Student Loans Impact Higher Ed

By Alicia Jacobs, Excelsior Life Staff--

National news reports indicate student debt is now a trillion dollars. On average, school loan default rates are increasing, while educational costs continue to rise. Debts impact students. Conversely, student loans impact higher education.

Media focus is often placed on student debt, but a student's ability to repay their student loan does have consequences to an institution and default rates are monitored by the Department of Education (DOE).

On a national level, more students are borrowing more money than ever before to receive a degree,” said Christina Roarke, Excelsior College’s assistant director of financial aid. “Couple that with higher unemployment and other economic hardships and you get a record number of students having greater difficulty repaying their loans.”

The DOE uses the CDR (Cohort Default Rate) in one respect, as a measure of a schools capability and quality. At Excelsior College,  2011- 2 year draft Cohort Default Rate stands at 4.0 percent, well below the national average of approximately 13 percent. For institutions that have a consistently high CDR, there are ramifications.

A college can…

• Lose access to private loan funds.

• Be subject to sanctions if the schools 2yr default rate exceeds the federal cap of 15% or 3yr default rate exceeds the federal cap of 25%.

• Lose eligibility to provide federal financial aid to their students.

A higher cohort default rate for schools creates a domino effect for students and schools, and even impacts the economic health of our country.

“A school’s cohort default rate has far-reaching consequences, and the implications of a “bad” or high default rate can be devastating. Between the current economic environment and the changing federal student aid landscape, the government is looking more closely at the quality of a school’s education, the degrees a school offers, and whether or not they lead to gainful employment,” Roarke explains. “The government wants to be assured that higher education institutions are providing quality education in relevant areas of study, working hard to keep students on track to graduation, and making sure students understand their rights and responsibilities if they are borrowing to pay for this education.”

With this in mind, the DOE along with higher education institutions are working to create awareness of student loan repayment options. Helping students access the tools and resources to avoid the negative consequences of defaulting on student loans is a priority. For example, there is a plan referred to as Income-Based Repayment. It caps monthly student loan payments at 15 percent of their discretionary income.

“The DOE wants us to live up to our mission as an institution of higher education,” said Roarke. “They are beginning to create new and revised measures of program quality and effectiveness.” The result is tougher regulations and harsh consequences for a failure to serve students well.

It is important for an institution to provide students with all the tools they need to be successful in understanding the financial aid process, student loans, and options for repayment.  “At Excelsior College we support student success throughout the entire educational process, this not only translates into a low CDR but more importantly, qualified students graduating with affordable, quality degrees,” said Roarke.

Readers note: This is Part 2 of a feature story on student debt. To read Part 1, Excelsior College Students’ Median Debt is Substantially Less Than The National Average, click here.

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Two alumni ready for next big jump in film industry

Grace McPhillips ’03 and Colin Havey ’10 are raising funds to get two different new filming projects off the ground.

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Grace McPhillips ’03 is in the middle of her own March Madness, but not because of basketball.

A graduate of Elon's music theater program, McPhillips is working hard to reach an ambitious goal: Raise $100,000 for her first independent film, The Other One, by April 1.

Her short films have had festival success and won awards and now she hopes to do the same with her first feature-length feature.

McPhillips, who is co-producing and acting in the film, said that to create a “truly original concept that’s not curtailed by studio executives or nervous investors,” she is relying on contributions from movie watchers who want to see the film made.

Visit McPhillips fundraising page.

A Chicago-based production alliance, The Other One tells the story of a teacher who returns to her childhood home after a tragic school shooting to take care of her elderly mother. While there, she comes to terms with dark family secrets.

“We’re also in the midst of creating two reality TV shows, a gritty mini-series and a big-budget feature film, and our process for The Other One is incredibly refreshing,” McPhillips said.

Besides McPhillips, the film will also feature Cait Bidwell, daughter of Elon alumna Patricia Brennan Bidwell ’72. The two connected after Patricia read about McPhillips’ other film project, Beautiful Little Fools, in the summer 2012 edition of The Magazine of Elon.

McPhillips is not the only Elon alumni currently relying on individual contributions to fund a film.

After living in Los Angeles for nearly three years, School of Communications graduate Colin Havey ’10 is directing his first short film, The Hunter’s Head.

“After working on various different projects in the film world—from a feature film, to DP on an award-winning documentary, to numerous shorts, web and music videos—I'm ready to take the next step: directing this incredibly compelling short film,” he writes on his fundraising page.

The film is an adaption of a Benjamin Loory's short story in "Stories for the Nighttime and Some for the Day" and follows a boy and a hunter who live in a remote forest village.

Havey’s goal is to raise $20,000 by May 8.

“If you like Game of Thrones, you're going to love this film,” he writes. “Hunter’s Head is the culmination of my last six years of professional training and learning how to make movies. This is the beginning of that journey and the only way I can think to do it is with the help of my friends, family, colleagues and anyone who likes the idea.”

Visit Havey's fundraising page.

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by Keren Rivas, Staff Last Updated - 3/22/2013

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Fairfield University dean named Distinguished Woman in Higher Education

Robbin Crabtree, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Fairfield University, received the 2013 Distinguished Administrative Woman in Higher Education Award presented today by the Connecticut American Council on Education (ACE) Women's Network. The award is designed to recognize and honor those Connecticut women who have distinguished themselves by providing outstanding leadership to women in their institutions, in their profession, and in society-at-large.

Dr. Crabtree, a Fairfield, Conn. resident, received the award at the organization's 2013 spring conference at the University of Hartford.

"I am very pleased and proud the committee singled out Dean Robbin Crabtree," said the Rev. Paul Fitzgerald, S.J., the University's senior vice president for academic affairs. "Robbin's service to Fairfield University's Jesuit mission is exemplary in so many ways. She demonstrates on a daily basis her deep understanding of, and commitment to, Jesuit ideals of intellectual rigor, integrative ways of thinking, knowing and creating, and a willing spirit of civic engagement and social responsibility in the education of all our students for the sake of human dignity and social justice. She does all this with passion, with joy and with a generosity of spirit that is truly infectious."

Dean since 2008, Dr. Crabtree has shown a commitment to diversity and the mentoring of women in many ways. Of the 30 faculty members she has hired, 50 percent are women and a third are members of historically under-represented groups or international scholars. She has appointed and mentored at least 10 first-time women department chairs, many in departments that have never had a female chair.

"My generation of faculty often were not mentored very well, but we need to do better for the next generation," said Dr. Crabtree. "As a former department chair, I know how important it is to have guidance about professional development, and support for balancing the many responsibilities and demands facing chairs, particularly when we are motivated to change our departments for the better and make lasting contributions to the university. As dean, I want to create the conditions in which faculty can thrive, so that they are able to succeed in their research and create meaningful engagements for our students in and beyond the classroom. It's a 'pay it forward' kind of process; the better folks are mentored, the better mentors they also will be for their students and their colleagues. I also learn so much in the process. Mentoring is a two-way street, so I really see it as 'co-mentoring'."

Prior to being appointed dean, Dr. Crabtree was professor of communication and the founding director of Fairfield's Office of Service Learning. She came to the University in 2001 from New Mexico State University, where she was an associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies. She was chair of the Department of Communication at Fairfield from 2001 to 2007.

Dr. Crabtree was named Teacher of the Year in 2007 by Fairfield's chapter of Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit honor society. She has published more than 40 scholarly articles and chapters and presented papers at academic conferences across the country and in several international contexts.

Media Contact: Meredith Guinness, (203) 254-4000, ext. 2950, mguinness@fairfield.edu

Posted on March 22, 2013

Vol. 45, No. 230

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Annual greenhouse gas emissions inventory completed

Energy consumption is the largest source of Elon's greenhouse gas emissions, according to the latest inventory by the Office of Sustainability.

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Greenhouse gas emissions at Elon remain lower than they were five years ago even as the university has added more buildings, employees and students, and campus sustainability leaders said they believe the trend is a result of educational programs and institutional commitments to energy efficiency, conservation and sustainable construction practices.

The university’s latest Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory has found that emissions are 4.2 percent lower compared to baseline readings in 2008. The decrease is in large part due to campus energy consumption.

“Conducting a yearly emissions inventory is essential to monitor progress toward Elon’s goal of carbon neutrality set forth in the Sustainability Master Plan,” said Elaine Durr, Elon’s director of sustainability.

Energy consumption is the largest source of Elon’s greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 57.3 percent of total emissions in the latest inventory. Transportation (35.4 percent of emissions) ranked second on the list. Transportation includes study abroad travel, commuter travel, fuel use in the university fleet, faculty and staff business travel and athletic team travel.

