January 2006
 
 
  Kansas City, Missouri January 2, 2006 – Just after ringing in the New Year, Grantham University celebrated its 55th Anniversary.

“Grantham University has been helping adult students achieve their education dreams for over a half century, and we are very proud of this tradition.” said Tom Macon, Chairman and CEO of Grantham Education Corporation. “Over the years, we have matriculated thousands of adult students, who have gone on to graduate schools and/or successful careers in a variety of industries.”

Established in 1951, Grantham University, with a current enrollment of over 8,300 students, is a private institution of higher learning that specializes in educating the adult student. Our mission is to “level the playing field” by putting a high quality college education within reach of adult learners based on the combined principles of accessibility, affordability and academic accountability.

Keeping with Grantham’s decades long history of serving the military and federal government marketplace, Grantham offers scholarships for active duty military, reserve, guard, veterans and their family members. Scholarship programs are also available for Federal Government employees and law enforcement professionals around the country.
Grantham University Announces Scholarship Winner
Grantham University, in conjunction with the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA), is proud to announce that Jason Jordaan was chosen to receive a full four-year scholarship to Grantham University, which includes all tuition costs, required textbooks and software.

Jordaan is a law enforcement investigator with the Special Investigating Unit in South Africa. He has been with the Unit for eight years and has conducted several high profile investigations ranging from organized welfare grant fraud to large-scale procurement fraud. Currently, he is in charge of the Unit’s Trainee Investigator program, which is aimed at recruiting university graduates and developing them into professional investigators. Prior to the Special Investigating Unit, Jordaan served as a police detective for seven years in the South African Police Service’s Syndicate Fraud Unit, where he specialized in investigations targeting advance fee fraud, counterfeiting, and financial institution fraud.

Congratulations from everyone at Grantham University!
  Soldiers Deliver the Good News Directly

In an effort to share the positive stories of the daily accomplishments of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan directly from the perspective of the American soldier, The American Legion today launched its "Letters to America from the Front" initiative. The American public needs to hear the positive things our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen and Coast Guardsmen are doing for our country and for the Afghanistan and Iraqi people. Letters can be viewed at The American Legion Web site (http://www.legion.org/) by clicking on "Letters to America from the Front." All family members, spouses and friends of our soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are invited to share letters from their loved ones fighting the war on terror. Submit letters for posting to pr@legion.org. To kick off this new initiative to reconnect America with the brave troops serving our country, American Legion Commander Bock has posted a letter from his son currently stationed in Iraq.
  Public Universities Increasingly Going Private
Due to a continuous decline in state funding, more and more public universities are forced to raise tuition and seek resources from private donors to fund research and building projects and to help offset operating expenses. According to the CBS News’ article, Privatizing Public Universities, 92% of the money needed to run the University of Virginia comes from private resources, 82% for the University of Michigan, and 87% for the Pennsylvania State University. Dean of the Boalt Hall School of Law at Berkeley, Christopher Edley Jr., wants his university to go private because “in the sharply competitive world of top law schools, leadership requires continuing investments that the State of California has been unwilling to make (Nicholas Van Hoffman, “Privatizing Public Universities”, CBS News).”

In a country where attending college used to be free; tuition costs are soaring and show no sign of slowing in the near future. Some parents are forced to choose between saving for retirement and paying for their children’s college education. Financial advisors reason that children who take out loans for college will have more years to pay them back and still have time to plan for retirement. Four years at a public college now costs about $50,000; private colleges are even more expensive, some two or three times as much. At Grantham University, the cost to earn your bachelor’s degree is about $30,000.

Although Grantham is considered to be a tax paying private university (we do not receive federal or state funding), we are able to keep tuition rates low because overhead is much lower than that of resident based institutions. There are no football stadiums, coliseums or manicured lawns to maintain. Fewer facility related investments allow the University to stay singularly focused on its mission to democratize education – “to level the playing field” – by making post-secondary education available to students based on the combined academic and economic principles of accessibility, academic accountability and affordability.

