Coming to an End

The quarter is coming to an end, finals are coming up, papers and projects are being finished. Next quarter is my last quarter in the associates program and start of the bachelors, I've been surprised how fast the time has gone. I've learned a lot in the classes and now it's time to take that knowledge and take the next step.

Now the time has come to visit the Career Services department, see what sort of opportunities they have. I've seen the postings outside the cafe, but there is more available through the office. If you're coming to the end of your program, be sure to stop by and talk to them. It's not just job opportunities, the Career Services also helps with interview practices, tweaking resumes and cover letters. 

With a degree, the chance to start a career is wide open. Not just in one field, but several, because the theories and concepts from the classes at Sullivan can be applied to several fields. Keep that in mind as you go through your job hunt, don't limit yourself and be willing to explore alternatives to your career path.

Brian S.

iStudiez Pro, $2.99

I don't normally rant and rave about smartphone applications but I have stumbled upon one that is amazing for school purposes.  Juggling school, work, family, and a social can be difficult.  Before each quarter, I buy a new planner to keep track of all of my assignments, papers, tests, and other obligations.  I utilize this organization for a couple weeks, and then my planner gets buried under notes, papers, and tests, and I lose track of the progress.  A good friend of mine, who used to encounter the same problem, recently made me aware of an app she uses constantly: iStudiez Pro.

This application is available through iTunes, which means it is applicable on any Mac product, iPhones, iPads, or iPods.  You start with the "Planner" tab, which allows you to enter your semesters (or quarters), holidays or breaks, and instructors (full contact information).  You may then add courses to your semesters; you can even color-code each class!  From there, you can add assignments, tests, projects, and papers to each course.  Each task can then be viewed in the "Assignments" tab.

(One of my favorite parts about this app is that the "Assignments" tab is laid out as a checklist.  When you complete an item and check it off, it goes into the "Completed" tab.  You can go back through and see everything you've accomplished each term!)

By selecting a day, you can view any expected obligations.

Once the desired information is entered, the application system automatically organizes your "Calendar" tab.  Set up similarly to the Calender app on iPhones, iPads, and iPods, this tab lays out each month.  You can enter other information, such as work schedules, upcoming events, and birthdays.

When you have customized your iStudiez Pro, each time you open the app, you will be prompted with your "Today" tab.  Each expected task will be listed.  You can select any task to view the details.  However, when you have the fortunate day off, free of any plans or expectations you receive this motivational message:

Although this app is $2.99, I have found that it is well-worth the purchase.  There is also a "Lite" version that is free.  It keeps me in check, informs me of all my tasks, and offers a sense of gratification that I don't usually get from using an actual planner or agenda book.  Plus, I always have iStudiezPro with me!

Hayley Charron

Applying what you have learned

I am going to keep posting in the spirit of my two fellow ambassadors: applying what I have learned in class during my internship.
 

So far I have been able to apply concepts and theories that I have learned in class during my internship. I have used my research skills, and my word processing skills. Of course, another important skill I have learned is applying my knowledge to facts and drawing conclusions from it.
 

We are always taught that we don't learn for school and grades, but that we are learning for life. I can definitely say that the degrees at Sullivan do a great job preparing us for real life and real jobs, and that they ate helping us mastering a wide array of situations and tasks. And even the things we did not learn in class we can master by applying the problem solving skills we have leaned. We are taught how to think, and how to master problems that at first sight seemed too difficult to master. I've definitely been taught to have confidence in my skills and my talents, to use them, and to not be afraid to ask for help when I am stuck.
 

It is a great feeling to start seeing how my educations is paying off, even thought I don't have a job yet and I am an intern. I've never been treated like an intern at my workplace, but like a member of the team, with expectations and with skills. It's time to apply what I have learned.

Claudia

APPLYING WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED

I saw this message posted out on the blog and I wanted to piggy back off of it by saying that within the past few quarters I have really started seeing just how the operational side as well as the business side of management operates and flows within my company.  It's amazing to see the intricate pieces start to fall into place and provide a much clearer picture and understanding then ever before. 

I wanted to also add that because of my age, I have a much stronger appreciation of the classes that I'm currently taking as well as the understanding and concepts that follow along with them.  Thank you to Sullivan for allowing me to reach my goals and fulfill my dreams for earning a degree.  Most importantly, thank you for offering a program that would not only fit my lifestyle but also my needs and desire to want to finish in an unconventional manner. 

