Jan Sytsma is an accelerated degree completion student at Wisconsin Lutheran College.

Continuing my Education
When I reached my forties, I found myself in a dead end job, in a failing economy, and not being able to achieve my life goals. Then I lost that job. Soon after, I joined forces with friends and completed my associate degree from Milwaukee Area Technical College. However, I wanted to continue my education.

My daughter-in-law was a student at Wisconsin Lutheran College and tutored me in Algebra. I would meet her on WLC’s campus and think about how nice it would be to attend a beautiful college like this; however, I never thought I would be able to afford it. She informed me of the accelerated degree completion program. I met with an enrollment advisor and was sold.  Along with several of my friends from MATC, I began the program in the fall of 2012.

Wisconsin Lutheran College
Wisconsin Lutheran College is a beautiful place, and I’ve enjoyed a wonderful journey during my time here. The people at WLC – from the students, to the staff, to the faculty – are so genuine and nice. It feels like the red carpet was rolled out since day one, and is still there.

In addition to sharing program information with fellow classmates at MATC, Jan has visited area technical colleges and spoken with students who are graduating and considering whether to earn their bachelor’s degree. Her personal experience and her passion for adult education is evident. In fact, Jan has referred two students who plan to begin classes this upcoming fall, both enjoying a scholarship in her name!

If you would like to become an AGS Ambassador, please contact Jennifer Christensen at 414.443.8763 or visit WLCdegrees.com/Ambassador. You can make a difference!

Q:  Adult students come to us with rich life and work experiences that provide valuable resources to draw upon in the classroom.  At the same time, adult students are able to take what is learned in the classroom and immediately apply it to real-life situations.  Can you provide a specific example of how something you learned in a class was applied, or added value, to a real-life situation, personal or professional?  What was the outcome?

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“My first exposure to servant leadership was at Wisconsin Lutheran College.  I loved the concept from the moment I first read about it and discussed it in class. I was excited to apply it to my “real life” outside of the classroom.  While learning about the concept of servant leadership, I was introduced to some of the attributes that make a “good leader.”

I had never considered whether leaders in my current job were “good.”  However, for a class assignment I was asked to apply a leadership scale to the managers and leaders in my life. Measuring leadership was a new concept for me. I am now applying this newly acquired skill to my everyday life.  I can appreciate steps taken by leaders at work, allowing me to be more understanding, accepting and perceptive of why they make various decisions.  I am a better employee because of this new skill and its application to my life.” - Denise Burnham, accelerated degree completion student majoring in Business Management and Leadership

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“The Servant Leadership course at Wisconsin Lutheran College really opened my eyes to how I treat people not only in my personal life, but especially in my professional life. Even though business relationships can at times be isolated and professional, I’ve learned that it is still important to approach those relationships with compassion and respect.

I believe, with each passing course I take at WLC, I am better able to look back on my life experiences and further refine the positive character strengths that make me feel like a better-rounded person.

Having taken courses both in the classroom and online, I have consistently felt a personal connection with the students, as well as the instructors. This program has molded me into a more confident and productive person, both at work and in everyday life.” – Sara Christensen, accelerated degree completion student majoring in Business Management and Leadership

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Wisconsin Lutheran College’s accelerated degree completion program is ideal for working adults seeking to complete their bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Leadership. Classes are offered online or one night a week at our Milwaukee campus. Learn more at WLCdegrees.com. 

Is it worth the value if my school district hasn’t embraced Google technologies?

We’ve had educators ask:

• What if my school doesn’t use Google Apps?
• I still use my AOL account from 15 years ago and know nothing about Google. Will I be overwhelmed?
• I thought Google was only for online search… how can it impact my classroom?

If you’ve been pondering the value of attending the Google Education Summit, hesitate no more.

Yes, this conference is going to be beneficial for schools that have already “gone Google.” But, Google makes their tools and educational services available for anyone to use. Even if your school hasn’t implemented Google technologies across your campus, you can utilize many of the skills and tools discussed at this conference to change the way that your classroom functions.