Unfortunately, the rising cost of tuition and a decrease in grant aid from the federal government has had a negative effect on middle and low income families. According to Ronald Ehrenberg, Professor of Industrial and Labor Relations and Economics at Cornell University, “Research suggests that students from lower-income families are less willing than other students to take on [the burden of large loans] to finance their higher education. Federal grant aid has not kept [pace] with increases in college costs (Ronald G. Ehrenberg, “Key Issues Currently Facing American Higher Education”).”

In an effort to keep education affordable, Grantham University has not raised its tuition rates in over two years, and offers a variety of scholarships for prospective students. Dr. Gary Sutter, Academic Dean at Grantham University, said, “Grantham University offers its students maximum ‘bang for their buck’ without sacrificing quality education and student services. Grantham’s staff is dedicated to minimizing administrative hassles so students can concentrate on their studies. We have competitive tuition rates and offer programs that are relevant to working adults either in the military or civilian sectors.”
10 Ways to Find 90 Billion Dollars in Scholarships for College
By Dr. Stephen Jones
Military.com
Did you know that billions of dollars in scholarships go unused each year?

For twenty years, I've counseled college students and their parents. The most frequent question parents ask is where can I find scholarships for college? The rising cost of college is raising tensions across the country, because parents cannot afford to send their sons/daughters to the four-year college of their choice. When parents receive information regarding their student's financial aid award, they learn that they still must find $5,000-$10,000 to fund their child's education. One family sought money by hiring a $1,000 scholarship consultant, only to later discover that by researching the Internet they could find scholarships on their own.

When parents ask how soon they should begin to look for scholarships, my first response is the ninth grade. By the time that your son/daughter reaches 11th grade, they should have a binder containing scholarship information, and begin sending out scholarship letters to organizations that allow for early submissions. Let the summer before senior year provide you with an opportunity to send out hundreds of scholarship forms and letters.

To aid you in that quest, here are 10 ways a student can uncover 90 billion dollars in scholarships:

1. Contact your local rotary club to ask about their scholarship application.
2. Visit your local legislator's office to inquire about new scholarships offered by the state or federal government offices.
3. Visit local stores (i.e. Home Depot, CVS, super markets) to inquire about scholarships.
4. Visit the internet and conduct a search for scholarships. Some of the search terms you can use include "free money," "scholarships," "college financial aid," "money for college," "free scholarship," "government grants of scholarships," etc.
5. Ask your local religious organizations about scholarships.
6. Start a family scholarship fund that allows family members to contribute funds. Set limits on the amount of money a family member can request.
7. Ask your employer about scholarships offered to children of employees.
8. Ask your company's credit union representative about scholarships that they offer to students
9. Enter writing/essay contests for college bound students. Look for opportunities in magazines like Writer's Digest and others.
10. Students can make a scholarship appeal on a local radio program and receive funding from their listeners.

  Legends and Truths behind GU’s Fighting Eagles

Contrary to the latest rumors, Grantham University’s school mascot, the “Fighting Eagle” was not chosen by an accrediting body, and it doesn’t currently represent a school athletic program, although a fantasy football team or “robot wars” team might be developed in the future by any number of enterprising students.

In 2003, the Grantham University administration decided that we wanted a mascot to represent our students and the university, even though we do not have athletic teams. So, university staff chose an icon that would be recognizable to all of their students: military, non-military and international – the Fighting Eagle.
Debut of the GU Fighting Eagle at the Crescent City Classic 10K

In the United States, the figure of the eagle is a representation of freedom, patriotism and pride. The eagle was officially adopted as America’s national symbol in June of 1782 during the country’s quest for independence and freedom from foreign rule. Almost immediately, the eagle appeared everywhere; it was carved on ships, scratched on powder horns and became widely used in all manner of folk art. The eagle’s image and symbolism play an important role in American culture and in many other cultures throughout the world.

The Fighting Eagle mascot was chosen to pay tribute to Grantham’s many military students serving around the world, to honor our veterans who fought for our nation’s freedom, and to symbolize Grantham’s commitment to every working adult student who wants to earn a college degree.

