Non-Traditional is the New Traditional

Cathy is a 56 year old grandmother of 8
and is completing her degree online through
USG eCore at Dalton State College.

Asked to picture a college student who makes up the majority population attending classes and most would describe that person as being "fresh-out-of-high-school" or in the 18-22 year old range. Perhaps up until the year 2000, that picture was (mostly) accurate. But these days, college students are older and have either not attended college or are returning after an absence. The nontraditional student now makes up 73% of all students enrolled in undergraduate programs.

The broad definition of an adult learner or "non-traditional" student is anyone who is 25 years old or older. But age is just one of the descriptors that captures an ever expanding group (some 8.4 million) of adult students who often have family and work responsibilities as well as other life circumstances that have interfered with their educational goals. 





Those who fall into the nontraditional learner category meet at least one of the following common characteristics: They

• have delayed enrollment into post-secondary education
• attend part time
• are financially independent of parents 
• work full time while enrolled
• have dependents other than a spouse
• are a single parent
• have a G.E.D. or High School Equivalency certificate  

Why the growth in nontraditional student population? Many professionals realize that career growth, higher earnings and the chance to maximize their potential are either slowed or are non-existent without at college degree. 

Given that so many adults are furthering their education, the importance of the University System of Georgia's efforts to provide quality, flexible opportunities—such as distance learning, accelerated course formats, and prior learning assessment (PLA)—is profound. These programs are increasingly commonplace today, allowing for greater access and completion rates. In fact, the Lumina Foundation found that the number one factor contributing to an adult learner's persistence and achievement in Higher Education is the availability of online courses and resources.

What does this mean for those out there considering starting or returning to college later in life? It means you are not alone - you are actually in the majority right now! So brush off that thinking cap of yours and join the 8.4 million other adults who are advancing taking charge of their futures through higher education. 

Need help getting started? Georgia has a great resource for adults returning to school called Go Back. Move Ahead. Here, you can browse all of the adult-friendly programs in Georgia, and get in contact with a representative that can help you navigate the enrollment process. 

                                                    

Relax! It's Back to School Time.

Stressed about school? Relax!
As the time to begin classes draws nearer, many people find that their stress and anxiety levels ramp up in tandem. Let's look at some relaxation techniques to help you use less energy combating stress, thereby directing it onto tasks like school, work and family life.

Deep Breathing
As stress increases, we clench our jaws, and our shoulders ride up toward our ears — forcing our breathing to become shallow. Shallow breathing, or chest breathing, affects our productivity significantly because it prevents the brain from getting the amount of freshly oxygenated blood it needs to function optimally. Breathing fully from the diaphragm, or deep breathing, allows more oxygen in and more carbon dioxide to exit. Deep breathing counteracts the fight or flight, or stress, response so that we are no longer reacting defensively to perceived threats to our well being, eliciting the "Relaxation Response." Coined by Dr. Herbert Benson, the Relaxation Response is the body being in a state of deep relaxation which lowers heart rate and blood pressure, and relaxes muscles.

The technique for deep breathing is relatively simple:

1. Place your hand lightly on your belly, whether lying down or sitting.
2. Breathe in to the count of five, ensuring that your hand rises and falls with the inhalation/exhalation.
3. Exhale to the count of five; most people need to deep breathe for twenty to thirty minutes for the full Relaxation Response to occur, but after even a few minutes of deep breathing, you will more than likely feel your shoulders start to relax — a positive step forward.

Muscle Relaxation
The best way to get your muscles to relax is to tense them. Sounds counter intuitive, but by focusing on tensing one muscle at a time and then focusing on relaxing it, you become more aware of where you are holding stress. For instance, if you raise and tighten your shoulders and then focus on relaxing them away from your ears, you become more aware that your shoulders were tense and tight. Doing a "body check" periodically through the day, you'll begin to see where you typically hold stress and you can be mindful of relaxing that area.

Body Check:

1. Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
2. Starting at the feet, work your way up the body tensing and then relaxing feet, calves, thighs, stomach, arms, hands, and shoulders. Breathe deeply using the technique described above and as you exhale, relax each muscle group; spend 3-5 breaths on each area.

Exercise

We all have different ways of coping with stress; from talking with friends to eating, and from sleeping too much to grinding our teeth — coping strategies are as varied as the stressors with which we each deal. And while you may feel tired and depleted and think you couldn't bear to do cardio or lift weights, exercise is one of the best ways to deal with stress. Stress increases our sensitivity to pain through pro-inflammatory cytokines; and our brains process emotional "injuries" in the same way they process physical injuries. Exercise has been shown to reverse the production of systemic inflammation through an increase in endorphins — our bodies' own pain relievers that act much like morphine in reducing our perception of pain.