What can Google technology do for my classroom?

If you would like to learn more about how Google Apps can be applied to your classroom, watch this extremely informative, short video. Google can help your classroom come alive with Apps like Google Earth, Google Sites, and Chrome Web Apps. Much of the work at the Google Education Summit is universally applicable to classrooms of all levels and at schools of all sizes.

If you’re not an Apps school, but would like to become one (and by the end of the conference, there’s little reason to believe that you won’t), Wisconsin Lutheran College’s Instructional Design Center can assist you in the transition.

Apps school or not, you’re welcome to come and see how Google can transform your classroom!

Participants acquire 21st century instructional design skills through the study of more than 20 Google applications in a hands-on, creative, and experiential environment. Throughout the conference, you will transform a traditional lesson plan into a digital, media-rich project centered on Google educational technologies. You’ll have the opportunity to earn three graduate level credits and receive a Google Chromebook.

Registration for the Google Education Summit is open for all educators seeking to enhance their digital knowledge. For more information, visit wlc.edu/GoogleEduSummit.

On February 5, 2013, the Instructional Design Center at Wisconsin Lutheran College (WLC) offered its second TechCafe information and training session at the Wauwatosa Public Library. The session was designed for anyone interested in learning more about the mobile technology and digital tools that schools, including many in the Wauwatosa School District, are implementing on a large scale with students.

We began the session by exploring a brief history of mobile technology and discussing the phenomenal speed at which technology has been improving over the last five decades. We also spent time on the specific components of an iPad that make the use of mobile technology a nearly hassle-free reality for schools (e.g., microcameras, accelerometer, touchscreen, powerful lithium battery). Understanding these technologies led to a discussion of the tremendous classroom, and personal, uses for mobile devices.

Here are a few of the remarkable uses of mobile devices within an educational setting:

• Teachers can instantly gauge student engagement
• Digital books and textbooks (becoming more and more prevalent)
• Videoconferencing allows students to connect peers in other cultures from across the world
• Gaming apps can strengthen basic skills, but also challenge problem solving abilities in areas like physics
• Teachers can create custom videos for use on classroom websites to efficientize the time spent in the classroom
• Improved accessibility (for instance, converting voice to text)
• Fun word apps can re-energize students’ love for vocabulary
• Teachers can use an app to instantly grade food items on a health scale, sparking classroom discussions about healthy eating
• Finally, teachers and students can create, and even publish, their own digital books

Those in attendance were extremely appreciative of the time given by WLC to help them understand the fast-paced world of technology, and how it’s impacting students right now in the classroom.

If you would like to learn more about how iPads and mobile technology can be used in both educational and personal life, please contact the Instructional Design Center at Wisconsin Lutheran College at 414.443.8978.

Educators: “iPad in Education” is a three-credit, graduate level course from Wisconsin Lutheran College. The course is designed to provide educators the necessary skills to increase student engagement in the classroom. Tuition includes an Apple iPad.

Online learning is continuing to gain traction, with more than 1.5 million K-12 students enrolled in at least one online course in 2010. I believe it’s necessary for today’s educators to see, understand, and dabble in eLearning (online learning). eLearning is a sustained and lasting part of our educational structure, and we should understand it, if not daily utilize it. It’s about ensuring that our students receive a top-notch academic experience, whether in class, or online.

This is why the College of Adult & Graduate Studies at Wisconsin Lutheran College and the Instructional Design Center focused on creating a relevant and experiential Online Teaching Certification. Our nine credit, three course program lays the groundwork for all educators looking to both understand and implement digital tools in an online environment.  The program has, at its core, a class titled Collaborative and Assistive Technologies. This course is integral to both Online Teaching Certification and WLC’s Master of Arts in Education – Instructional Technology, and focuses on cloud collaboration. Collaborative and Assistive Technologies examines digital tools and techniques, ensuring educators are properly equipped to bring their classroom into the 21^st century.