Go Fighting Eagles!
Beat the Resume Blues
By Kim Isaacs
Monster Resume Expert
A resume is a chance for job seekers to make a great first impression, yet many professionals pay little attention to this important document. Follow the tips below to create a resume that gets noticed.

Use the Resume Builder

If you don't have a resume and aren't sure where to start, use the Resume Builder on Monstor.com to guide you. The Builder walks you through the process step by step, making it easy to develop your first resume.

Open with a Bang

The first section of your resume should pack the strongest punch. Steven Provenzano, president of Streamwood, Illinois-based Top Secret Resumes, recommends leading with an objective statement that emphasizes experience and key skills.

"A resume is a marketing piece," he says. "Most resumes strictly list jobs, but you want to go beyond that by writing a summary of the most important skills for your current objective. Employers should want to hire you from the summary alone."

On the Resume Builder, use the Objective section to present your summary. Think about what companies are looking for, and incorporate your matching skills, experience and other credentials. Include these facts:

• Your profession/trade specialty
• Licenses, permits and certifications
• Years of experience in the field
• Important skills and industry keywords
• A brief mention of top career accomplishments

Work Your Work History

The Work Experience section is your chance to prove your level of proficiency and accomplishment. Instead of writing a boring list of job responsibilities, show how your work performance contributed positively to your company’s operation.

"Quantify your accomplishments, and paint a picture of what you achieved," advises Provenzano.

Many people often have trouble identifying and talking about their achievements, because they do not want to seem overly confident. Provenzano recommends thinking about responsibilities and achievements you may take for granted to include in your resume. For example, tout your excellent attendance or managerial skills as an achievement. If you're having a hard time identifying your accomplishments, ask yourself these questions:

• Did you win any awards or receive incentives?
• Did you earn superior marks on performance evaluations?
• Did you train new employees?
• Did your work enable the team to complete a project on time or on budget?
• Did you complete any special training?
• Did you build a reputation for reliability?
• Did you recommend or implement processes that improved efficiency, productivity or workflow?
• Did you submit all reports on time?

Mention Related Education

Employers like to see education and training related to your profession. Use your Education section to list schools attended, degrees obtained, occupational training, continuing education, certifications and licenses. If you completed a program, list courses completed so employers understand the scope of your formal training.

Proofread

Provenzano says that grammatical and spelling errors are common on resumes. Avoid embarrassing mistakes that could cost you the job by thoroughly proofreading your resume. Show your resume to someone with strong writing skills to make sure the document is error-free. Treat your resume as an advertisement for your services, and the extra attention to detail could lead to the career you want.
 
Student Spotlight

CW4 Dennie Goss

Chief Warrant Officer Dennie Goss has been a military man for over 34 years. He began his career in 1967 with the United States Navy SeaBees, served during Viet Nam, and moved into the Army Reserve in 1978. Currently, Goss is a CW4 in the U.S. Army Reserve Active Guard and Reserve Program stationed in Fort McCoy, WI, where he works as a Technical Coordinator for the Regional Maintenance Training Site.

Within the next three years, CW4 Goss plans to retire from the Army.

As CW4 Goss began thinking about retirement, he realized that a college degree would make him more viable in the civilian workforce, so he enrolled at Grantham University in May 2004. He chose Grantham because of the open enrollment policy and military scholarship program. He said, “Because the military scholarship covers costs not included in my tuition assistance, my studies so far have been accomplished with no out of pocket expenses from me directly. The online access to staff and other students is invaluable, and the cooperation between Grantham and my Post Education Center truly lets me structure my studies around my military duties and commitments.”

In January 2005, CW4 Goss earned his Associate of Science in Business Administration, and he is well on his way to earning his Bachelor’s in Business Administration.

 
This Month’s Online Learning Quote

“You can do what you have to do,
and sometimes you can do it better than you think you can.”
~Jimmy Carter~
 

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