New research has also shown that exercise is linked to an increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which promotes brain nerve-cell health. Better nerve cells equate to increases in learning and memory and helps push the mood reset button. Exercise encourages better sleep, more energy and the release of sex hormones in the brain. Finally, exercise increases blood flow to the brain which encourages mental alertness and concentration. So get up off that couch!

These three methods are by no means the only ways to prevent or reduce stress, but used together provide a powerful recipe to enhance your relaxation efforts. Try any or all of them as you prepare for this semester and let us know how they worked for you!

Meet Tara Brown: Working Mother and eMajor Student

Tara Brown with her husband and two children.

Tara Brown, 39
School: Dalton State College
Major:  Organizational Leadership
Expected Graduation: May 2016

Why is completing your college degree important to you?
I feel that having a degree makes you more competitive in a job search. It’s also a sense of accomplishment to finish my degree because no one else in my family has a degree.

What are your career goals?
I am lucky that I already have a great job. My degree will allow me more opportunities in my field.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A secretary in a doctor’s office. I actually took my dream a step further and am now in leadership with physician practices.

Why did you choose to take online classes through eMajor?
To have the flexibility to do my schoolwork when it’s convenient for me. It also allows me to take more credit hours at a time and still work a full time job and have a family.

What eMajor class has been your favorite?
I like all of my eMajor classes because they are relevant to my day to day work.

How would you describe the instructors you’ve had in your eMajor classes?
They have all been extremely helpful.

Besides being a college student, what do you spend your time doing?
I work full time, am a mom to two kids and I’m a wife. I love to travel, shop, and read.

How and when do you make time to spend on your school work?
I have designated hours each day to do work. Most of the time it is evenings and weekends.

Who inspires you and why?
My husband inspires me. He finished his 4-year degree and has a great job. He is a hard worker and has an excellent work ethic.

What would you say to someone who is considering taking their first online class?
Be diligent about spending time on the assignments. It’s so easy to fall behind if you allow personal stuff to get in the way. 

Get the Job you Want! Four Steps to Using LinkedIn in your Job Search

If you are currently, or soon-to-be in the market for a new job, then you have probably heard the saying – it’s all about networking. Employers today receive stacks and stacks of resumes for open positions, making it harder and harder to stand out as an applicant.  Sure, you may have impressive work experience and a killer cover letter, but odds are that there is at least one applicant in that stack who already has name recognition within the company – and that person is much more likely to get an interview. When searching for a job – it’s all about who you know. If you don’t know the right people, and the right people don’t know you – then you need to change that. The way to do that is through networking.

Ten years ago, networking had a completely different meaning than it does today. Sure, joining and being active in professional groups is great, but today we have a much more powerful professional networking tool right at our fingertips – LinkedIn. To a beginner, LinkedIn can be a bit overwhelming. You may have already created an account, even added “connections,” but are still unclear about how this platform can actually help you get a job. The key is – you have to be strategic in your approach. Here is my four-step process to effectively using LinkedIn in a job search.

Step 1: Start with a complete, professional profile.

This is NOT the first impression you want to
give employers on LinkedIn.

First things first – you have to have a complete profile to be taken seriously on LinkedIn. Think of your profile as your digital resume – it is the first impression you are giving to potential employers, and it should reflect your PROFESSIONAL brand. Just like your real resume, you don’t want to leave the crucial parts empty. The main components of the LinkedIn Profile are:

•  Profile Photo: Starting at the top, you need a professional – looking photo of just you. Again, this is not the appropriate place to use your St. Patrick’s Day photo, or a photo of you and your kids. Remember – you are branding yourself professionally. The photo should be high resolution, and in a professional setting.
• Contact Information: Some people are hesitant to post contact information on social networks. But, if you are trying to appeal to potential employers, you want them to be able to contact you if they see something they like. Even if you only share an email address, you should have something here. Another great tip – you can customize your profile’s URL so that it is easier to share in job applications. Once you get your profile completed, you are going to want to share it as much as possible!
• Employment History and Education – You can use the same information from your resume here. Several Companies and Universities have LinkedIn Pages, so link to those in your profile so that the logos will show up, and other employees/alumni will then be included in your “network.”
• Recommendations – This a way to enhance your resume by asking coworkers and supervisors in previous positions to write a recommendation specifically related to your work at that company.
• Optional Areas: You can also add areas for volunteering, projects you’ve worked on, certifications, specific interests you have, and many other things.

