Grantham Graduate Named as a DETC Outstanding Graduate

On Tuesday, April 15, 2008, at the Distance Education and Training Council's (DETC) 82nd Annual Conference in Boston, MA, DETC graduates from all over the United States will be recognized for their hard work, dedication and academic excellence. Grantham University's 2008 Outstanding Graduate is Linda Sherrill. She will be awarded a Certificate of Recognition and will have the opportunity to talk with conference attendees about her distance learning experience.

Mrs. Sherrill was chosen for her excellent academic performance, and because like many of our students, earning a bachelor's degree was a major milestone in her life. In April 2005, while working at an Army Police Department, Mrs. Sherrill enrolled in Grantham's Criminal Justice program to fulfill her lifelong goal of earning a Bachelor's degree. Because she was working 12 hour night shifts at a Federal police department, flexibility in accessing her coursework played a large role in the reason why she chose Grantham. "If I had been forced to access courses during the day, attending college would not have been possible due to my work/sleep schedule," said Mrs. Sherrill.

In April 2007, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice with a 3.68 GPA and immediately received a new position within the Federal government complete with a promotion and pay increase. Because Mrs. Sherrill completed her degree later in life, it gave her the confidence and skills she needed to achieve her career goals, along with a "second wind."

Mrs. Sherrill has worked as a 911 Emergency Services and a Certified 911 Emergency Medical Dispatcher for years at various police agencies from Michigan to New Mexico and has contributed to the safety of both the 911 callers and the emergency services personnel responding to each call. While working at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, she also assisted in training other dispatchers to use the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) software.

"I have had diverse jobs throughout my life, and my degree from Grantham University combined all of my skills and experience from the workplace, giving them additional credibility," said Mrs. Sherrill.

Grantham University Partners with MCA

Recently, Grantham University announced that it has partnered with the Marine Corps Association (MCA). The Marine Corps Association is proud to have partnered with Grantham University in order to provide our members the opportunity to obtain a high quality education for themselves and/or their family members," said LeeAnn Mitchell of the Marine Corps Association. "MCA works to support the needs of our membership and education is at the top of the list. We look forward to a long and beneficial relationship benefiting our members."

MCA's Origin, Vision, Mission and Commitment

Origin
The Marine Corps Association was formed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on 25 April 1913, by Marines of the 2d Provisional Brigade. John A. Lejeune, then a lieutenant colonel, headed the MCA's first executive committee. In a statement signed by members of the committee, Lejeune and his fellow officers declared the MCA would publish the history of the Marine Corps and disseminate "...information concerning the aims, purposes and deeds of the Corps, and the interchange of ideas for the betterment and improvement of its officers and men..." That objective continues to drive the Association into the 21st century.

Vision
The Marine Corps Association is dedicated to providing professional development and special services to all those who have earned and worn the eagle, globe and anchor.

Mission

• To support the Marine Corps by disseminating knowledge of military art and science among Marines
• To provide professional development opportunities for Marines
• To foster the spirit and preserve the traditions of the Marine Corps
• To offer special benefits to MCA members

Commitment
The Marine Corps Association is the preeminent professional organization for all Marines. Active duty, Reserve, retired and Marine veterans are all eligible for membership in the MCA. The MCA understands and respects the achievements and sacrifices made by Marines and their families while serving this great nation. Once a Marine, always a Marine!

For more information, visit: www.mca-marines.org.

Student Spotlight - Johnathan Lytle

Johnathan Lytle first heard about Grantham University from a friend who had just earned a bachelor's degree in Engineering Management. In September 2007, after six years of service with the Air Force, which included tours in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea, Lytle decided to end his military career and focus on earning a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration.

"This has been my best distance learning experience because the instructor has been outstanding and really helpful when giving feedback from assignments and tests," Lytle says of his education at Grantham.

Lytle's enthusiasm toward his educational career is evident in his ability to succeed academically and in his motivation to continue pursuing a Master's degree after completing his Bachelor's degree.

Success is definitely no stranger to Lytle, who was highlighted in the Osan Air Base news last year for earning a silver medal at a Muay Thai competition in Korea. The results of the competition determined who went on to compete in the World Wide competition in Thailand. Although he didn't win, the fact that he placed second was remarkable, especially since Lytle, a Muay Thai black belt, had only been practicing the martial art for eight months. Muay Thai, known as The Art of Eight Limbs, is a form of kickboxing that involves hands, shins, elbows and knees.

Lytle's positive and motivated attitude has made him an outstanding student to his professors and Student Progress Representative. Once he completes both his Bachelor's and Master's in Business Administration, Lytle plans on using his degree to either work for the Department of Defense or in Las Vegas, Nevada.

New Student Payment Site

With Grantham University's new Student Payment Site, making payments is even faster and easier. Current or previously enrolled students, who have not signed up for an automatic payment plan, now have the ability to pay their invoices online with Visa, Mastercard or Discover credit cards. There are two ways to pay your invoice online:

1. To have your information automatically populate in the payment form:
• Visit: https://www.grantham.edu/student_site/log/into
• Enter your Username and Password and click "Sign In"
• Click on the "Make Payment" link on the left-hand side of the page
• Fill out the form and click "Make a Payment"


2. To access the payment form without logging into the Student Site:
• Visit: https://www.grantham.edu/student_site/log/into
• Before entering your Username and password, click on the "Make Payment" link on the left-hand side of the page
• Fill out the form and click "Make a Payment"

If you have any questions, please contact Grantham's Accounts Payable Representative at (800) 955-2527, ext. 303.

