

First, the production and filming company is selected.
Then we determine when and where we’re going to film the spots.
After that we have casting with open auditions.
And this takes us to the shoot day!!! So how long does it take to film a 30 second spot? This year we had two 10-hour day shoots to create only two 30 second spots! Oh and this does not yet include the editing process.

So as you can see it takes a lot of time and effort from various members to get us to where we’ll be on the 23^rd when we launch our new TV campaign. Stay tuned as more information is delivered regarding Harrison College's TV campaign.

Harrison College

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