Step 2: Build your Network through Groups

Once you have your profile completed, it’s time to start building your network. You’ve already done some networking by connecting with others at companies you’ve worked at and schools you’ve attended. Another great way to extend your network is by joining groups. You want to join groups that are relevant to you both by your background and your professional interests – so if you are seeking a job in Human Resources, look for HR industry related groups to join. This will help you to stay in the know in that industry, and will also extend your network to include people already working in the field. Also, if there is a specific company you want to work for, look for groups related to them that you can join.

Step 3: Join the Conversation

You have an awesome profile, have joined very relevant groups, and have 300+ connects. You’re done, right? Wrong! Just like a physical networking group, if you sit in the corner and don’t speak to anyone – you will not be noticed or taken seriously. You have to be active and participate in conversations. A good way to do this is to subscribe to different “channels” through LinkedIn Pulse, which will funnel articles and blog posts to your news feed. You can then comment and share as appropriate. You can also subscribe to companies of interest, who often post news and updates to LinkedIn, that you can then interact with.

To subscribe to channels: Interests – then Pulse. Discover, will show you recommended people and channels to follow. Stories will show in your news feed, making it easy to comment, like, and share. This will position you to your connections as knowledgeable within the industry. Plus, it will actually help you to become more knowledgeable about current events and topics within your fields of interest.

Step 4: Find and Utilize Meaningful Connections within your Network

When you go to any networking event, you should go with a goal in mind – “I want to meet someone that works at XYZ company,” or “I want to introduce myself to someone working in XYZ industry.” The same is true on LinkedIn. Think about – where you want to work, what type of profession you are seeking, then we’re going to see who in your network has an “in” and can help you get there. To do this, we’re going to use the University Pages, and Advanced Search.

•     University Pages: The great thing about established colleges and universities is that you are automatically adopted into a vast network of students and alumni who are quite often willing to help fellow alum get a “foot in the door.” LinkedIn does a great job of helping these networks to connect digitally through their “Youniversity” section. To find yours, go to Interests – Education. Here you can search people connected with your school and look at them by industry, location, company, and in several different ways. If you have a connection to a company you’re interested in – reach out to that person!

•       Advanced Search: This feature searches for people within and connected to your network, so it is important that you have  already made those connections through groups and companies. The advanced search option givse you the ability to search your network by current and previous company, among many other things. Results will either be 1^st connections, 2^nd, or 3^rd connections, or by a group you have in common.  If a prominent 2^nd or 3^rd connection shows up – Click “shared connections” to see who you know that can introduce you to that person. REMEMBER – If you click on someone’s name and actually view their profile, they will see that you looked at them. So just be aware of that before you click onto a profile.

So now you have it, 4 steps to finding your “in” through LinkedIn. You can view our previously recorded webinar at the link below for a walk-through of LinkedIn and how to specifically access some of the functions mentioned above.

I hope you found this helpful, and I encourage you to log on, buff up your profile, and start networking!

Access a walk-through of these 4 easy steps here. 

Jessica Blakemore

Associate Director of Marketing for Collaborative Programs
jblakemo@westga.edu 

Career 101: Planning Your Next Move

Are you stuck in the crossroads of switching your major?   

Are you finding yourself enrolled in classes but having no clear direction of where you might be heading after graduation?  

Has a significant other inquired with the dreaded question: “What are you going to do with your life?”

If you had a head nod to any of these questions then I hope to offer some quick advice on career planning to get you stepping in the right direction.   For 6 years I worked as an Assistant Director of Career Services at another Georgia institution.  I have many memories of students who would come to my office the Monday after graduation and remark “Hey, Mrs. Karen, I need a job!”   Some of those students had never taken advantage of the fine services we offered previously.  At the conclusion of many an appointment I can recall that most, if not all, of the visitors emphatically declared, “Man – why did I not come here SOONER?”

As an online student, I know you are super busy.  You’re juggling coursework, maybe a part time or full time job, family obligations…. just LIFE!  However, are you putting “2 and 2 together” that the whole purpose for your education is to find out what you might want to do with that LIFE?   It is crucial that you spend some energy and time exploring your options.  

Taking the time to investigate and decipher your strengths/skills along with possible career fields and actual jobs is foundational to your post-graduation plans.  Many students think this can be done pell-mell.  In reality it deserves significant time and focus. 

I wish I could say that there is ONE pathway to take but the truth is there are many fabulous ways to glean knowledge.  I would be remiss if I did not direct you first and foremost to a most logical spot. Valdosta State University’s Office of Career Services  is where I found this direct link to virtual career related concepts.  Here, you’ll find practical resources including putting together a resume and preparing for a job interview. It is also wise to take a look at the steps outlined for career planning, which includes a handy outline of what to pursue during different intervals of your post-secondary experience.