Faculty Spotlight - Dexter Malley

Since 2001, Global Faculty Member Dexter Malley has been guiding Grantham students through various computer and electronics engineering courses. Malley entered the teaching field while in graduate school at the University of New Orleans. The first two classes he taught were Electronics I and II Labs. Shortly after he graduated with his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering with an emphasis on Advanced Control Systems, Digital Signal Processing and Communications Systems, he visited Grantham University with a friend who was interested in enrolling. As he was reminiscing about his grad school days with the dean and other faculty, he was pretty much hired on the spot as an instructor.

When asked what he enjoys most about teaching Grantham students, Malley replied, "I enjoy the interaction and enjoy being a part of their learning process." Currently, he is teaching Computer Technology (CE220), Electronic Communication Principles and Systems (EE350), Electronic Communications Lab I (EE351), Telecommunication Networks (EE360), Telecommunication Networks Lab (EE361), Signals and Systems Theory (EE380) and Signals and Systems Lab (EE381).

"I believe that being a positive influence and showing a student that you care about them and their education is both gratifying and rewarding as an individual," said Malley.

His hard work and dedication to Grantham students is very evident. According to Alan Trail, a soon-to-be graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering Technology, "Dexter Malley deserves a lot of praise." Trail commented that Malley was the best instructor he has ever had. "He is sharp, has a great sense of humor and was there to help me every time I needed him," said Trail.

In addition to being a member of Grantham's Global Faculty, Malley is employed as a senior design engineer for the Naval Research Laboratory, where he develops and tests advanced underwater acoustic systems. He is a published author who writes about subjects such as Kalman filtering, underwater networks and high-speed acquisition systems.

When he isn't working, Malley, who is married with four active children, spends his time shuttling his children around to dance, gymnastics, tee-ball, karate, and soccer practices, which he wouldn't trade for the world.

2008 Kansas City AIDS Walk

Grantham University employees take pride, not only in serving our student body, but also in giving back to the communities in which we work. This year we would like to extend an invitation to all of our Kansas City area students who would like to participate with Grantham employees in the Kansas City AIDS Walk on Saturday April 26th, 2008.

We will meet before the walk to distribute T-Shirts and water to all participants, and then we WALK! With each step, together we can help raise money and awareness for local organizations that provide valuable assistance to those affected by HIV/AIDS. We would love the opportunity to get to know you better while giving back to our shared community. To sign up, ask questions, or to get more information, please contact:

• Amanda Allbee - aallbee@grantham.edu or 1-800-955-2527, EXT 122
• Adam Schneider - aschneider@grantham.edu or 1-800-955-2527, EXT 185

Want to participate but can't be there? You can still help by making a monetary donation! Please visit: www.firstgiving.com/grantham.

We look forward to taking life changing steps with you on April 26^th!

Quick Tips for a Scholarship Search

Spring is in the air and many scholarship programs are now accepting applications for 2008. But, many people can be intimidated by the process of finding and applying for scholarships to help offset their college expenses. Don't be. Below are some tips to aid you in your scholarship search and application:

Scholarship Search Tips:

• Do your homework. There are many free online searches that contain thousands of scholarships you might be eligible for. Here are a few to get you started:


• Scholarship Resource Network Express - Scholarship Resource Network Express (SRNExpress) contains a database of over 8,000 programs with over 150,000 awards for undergraduate and postgraduate students.


• Scholarships.com - Scholarships.com is a free resource for college scholarships and financial aid information. You can sort scholarships by deadline, dollar amount and relevancy.


• CollegeBoard.com - CollegeBoard.com has an online tool, Scholarship Search, to help you locate scholarships, internships, grants, and loans that match your education level, talents, and background. Complete the brief questionnaire and Scholarship Search will find potential opportunities from their database of more than 2,300 sources of college funding.


• Military.com - Military.com's Scholarship Finder lists over 1,000 scholarships exclusively for the military community from a variety of sources.
• Don't limit yourself. For those of you serving in the military, you can qualify for non-military scholarships too. Use scholarship directories that list awards based on age, state of residence, cultural background, and field of study.


• Search in your community. Many service aid organizations and associations offer scholarships and grants to help cover educational expenses.


• It's never too late to start your search. Many scholarship application deadlines are as early as six months to a year in advance. Also, many scholarship applications tend to have early spring or late summer deadlines.

Application Tips:

• Pay attention to details. Most applications ask for your name, address, date of birth, and expected graduation date. Be careful - omitting information can cost you, so be sure to fill out the form completely.


• Be concise, but creative. Judges will be impressed by what you write - not how much you write. Try to emphasize what makes you different from everybody else, and let your personality show through so judges can feel connected to you.


• Choose your recommendations wisely. Often, it's hard to pick scholarship winners from a pool of so many excellent entries. Outstanding letters of recommendations may make the difference. Help those writing your letters of recommendation do the best job possible. Give them a summary of your achievements, goals, and of all the scholarship information.


• Don't miss the deadline. After you've worked hard putting together the best application possible, make sure it gets read.


• Keep it simple. Do you choose big words when little ones will do? Do you prefer many words when a few will suffice? It's a mistake. Some writers think big words sound sophisticated. Others think blank space on a page implies insufficient thought. Still, others strive for thud factor, thinking that writing more makes their answer better instead of just longer. Write lean and mean.

Upcoming Events

March 17^th - Twentynine Palms Monthly Education Fair
March 19^th - Visit to Vandenberg AFB
March 26^th - March 29^th - Visits to Ft. Shafter, Hickam AFB, Schofield Barracks and Pearl Harbor Naval Support in Hawaii
March 27^th - Andrews Air Force Base Visit
March 27^th - Visit to Miramar MCAS and Camp Pendleton

Quote of the Month

"If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it."

~ William Arthur Ward