Commuter travel accounts for 10 percent of Elon’s emissions. Commuting students today are making fewer trips to campus and are traveling a shorter distance. A larger percentage of commuting students are utilizing the BioBus, with fewer trips per week, than they were two years ago. Forty-five percent of students who commute to campus say they carpool about three days a week.

About 10 percent of faculty and staff carpool to campus, a slight decrease from two years ago. The average roundtrip mileage for faculty and staff did not change substantially from the previous commuter survey conducted in 2010.

Though emissions remain lower today than they were in 2008, they aren’t as low as they have been. Emissions rose slightly between 2011 and 2012, an increase attributed primarily to directly financed travel and purchased electricity. An increase in faculty and staff business travel is the primary cause for the increase in directly financed travel, which could be the result of improved data collection and/or more actual travel.

Emissions from purchased electricity increased from fiscal year 2011 to 2012, likely the result of adding 115,006 square feet of building space to campus. “We're adding more efficient buildings, and we’re taking down inefficient ones,” Durr said. “What we’re building back in some cases is more square footage than what we took down, but it’s more efficient.”

The Office of Sustainability completed the greenhouse gas emissions inventory with the assistance of a student intern. The office collected data from numerous departments, ranging from the Physical Plant for electricity and natural gas consumption to the Office of Human Resources for information on university employment.

The Climate Action Plan was completed in spring 2010 and serves as a roadmap for carrying out projects designed to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions. The plan is a living, flexible document that will be revised as technology, research and incentives develop.

To learn more about the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and Climate Action Plan, visit the climate page of the Office of Sustainability website. To learn more about the greenhouse gas emissions summer internship opportunity, email sustainability@elon.edu.

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by Eric Townsend, Staff Last Updated - 3/21/2013

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"Belly of the Basin"

Screening of award-winning documentary film about Hurricane Katrina

3 p.m., Sunday, April 14, 2013
DiMenna-Nyselius Library
Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT
Free Admission

Fairfield University, as part of its Urban Vision Film Series on Cities, presents a screening of "Belly of the Basin," the award-winning post-Katrina documentary filmco-produced by Fairfield University's Roxana Walker-Canton, Assistant Professor of Visual & Performing Arts,at 3 p.m., Sunday, April 14, 2013, in the DiMenna-Nyselius Library Multimedia Room. There will be a discussion and Q&A with filmmaker Roxana Walker-Canton following the screening. Admission is free and open to the public.

"Belly of the Basin" documents the devastating effects of New Orleans' Hurricane Katrina and presents individual stories of survivors and volunteers. The 90-minute film poses questions about the value of human life in relationship to race, class, and politics, while scrutinizing the media's coverage of the hurricane's aftermath. The film was co-produced in 2008 by Professor Walker-Canton and Professor Tina Morton, an assistant professor at Howard University.

"We began the project by attending a Survivor's Conference in Mississippi in December 2005, after the flood," said Professor Walker-Canton. "We began interviewing people affected by the flood, and then traveled to New Orleans to see the overwhelming devastation. We witnessed the emotional distress of all of the people with whom we spoke and saw first hand their community totally destroyed. There was an eerie silence, no sounds of children, no birds, no movement. Destruction all around, no matter which way we turned."

The two film-makers made over ten subsequent trips back to New Orleans. They worked on the film from 2005 to January 2008, and also returned several times to assist with relief efforts. Professor Walker-Canton, who taught at Connecticut College at the time, received major funding for the film from the college's presidential initiative that funded projects focused on natural disasters.

"I was motivated to produce this documentary because of the poor journalistic integrity that was demonstrated with many of the news stories that were aired on television. Many of the stories focused less on the human story and focused more on issues of property and looting," said Mrs. Walker-Canton. "I understood that there had to be a different perspective about the plight of the Black residents of New Orleans' Ninth Ward. In many of the news reports, the residents rarely were able to tell their own story. I wanted to produce a documentary where people could tell their stories from their perspective and in their own voice."

Since its release, "Belly of the Basin" has been screened by universities and seen on college campuses throughout the country as a call for social activism among students. The film has been presented at many film festivals including the Hollywood Black Film Festival, where it won 1st prize for documentary in 2008. "Since the flood, various professors around the country have designed courses to study New Orleans or have sponsored trips to help in the efforts to rebuild New Orleans," said Professor Walker-Canton. "'Belly of the Basin' has been used in classes focused on Post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans, social activism, and documentary production. The documentary also can be used to discuss representation of Blacks in the media, African American independent filmmaking, issues of race and class in social activist efforts, as well as other issues."

As part of Fairfield University's New Media Program, Roxana Walker-Canton teaches courses in documentary production, scriptwriting, and African American Cinema, among other courses. Her documentary and narrative creative works focus on the politics of space, place, and land as they relate to African American history and culture. Her other awards include Best Experimental Film from the University Film and Video Association for "Point of No Return," a reflection about the slave dungeons in Ghana.

"Although Fairfield is 1400 miles from New Orleans, I would hope that this story is relevant because it is an American issue," said Professor Walker-Canton. "I hope that 'Belly of the Basin' is relevant to the Fairfield community, because what happened in New Orleans speaks to the status of race and class relations in America more clearly than anything else in recent years. I hope that the story is relevant to the Fairfield community, because if it isn't, then what is?"

The DiMenna-Nyselius Library is located on the campus of Fairfield University. Fairfield University is located off exit 22 of Interstate-95. For further information and directions, call (203) 254-4010 or 1-877-278-7396, or visit www.quickcenter.com.

Media Contact: Mike Horyczun, (203) 254-4000 ext. 2647, mhoryczun@fairfield.edu

Posted on March 22, 2013

Vol. 45, No. 279

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Fairfield University communication faculty to share their cutting edge research on the internet, politics, roller derby and more

Four Fairfield University communication professors will present their most recent research into such diverse topics as the Internet, advertising, Lyme Disease and roller derby at "Talk About Communication: Twenty-five Years of Communication at Fairfield University," a free lecture series held on campus. The public is welcome to the second session in the series, which will be held at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 4, 2013, in the DiMenna-Nyselius Library.

The event will feature the following presentations:

Maggie Wells, Ph.D., associate professor of communication, "'It's just growing pains': Chronic Lyme Disease and the discourses of ignorance and invisibility"Colleen Arendt, Ph.D., assistant professor of communication, "A rink of one's own: Gender, sport, and the alter ego in contemporary women's roller derby"Mike Serazio, Ph.D., assistant professor of communication, "From journalism to advertising to politics: Making culture in the 21st century"Gisela Gil-Egui, Ph.D., assistant professor of communication, "Beyond availability and transparency: Applying theories of justice to the open access and open source movements on the Internet"

The lecture series is funded by a grant from the Humanities Institute of Fairfield University's College of Arts and Sciences.

Media Contact: Meredith Guinness, (203) 254-4000, ext. 2950, mguinness@fairfield.edu

Posted on March 21, 2013

Vol. 45, No. 222

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School of Communications alumni win state journalism awards

Alumni Anna Johnson '12, Molly McGowan '10 and Scott Muthersbaugh '06 all received North Carolina Press Association awards March 21.

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Three School of Communications alumni won four awards, including a first-place finish in the Best Video category, from the North Carolina Press Association March 21.

Sanford Herald reporter Anna Johnson '12, a journalism major and former editor in chief of The Pendulum, won first place in Best Video for "Scenes from Day 1 of the Lee Regional Fair 2012" and second place in Arts & Entertainment Reporting for "Pottery Festival ends" in the Daily Division D (circulation less than 12,500) threshold.

Burlington Times-News reporter Molly McGowan '10, a journalism and English/creative writing double major, was awarded a second-place award in Arts & Entertainment Reporting for "Witnessing the power of art" in the Daily Division E (circulation 12,500-35,000) threshold.

Burlington Times-News photographer Scott Muthersbaugh '06, a broadcast communications and psychology double major, won second place in Photo Page for "A carefree day o fun" in the Daily Division E (circulation 12,500-35,000) threshold.

The Herald snagged 17 awards, including the first-place honor for general excellence in Division D for the third consecutive year. The Times-News captured eight total awards, which were highlighted by wins for Appearance and Design and Public Service.

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by Colin Donohue, Staff Last Updated - 3/22/2013

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Full-day workshop on leadership styles offered at Fairfield University

Paul Maloney, Ed.D., a Fairfield University assistant professor who has been a senior manager at several international corporations, will lead a full-day workshop, "Leadership Styles," on Friday, May 3. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Fairfield University's Alumni House. The fee is $99.

