Walden University is a dynamic and growing institution of higher education. For the latest Walden news, go to www.WaldenU.edu or subscribe to our monthly newsletter, the Walden Ponder, by sending an email to alumniassociation@waldenu.edu.

 

 

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Save the Date

 

 

On Oct. 6, 2007, Walden alumni, students, and staff will devote their Saturday to a good cause during the university’s second annual National Day of Service. Now is the time to contact the Alumni Association to organize a project and solicit volunteers, or to join a project already planned in your area. Projects could include anything from planting trees or painting houses to reading to the elderly or sending care packages for soldiers. For Walden’s first National Day of Service, projects ranged from restoring wetlands to serving meals at a shelter for people in need.

 

 

 

 

Hispanic Advisory Committee

 

 

Identifying and addressing barriers to higher education faced by the U.S. Hispanic population is the goal of the new Laureate Education/Walden University Hispanic Advisory Committee. The 10-member committee is charged with helping Walden formulate policies, retention tools, and outreach strategies to attract more Latino students and contribute in a larger way to society’s need for Latino leadership across all professions and sectors.

 

Committee Members

• Rosa V. Alonso, founder and CEO for MiApogeo.com/Mi Apogeo Inc.
• Margaret Barrett, director of development, Mid-Atlantic region, for Catholic Relief Services
• Augusto Failde, senior vice president of Laureate Online Education, Latin America
• Dr. Roberto A. Ibarra, associate professor of sociology at the University of New Mexico; assistant vice chancellor, emeritus, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and senior consultant for Ibis Consulting Group
• Carolina Lobo, vice president of marketing communications for Laureate Online Education
• Dr. R. Ivan Lugo, associate dean and associate professor at Temple University School of Dentistry,where he also heads the Office of Institutional Relations and Community Affairs and oversees the Division of Continuing Education
• Alex Rodriguez, president and CEO of Diversity Consulting Group and secretary of the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce
• Haydee M. Rodriguez, executive director for the (Maryland) Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs
• Ana M. Sanchez, director of public relations for Laureate Online Education
• David M. Wellisch, managing director for Latinum LLC.

Highly Ranked in Graduate Education for Latinos

 

 

Walden University ranks in the top 100 U.S. institutions for the number of graduate degrees awarded to Hispanics.

 

Of more than 4,100 U.S. colleges and universities, Walden University was ranked:

• No. 27 for conferring master’sdegrees to Hispanics
• No. 84 for conferring doctoral degrees to Hispanics

The rankings appeared in the May 2007 issue of The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, the sole Hispanic educational magazine for the higher education community. College enrollment for Hispanics is expected to rise over the next 10 years; however, Hispanics earning graduate degrees are underrepresented when compared with their percentage of the general population.

• 14% of the U.S. population is Hispanic (Census, 2005)
• 5% of U.S. master’s degrees were conferred toHispanics (NCES, 2006)
• 3% of U.S. doctoral degrees were conferred to Hispanics (NCES, 2006)

For information about how Walden is helping to address this disparity, see the “Hispanic Advisory Committee” article above.

Walden Magazine Wins Award

 

 

You are reading an award-winning magazine. In March, the inaugural issue of Walden magazine received a Gold Marketing and Publications Award from the University Continuing Education Association, the principal U.S. organization for continuing higher education. Walden took top honors among universities with fewer than 25,000 students, including The Johns Hopkins University and Northwestern University. Walden also received a Bronze Award for a print advertisement that highlighted the social change efforts of Walden doctoral student Judith DeVries.

 

 

Madrid, Liverpool, Santiago . . .

 

 

International residencies, held at Walden’s fellow institutions in the Laureate International Universities network, are giving doctoral students the opportunity to address academic residency requirements while exploring issues of social change from a global perspective.

 

The first residency, at the Universidad Europea de Madrid last summer, brought nearly 100 students, as well as many of their family members, to Spain. Participants benefited from the academic interaction with Walden faculty and students in addition to cultural activities that included a private tour of the Prado Museum. A similar number of students are expected to attend the Madrid residency in August.

 

Walden’s second international residency, held in Santiago in March, addressed social change in the context of Chile’s unique cultural and political history. More than 30 students and a number of family members attended the residency at the Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello and participated in academic sessions and cultural excursions, such as a visit to the home of Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda.

