Captain Tyler Moore – Grantham Student, Service Member and Published Author

An MBA student at Grantham University, Captain Tyler Moore wears many hats in his daily life: military service member, leader, husband, dad, student and published author.

Capt. Moore is the Director of Equal Opportunity, with 19 years of military service, assigned to the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, N.M. He is also a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, serving a tour of duty from September 2006 to January 2007. It was after this tour that he decided to write a book about his experiences as a pen-pal with a group of elementary school children.

While serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Capt. Moore heard about a letter-writing campaign with American students and figured he would do it "just to keep busy," since this was the first time that he had ever been separated from his wife and two young sons. Initially, he received three letters from students in Debra Dale's fifth-grade class at Eyestone Elementary School in Wellington, CO. After answering the three letters, more correspondence began to come to him from the class. Each time he would write, even more students would write back.

The letter writers were polite and to the point and wrote mostly about life in school and the winter's record snowfall. "Oh, and Christmas, of course," Capt. Moore said. "Those were the best letters. They were so excited about the holidays and what they wanted. They started drawing pictures, too. It made me think of my family, because I missed them so much."

Capt. Moore kept the letters, all 87 of them, in a spiral binder. "I'd take time to read them everyday," he said. "Even after my deployment ended, I looked at the letters over and over again.”

There was something special about his connection with the students, so when he returned to the United States, he made arrangements to meet Ms. Dale and her class in April 2007. "His presence was impressive," commented Ms. Dale. So were the presents he brought with him, including certificates of appreciation and a framed American flag that was flown above the Middle Eastern skies. When his visit with the class came to a close, he left behind a note saying that he should write a book about them. After reading and re-reading the letters, he decided it was a story that should be told, so he just started typing.

In January 2008, “Dear Captain Moore: Letters to a Service Member in the Middle East” was published. It is now available at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

”You can't imagine the joy and pride I felt," Capt. Moore said. "Seeing my name on it, seeing the letters--I thought, 'Kids, we did it.'"

Capt. Moore hopes to return to the Middle East soon. Although he’ll miss his family, he said he would go back in a heartbeat, "because it's my job, and I'm so proud to serve." It's a job he anticipates will be made easier by participating in another letter-writing campaign.

2008 Commencement Ceremony – Register by May 23rd

Registration ends soon for Grantham University’s Commencement Ceremony in Kansas City, Missouri on Saturday, June 21st, 2008. All graduates, past, present and soon-to-be, are invited, along with their families, to participate in commencement activities.

Commencement activities will run from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on June 21st and will include a hooding ceremony for our master’s degree graduates. Our key note speaker for the ceremony is the State Treasurer of Missouri, Sarah Steelman. A reception, honoring our graduates, will be held immediately following the ceremony.

Students who are enrolled in the last two (2) courses of their degree program as of May 1, 2008 are eligible to participate in the commencement ceremony. (Please note: Participation in commencement does not imply, or assure degree conferral. Degrees are conferred when all requirements, including financial, have been met.)

For more information and to register, visit http://www.grantham.edu and click the 2008 Commencement Ceremony icon on the right-hand side of the page. The deadline to register is Friday, May 23rd.

Dean’s Corner: Dr. Duane Geiken

Dr. Duane Geiken (Civil Service, Ret.), Grantham University’s Dean of the College of Arts and Science, is a strong believer in the benefits of lifelong learning. He feels that, “the moment you decide that you can learn nothing else, you have stopped contributing to society.” It is his love of the academic environment and working with students that compelled him to accept his current position at Grantham.

His goal as Dean of the College of Arts and Science is to offer the absolute best courses with the most experienced and competent faculty available. “I want each of our students to say at the end of a particular course, ‘WOW, that was a great course with an outstanding instructor; Grantham is an outstanding school,’” he said.

Prior to Grantham, Dr. Geiken was a tenured college professor, a college administrator, and for 35 years, managed some of the largest education and training programs in the United States Air Force. He has also been involved with the field of distance learning since its inception and has served on numerous Department of Defense study teams.

When asked what advice he would give to distance learning students, he recommends that students stay motivated to finish their courses and set aside specific times each day and week to study and complete assignments. “Taking a course via distance learning is not as easy at it may appear,” he said. “The daily grind of life that each of us must deal with can work against you if you do not persist towards course completion.”