Today's leaders function in a dynamic and ever-changing environment. Dr. Maloney, an assistant professor of the practice in industrial and organizational psychology, will help participants develop the skills they need to deal effectively with changing situations using different styles. Through discussion, case studies and role play, participants will learn to: explain the difference between management and leadership; specify four key styles of leadership and tell when to use each; develop a vision statement; create an action plan for their own development; and more.

Dr. Maloney teaches in the Applied Psychology program in Fairfield's Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions. His career includes senior management and development positions at NBC, Mobil Oil Corporation, and PepsiCo International, and he has consulted worldwide for American Airlines, Covidien, GE, Schering-Plough, Kodak, Gartner and many other organizations. His specialties include change management, communications, executive feedback and coaching, and presentation skills. He received his doctorate from the University of Virginia.

To register for this workshop, go to www.fairfield.edu/maloney or call Janine Huber at (203) 254-4000 ext. 2140.

Media Contact: Meredith Guinness, (203) 254-4000, ext. 2950, mguinness@fairfield.edu

Posted on March 21, 2013

Vol. 44, No. 221

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Evangel University Marching Band recruiting now for next season

The Evangel University Marching Band is now taking applications for students interested in becoming part of one of the University’s most visible and exciting traditions.

Since its historic debut in 2011, the marching band has grown to more than 100 members, many of whom have majors other than music. United by their love for music, these students are part of an organization that sets Evangel apart from many universities of its size.

Michael Kolstad, Music Department chairman, says Evangel is one of only two schools in its conference to have a marching band. “The marching band has been a very positive addition to the campus,” Kolstad says. “It has increased school spirit and visibility for the school.”

In addition to playing pep music and performing field routines during halftime at home football games, the marching band has marched in local parades, including a performance at Silver Dollar City last December that Kolstad says was attended by 25,000 people.

Christina Beatie, junior, says the best part about her joining Evangel’s marching band was the sense of community she felt when she arrived as a freshman.

“I immediately felt welcomed and made some of my best friends here at Evangel within that first week of band camp,” she says. “You are not an outsider when you come to campus.  You immediately belong somewhere, and people will notice if you are not there. Being in marching band as a freshman was the best decision I could have made.”

The Evangel University Marching Band, directed by Dr. Michael Kolstad, debuted at Silver Dollar City on December 1, 2012, before a crowd of 25,000. Photo by Paul K. Logsdon.

Jonathan Martz, senior, says the unity of the marching band is what sets it apart from other organizations on campus. He also says it is a good way to become involved in leadership.

“I would say that it is one of the best organizations you can be a part of,” he says. “You learn how to become an encourager, hard worker and more of a spiritual influence in others’ lives.”

Kolstad says the band plans to play at four home football games and two parades in the fall. He also says the Music Department is lining up a marching band trip for the fall, but the location has yet to be revealed. However, he did offer a hint: “It will likely be somewhere in the South – possibly near the ocean!”

Kolstad says students of any major are welcome in the band and there is no audition except for the percussion section. See the Evangel University Marching Band page for more information and to fill out an inquiry form.

— By Ian Richardson, a junior English major from Afton, Iowa.

Evangel Consolidation Update

Evangel University is pleased to anticipate its consolidation with the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary and Central Bible College beginning with the fall 2013 semester, pending approval of accrediting bodies. For information on the consolidation progress, please visit http://ag.org/top/consolidation/

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Women's basketball team to host second round WBI game Saturday

The Phoenix will take on McNeese State in Alumni Gym March 23 at 2 p.m.

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The fourth-seeded Elon women’s basketball team will host eighth-seeded McNeese State in the second round of the Women’s Basketball Invitational on Saturday, March 23, at 2 p.m. in Alumni Gym.

The Phoenix defeated fifth-seeded Eastern Kentucky, 68-61, on Wednesday, while the Cowgirls knocked of the one-seeded Mercer, 82-70, in Macon, Ga., on Thursday.

Tickets for Saturday’s game can be purchased through the Elon Ticket Office at elonphoenix.com or over the phone at 336-278-6750.

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by Dan Anderson, Staff Last Updated - 3/22/2013

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Fairfield University's Women's History events continue into April

Fairfield University continues its celebration of Women's History Month into April with six events. They are sponsored by the University's Program in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGS).

Take Back the Night, April 3, 6:30 p.m., Barone Campus Center(BCC) - Take Back the Night is a candlelight vigil in memory and protest against the violence women have experienced physically and sexually, especially at night. Students will meet at the campus center information desk for stories and performances, ending in a group discussion about prevention on campus and in the greater community.Women's Day, April 4, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., BCC lower level - Come discover and celebrate women through presentations from campus clubs, arts and crafts, baked goods, a Bead-for-Life jewelry sale and performances throughout the day."In the Works" Faculty Talk, April 4, 6 p.m., BCC 206 - WGS faculty will share their current research on women, gender and sexuality.Film screening: A Question of Habit, April 8, 7:30 p.m., DiMenna-Nyselius Library multimedia room - Filmmaker Bren Ortega Murphy, Ph.D., screens her award-winning documentary about the depiction of Catholic nuns in U.S. popular culture.

Fairfield hosted more Women's History events in March, including an alumnae panel discussion on transitioning from college to career. For more information on these events, visit www.fairfield.edu/wgs.

Media Contact: Meredith Guinness, (203) 254-4000, ext. 2950, mguinness@fairfield.edu

Posted on March 21, 2013

Vol. 45, No. 231

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Fairfield University professor to discuss guerilla marketing at Fairfield University Bookstore

Ever wonder how Pabst Blue Ribbon became the beer of choice of the hipster set? How about how the U.S. Army morphed into a popular videogame?

Michael Serazio, Ph.D., assistant professor of communication at Fairfield University, explains it all in "Your Ad Here: The Cool Sell of Guerrilla Marketing," a timely talk on Wednesday, April 10 at the Fairfield University Bookstore, 1499 Post Road, Fairfield. The 7 p.m. event is free and open to the public.

It is sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences, the Department of Communication and the Learning for a Lifetime Program.

Dr. Serazio's research interests include popular culture, advertising, journalism, and new media, and his latest book, "Your Ad Here: The Cool Sell of Guerrilla Marketing," takes a fascinating look at how marketing strategies have multiplied, as brand messaging creeps ever deeper into our private lives. The engaging work investigates the rise of 'guerrilla marketing' as a way of understanding new forms of commercial persuasion, the 'hidden persuaders' that work with today's social media and digital platforms.

"It is a truism that, in media, everyone knows they are being sold something all the time," wrote Mark Deuze, author of "Media Life and Media Work." "It is exactly because of this that we become blind to the subtle seductions of contemporary commercial culture - and Michael Serazio is here to open our eyes."

Dr. Serazio has been widely published in magazines and scholarly journals. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication. He also holds a B.A. in communication from the University of San Francisco and an M.S. in journalism from Columbia University.

For more information on this event, contact Elizabeth Hastings, ehastings@fairfield.edu or (203) 254-4000, ext. 2688.

Media Contact: Meredith Guinness, (203) 254-4000, ext. 2950, mguinness@fairfield.edu

Posted on March 22, 2013

Vol. 45, No. 232

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Evangel honor society Alpha Chi receives exclusive “Star Chapter” recognition

The Evangel University Alpha Chi officers are pictured with EU President Robert H. Spence at the Fall 2012 induction ceremony. From left: Rintu Thomas, Kayla Jordan, Jonathan Mussetter, Lacey Mussetter, President Spence, Dr. Laynah Rogers, Dr. Dale Scheusner and Sheri Hewes.

The  national college honor society, Alpha Chi, has recognized Evangel University’s Alpha Chi Missouri Rho chapter as a “Star Chapter,” a yearly award given to only 15 percent of the more than 300 chapters throughout the nation.

Alpha Chi is an honor society designed to promote scholarly activity and community service within its membership, which is open to the top 10 percent of juniors, seniors and graduate students.

Dr. Dale Scheusner, EU’s Alpha Chi co-sponsor, says the Star Chapter award recognizes Evangel as one of the top Alpha Chi chapters in the nation for student leadership and involvement. 

“It means the chapter is doing what it is supposed be doing,” he says. “The local Alpha Chi is serving as a model for other chapters in the national organization.  What a great way to be a Christian witness.”

This is the fourth time Evangel has received this recognition since 2010.

