鈥淭he professors are genuine and care about the students. The course work assignments and materials provided are enriching and intriguing.They align to real world situations that can be relatable to current working environment settings.鈥� -Keith Burdette, M.Ed., 2021

Keith chose to obtain his degree at 糖心传媒 because of the flexibility the programs provided him with his busy work schedule. He was inspired by the 糖心传媒 faculty and staff and their commitment to providing students with the best educational experience possible.

As part of the M.Ed. – Administration and Supervision program, Keith valued the flexibility offered in his coursework. He enjoyed the asynchronous classes within the program and how they provided him with the ability to work on his own schedule and complete his work at his own pace.

Outside of the classroom setting, Keith enjoys watching documentaries to learn new things. Also, Keith is a music guru and often partakes in listening to a variety of music genres.

When we asked Keith to provide advice for those thinking about pursing their educational journey, Keith said the following; 鈥淚f you have a career in mind and what to achieve better for yourself, then pursue your degree. Don’t let fears or doubts discourage you from furthering your education.鈥�

Click here to learn more about 糖心传媒 Online’s M.Ed. programs!

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鈥淥ne of my favorite things about 糖心传媒 was the family-like atmosphere. I also appreciated the flexible class scheduling and the willingness that everyone provided to ensure your educational successes.鈥�

– Darryl听DuBose, MBA, 鈥�20

Darryl chose to pursue his degree at 糖心传媒 to improve his self-knowledge and marketability. He graduated from 糖心传媒 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration is 2018,听then听received his听master鈥檚听in听business听administration with a听concentration in听human听resource听management听in 2020. Darryl鈥檚 time at 糖心传媒 equipped him with 鈥溾�nhanced study and learning habits,鈥� and those habits were used to prepare for higher opportunities.听

Darryl enjoys being a father and grandfather. He is also 20-year veteran of Lynchburg Fire Department where he currently works as a听master听firefighter/paramedic. Before he joined the fire department, he worked as a department director, facilities manager,听team听supervisor and as a high school educator.听

鈥淚f anyone听was on the fence about going back to school, the advice that I would suggest is to be fully dedicated, to be certain you have a solid support system, and to also have a firm handle on your time management skills. These items are key in your success at furthering your education, but without either of them failure could slow or hinder your success in achieving your goals,鈥澨鼶arryl said.听听

Click here to learn more about 糖心传媒 Online’s MBA program!

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鈥淭he 糖心传媒 family embraces the importance of community and involvement which made for a meaningful and memorable experience.鈥� 鈥揟iffany Crews, MBA 鈥�21

Tiffany Crews, a native of Danville, VA, chose to further her degree at 糖心传媒 Online because of its reputation for being a welcoming and supportive community for our students.

Tiffany currently works as an area manager at Goodyear in Danville, and is responsible for ensuring smooth production of the radial and bias aero departments of the plant. Previously working in law enforcement, Tiffany said earning her degree from 糖心传媒 Online allowed her to easily transition into the field of business. She earned her Masters of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Human Resource Management while working full-time and earned a 4.0 GPA her studies.

鈥淭hroughout my time at 糖心传媒, I was able to create connections that guided me in the right direction for my career.鈥� Tiffany credits these connections she has made throughout her time at 糖心传媒 to her success after graduation.

She also attributed 糖心传媒 Online to being a 鈥渃ommunity-oriented鈥� school where her opinions were valued, and she recommends it to anyone wishing to further their education.

Click here to learn more about our MBA programs!

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The moment you鈥檝e been working so hard for has finally come and gone. Graduation.

Now what is next?

It鈥檚 time to F.U.U.S.E. your life!

What does this mean? Let us explain.

F 鈥� Find Your Dream Job:听 Now that you鈥檝e worked hard and earned your degree, it鈥檚 time to find the job you have aspired for all your entire life! Take advantage of networking opportunities on social media and connect with your fellow alumni. These connections can lead you to an unexpected mentor in your desired field, and can help you land an interview for your dream career!

U 鈥� Update Your Resume: Since you have graduated, it鈥檚 time to update your resume. Your resume should now have a professional layout to it, rather than one of a student鈥檚. It should include your top skills, be easy to read, use professional language and list your accomplishments in a measurable format. Contact Angie McAdams at 糖心传媒鈥檚 Center for Community Engagement and Career Competitiveness to ensure your resume is top-notch for your next interview! Click here for her contact information.