In addition to staying motivated, students must also understand how to communicate effectively with their instructors. Dr. Geiken encourages students to be proactive and specific about the difficulties they may be experiencing with a course because waiting until just before the final exam is too late. “If you fail to understand any of the material, tell the instructor as soon as possible, so the instructor can refer you to the student learning center and perhaps to a tutor,” he advises.

Dr. Geiken received his PhD in Educational Administration with a minor in Counseling and School Law from the University of Wisconsin. He also holds a Bachelor degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s degree in Counseling and Guidance from Eastern Illinois University.

Faculty Spotlight – Patrick Fagan

Patrick Fagan works as a global faculty member within the College of Arts and Science. Although he has only been with Grantham University for one year, he has taught online courses for more than five. He holds a Master of Science degree in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Paralegal from Southern Mississippi University.

When Fagan first went to college at the age of 27, his goal was to work for the US Border Patrol. At the time, he had just graduated from the Police Academy, but interested candidates needed a bachelor’s degree to even be interviewed for the Border Patrol. But as time went by and he completed his studies, Fagan’s interests changed. He began to think seriously about teaching, and teaching online was beginning to become very popular. “My father started the second internet service provider in Mississippi in the late 1990s,” said Fagan. “So the internet had already been in my life for some time.” It was only natural for him to begin his teaching career in the distance learning format.

When asked what he enjoys most about working with Grantham students, Fagan replied, “I have never been in any academic environment where so many of my students are military. These students are very respectful and serious. Most of the e-mails I receive begin with, ‘Sir, sorry to bother you.’ Bother me? Of course not. But clearly Grantham students take nothing for granted and know how important ‘time’ is. You will not get this impression or treatment at many public universities.”

Fagan’s advice for students who study at a distance is to remember that online learning was meant to make attending college more flexible for students with time constraints, not to be easier in content. And, students should keep in mind that Internet encyclopedias, Wiki, and Google are not supposed to supplant the college textbook.

Currently, Fagan teaches American History, Western Civilization, and American Government, and has taught Criminal Justice classes in the past.

When he isn’t busy with his students, he enjoys working with computers. Even though the first computer he built overheated and blew-up, he didn’t let that discourage him. “Learning in any field is best taken in a baby-step process,” he commented.

Team Grantham Participates in Annual AIDS Walk

For the second year in a row, Team Grantham participated in the Annual Kansas City AIDS Walk to benefit the AIDS Service Foundation. This year’s walk took place at Theis Park on Saturday, April 26th. Team Grantham collected $1,869, beating last year’s total amount raised, to help women, men and children living with HIV/AIDS in the Kansas City Community.

Through corporate sponsors, generous donations from the community, and all of the participants, the 2008 Kansas City AIDS Walk raised over half a million dollars for the AIDS Service Foundation.

Thank you to those of you who supported Team Grantham as they walked to help the more than 5,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the Kansas City area.

About the AIDS Service Foundation
The mission of the AIDS Service Foundation is to raise awareness and funding for local AIDS service organizations which provide nutrition, shelter, medical care and emergency services to the women, men and children living with HIV/AIDS in the Kansas City community.

Get Career Advice from Engineers, Scientists, Programmers, and CEOs

Grantham University partners with MentorNet to offer its students mentoring programs pairing undergraduate and graduate students with professionals for one-on-one, email-based mentoring relationships. As a student at Grantham University, you can sign-up for a mentor at no cost to you.

Mentors come from a variety of companies including IBM, Microsoft, Texas Instruments, Hewlett-Packard and more. Not only will a mentor provide you with excellent career advice, they can also provide you with support, encouragement and access to professional networks within their companies.

How can you find a mentor?
Joining MentorNet is simple, and membership is offered at no cost to you. Just follow the steps below:

1. Visit: www.mentornet.net/join
2. Create a UserName and Password and choose the option to create a protégé profile.

In addition to the One-on-One Mentoring Programs, MentorNet also offers a Resume Database as an additional job search resource for students. You can post your resume for MentorNet’s sponsors to view. When entering your resume, you have the opportunity to choose which of MentorNet’s sponsoring companies you are interested in. You can also select your major, legal status (important for some government labs), graduation date, type of job, and your willingness to travel or relocate. There is also a short box to list your skills and qualifications.

All MentorNet Community members have access to the Resume Database, and the opportunity to post a resume is available to all Grantham students regardless of whether or not you participate in the One-on-One Mentoring Program.