This course is complimented by two specialized online courses: Foundations of Online Teaching, and Building and Assessing the eLearning Environment. These courses focus tightly on digital literacies, virtual spaces, and vital online logistics within education. Upon completion, teachers can use online courses and online technologies to not only educate, but teach in meaningful and magnificently powerful ways.

The rise of online learning isn’t slowing down, and it may increase at a faster pace as we continue to witness a greater clamoring for an education that can be both flexible and impactful.

WLC’s Online Teaching Certification can be completed 100% online in as little as six months. All credits earned can also be applied toward a Master of Arts in Education – Instructional Technology degree from Wisconsin Lutheran College.

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[1] ”Fast Facts About Online Learning – iNACOL.” 2008. 23 Jan. 2013 <http://www.inacol.org/press/docs/nacol_fast_facts.pdf>

I work as a communication services specialist for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Although much of our communication is done in print, we are increasingly sharing information via our website, e-newsletters, broadcast emails, and social media.

Taking the iPad for Business and Collaboration course opened my eyes to the incredible possibilities of the mobile environment within any business setting. Mobile devices can enhance communication in the mediums businesses are already using, as well as in new and innovative mediums such as mobile platforms.

In my organization, like many others, mobile devices are a relatively new phenomenon. So, I am making my iPad visible in meetings and utilizing apps like Notebook and Pages to immediately send meeting notes to all attendees. I have also uploaded free apps like Cloudon and Dropbox and I am discovering how they might function in my department. My hope is that as people begin to see the benefit of mobile technology and we find apps that work for us, we will use these new technologies to enhance our communication and resource sharing throughout our organization and beyond.

“iPad for Business and Collaboration” is a three credit undergraduate level course offered by the College of Adult & Graduate Studies at Wisconsin Lutheran College. Course participants discover relevant apps and techniques designed to increase efficiencies in any digital age business. iPad included! Learn More

Have you ever been in a situation where you didn’t fully realize everything that was happening until the circumstances had overtaken you? Most associate such experiences with negative events, but my recent “wake up call” was rather pleasant. In my experience, Thanksgiving has all too often been a holiday that helps me realize I haven’t been paying close enough attention to all the good things God has been doing in my life. Last week I prepared a three year review on the College of Adult & Graduate Studies for WLC’s Board of Regents. In doing so, I realized I haven’t been taking time to thank God for all his remarkable blessings.

My report included this timeline of blessings from a gracious God:

• December 2009 – WLC receives a financial gift to start the College of Adult & Graduate Studies (AGS),
• March 2010 – First ten students enroll in WLC’s accelerated degree completion program,
• October 2010 – Higher Learning Commission accredits WLC’s master’s degree and online programs with no stipulations,
• January 2011 – First online courses offered in degree completion program,
• June 2011 – First fifteen students enroll in master’s degree program,
• September 2011 – Total AGS enrollment exceeds 100 students,
• December 2011 – First ten students graduate from accelerated degree completion program,
• September 2012 – Total AGS enrollment exceeds 150 students,
• November 2012 – AGS annual revenue on track to meet or exceed expenses. 

I invite you to join me in thanking God for these and other amazing blessings this Thanksgiving and always.

Sincerely,

Jim Brandt
Vice President of Adult & Graduate Studies

Personal Growth

Social media has transformed the way many of us communicate. Having recently completed the Social Media and Online Marketing course at Wisconsin Lutheran College, I can tell you that social media is also changing the way businesses operate and advertise. Prior to this course, I had little interest in social networking; however, I wanted to understand how businesses could leverage social media. So, the decision was made to jump into the world of likes, tweets, pins, pokes, recommendations, fans, and friends.

Following my first week in the course, my instructor encouraged me to create a personal account on Twitter. The learning began quickly as Twitter became not only a tool for communication among students and instructor, but also for gaining access to industry experts and a wealth of knowledge.  It became my personal learning network, with unlimited opportunities to enhance the lessons also being taught through eBooks and class forum discussions.