The classes that I'm currently taking require more of me and more of my time due to the fact that I have to do more and more writing then ever before.  That in itself is a challenge for me, especially since I don't like writing papers at all. 

Anyway,  I appreciate the challenge and I also appreciate the support that comes along with it.

Tracy Dickerson

Applying What We've Learned

Getting towards the end of your degree program and having trouble finding work? Have you looked at all of your skills and gone beyond what you studied? A lot of graduates are having that issue. 

Landing your dream job right after graduation can happen, but there is still the time we all have to spend climbing the company ladder. For many, we are low on the totem pole and have to prove ourselves among our coworkers and bosses to get where we want, that's something we have learned to deal with during our time here at Sullivan. No one started off knowing everything about the degree they were studying, but we learned and studied and succeeded by graduating. 

Now that we are starting to enter the job market, we have to prove that we learned the necessary skills to perform our jobs and can tailor our knowledge and expertise to what our employers and potential employers want. The edge we have over others in the market is that we learned from professionals in the fields we are going into and they have taught us all the concepts we need to grow within a company. In some cases, they have helped us become our own bosses as we start a business venture of our own. 

Everything that we have learned here at Sullivan can be translated into a marketable skill, that is the great thing about Sullivan's well rounded degree programs.

Strickler

Getting closer to the finish line

I have mentioned this before, this is my last quarter of my Associate's Degree and I am in the middle of my internship. This quarter is all about graduation: doing paperwork, ordering my cap and gown, taking necessary exams, inviting people to my graduation, and planning a graduation party. It's exciting! Not that I have much time to really enjoy it, because I am crazy busy this quarter. But every now and then I do get to take a moment to realize that this really is my last quarter! I can't believe that I will be done in just five weeks. Of course when I say done I mean with my Associate's Degree, because this week I have met with someone in admissions to sign up for my Bachelor's Degree. I have decide to continue, because I want this for myself, and I am in a roll, so I'll just continue what I've been doing. I will definitely walk and go to my graduation, there is no way that I am missing out on this experience. I am excited though that from now on I will only have three classes instead of four, and I will be switching from day to night classes. In the fall quarter I will have one night class and two online classes. This will be an interesting new experience for me, because so far I have been day/online. 

So I will see everybody again in the fall. Count me in.

Claudia

Pairing Electives

My initial plan when I started at Sullivan University was to obtain my Culinary Arts degree.  As my education continued, I found myself in a situation where I only had my culinary labs left to finish but no lecture classes to fulfill the rest of my Financial Aid course requirement.  After discussing my options with the Admissions Team at Sullivan, I decided to throw myself into the Bachelor's Degree Program, as well.  Now, as a Culinary Arts graduate working towards my Hospitality Management degree, I have taken many classes that are catered to management of a business but not specifically in the hospitality industry.  Therefore, I have been encouraged to find the connection between what I am studying and how it could help me in my desired field of being an Executive Chef.

This quarter, I am taking an Anatomy and Physiology course as a General Elective required for my Bachelor's degree.  One short assignment I completed for this class shows an example of a connection I was able to make.  Our instructions for the assignment were to discuss which bone in the human body was our "favorite," and why.  The following insert was my response:

It is a somewhat difficult decision to choose ONE bone of the 206 in the human body

as my favorite. I'd honestly have to choose a structure of bones because it's the

function of many bones together that achieves my "favorite" task.  My favorites would

be the bones in the wrist and hands, the carpal bones, metacarpals, and phalanges.

In my line of work as a chef, my hands are my tools. I am able to touch, grasp,

and maneuver my utensils, tools, and, most importantly, the food I am working with.

My favorite area in a kitchen, my "comfort zone," is the saute station.  My hands,

wrists, and general arm muscles are the most valuable tools on a saute range.

Holding tongs and spatulas to agitate the product, motioning your wrists to flip

ingredients together in a pan, and gently placing food on a plate to form a beautiful

presentations form the basis of any saute station. Without the incredible function,

purpose, and control of my wrist and hand bones, I would not be as skillful or as

passionate about food.  My hands and wrists allow me to be in touch with my food,

to almost form a relationship with it that transitions out into the art of presentation. 

It is always exciting to learn new things about your desired profession and to make connections between things you previously knew.  Sullivan University is a great institution and outlet for these realizations.  This story is just one of many similar experiences I have had during my time at Sullivan.

Hayley Charron