 

In June, Walden held its first residency at the University of Liverpool, which focused on the 800th anniversary of the city of Liverpool and its role in social change across the centuries.

Teaching for the 21st Century Classroom

 

 

Discussing the latest research in brain development may seem more pre-med than K–12, but a focus on cutting-edge research is just one way that Walden’s College of Education is enhancing its M.S. in Education curriculum to address the new realities of teaching in the 21st century.

 

“We are taking the time-honored principles of our M.S. in Education program and ensuring they reflect the current state of education,” says Dr. Manuel Barrera, dean of the College of Education. “Every master’s student should embody professional excellence, have an understanding of diverse learners, and have the knowledge to create a supportive learning environment and the ability to engage in research and inquiry in order to be an effective teacher.”

 

The Enhanced M.S. in Education

Four new topic threads make up the enhanced core curriculum of the Walden M.S. in Education. Starting in September, students will begin the program with an updated Teacher as Professional course, where they will be asked to explore their role in the larger context of the teaching profession. This is followed by courses on the cultural and linguistic diversity of students, supportive learning environments, and an introduction to educational research.

 

“We’re continuing our focus on linking theory to practice. Teachers still need strategies for success in the classroom,” says Allana Wayne, director of course development at Walden. “However, we are adding another layer of knowledge to meet the growing demand for higher accountability for teachers.”

 

Earlier this year, Walden convened a summit of leading educational scholars and national experts to review its core curriculum and discuss how to increase its relevancy for today’s teachers. The outcome confirmed what Walden administrators had already heard from students regarding the changing landscape of education. Not only are teachers facing dramatic changes in student demographics and a renewed focus on data-driven assessment, they are also attempting to keep current on new research on how students learn.

 

The program’s ultimate goal is to prepare Walden students to take a greater leadership role in improving the quality of education. Barrera says the four themes align naturally with Walden’s mission of positive social change. “We need to examine and test our ideas in order to experience results that impact the broader issues in education.” The enhancements in the core curriculum debut this fall.

 

A New Specialization: Teacher Leadership

The College of Education is also launching a specialization in Teacher Leadership, yet another example of the continuing evolution of the M.S.Ed. program.

 

Designed in part after the College of Education’s existing Ed.D., the specialization in Teacher Leadership will help teachers focus on four areas of leadership: their own, leadership in their classroom, leadership among their peers, and leadership in their larger community. Upon earning a master’s degree, graduates may choose to pursue an Ed.D., a Ph.D., or a second master’s through a clearly defined path. Applications for the M.S. in Education with a specialization in Teacher Leadership are now being accepted for fall 2007.

 

Nursing Informatics Specialization

 

 

To meet the growing demand for nurses with expertise in utilizing information technology to enhance patient care, Walden’s M.S. program in Nursing has established a Nursing Informatics specialization—one of only a few in the United States offered completely online.

 

Designed in consultation with experts in the field, the Nursing Informatics curriculum blends nursing science, computer science, and information science. Courses address the latest trends in nursing informatics and their implications for the health care environment; fieldwork experiences allow students to apply new knowledge immediately.

 

Scholarships for Returning Alumni, New Students

 

Walden supports new and lifelong learners through a number of scholarships.

 

Presidential Scholarship

This scholarship offers $5,000 for Walden master’s degree alumni who have returned to Walden for a doctorate. Applicants must demonstrate a personal, continued commitment to public service and indicate how they will apply what they earn. The next application deadline is Jan. 31, 2008. Master’s degree alumni who enroll in a doctoral program this year would be eligible.

 

Commitment to Social Change Scholarship

New students who demonstrate their capacity to effect social change are eligible for six $2,500 master’s scholarships or six $5,000 and two $25,000 doctoral scholarships. The next deadline is Oct. 1.

 

Doctoral Studies Scholarship

The Doctoral Studies Scholarship is for new Ph.D.and Ed.D. students who demonstrate financial need. The program has already awarded more than 150 scholarships of $2,000 per financial aid award year. Scholarships are offered first-come, first-served, as long as funds are available.