Scheusner says Evangel’s chapter leads on-campus academic events such as the Faculty Research Forum in the fall and the Student Research Forum in the spring. Student members also engage in a variety of service projects throughout the community, present research at the national Alpha Chi convention and serve as Alpha Chi representatives on the national level. Evangel’s chapter holds a ceremony to induct new members each semester.

“We truly enjoy working with [student] officers and watching them take leadership on campus,” Dr. Laynah Rogers, Alpha Chi chapter sponsor, says. Rogers has been Evangel’s chapter sponsor since 2000 and has also become involved on the national Alpha Chi leadership team.

Rachel Nordquist, Alpha Chi member and junior, says her involvement with Alpha Chi has given her the opportunity to learn from her peers and see the work of departments and majors beyond her own. She said she feels honored to be part of a chapter to receive this recognition.  

“It is inspiring to see the hard work that other students are putting into their education,” she says. “For me, this points to not just the excellence of Alpha Chi, but mainly to the excellence of Evangel as a whole.”

The Alpha Chi National Office will honor Evangel’s chapter with a certificate and proclamation at the Alpha Chi National Convention, which will be April 4 through 6 in Nashville, Tennessee. Rogers says Evangel’s chapter will also be the regional representative competing for the President’s Cup, a traveling trophy given to the best program in the nation. Rogers says Evangel took home this award in 2009. 

“All of us can take note of this achievement and extend congratulations to the members, Dr. Rogers, and those who work with Alpha Chi,” says Evangel University President Robert H. Spence.

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Fairfield University alumna to discuss her new book at Fairfield University Bookstore

Fairfield University alumna Donna Gillotte '00  comes home to the Fairfield University Bookstore, 1499 Post Road, Fairfield, to discuss her new book, "Secret of a Medici Mistress," at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2, 2013. The event is free and open to the public.

Gillotte brings the golden age of the Italian Renaissance alive with her meticulously researched and beautifully written novel. Filled with extraordinary historical characters, "Secret of a Medici Mistress" is a love story that explores the nature of human good and evil among the celebrated Medici family and the artists they supported.

Prior to beginning a career in writing and art history, Gillotte was a successful business consultant and entrepreneur. In 1995, she returned to Fairfield University to complete a business degree, but quickly changed her major to art history after taking an art survey course. It was during the summer of 1995, while she attended international studies at the Lorenzo de Medici Institute for Art and Culture in Florence, Italy, that Gillotte began thinking about the thrilling storyline for her first novel. She graduated magna cum laude in 2000.

Gillotte earned a master's degree in art history from Syracuse University and traveled extensively in Italy to research her book. She is a former adjunct professor of art history at Southern Connecticut State University and the University of New Haven. She lives in Fairfax, Virginia.

For more information, contact Elizabeth Hastings, ehastings@fairfield.edu or (203) 254-4000, ext. 2688.

Media Contact: Meredith Guinness, (203) 254-4000, ext. 2950, mguinness@fairfield.edu

Posted on March 19, 2013

Vol. 45, No. 227

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Fitchburg Art Museum director to discuss Land Art April 10

Fitchburg Art Museum Director Nick Capasso will discuss contemporary art on Wednesday, April 10, as part of Fitchburg State University’s Humanities Visiting Speaker Series.

Capasso, a recognized authority on contemporary sculpture and public art, will present “Understanding Land Art” at 3:30 p.m. April 10 at Ellis White Lecture Hall in Hammond Hall.

His remarks will explain art history and major aesthetic themes in American earthworks and site-specific sculpture from the late 1960s to the present. The Land Art movement will be traced from its roots in minimalism through its engagements with ancient architecture, the American West, environmentalism and public commemoration. Artists to be discussed include Walter di Maria, Robert Smithson, Nancy Holt, Christo, Alan Sonfist, Patricia Johanson, Maya Lin and Andy Goldsworthy.

Admission is free and open to the public.

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Deatsch and Evans earn SoCon Postgraduate Scholarships

Two standout Phoenix student-athletes receive Southern Conference awards to continue their studies.

Ali Deatsch (l) and Kelsey Evans are among the 2012-13 SoCon Postgraduate Scholarships.

The Southern Conference announced its 10 postgraduate scholarship recipients for the 2012-13 academic year on March 21. Elon volleyball’s Ali Deatsch and women’s basketball’s Kelsey Evans were both selected as graduate scholars. The two seniors will be honored for their accomplishments at the Southern Conference Honors Dinner in Hilton head, S.C., on May 30. This marks the second straight year that Elon has had two athletes selected for postgraduate scholarships.

Deatsch has been awarded one of two Bob McCloskey Insurance Graduate scholarships. A four-year starter at libero and a two-year team captain for the Phoenix, Deatsch finished her career as Elon’s Division I career digs leader and single-season aces record holder. Deatsch has been active in the community, serving as a student leader for Habitat for Humanity and volunteering with a third-grade class, as well as with the Costa Rica Service Learning Course.

A physics major, Deatsch has excelled in the field, being recognized by the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Research Program for outstanding work in STEM-related undergraduate research. She has presented research at the Biophysical Society’s annual meeting in each of the last two years and her abstract was recently presented at the Multifunctional Hybrid and Nanomaterials Conference in Sorrento, Italy. In 2011, Deatsch became the first Elon student-athlete to earn the university’s prestigious Lumen Prize, which comes with a $15,000 scholarship, for her research proposal titled "Optimizing Heating Efficiency of Magnetic Microspheres for Magnetic Hyperthermia Treatment of Malignant Tumors." She is a member of the physics honor society, Sigma Pi Sigma and the Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honor Society. Deatsch has a 3.72 grade point average and will continue her physics education at the postgraduate level.

Evans is the 2013 recipient of the Coleman Lew & Associates Graduate Scholarship. A forward for the Phoenix, Evans is a three-time All-Southern Conference selection and a career 1,000-point scorer. The Raleigh, N.C., native will finish her career as Elon’s career and single-season blocked shots leader, as well as third in career rebounds and on the program’s top-10 scoring chart. The maroon and gold have reached postseason play twice in Evans’ career, taking part in the Women’s Basketball Invitational in 2011 and 2013.

Elon’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president, Evans was a researcher for Elon Brain Care and presented research at the Concussion in Athletics Conference at Penn State in October. She was a team leader of anatomy lab teaching assistants and has gone on several school visits as a speaker and tutor. A member of Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honor Society, Evans owns a 3.59 grade point average in exercise science. She intends to pursue an exercise science graduate program and medical school after graduation.

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by Dan Anderson, Staff Last Updated - 3/22/2013

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Theater production “(Sacco-Vanzetti) Vince, Al & Teddy” April 2-7

A new play that examines “otherness” in America through the immigrant experience – and framed against the backdrop of the polarizing Sacco-Vanzetti trial of the 1920s – will have its world premiere as Fitchburg State University’s spring theater production.

"(Sacco-Vanzetti) Vince, Al & Teddy," written by Bruce Robinson, will be performed at the Wallace Theater for the Performing Arts at the McKay Complex, 67 Rindge Road. Performances will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 2 and Wednesday, April 3; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4 through Saturday, April 6; and 2 p.m. Sunday, April 7. Admission is free.

The play, presented by the university’s Communications Media and Industrial Technology departments, is directed by faculty member Kelly Morgan.

Set in 1925, “(Sacco-Vanzetti) Vince, Al & Teddy” explores painfully relevant themes. As it does on our time, the shadow of war and political disquiet made fear the atmosphere and personal liberty a luxury. As in our time, anyone too different or foreign caused apprehension.

This two-act play uses the trial of Sacco-Vanzetti as a touchstone and an emblem.  It testifies to a time not so long ago when Italians were marginalized – and were deported or executed because of their beliefs.  It witnesses a complex family and a young man changing against a dynamic background – of course, all executed in a highly theatrical way.  

A talk with scholar Michael Topp will precede the performance at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 3. Topp will discuss the reverberations from world-wide protests and cultural upheaval surrounding the 1927 execution of the two laborers, provoking anti-Italian, anti-immigrant and anti-anarchist sentiments that still resonate.

A conversation will also follow the final performance on Sunday, April 7, where playwright Bruce Robinson, director Kelly Morgan and regional scholars will reflect on the play’s premiere, Robinson’s three-week residency and the relevance of the play’s issues.

"(Sacco-Vanzetti) Vince, Al & Teddy" is funded in part by the Center for Italian Culture and the Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Endowment at Fitchburg State University.