For more information about MentorNet, visit: www.MentorNet.net.

Scholarship Opportunities

Christie Memorial College Assistance Award – Worth up to $10,000, this award is given to a former enlisted Marine leaving the Marine Corps who plans to attend a four-year institution. The recipient is chosen based on exceptional courage and integrity in the face of great obstacles. The award is a $250 stipend each month for up to 40 months. The recipient must be a full-time student and remain in good academic standing. To apply, visit: http://www.christiememorial.org.

2008 ThanksUSA Scholarship – ThanksUSA is accepting applications from spouses and children of active-duty service members for scholarships of $3,000 each for the 2008-2009 school year. Scholarship awards are based on financial need, demonstrated leadership, and participation in community activities. Recipient must attend an accredited two- or four-year college, university, vocational school or technical school. For more information, visit: http://www.thanksusa.org/main/scholarships.html.

Overcome Being Overwhelmed

In today’s fast-paced society, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Let’s face it; many of us are juggling work, family, and social commitments on top of going to school. When feeling weighed down, the best thing you can do for yourself (and for everyone around you) is to slow down. Sounds crazy right? Wrong. Slowing down and clearing your brain may be the best thing for you. After all, we are not superheroes, and we need to recognize that there aren’t always enough hours in the day to complete all of our work.

One dictionary’s definition of “overwhelm” is “to be overcome by a superior force.” Truly, the point at which you become so overcome by pressure that you want to scream or cry in frustration comes from a build up of stress. By following a few simple steps, you can reduce your anxiety level:

1. Slow Down – This is the most important step of all. When stress overtakes you, remove yourself from the situation and take a walk, meditate or simply shut your door for a few minutes and listen to soothing music. You will be surprised at how quickly this can calm you down and get your thoughts in order so you can start fresh.

2. Prioritize – Make a list of items that you need to accomplish and record them in order of importance. Putting your thoughts down on paper will help you clear your mind. If you are being pulled in several different directions because of work, family and school, make separate lists for each one.

3. Clean House – Many of us become overwhelmed while working or while studying for school. Take some time to clean off your desk and put everything in its place. Starting fresh with a clean desk will provide a sense of accomplishment and gear you up for the first item on your priority list. If you don’t have time to organize and file, it is still important to have a clean desk. Simply pile all of your papers on a chair or on the floor.

4. Stop Procrastinating – It is very easy to put off for tomorrow what you don’t feel like doing today; but, this is a dangerous habit to get into. Eventually, the stress of not having projects completed will take over and the feeling of being overwhelmed will come back. The best thing to do is to complete the first item on your list and work your way through the rest. Worst case scenario, if you are still having a difficult time starting on the first task, pick an easy task from your list and complete it. Sometimes, we just need that feeling of success to spur us on to complete the number one task on our list.

5. Create Goals – If a large project has you feeling anxious, and you just don’t know where to start, break it down into small goals. Next, tackle those small goals one at a time and before you know it, your project will be complete.

Once your feelings of being overwhelmed are under control, there are some easy guidelines that you can put into place to keep the stress from building up all over again.

1. Say No – Saying no to friends, family and even your employer can be difficult, but sometimes it needs to be done.

2. Delegate – As you go through each task while planning out your day, more often than not, there are items that you can have someone else complete.

3. Use Time Wisely – During the course of your day, you may have tasks that can be combined to save time. If you have grocery shopping to do, dry cleaning to drop-off, and you need to stop by the local library to pick-up some books, try to do it all in one trip. Repeated trips and tasks as a result of poor planning are time consuming and can be costly.

4. Get into a Routine – Routines can help us manage our time and enhance our productivity. A routine can be as simple as spending an hour organizing and filing each morning or getting yourself into the habit of putting in a load of laundry before starting supper.

5. Make Time for Yourself – Your happiness is essential to your quality of life. Assignments and projects are important, but so is your mental health. Take some time each day or each week to do something special for yourself like catching up on your favorite TV shows or having a special dinner with your family. Spending time to refresh and decompress will make it easier to focus and stay on task.

Upcoming Events

May 13th – Education Fair at Whiteman AFB
May 22nd – Visit to Andrews AFB
May 28th – Education Fair at Scott AFB

Quote of the Month

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” ~ Thomas Jefferson