Implementation

Through the strategic use of social media, I’ve been able to better understand my customers:

• Who they are,
• What they want,
• What they are talking about.

This course also helped me develop a social media marketing plan, which included:

• Strategies for search engine optimization (SEO) and online advertising
• Content development and an editorial calendar
• Strategic plans for individual social platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc.)

Career Impact

Social Media and Online Marketing helped me develop the skills necessary to improve my company’s social media tactics. Because of this course, I am now the administrator of social media campaigns for a leading furniture retailer. I represent the company on Twitter and Facebook, and I am currently working on a Pinterest campaign that will bridge the gap between our customers and our salespeople.

The ability to take classroom activities and immediately apply them to your work or personal life is a great perk to any class. In this instance, Social Media and Online Marketing allowed me to take on more responsibility in my career and workplace, and would likely benefit anyone with an interest in learning how to use social media to build their personal or professional brand.

On October 10, 2012, I attended the 4^th Annual PR + Social Media Summit at Marquette University. I attended the summit last year and found it an enlightening experience. This year was no different. Throughout the coming weeks, I’ll share with you a few of the highlights.

Be a Storyteller
Many of the sessions focused on humanizing your brand; however, one session was a bit more humorous than the others. Tim Washer, senior marketing manager at Cisco Systems, stated, “73% of all people who read B2B (business-to-business) blogs are people.” That’s a good tongue-in-cheek reminder that whether you are working with consumers or businesses, it is people you are trying to reach.

Tim emphasized the need for storytelling as a way to humanize your brand. “Keep it simple,” he said. “Create a story concept you’re passionate about. Keep it conversational… Story trumps messaging.”

As a comedic writer and actor, with credits including The Late Show with David Letterman, SNL, and Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Tim also highlighted the importance of utilizing humor. Why might a brand use humor?

• It evokes positive emotion,
• Cuts through the noise, and
• Shows authenticity.

You probably don’t equate much humor with Cisco Systems and the products they create; however, Tim did. Watch this video, Cisco Valentine’s Day Gift, for an example of how humor can effectively garner positive attention for your brand.

In the end, you’re reminded that social marketing is a conversation, not a sermon. As I remind my students in the course Special Topics: Social Media and Online Marketing, content is king – and with great conversation, storytelling and content, you’ll naturally achieve engagement with fans of your brand.

Curtis Wech is a marketing and communication specialist at Wisconsin Lutheran College. He is also facilitating an online special topics course at WLC, “Social Media and Online Marketing.” To learn more about Wisconsin Lutheran College’s degree completion program, and Business Management and Leadership major, visit WLCdegrees.com.

Written by: Nikki Wilson, enrollment advisor

Within my role as an enrollment advisor, I assist with community outreach efforts on behalf of the College of Adult & Graduate Studies. A few weeks ago I facilitated a resume and interview workshop at Villard Library, located in Milwaukee, assisting community members in developing their resume and enhancing their interview skills. While there, I assisted a young lady, 18 years old, who was seeking guidance for the purpose of obtaining her first job. It was a heartwarming moment as the other workshop participants offered advice, counsel, and assistance to this young woman. She was even offered a shopping trip with another female participant who offered to buy her a professional outfit for her first interview!

This young woman was so thankful and grateful for not only the information that was presented, but the love and generosity shown to her from fellow participants. I felt so blessed that I was able to help and encourage others during this workshop, but more blessed to witness this act of love and generosity from others. This is a prime example of true servant leadership and how we can make a difference in the lives of others!

Students in Wisconsin Lutheran College’s accelerated degree completion program develop management and leadership skills, including those related to resume development and job interviews. Students discover their own unique strengths and skills in Business Management and Leadership courses, including: “Foundations of Academic Success” and “Communication in the Business Setting.” To learn more about how you can advance your career, contact Nikki Wilson, enrollment advisor, at 414.443.8536 or visit WLCdegrees.com.