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Evangel University senior Christine Temple wins national journalism award

Evangel University senior Christine Temple has been named the 2013 Arthur H. Barlow Student Journalist of the Year by the Society for Collegiate Journalists (SCJ).

The award committee cited “major competition” from finalists across the nation.

“She distinguished herself exceptionally on so many levels that she was the clear choice,” says Bill Ruehlmann, SCJ past president and member of the selection committee.

Temple, a Journalism major from Ozark, Missouri, is editor-in-chief of the The Lance, Evangel’s student newspaper. She will receive a plaque and a $500 stipend in recognition of her achievements.

Ruehlmann said the rigor of professionalism and intensity of spirit displayed throughout the wide field of nationwide competitors reflected their talent, training and discipline. The nominees “displayed superior devotion to the craft of journalism and its ethical practice,” Ruehlmann says.

Chapter adviser Melinda Booze, assistant professor of communication, nominated Temple.

“A notable characteristic that Christine demonstrates is that she does not hoard her knowledge, experience or expertise but invests it in younger students. She serves them, the student body and the legacy and future of The Lance with her consistent and generous mentoring,” Booze says.

The Arthur H. Barlow Student Journalist of the Year Award is named for a longtime SCJ executive director and journalism educator. Barlow, now retired, served on the selection committee along with Ruehlmann, also a former executive director who is now retired, and Mary Beth Earnheardt, current executive director and educator at Youngstown (Ohio) State University.

The Barlow Award allows SCJ chapter advisers an opportunity to bring national recognition to a student journalist who meets the highest standards of ethics, service, leadership and technical skills.

Temple credits her education and professors at Evangel for providing her with the training necessary to be qualified for such a prestigious award.

“Winning this award speaks to the training I received from my journalism professors and the dedication of The Lance staff members I have worked with,” Temple says. “It means so much to be recognized by veteran journalists. This is a great send-off to my time at Evangel.”

Temple has served as The Lance editor for five semesters and is currently president of Evangel’s SCJ chapter. She also interns as a reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. She will graduate in May and continue her internship through the summer and plans to stay in Springfield to pursue reporting opportunities for at least a year.

“Within a few years I hope to move out of Missouri and work at a daily paper in a large city,” she says. “I am prepared for various jobs within a newspaper: reporter, photographer, online team or videographer. I would be excited and grateful with any opportunity to practice my craft.”

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Elon Academy documentary shares stories of program success

“Elon Academy: Preparation, Opportunity, Success” includes interviews with scholars, parents, faculty members and more.

*****

An award-winning documentary about the Elon Academy debuted to the public for the first time Wednesday afternoon during public screenings inside the McEwen building.

“Elon Academy: Preparation, Opportunity, Success,” a 16-minute film that shares the history and purpose of the university’s college access and success program for Alamance County high school students, won an Award of Excellence from the Broadcast Education Association's Festival of Media Arts, an international peer-review competition for faculty creative works.

The video was written and produced by Vic Costello, Don Grady, and Staci Saltz in the School of Communications. The trio worked in cooperation with Deborah Long, director of the Elon Academy, and shot much of the footage during the program’s 2012 residential component on Elon’s campus.

The documentary features stories from students, parents, Elon Academy alumni, Elon University faculty members, civic leaders and those who conceptualized and built the program, including Long and Elon University President Leo M. Lambert.

The academy each year welcomes select high school students in Alamance County who are academically promising with a financial need and/or no family history of college. It includes three consecutive summer residential experiences prior to the sophomore, junior and senior years, as well as year-round Saturday programs for students and families.

“The biggest opportunity that Elon provides by far is simply the creation of the expectation of success,” Lambert says in the film. “They know when they’re invited to be in the program that this is a big mark of confidence in them. It’s an opportunity for them to realistically consider that ‘this could put me on the road to college.’”

The video will be used to tell the Elon Academy story and achievements to prospective scholars and their families. It will also be screened to Elon University students who apply to be mentors in the program, Long said, and a shorter version will be produced to show prospective benefactors about the academy's power to transform lives.

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by Eric Townsend, Staff Last Updated - 3/21/2013

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Joint Letter to Congress in Response to Suspension of Military Tuition Assistance

Joint Letter to Congress in Response to Suspension of Military Tuition Assistance

[Editor's Note: This is a copy of a joint letter that was sent to Capitol Hill this morning in response to the suspension of Military Tuition Assistance.]

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As Presidents of some of our nation’s most innovative public and private not-for-profit colleges and universities, we write to bring to your attention the plight of thousands of college students on active military duty that have suddenly received news that their Military Tuition Assistance (MTA) benefits have been eliminated entirely. The MTA benefit has not been reduced by a percentage called for in the sequestration; instead, the program ends immediately and until further notice. We ask your assistance in helping the Department of Defense (DoD) find the necessary means to restore this vital program.

We understand that as a result of Sequestration, the DoD has had to make very difficult decisions. However, the MTA program is not only one of the finest recruiting tools available to the services, it is enormously important to enlisted personnel morale. It is also a critical element in the training necessary to carry out our nation’s most crucial missions. Collectively, our institutions have the privilege of educating a great many of the more than 325,000 active duty military students who enroll in over 800,000 classes each year, while defending our country. We have firsthand knowledge of the importance of this program to them and to their work.

Many recruits, just out of high school, enter the service with the understanding that the military will help provide them with a college education. Now, the services have eliminated that opportunity.

The best predictor of how well service members will fare in finding employment upon their return home is their level of education and professional training. The veteran unemployment rate already outpaces that of the general population. Eliminating the possibility of taking college classes or earning other academic credentials while in the military, condemns those who chose to serve their country to a rougher return to civilian life and the domestic job market. We believe that our servicemen and women deserve better.

We understand that some are trying to justify eliminating MTA by pointing out that active duty personnel can access their GI benefits as a substitute. That is not what they were promised upon entry to the military and the clock starts ticking on their limited GI benefits as soon as they are engaged. That means considerably fewer benefits will be available when service members return home. One is not a substitute for the other.

We also question the significance of the budget savings provided by eliminating the MTA. The long-term benefits of an educated military far out-weigh the short-term savings created by elimination.

We appreciate your leadership and support in working with the DoD to fix this misguided decision. We respectfully request your help in restoring the Military Tuition Assistance program to all the military services.

Sincerely,

Javier Miyares, President, University of Maryland University College
George A. Pruitt, President, Thomas Edison State College
Robert Mendenhall, President, Western Governors University
Ed Klonoski, President, Charter Oak State College
Meg Benke, Acting President, Empire State College
John Ebersole, President, Excelsior College
Jack Hawkins, Chancellor, Troy University

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Lizzy Appleby '13 named 2013 Newman Civic Fellow

The honor from Campus Compact is for students who "demonstrate a personal commitment to creating lasting change."

Elon University senior Elizabeth "Lizzy" Appleby

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Elon University senior Elizabeth “Lizzy” Appleby is one of 181 students from around the United States selected by Campus Compact as a 2013 Newman Civic Fellow, an award that recognizes campus leaders who have worked to find solutions for challenges facing their communities.

Campus Compact’s member college and university presidents nominated student leaders for the 2013 class of Newman Civic Fellows. Students must demonstrate a personal commitment to creating lasting change for the better in their communities.

On campus, Appleby serves as the leadership and development intern for the Kernodle Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement and as a SPARKS peer educator and team leader. In her role with SPARKS, the philosophy major raises awareness among classmates about various health issues including sexual health, sexual assault, health relationships, stress, alcohol education, other substance education, body image, and nutrition.

“Lizzy is admired by other student leaders and she is frequently sought out for advice and counsel,” Mary Morrison, director of the Kernodle Center, said in Appleby’s nomination letter. “She is a thoughtful person that is able to see situations from multiple perspectives. Wise beyond her years, she is reflective, insightful, and willing to challenge her own ideas as well as others.”

Appleby will join a network of Fellows around the country to leverage an even greater capacity for service and change, and will continue to set examples for their classmates and others. She plans to continue broadening her knowledge and skills by attending the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago after her graduation in May.

Campus Compact is a national coalition of almost 1,200 college and university presidents—representing some 6 million+ students—who are committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education, that is, to improve community life and to educate students for civic and social responsibility.

For more information about the organization and the award, visit www.compact.org.

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by Eric Townsend, Staff Last Updated - 3/19/2013

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Career Moves: Mentors helped alum pursue law school

Finance major Evan Glover '12 turned to the Student Professional Development Center for critiques of his applications to premier schools.