 

Master's Studies Scholarship (M.S. in Education)
This new scholarship offers $1,000 per financial aid award year for new M.S. in Education students who demonstrate financial need. Scholarships are offered first-come, first-served, as long as funds are available.

 

Master’s Studies Scholarship

This new scholarship offers $2,000 per financial aid award year for new master's degree students (except M.S. in Education students) who demonstrate financial need. Scholarships are offered first-come, first-served, as long as funds are available.

 

Post-Doctoral Studies Scholarship

New for September, this need-based scholarship offers $2,000 per financial aid award year for Post-Doctoral Psychology Certificate students. Scholarships are offered first-come, first-served, as long as funds are available.

 

Research Fellowships

 

Walden is supporting student (including returning alumni) and faculty research through three research fellowships of up to $10,000 each administered by the Office of the President:

 

The Don E. Ackerman Research Fellowship in Educational Leadership supports research that advances leadership in education through theoretical or applied knowledge. The 2007 recipient, Kay Lehmann—an Ed.D. student and faculty member in the College of Education—is studying how forming student groups by matching personality types affects the quality of small-group learning environments online.

 

The Fellowship in Research and Applications for Social Change enables recipients to make a significant and meaningful change in academic and social communities, both locally and globally. The 2007 recipients are Anita M. Cassard, a Ph.D. in Applied Management and Decision Sciences student, and Donna Daniels, a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration student. Cassard is studying the Sherpa model of leadership as it relates to women in business. Daniels is exploring the relationships between an individual’s level and intensity of post-treatment drug use and the severity of his or her new criminal behavior.

 

The Research Fellowship in Distance Education supports research that contributes both theoretical and applied knowledge to the growing field of distance education. The 2007 recipients—Dr. Arlene Pincus and Moira Clarkin, both faculty in Walden University’s M.S. in Education program—are studying how cumulative written feedback can be used as a tool to assist graduate students in developing effective scholarly writing.

 

Alumni Re-enrollment Benefits

 

Thinking about continuing your education? Walden encourages its graduates to be lifelong learners

through the Alumni Re-enrollment Benefit program, offering:

• Significant savings on tuition 
• Fast-track admissions process
• Reduced tuition for family and friends who enroll with you

 

Walk at January Commencement

 

Even though she earned her Ph.D. in Psychology in 2005, Dr. Artemis Pipinelli was hooded at Walden’s graduation ceremony in 2006. She even brought her son to cheer for her.

 

Like Pipinelli, alumni who are not able to “walk” with their class in the year they graduated may attend any commencement after that.

 

“Participating in commencement is a great opportunity to build connections with faculty and staff, and other alumni,” says Shannon Mouton, Walden’s alumni relations manager. Graduates who attend commencement, Mouton says, “have found the whole experience—from the alumni events to the commencement ceremony itself—to be very rewarding and a true celebration of their accomplishment.”

 

Walden’s next commencement will take place in January 2008 in Dallas.

 

Share Your Expertise

 

Through the online Alumni Lecture Series, Walden alumni are sharing practical, professional advice with fellow graduates, current students, and prospective students. Recent topics include how to create a mentoring program and how to get published.

 

These online lectures consist of a 45-minute presentation, plus a question-and-answer period, delivered online. Participants watch the presentation slides on their computer and listen to the audio portion over the phone.

 

 

Broadcasting the Alumni Perspective

 

Alumni featured in Walden’s latest television commercials are helping to inspire working professionals to achieve their vision of success. Airing on cable networks such as CNN, BET, and Discovery, the ads feature 32 alumni and students in roundtable discussions about the quality of Walden’s faculty and staff, the outcomes of their learning experience, and Walden’s mission of social change. The ads also highlight Walden’s scholarship opportunities.

 

 

Never Eat Alone

 

Relationship-building expert Keith Ferrazzi is now bringing his expertise to Walden M.B.A. students in his role as a contributing scholar. The founder and CEO of Ferrazzi Greenlight and author of Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time shares his insights via video segments filmed both as interviews and before a business audience.

 

Ferrazzi provides market leaders with advanced strategic consulting and training services. He is a frequent contributor to CNN and CNBC, and has written for publications including Forbes, Inc., The Wall Street Journal, and Harvard Business Review. Ferrazzi holds a B.A. from Yale University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

 

 

 

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