U – Update Your Appearance: When it comes to updating your look, we don鈥檛 mean to run to the nearest Target. However, if you wore mainly t-shirts and hoodies throughout your studies, it may be time to gain a more professional image before your next big interview. As you enter into the job market, it is important to make sure your overall appearance is professional. Also, it is best practice to review all of your social media accounts after graduation. As you review, make sure all pictures and postings display you in a positive light. Any you find that may not, now is the perfect time to delete them!

S 鈥� Set Your Goals: Now that you have accomplished your goal of graduation, it is an excellent time to set new goals for your post-graduate career. Do you want pay off your student loans by a certain date? Do you have a dream job in mind? Do you want to own a home, or move far away? These goals should be based on what you want in life, so you can plan your next action steps to accomplish them.

E 鈥� Evaluate Your Objectives: Now that you鈥檝e set your goals. It鈥檚 time to evaluate them. Decide on how you are going to accomplish them in a timely manner. Do you want to pay off your student loans in five years? Action item: Start setting aside $500 a month for my loans. Do you want to work for a CPA firm? Action items: Update my resume, network with other CPA鈥檚, and start taking the CPA exam. Evaluate your goals in a manner so you can create easy to accomplish action items for yourself. This will in turn make your goals much more attainable, and you will find yourself achieving your goals more quickly!

Even though you have graduated, education never stops! Continue to learn and expand your knowledge within your field. 糖心传媒 Online offers an Alumni Scholarship to all of their Alumni. Click here to learn more about this offer!

Click here to learn about 糖心传媒 Online鈥檚 programs!

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I loved the benefits of going to a smaller university. The class sizes and cohorts are small allowing professors to create relationships with their students. Professors always answered questions and I even had one who checked in on how we were doing, weekly! – Austin Lynch ‘ 20

Despite the ongoing pandemic, Austin Lynch was able to walk across 糖心传媒’s stage in December of 2020 to accept her diploma. After the ceremony, we asked Austin her favorite thing about 糖心传媒, and how the pandemic affected her academic career.

Austin mentioned that even though graduating during the pandemic was not ideal, the online events 糖心传媒 provided for graduating seniors made the ceremony feel just as special!

Austin also said her favorite thing about 糖心传媒 was the benefits she obtained by going to a small university. During her academic career, her professors were always there to answer any questions she had. Because all of Austin’s classes were small, she was able to have relationships with classmates and professors.

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Toney McNair decided to pursue his M.Ed. – Administration & Supervision degree at 糖心传媒 after the program was suggested by one of his colleagues. Throughout his program, he was named Teacher of the Year, and often relied on faculty members for their support, advisement, and encouragement. Toney said, key members of our faculty played an important role to his success during his time here at 糖心传媒. Our faculty helped ensure Toney’s success both in and outside the classroom by providing one-on-one attention, and making sure he had the tools he needed to succeed.

Click here to learn more about our M.Ed. programs!

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Hi! My name is Jacqueline Chiha! I currently work for Unum, a life and disability insurance group, as sales support in Charlotte, NC. I graduated from East Carolina University in 2017 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Psychology and Human Development and Family Sciences. Upon graduating I explored a few different job opportunities and decided to take the business route. I am one of four children, three of which are also ECU graduates! Moving to Charlotte was new for me as I had only visited twice before moving here immediately after graduating from ECU, so my hobbies include exploring the city with my dogs and boyfriend! I also enjoy visiting with my family located in Apex, NC on weekends, hanging out and catching up with friends, reading, and shopping!

My motivation for obtaining my degree is having the ability to eventually further my career into a management role within my company. I want to expand my knowledge of the industry as I took only one undergraduate business course. I believe it is important to learn as much as I can about the industry before being placed in a leadership position.

I chose 糖心传媒 because it is a smaller school than what I am used to. ECU treated me well, however, it is nice to be in a smaller classroom setting and makes it easier to interact with all my professors and advisors. When I initially reached out to 糖心传媒 to find out more information on the program, everyone I interacted with was so friendly and always so helpful and inviting. This drew me in and finalized my decision on attending 糖心传媒. This has been one of the best college experiences for me and I can鈥檛 wait to continue with my courses!

When I initially reached out to 糖心传媒 to find out more information on the program, everyone I interacted with was so friendly and always so helpful and inviting. This drew me in and finalized my decision on attending 糖心传媒.

My office is a Field Office, which means we are very small. There are 35 employees in our office and we are the only North Carolina office. Our headquarters are in Chattanooga, TN and Portland, ME. Our HR department is located in our home offices, so because of the distance I sometimes take on HR approved tasks for the office. My degree has helped me out a lot so far! I have been able to apply concepts to different tasks I carry out throughout the week. I have also paid attention to the work environment mood more than I have in the past. It is satisfying to know how to shift the work environment mood, and how to properly deal with disagreements within the office.