Evan Glover '12

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Evan Glover '12 was majoring in finance when a summer internship in the nation's capital introduced him to another career opportunity: law. The native of Bowie, Md., returned to campus for his senior year and soon found himself working with faculty and staff mentors in the Student Professional Development Center to begin crafting strong law school applications.

The story doesn't end there. Rather than go straight to law school after graduation, Glover deferred his acceptance for a year - and for good reason. Now, with his matriculation into George Washington University Law School only a few months off, the former executive intern in the Office of University Advancement reflects on the resources he discovered in making plans for life after Elon.

Glover is the latest person to be featured this year in a series of E-net profiles on the recent experiences of students and alumni who use the Student Professional Development Center to not only find job and internship openings, but to prepare for interviews and improve applications with guidance from Career Services staff.

He answered questions recently from the Office of University Communications.

Tell me about your interest in the legal profession and law school.

Though law school had always been in the back of my mind, it was not until the summer before my senior year when I ultimately made the decision to apply. In addition to the intellectual curiosity of understanding how the legal system works, I also found a more interesting career path than I was currently on. During my internship at the Federal City Council, a member-based business leadership organization in Washington, D.C., I frequently worked with numerous lawyers and ultimately found their work more interesting than those on the business side of meetings and deals.

I was fortunate enough to be accepted into 15 great schools even though I started the process late. Ultimately I decided to enroll at George Washington University Law School. Although I am not certain exactly what type of law I would like to study, I have gravitated toward international law and corporate law.

After being accepted into several top programs, you deferred for a year, and for a really great reason. Do share!

I deferred my enrollment into law school year to take a position on the Obama for America campaign as an advance staffer. Advance staffers travel and prepare venues for when the president, First Lady, vice president or Second Lady visit. I worked my way to crowd lead, a position on the advance team that meant I was responsible for public access to the venues for people to see the principals. Once the campaign concluded, we changed our focus to preparing for the 57th Presidential Inauguration and all of the official inaugural events of the week. Now that we are into the second term, many have transitioned back to the traveling world.

How will that experience make you an even better law school student and, in a few years, a better attorney?

Advance staffers are known for always being prepared for anything, having the flexibility and versatility to adapt and making calm decisions under highly stressful situations, and paying attention to small details. Taking this into law school will not only make me a more successful student but a more successful lawyer. As hindsight is 20/20, deferring for a year was by far the best decision I could have made. Not only do I find myself more prepared to be a law student, but I find myself anxiously waiting to go back to school, rather than going to school because that is what I have always done.

With whom did you work in the Student Professional Development Center as you applied to law school, and what help did you receive?

In the Student Professional Development Center, words cannot describe how great and influential René Jackson was to my post-Elon experience. I found myself in her office at least every two weeks. By following her advice, I was able to develop meaningful relationships with several top law school admission counselors and was accepted to every school where I developed such a relationship. She also connected me with the pre-law department, which played a large role in my application. She did more than tell me what I should do and who I should speak with; she genuinely cared about me. I was worried that senior year was too late for me to change my path from finance to law, but she instilled in me a sense of confidence.

Why was that assistance important?

My mentors were able to see strengths in my application that I deemed irrelevant and left out. Additionally, they worked with me to accomplish what I wanted with my application in creative ways. Looking back, the most important thing that I did to get me to where I am now is walking into René Jackson’s office. After that first session, my path changed from a lost law school applicant studying for the LSAT with a terrible personal statement and application packet to a student at a top 20 law school.

Which faculty member did you work with to prepare for the law school admissions process and what help did you receive?

Dion Farganis in the Department of Political Science and Policy Studies and my pre-law advisor. I often tell people that he is the reason that I had a very successful application. As someone who has lots of relationships with people who work in law schools, and especially in the admissions departments, he provided amazing support and guidance to paint the best picture of who I am on a law school application. From going through the personal statement drafting process, finalizing the application, and preparing for the LSAT, he guided me through the confusing and often frustrating process of a law school application. I took the LSAT twice, first taking a course online and the second time working with him. My score improved by double digits on the second test.

What recommendations would you share with students about the SPDC and the Office of Career Services?

First and foremost, the people inside the center are fantastic. Not only do they genuinely care about your growth and success, but they are very good at what they do. I frequently bump into other alumni who work on Capitol Hill, major business firms in various sectors, teachers and graduate students doing exceedingly well, and all of them I remember seeing using the resources in the Student Professional Development Center.

Three big suggestions that I have for any student: 1.) Go into the SPDC and work with any of the counselors there. 2.) When you meet with a counselor, be as open and honest as possible. The more they know, the better they can help you. 3.) Attend their workshops and fairs, especially their career and graduate school fairs. In both graduate school admissions and career hunting, its not what you know, or who you know, it’s who knows you!

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by Eric Townsend, Staff Last Updated - 3/14/2013

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Filmmaker and Thrillseeker: The Sorrow's Vernon Mortensen

Filmmaker and Thrillseeker: The Sorrow's Vernon Mortensen

By Alicia Jacobs, Excelsior Life News Staff--

Businessman, filmmaker and thrillseeker, Vernon Mortensen spent his entire life circling the globe, visiting more than 83 countries in search of adventure and fortune. Today he is following his dream of making movies after pursuing his education and a diversified career path. His life experiences are so varied, that they sound like roles in a movie. Mortensen has been an engineer, sailor, private investigator, US special operations commando, EMT, bodyguard, librarian, teacher and entrepreneur. Excelsior Life sat down with Mortensen, a graduate of Excelsior College, to learn about his current work, directing the western film, "The Sorrow."

Excelsior Life: Where did your passion for film making begin?
Mortensen: When I was a kid, my dad's cousin worked as a Teamster for Universal Pictures and for two weeks he took me to work with him on the set of Back to the Future. I had full run of the set and watched everything that happened. That's where I fell in love with making movies.

Excelsior Life: What inspired you to get into this business?
Mortensen: In Film School I made a short film called "Brothers" that was accepted into a film festival. One of the judges at the festival was Kirk Harris, founder of Rogue Arts, a company at which I am now a partner. I was blown away by Kirk's "can do" attitude and the way he was building his company up from nothing to be a real player in the indie movie business. We talked for a while at the festival and really hit it off. Soon I was developing scripts for Rogue Arts and eventually became a full partner.

Rogue Arts is one of only three US independent-production companies to successfully co-produce a feature film in Mexico using the Mexican Film Fund. The resulting movie, "The Kid: Chamaco" starring Martin Sheen, is a shining example of cross-border collaboration in the film industry.

Excelsior Life: Your background includes the US Navy. How did your career path and education impact your role as a filmmaker?
Mortensen: My background in the Navy is in Special Operations (I was a Navy SWCC Commando) so I fit right into the indie film world. Making a movie, and especially an indie movie, is like a special operations team going to war. There's the planning and logistics phase (pre-production for movies) followed by the execution phase (production), and finally, the after action (post-production). Indie film crews are smaller than their studio counterparts and members often wear more than one hat... It's just like a Special Boat Detachment or a SEAL Platoon. In fact, one of my fellow producers on "The Sorrow" is Neil Trusso, one of my closest friends and a Navy SEAL that deployed with me in 1994 to Somalia. For Neil and I, making movies is a lot like being back in the Teams.

My education was key to my survival in the movie business. I would watch my friends, who had no college education, wait tables to make ends meet when movie work was scarce. I used my education to teach part-time instead. Teaching has better hours and better pay, and I found out that I really enjoy it. I'm now a teacher in an MBA film program; not because I have to, but because I really enjoy it.

Excelsior Life: Where did you go to college and what did you study?
Mortensen: In addition to receiving my BS from Excelsior College, I have an MBA from Alliant International University (formerly USIU). I also have a Master of Professional Writing (screenwriting) from USC, where I studied under script guru Syd Field and was an Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Fellow. I earned a BFA in Film from the world-renowned Art Center College of Design.

Excelsior Life: For someone interested in pursuing a career in writing, producing or directing, what skills are important?
Mortensen: Perseverance. The movie business takes years, sometimes decades to break into. Very few people have instant success and most never make it.

Excelsior Life: Do you have a highlight of your career that you would like to share?
Mortensen: Having my son visit me on set. He had a blast and I think movies are in his future... just like when I visited the set of Back to the Future.

