Planet eCampus

This is an easy and delicious project. You'll need an eCore or other very cool mug, 16-20 donut holes, styrofoam, lollipop sticks, a few green and brown candy melts, and chocolate coffee stirrers or similar. We whipped this one up in about 15 minutes. You could make a really stunning one in about 30 minutes. 1. Cut a piece of styrofoam to fit your cup. 2. Put some chocolate-covered coffee beans (or other chocolate) on top of the styrofoam. 3. Melt some green and brown candy discs in a microwave oven. 4. Pipe the melted candy on top of some of the donut holes. 5. Put lollipop sticks into the donut holes, and arrange them in the styrofoam. You may want to cut some of the sticks into shorter lengths. 6. Tie a big green bow around the arrangement. You can also add some chocolate stirring sticks (may need to use toothpicks to connect them).

Time to Recharge -   Most of us are already pining for the days of the long holiday break to sleep late, gorge ourselves on sweet treats and cheese ball, spend hours in front of the television watching reruns of King of Queens or perhaps head to the movies.   No doubt, we are in need of rest and relaxation and enjoying time with our families.   It is important to clear your mind of algebraic equations, sociological theory, or the Georgia constitution, and fill your head with dancing sugar plums for a while! I want to suggest that during the many days away from school and the computer that you keep yourself motivated so that you can return in January with tenacity and a fresh perspective.  Here are a few tips while recharging over the break. Keep reading .    Finding things you love to read over the break will keep your mind stimulated and your vocabulary sharp. (Please don’t rely on Facebook for ALL of you intellectual perusing J ).   Maintain “to-do...

1. What is your occupation? Medical Billing Specialist 2. What is your college major? Office Administration and Technology 3. How did you come about choosing this major? I work full time, and it was becoming very hard to make sure my school schedule fit with my work hours. I needed to be able to take classes online. I talked with a few people who recommended the degree program and I changed my major. It has been very helpful with my work schedule. 4. What career path do you want to take upon graduation? I really enjoy medical billing. I've changed jobs a few times in the past year, but I went right back to my old employer with the same position. I enjoy my job, and would like to further progress in the position and possibly earn the title "billing manager". 5. Why eMajor? The online courses are perfect with my work schedule. My job requires that I be available for our patients during the hours we are open. If they have billing inquiries, I need to be ther...

 I received an e-mail message yesterday from eCore that I was one of their students that is “shining brightly”. They informed me that they would like for me to share my story. It is an honor to be identified as succeeding after a long dry spot. I am currently 28 years old. My mother says I am her brightest child, but also her late bloomer. She will be pleased to hear of this recognition. I am now a bloomer with the help of the eCore program, administration, and understanding professors. I graduated from high school with high honors after losing the remainder of my hearing. My sister and I were both born legally deaf. Nothing has ever been easy for us. During my senior year of high school, I began to experience severe depression and was diagnosed with clinical depression. Intervention was in place. I received support through medical doctors, therapists, and my family.   I attended a large university, well actually two large universities, with full scholarships before being ...

I began a web - based search to explore where a student majoring in Organizational Leadership major might go post graduation. What kind of jobs are out there? How is field perceived?  What kind of salary should I expect?  Well, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this degree holds some substantial creditability within the job sector and allows for candidates to have a great variety of job options when schooling is complete. The curriculum seems to cover everything from practical skills in organizational finance to leadership theory.  Organizational leadership gives students skills and knowledge necessary to serve in a multitude of leadership or management roles. What is this degree? Organizational management involves the strategic leading, organizing, planning and team supervising of companies, firms, businesses and organizations in many job industries. Management can involve leading an entire organization or supervising specific departments, such as hum...

One can expect to learn about war and conflict in a college US History classes. It is, however, quite unusual to take a history course in 2012 with a World War II and Korean War veteran as the instructor. Dr. Ray Broussard, retired University of Georgia professor of history, has been teaching online history courses for the University System of Georgia’s eCore program for about 10 years. Born in 1926, and clearly a member of the “Greatest Generation,” Broussard grew up long before television, frozen food, and electric stoves - let alone the internet. Today, at 86 years old, he logs in every day except Sunday, to interact with his online students. “He far, far exceeds the expectations of an online instructor, posting up to 150 times a week. He is a precious and rare jewel, and his courses fill up rapidly,” says Dr. Melanie N. Clay, Dean of USG eCore and Executive Director of Extended Learning at the University of West Georgia. In one of his recent responses to a student, he wisely...