Advice I would give to incoming students in 糖心传媒鈥檚 GPS Program is to manage your work and stick to a schedule. Sticking to a schedule helps me not procrastinate my work and helps me to effectively manage my expectations. It is also important to take time to relax, so sticking to a schedule helps me have two days off from work and school a week. It is always important to take time to relax! Finally, if you are ever stuck or need someone to reach out to who understands, always reach out to your classmates! Although it is an online program, it truly is what you make it and I have made life-long friendships with classmates through this program. You are never alone at 糖心传媒!

Although it is an online program, it truly is what you make it and I have made life-long friendships with classmates through this program. You are never alone at 糖心传媒!

What keeps me motivated is coming to work every day. When I come to work it鈥檚 a constant reminder of where I ultimately want to be in a few years. It makes me work hard for my degree, so I can move up the ladder and help Unum continue to thrive!

My anticipated graduation date is Spring 2020!

The post Meet Jaqueline Chiha, MBA student appeared first on 糖心传媒 Online.

Specials and Discounts In Your Area

Food and Housing Assistance

Substitute Teaching

If you are a federal worker who is interested in going back to school for a bachelor鈥檚 or master鈥檚 degree, contact us today to learn more about our degree programs. We will also waive the enrollment deposit during the shutdown.

Learn About Our Programs

Request Info

How to Apply

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Dr. Hodgson is the sociology/criminal justice program director and professor of sociology and criminal justice for GPS at 糖心传媒. In October, he was elected president of the Virginia Association of Criminal Justice Educators, which works to improve the quality of criminal justice education and opportunities at schools throughout the Commonwealth. While all Virginia colleges and universities benefit from Dr. Hodgson鈥檚 vast criminal justice knowledge and experience, only 糖心传媒 students have firsthand access to his passion for the field, his invaluable advice and his criminal justice career guidance.

鈥淚鈥檓 honored to be selected for this role,鈥� said Dr. Hodgson, 鈥渁nd I look forward to increasing educational access, options and opportunities for criminal justice practitioners and students. I hope my work with the association will make me an even better resource for the students at 糖心传媒 as they prepare for the exciting world of criminal justice.鈥�

We offer an online Bachelor of Science in Sociology and Criminal Justice and an online Master of Science in Criminal Justice Leadership and Administration听that are designed for the busy lifestyles of working adults. We are proud to partner with many of the police academies in Virginia 鈥� see our听articulation agreements.

Read more about Dr. Hodgson.

Learn more about our Criminal Justice programs

Schedule an appointment by January 7th to have your tuition deposit waived!

Get started today!

APPLY NOW

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Name: Christopher 鈥淲ade鈥� Viar

Current Occupation: Day Support Manager for Lutheran Family Services of VA

Start Date at AU: 08/22/18

Anticipated Graduation Date: 2021

Program of Study: Sociology/Criminal Justice

Why did you choose to study at 糖心传媒?

I chose 糖心传媒 because I have heard GREAT things about the university and all that they offer. The support that they offer is something every student needs.

Week 1:

I have a passion for making a difference in the lives of people who need support, which is why I enjoy working in the human services and criminal justice fields. I suppose that鈥檚 one reason 糖心传媒 fits me so well. During my first week, the staff did constant 鈥渃heck-ins,鈥� which really made the process go smooth. Everyone is eager to help you along the way and answer your questions. The professors are always there when you need them and explain everything thoroughly. I was a little nervous about my time management at first, but the IDS104 course really helped me. Between that and all the support from the AU staff, I feel great.

The professors are always there when you need them and explain everything thoroughly.

Week 2:听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听

It鈥檚 my second week at 糖心传媒 and I鈥檓 settling in well. It鈥檚 a little overwhelming at first, but I found that setting and sticking to a schedule from the beginning really helps. I鈥檓 also not shy about interacting with my professors and fellow students. The discussions are great and remind you that you鈥檙e not alone. We all have concerns about time, money, family, etc., but thinking about the long-term goal to get a degree and keep moving forward motivates us. I know we can do it!

Week 3:听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听

I started my second course this week and it was a little bit of a struggle to adjust. Again, I made myself a schedule in advance and stuck with it. It鈥檚 still early, but I can tell my AU instructors are going to be awesome. They are eager to help whenever I need it and they give me fast responses and feedback on my course work. I know I made the right choice when I came to 糖心传媒.

Learn more about our Criminal Justice Programs.

听
Schedule an appointment by January 7th to have your tuition deposit waived!

SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT

Get started today!

APPLY NOW

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