Excelsior Life: Your current movie is the western film, "The Sorrow." Can you tell us a little about it?
Mortensen: The Sorrow is about a father and son gold mining expedition during the 1800s. The 15 year old boy, Casper, witnesses a terrible accident that cripples his father and suddenly he's all alone in the wilderness with bandits and Indians on the prowl. Casper is forced to grow up quickly which propels him to a surprising climax. It stars Kirk Harris (The Kid: Chamaco), Ryan Ballance, John Savage (The Deer Hunter) and the legendary Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill 1 & 2).

[Anticipated release date: Spring, 2013.]

Excelsior Life: Outside of filmmaking, where do you spend time?
Mortensen: I teach in the MBA program at John Paul the Great Catholic University in San Diego. I live on a ranch, high in the mountains east of San Diego, with my family and three giant Newfoundland dogs.

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White House Scorecard Ignores Higher Ed Model with Best Chance to Boost Degree Completion

White House Scorecard Ignores Higher Ed Model with Best Chance to Boost Degree Completion

By Excelsior Life News Staff—

The White House’s College Scorecard has generated substantial feedback from both higher education and student communities. Unveiled the day after President Obama’s State of the Union address, the initiative is in response to growing concerns over both access and affordability in American higher education.

Yet, while the scorecard is promising in concept, it is ill-suited to provide meaningful information on distance learning programs. Data used to produce the Scorecard comes from the Department of Education and the IPEDS (Integrated Postecondary Education Data System) reports submitted by colleges and universities across the nation. Many categories, especially the five “key points” used in the Scorecard, are based on "full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates," a definition that is geared toward campus-based schools.

More than 34 million Americans have some college but no degree, according to the Lumina Foundation. Many believe that to reach the Administration’s goal of 60 percent degree completion by 2020, America needs to find a way to help these working adults finish their degrees. Unfortunately, at institutions such as Excelsior College, an accredited nonprofit that focuses on meeting the needs of adult learners, students are neither full-time nor first-time. As a result, Excelsior is excluded from the Scorecard database, even as it represents a 21st century model for reaching the President’s goal.

Working adults must balance numerous family and work commitments and full-time studies are often not an option. Since its founding in 1971, Excelsior has enabled more than 148,000 students to utilize multiple pathways to degree completion. Students can pursue online courses, portfolio assessment or even credit by exam, which has been a hallmark of the Excelsior experience since its beginning. Its 38,000 currently enrolled students include more than one-third from historically-underrepresented minority groups. Nearly 40 percent are active-duty, reserve, or veterans.

In keeping with its founding philosophy of “what you know is more important than where or how you learned it” ®, Excelsior keeps degree costs down by accepting in transfer appropriate college-level credit students have earned from a variety of sources including other colleges and universities, evaluated programs offered by industry, the professions and the military, and college-level examination programs.

Under this model, in the 2011-12 academic year alone, Excelsior accepted 618,000 credits in transfer from 14,000 newly enrolled learners. If Excelsior had required students to take these credits over, based on that year’s tuition rate, they would have paid an additional of $219 million.

“This is an expense students, their families and benefactors – including federal and state sponsored grant and scholarship programs – did not have to pay for a second time” said Excelsior’s President Dr. John Ebersole. “Excelsior has turned these credits into ‘working assets’ for our students, removing a potentially significant barrier to degree completion.”

This multiple pathways approach is one of the reasons that the median debt for an Excelsior College student is substantially less than the national average.

While the White House’s Scorecard is a new effort toward transparency in higher education, Excelsior College has been a leader in this area for years. The Presidents’ Forum, an organization it formed back in 2004, engaged in the Transparency by Design project that resulted in a website where it and other similar colleges provided information to aid consumers in making an informed decision about pursing their degrees. Funding for this project has since run out but Excelsior carries it forward at its own website with a wealth of information not addressed by the President’s Scorecard. The College provides a net price calculator. It also serves up data on factors such as student learning outcomes and undergraduate student engagement, both of which are compared to national data.

Excelsior College Examinations (ECEs) offer proficiency examinations covering a diverse range of subjects, from nursing and business to economics, geology and history. For example, a student may register for a three-credit labor relations exam at a cost of $95 and independently study for the exam using a myriad of resources, from textbooks to Open Education Resources such as Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCS). The student can then prove their mastery of the subject through an ECE administered at any of the 4,500 secure Pearson VUE testing facilities. Credit earned will be recorded on an Excelsior College transcript which can be used toward their Excelsior degree or for transfer at hundreds of other colleges or universities.

“Truthfully, to find the model for the 21st century, we only need to look at Excelsior’s four decades of experience and success,” said Ebersole

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International Studies speaker April 11

Fitchburg State University will welcome Ambassador Adrian A. Basora – national security strategic and scenario planner, scholar and business leader – to deliver the address at the International and Conflict Studies Keynote Speaker Series at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 11, at the Ellis White Lecture Hall in Hammond Hall, 160 Pearl St.

Basoram, pictured, will discuss “the challenges for post-communist democracies surviving a continued Euro-crisis.” Basora is a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and director of its Project on Democratic Transitions. He served in diplomatic posts in the Czech Republic, Spain and France and was also a member of the National Security Council in Washington, D.C., where he shaped the U.S. response to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the first Gulf War.

Prof. Joshua Spero (Economics, History and Political Science), coordinator of the International Studies Minor Program, will introduce the ambassador and moderate the discussion.

“Ambassador Basora offers a unique perspective to our university and greater Fitchburg community on international diplomacy and the great challenges facing the emerging European democracies still transitioning from the post-Communist era and now experiencing the daunting upheaval of the Euro-crisis,” Spero said.

Basora is a recognized expert on political, economic and social transitions of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union since the fall of communism. He is a trustee of the International Research and Exchanges Board and a director of the National Futures Exchange, and was also independent director of the Quaker Investment Trust and chairman of its audit committee.

Among his diplomatic posts, Basora served as the U.S. ambassador to the Czech Republic from 1992 to 1995, where he received the Presidential Performance Award for his overall achievements in Prague and he was director of European Affairs for the National Security Council from 1989 to 1991.

His presentation, free and open to the public, is supported by the Office of Academic Affairs and sponsored and hosted by the university’s International Studies Minor. It is co-sponsored by the Department of Economics, History and Political Science, the Center for Conflict Studies, the Office of International Education, the Office of Career Services, and the Office of Student Development.

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Elon MBA earns high marks in US News grad ranking

Elon rises in ranking of nation's best graduate business programs.

The MBA program of Elon University's Martha and Spencer Love School of Business is ranked among the nation's finest in the 2014 ranking of part-time programs by US News & World Report. Elon's overall rank jumped to #69 from last year's #152 ranking, with a strong increase in the measurement of the program's reputation.

A total of 282 AACSB-accredited schools are ranked by US News in this year's assessment of the top part-time MBA programs.

The U.S. News part-time MBA ranking is based on five factors: average peer assessment score; the average GMAT score and average GRE quantitative and verbal scores of part-time MBA students entering in fall 2012; their average undergraduate GPA; work experience; and the percentage of the business school's fall 2012 MBA enrollment that is part time.

The Elon MBA curriculum stresses experiential learning with much of the coursework embedded in issues facing actual area firms. Classes often conduct consulting projects to learn how the discipline-based content of the courses can be applied to organizational problems. Organizational analytics are emphasized in the curriculum. Two international study trips are conducted each year.

To learn more, visit the Elon MBA website at: www.elon.edu/mba

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by Dan Anderson, Staff Last Updated - 3/12/2013

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Fashion Week events set to inspire and encourage young women at Evangel

Promoting healthy body image, confidence and self-esteem for Evangel’s female students, Fashion Week kicks off at Evangel University on Monday, March 11, 2012.

This year’s theme is Unveiled: Uncovering the Past, Reclaiming the Future.

The  focus is on helping women find identity in Christ rather than basing it on the expectations of society, says senior Mehleena Edmonds, chair of the 12-member, student committee that plans the Fashion Fever events.

“We are taking ownership of our lives as new creations,” Edmonds says. “We don’t have to hide from our past or be ashamed of who we used to be. We are reclaiming our future because we have turned from the ways of our past.”

Kerry Marsh, Counseling Services staff member, says the theme also reinforces the importance of positive self-image for women.

A women-only Chapel service will be held on Monday, March 11, at 7 p.m., in the Barnett Recital Hall. Edmonds will be the speaker for this event.

Each women’s residence hall on campus will host events to take place on Tuesday, March 12, and an event organized by Evangel’s Counseling Services will take place on Wednesday, March 13, at 10 a.m. in the lower level of the student union.

The main event, Fashion Fever, begins at 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 14. The event is open to all Evangel University students, staff and faculty.