If you are the one who has no earthly idea what you might like to do “when you grow up,” I will suggest that you begin with some fundamental questions as put forth by Debra Davenport (Executive Professional Mentor, Licensed Career Counselor & Employment Agent). "What do I really feel passionate about? What do I love to do so much that I would do it for free?"   Answering those questions will help drive your search.  She goes on to state that “Your career should be a natural extension of who you are as a human being.”

Another career expert, Marty Nemko, Ph.D. (Contributing Editor, Careers, U.S. News & World Report) asks different yet just as compelling questions.   “What do you think you would prefer in your ideal job?  Working with data?  Working with people?  Working with words?  Or working with concrete objects?”

This blog post was designed to get you thinking about how to begin career exploration steps. Do your research, and let us hear your plans in the comments below!

Karen M. Lingrell, M Ed

Assistant Director of Collaborative Programs

USG eCore and eMajor

klingrel@westga.edu

678.839.5278

60 Seconds with Kimberly Hobbs - Organizational Leader and eMajor Student

She defines success very simply as "Putting forth your very best effort in everything you do." She exudes positivity. She is an inspirational, confident woman and an all-around great role model to her daughter and nephews. Meet eMajor student,  Kimberly Hobbs...

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? When I was a child there were quite a few careers that I thought I wanted to do when I grew up. My career choices were an astronaut, a veterinarian, and even a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader! Although none of these ideas came to fruition, I am pleased with the career that I am in now because it allows me to help people as a Grant Writer & Administrator.

What is your college major? Organizational Leadership

Why did you choose eMajor? I chose eMajor because of the convenience of online courses. The fact that I could finish my degree without having to attend classes on campus, but could instead participate in classes according to my schedule was the reason I decided to enroll. I graduated high school in 1987 and have attended college off and on since then trying to earn a four-year degree. However, attending classes on campus while working and raising a family was difficult and my pursuit of an education always fell by the wayside. However, because eMajor affords me the ability to attend school around my everyday schedule, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I will complete my degree this time. 

What are your career plans beyond eMajor? I have been very blessed in my career and I have a very rewarding job as a grant writer/administrator. My plans beyond eMajor are to continue to help people through grant writing. 

What is something cool you've learned this semester in your eMajor class? In my Introduction to Public Administration (POLS 3600) class, we had a case study about the debate over chocolate milk in Florida lunchrooms. There was a debate between the Department of Education and the Department of Agriculture about whether or not chocolate milk should be served to school children. It was interesting to me that politics plays a role in so many things, even school lunches.

Where is your favorite place to visit in the USA? Washington DC. It is a beautiful city full of history and politics, two of my favorite things.

Who in history would you like to spend an hour with and what would you talk about? Dr. Martin Luther King. He was an amazingly brave man who had a vision of equality and worked tirelessly to spread his message. I would want to talk to him about his experiences and about how he changed America.

What song makes you sing when driving in your car? Why? Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves.  It is definitely old school, but every time it comes on the radio, I want to roll the windows down and sing because it is a happy song.

The most used appliance in your house is...........? The stove/oven. I enjoy cooking and consider myself somewhat of a foodie.

Who is the biggest inspiration for your education? My daughter. She is just completing her freshman year at VSU. Her desire to pursue her education inspired me to enroll in eMajor and to finish my degree.

Is there anything else interesting you would like to share about yourself? I am thankful that eMajor is available to non-traditional students such as me. Because of its availability, I will finally be able to complete a degree that I have been pursuing for 25+ years. 

Awesome eMajor Student: Meet Zebedee Lawton

What is your occupation? I am an IT professional for Valdosta State University.

What is your college major? Finance & Office Administration and Technology.

Why did you choose this major? I chose this major because of my interest level in the Financial Field, which has been instilled since I was a teen. The technology part I started working on for Valdosta State 2 years ago and the experience has been purely golden. I love computers now.

What career path do you want to take upon graduation? Project Management, Financial Analyst or Software design.

Why eMajor? eMajor is convenient to double majors, and it gives the student the option take another class while working. It also gives students such flexible times the student can take those classes that are not offered at night or around their work schedule.

Who is the biggest inspiration for your education? My 6th grade math teacher Mr.Brown.

What is something cool you've learned this semester in eMajor? My peers are all over the States and that is truly amazing!

What three words would you use to describe one of your online instructors? instructor, understanding, equal

Where is your favorite place to visit in the USA? New York, New York

What kind of mood are you in right now, and why? Energetic, Because I am working on scholarship entries.

Your favorite study spot? Bathroom!

What is something your online classmates don't know about you? I listen to classical music.