Kendra A. Hollern is a Lecturer in Political Science at Valdosta State University and teaches eMajor classes. I teach in our Legal Assistant Studies program which is housed in VSU's Political Science Department.  We have been moving our program from strictly face to face to online.  I enjoy the flexibility and challenge of being able to teach online.  I have taken online courses myself when I completed my LL.M. in Elder Law.  It is great to be able to conduct classes from home or on vacation! Outside of the eMajor delivery system, I try not to do anything differently.  I encourage open discussions in my face to face courses and have translated that into my onine dicussion boards.  I am very interactive with the students in my online courses so that they get the same feedback as my face to face students. I am very active on my discussion boards so the students can get feedback.  But in the online environment you do need to be more careful in your ...

José Gomez is an 18-year cancer survivor. In 1994, at the age of four, he was diagnosed with leukemia. After chemotherapy and treatment, he did well until the cancer came back in 1999. José then received a bone marrow transplant from one of his three siblings, and his cancer was gone again. Little did he know that his health battles were just beginning. José began to experience lung complications as a result of the bone marrow transplant. In 2007, he received the first of two double lung transplants.  José began taking traditional college courses in the Fall of 2009. By Thanksgiving of that year, he was hospitalized and unable to finish his coursework. In Fall 2010, José began taking eCore classes, as his doctors felt he was not physically able to attend regular campus classes. Today, José is a full time eCore student. He says that if not for eCore he would not have been able to continue his education. He hopes to eventually attend and complete medical school. ...

Dr. Josephine Davis is a world traveler who has had a wide range of experiences with the Wonders of the World. From walking the Great Wall of China, exploring the inner chambers of the pyramids, to exploring the rain forests of Victoria Falls. She has ascended the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, had close encounters with elephants in the wild, and taken African safaris by foot,  sea, and Land Rover.  Dr. Davis is a longtime eCore online instructor and the Interim Dean for the College of Arts and Sciences at Fort Valley State University, one of eight eCore affiliate institutions in the University System of Georgia.  Dr. Davis says eCore has given her and her students the opportunity to interact with other students from diverse institutions with very diverse backgrounds, interests and needs. Teaching eCore classes has given Dr. Davis round-the-clock access to her students and she noted:  "With this communication capability, I am able to interact with studen...

Have you wondered what it might be like to be an Emergency Nurse? How about a Computer Programmer?  If you believe that you are gleaning all of your knowledge of a Crime Scene Investigator from watching CBS’s CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) you may encounter a rude awakening when you go for your education and actually get your job. Informational Interviewing is another foundational step within career exploration.  While you are in your own investigative place as a student you would be wise to conduct informational interviews of people within the potential careers/jobs that you think you might enjoy.   The informational interview communicates the first hand experiences and impressions of someone in the occupation, and is directed by your questions.  Steps to conducting an interview of this type consist of locating a person that is currently employed within the field and calling to request a visit with them while they are on the job.  The amount of time ...

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 lear...

What is your occupation?  I am a professional baseball player.  What is your college major?  Currently undecided but leaning towards  journalism or communications.  Why eCore?   As much as I travel for my job, eCore is great. I  don't have to be confined to a classroom. I can  still  play baseball and work toward my degree.  Who is the biggest inspiration for your education?  I always promised my parents that I'd go back  after or while pursuing my career of professional baseball. My dad was a college professor, so education  was something I had instilled in me from an early age.  What is something cool you've learned this semester in eCore?   I'm amazed at how many different types of people are in my classes. It's such a diverse classroom setting.  It's great! What three words would you use to describe one of your online instructors?   Smart, Understanding, & Personable ...

The University System of Georgia has developed an innovative, online program for Georgians (and others) seeking to earn career-oriented degrees from reputable, public institutions. eMajor provides undergraduate degrees at traditional colleges and universities in the University System of Georgia. Our approach allows students to earn credits for prior learning and reduce the time to graduation. Currently, students can enroll through Valdosta State University for the 2012 fall semester and the 2013 spring semseter. The program is ideal not only for traditional students who wish to take advantage of online course delivery but also for working professionals, military members, transfer students and others seeking alternative routes to degree completion.   eMajor presently offers: Bachelor of Science Degree in Office Administration and Technology Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Leadership with concentrations in:  Public Service Administration Office Admini...

Karen M Lingrell, M.Ed, Assistant Director of Collaborative Programs 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 gonna 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 of a Georgia higher education 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 SOON...