The night will showcase fashion, hors d’oeuvres and an inspirational message by Casey Gibbons, author of A Girls Life with God, co-founder of Cherish Kids and mother of five daughters. She is married to Scotty Gibbons, student ministries director at James River Assembly of God in Ozark, Missouri.

“This is an amazing event for the girls on this campus. It is an opportunity for us to come together and have a night away from school assignments,” Edmonds says. “We feel empowered and inspired by the potential we see in each other.”

This annual event also is a fundraiser, and this year, each residence hall is collecting personal hygiene items for the Boys & Girls Town of Springfield. The floor that donates the most items will be treated to VIP seating at the event. Profits from the sale of T-shirts and other merchandise also will be donated to the Boys & Girls Town.

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Director to screen award-winning film about nuns at Fairfield University

Fairfield University will host a free screening of the film "A Question of Habit," a lively look at contemporary depictions of nuns, followed by a Q&A with director Bren Ortega Murphy at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 8. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place in the University's DiMenna-Nyselius Library multimedia room. Light refreshments will be provided.

The screening is sponsored by The Humanities Institute in the College of Arts and Sciences; the Program in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Reel Women; and the departments of Religious Studies and Film, Television and Media Arts. It is part of Fairfield's slate of events marking Women's History Month.

"A Question of Habit" is a full-length documentary narrated by actress Susan Sarandon, who won an Oscar for her role as Sister Helen Prejean in "Dead Man Walking." The film, which was a Remi Winner at the 44th annual WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival and won an award of excellence from the Broadcast Education Association, examines depictions of Catholic nuns in contemporary U.S. popular culture. It contrasts these images with the lives of actual women religious, both historical and current. For instance, although most Roman Catholic women religious in the U.S. have not worn the full habits of their orders for more than 40 years, images of nuns and sisters in such habits can be found across pop culture.

Murphy, a professor of communication studies and women's studies/gender studies at Loyola University Chicago, and fellow filmmaker Mike Whalen interviewed more than 30 women religious, cultural critics, historians and artists for the film, including Prejean, Tom Fontana ("Oz," "Homicide") and Robert Orsi ("Madonna of 115th Street").

"Loved the film!" raved the Rev. James Martin, S.J., author of "The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything" and "Between Heaven and Mirth." "'A Question of Habit' is a provocative, funny, thoughtful, entertaining and inspiring new documentary that reveals the largely unheralded and often unknown contributions of sisters and nuns to our world. If your image of women religious is still 'The Flying Nun' or 'Sister Act,' be prepared for a surprise."

For more information on the screening and other Women's History Month events, visit www.fairfield.edu/wgs.

Media Contact: Meredith Guinness, (203) 254-4000, ext. 2950, mguinness@fairfield.edu

Posted on March 14, 2013

Vol. 45, No. 217

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Finding Solutions to Complex Problems - The Story of Kate Elder, '12

Finding Solutions to Complex Problems - The Story of Kate Elder, '12

By Mike Lesczinski, Excelsior Life News Staff--

The moment Kate Elder received her Master of Arts in Liberal Studies degree this past July, it marked the culmination of an improbable journey for the Cobleskill, New York teacher. She is, after all, a civil engineer by trade – someone who looked towards Silicon Valley after graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The birth of a child however often leads one to reassess priorities, and after less than ideal restructuring at her company, Kate decided to change directions and embark down a path that provided more opportunity to spend time with her growing family. She took a teaching certification course and landed a job and quickly discovered the joy of working with children. She landed assignments in San Francisco and Oregon before heading back to New York.

Since New York State requires a Master’s to teach, she searched for programs flexible enough to work around her home and work schedule. She took classes at Boston University and then Patten University She even applied for a program at SUNY Albany, but by the time the application process had culminated, the program no longer met New York’s stringent professional certification requirements.

She eventually discovered Excelsior, and enrolled after learning 15 of her graduate credits would transfer.

She took her first class in 2007 – and was quite surprised at its rigor. Unlike traditional classes, class discussion never truly ended – there was always an opportunity to engage her fellow classmates or the instructor. She would put her children to bed and spend the night writing a paper. She would spend vacations on the beach with her laptop. Her husband was there to take on child care duties when she spent a summer holed up in the basement writing her thesis.

During this time she remained committed to her community with active involvement in several local causes. She is also a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an organization of women educators from around the world, where she was recently elected vice president of her local chapter.

But does she miss engineering? “I do,” says Kate. “But I made the right decision. I get to spend time with my family and I love what I do, listening to my students and watching how their minds operate as they attempt to work their way through puzzles.”

Finding solutions to complex problems? Now that’s something Kate can relate too.

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Register now: Four more EU Visit days left this semester

With just four open EU Visit days left this semester, there’s no better time than now to get registered. While you can visit Evangel almost anytime throughout the year, an EU Visit day is the premier opportunity to tour our facilities, meet with our faculty and staff, attend a class and spend the night in a residence hall. 

“Visiting campus allows potential students to experience what it’s like to be a part of the Evangel family,” said Julie Lyons, director of undergraduate admissions. As they discover dorm life, spiritual life and campus activities, they begin to see this as their future home.”

EU Visits fill up fast, and we don’t want you to miss out. So be sure to register now. We can’t wait to meet you!

Read how a campus visit impacted student blogger Shannyn Wong’s college decision.

Evangel Consolidation Update

Evangel University is pleased to anticipate its consolidation with the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary and Central Bible College beginning with the fall 2013 semester, pending approval of accrediting bodies. For information on the consolidation progress, please visit http://ag.org/top/consolidation/

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Elon employees recognized as top young leaders in the Triad

Philip Craft and Brian Baker join the 2013 Class of 40 Leaders Under 40 in the Triad.

Philip Craft (l) and Brian Baker, Elon employees honored for their leadership by The Business Journal

 *****

The Business Journal of the Triad recently named Elon employees Brian Baker and Philip Craft to its annual list of 40 Leaders under 40, a group of outstanding young professionals in the Triad recognized for past accomplishments and potential in the future.

Baker, Elon’s assistant vice president for university advancement and Craft, who serves as director of communications for Elon University School of Law, were honored alongside other award recipients at a Feb. 28 presentation at UNC-Greensboro’s Elliott University Center.

Brian Baker joined Elon University as a major gifts officer in September 2005, and most recently served as executive director of major and planned giving before assuming his current role as assistant vice president for university advancement in October 2012. In this role, Baker leads all major gift fundraising efforts for Elon, including current campaigns to build a new Admissions Welcome Center and complete a major expansion of Elon’s School of Communications. Other areas of responsibility include planned giving, foundation relations and prospect research. Baker also serves as liaison to the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.

He played an integral role in the Ever Elon campaign, the university’s largest and most successful fundraising campaign to date, which was completed in December 2011 and raised over $107 million. Before coming to Elon, Baker spent five years at the University of Louisville, first in athletics and then as associate director of development.

In the community, he has served for multiple seasons as a youth soccer coach for the Town of Gibsonville Parks and Recreation department. He recently concluded a four-year term as board member of Olde Forest Racquet Club, serving as board president in the final year of his term. Baker is a board member of the Alamance Junior Tennis Foundation, an organization that coordinates and funds various programs to promote youth tennis in the Alamance County community.

Baker is a graduate of Wake Forest University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and minored in journalism. He lives in Burlington, N.C., with wife Katy and their two children, Jack and Andrew.

Since joining Elon in 2009, Craft has worked in collaboration with his colleagues in university communications to produce national communications campaigns about Elon University School of Law. The Council for Advancement and Support of Education has recognized these campaigns with three Awards of Excellence since 2010. In addition, Craft was instrumental in producing the application that led to the 2012 designation of Elon Law by The National Jurist as one of “America’s 20 most innovative law schools.”

Craft’s volunteer and civic involvement includes service as chair of the Friends of Center City Park Steering Committee in Greensboro, founder and chair of Project Greenway, an advocacy group of young professionals formed to urge completion of Greensboro’s Downtown Greenway based on its projected economic benefits for the city, membership in Leadership Greensboro’s Class of 2013 and lifetime membership in The Future Fund of The Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro.

Prior to joining Elon Law, Craft served seven years as deputy chief of staff and press secretary for U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, and three years as director of communications and marketing for City Parks Foundation, a New York City community building organization.

He holds a master’s degree in communications from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree in communications, politics and law from Emerson College in Boston. A resident of Greensboro, Craft is married to Betsy McKibbon Craft and they have two children, Peter and William.

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by Megan McClure, Staff Last Updated - 3/1/2013

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