Graduate Spotlight: Valerie Bartel ’07 & ’10

Posted on March 7, 2016 by USG

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Meet Valerie! A Towson University graduate, Valerie earned her B.S. in Early Education/Special Education in 2007 and her M.Ed. in Elementary Education in 2010. Hear about her experiences at USG and see what she is up to now.

Starting from when you began your program at USG, what steps did you take to get to where you are today in your career?

I enrolled in Towson University’s Early Education/Special Education (EESE) program at USG in 2005. While taking classes at USG I was involved in many different organizations including the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), Kappa Delta Pi (KDP) the International Honor Society in Education and the USG Social Events Committee. Throughout my studies, I worked at KinderCare as a preschool teacher and I had several student-teaching internships. My most significant internship was at Strathmore Elementary School, where I got the chance to take on the role as a general education teacher and a special educator. Once I graduated, I was hired by Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) as a full-time Special Educator at Goshen Elementary School. I worked there for six years, and during that time I also completed my first Master’s degree in Elementary Education through Towson at USG. In that time I also got married and had two beautiful children. Once I had my second child, I went to part-time as a Special Educator at Damascus Elementary School, and part-time as an Assistant Children’s Ministry Director my church. I will be graduating in May, with my second Master’s degree in Human Services through Liberty University. I hope to use this degree for my ministry work within my church and for doing outreach programs.

What do you do at your current job?

As a Special Educator, I wear many different hats. I am first and foremost a teacher, but I am also a counselor, a disciplinarian and yes, at times, a data collector. Throughout my day I work with a variety of students, specifically in Mathematics, Reading and Writing. I am also part of an educational team and we help identify students who may need interventions and/or we suspect has a disability. In addition, I complete educational assessments on children to determine their present academic levels when compared to their peers. I love working with children and feel good knowing that I am making a difference in their lives.

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How did your time at USG prepare you for your career?

I really enjoyed my time at USG, it was a great environment academically and socially. The EESE program was very challenging, but it prepared me well for the real-world of teaching. The courses I took on assistive technology, adaptations, assessments, differentiation, elementary content areas, have all been ones I have been able to apply in my career. My professors and supervisors also played a key role in preparing me for a teaching career. Throughout my student-teaching internships, my professors and supervisors were also instrumental in helping me prepare my lesson-plans and providing me with constructive feedback. In addition, I was also very involved in the campus life during my time at USG. I was able to strengthen my leadership skills as President of Council for Exceptional Children, Vice President of Kappa Delta Pi, and a committee member of the USG Social Events Committee. All of these experiences truly helped me gain the confidence I needed to become the teacher I am today.

What was your most memorable experience at USG?

My most memorable experience at USG was going to the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) annual conventions, in both my junior and senior year. My junior year, a few classmates and I raised money to travel to Salt Lake City, Utah where we assisted our supervisor in a presentation on implementing reading strategies to help students with learning difficulties succeed. In my senior year, I received an all-expenses paid trip to the CEC convention in Kentucky, where I was awarded the “National CEC Student of the Year.” It was such an honor to receive this award and it truly is my most memorable experience at USG.

In 140 characters or less, what message would you give to future graduates?

Take advantage of new opportunities & never stop learning new skills. Your time at USG will go fast but the memories will last forever.

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Graduate Spotlight: Mario Sanchez ’03

Posted on February 29, 2016 by USG

 

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Meet Mario! A 2003 graduate from University of Maryland, College Park, Robert H. Smith School of Business and Owner/Managing Partner of Realtox Labs. Learn about his experiences at USG and see what he is up to now.

Starting from when you began your program at USG, what steps did you take to get to where you are today in your career?

During my time at USG, I balanced going to school full-time and working full-time. I really valued getting as much work experience as I could in order to build my career. While attending the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, I landed two internships — one at Morgan Stanley that I held throughout my two years at USG and another one during the summer of my junior year with General Electric (GE). The internship I did with Morgan Stanley was located in Chevy Chase, Maryland and I was able to get hands-on experience analyzing portfolios for high-wealth clients.

My internship with GE was at their offices in Greenville, South Carolina, where I worked within their Financial Management Program (FMP). The program was an intense, 10-week leadership-focused track where I learned job-related skills such as inventory management, supply chain management and the six sigma problem-solving tools.

I also made a point to attend several job fairs and information sessions to network with potential employers in hopes of landing as many interviews as possible — I saw every interview as an opportunity to get practice, even when it wasn’t my top choice.

After graduation I went on to work for Eli Lilly, a global pharmaceutical company, as their Territory Manager and Sales Representative. From there I got a job at St. Jude Medical, Inc., a medical device company, where I also did business development and sales. While at St. Jude Medical I was able to leverage relationships within my network so that I could parlay those relationships into a business of my own, Realtox Labs.

What do you do at your current job?

Realtox Labs provides clinicians and healthcare professionals with clinical lab testing services. My primary role at Realtox Labs is to grow the company, and I do that in two ways — through selling our services directly to potential clients and developing a sales force. Selling directly usually involves going out in the field to see customers, and trying to get referral business from those customers. I also use the network that I’ve built over my career to reach out and partner with sales distributors who can bring their current business to my company.

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Developing a sales force is also a key factor that has contributed to the success of Realtox Labs. I am constantly interviewing for field positions, training personnel, and following up on leads. In the short time of owning the company it has grown from four employees to 28 employees.

How did your time at USG prepare you for your career?

USG really helped prepare me for the real-world. I learned how to manage my time and take advantage of all of the resources USG had to offer. I joined business groups and met with career coaches who helped me prepare my resume for job interviews. Everything I needed for my education and professional development was available to me at USG.

What was your most memorable experience at USG?

While I was at USG, a Student Association was created (now known as USG Student Council) and I was elected the very first Student President. As President, I participated in a variety of activities such as student forums, community service projects, and student life activities that aimed to enhance the students’ academic experience at USG. My most memorable experience was when I had the opportunity to deliver a speech at Montgomery College (MC) about the MC-to-USG pathway. I didn’t know at the time, but it was being broadcasted and some of my friends saw me on television. My friends were impressed and it was exciting to be “famous for a day.”

_DSC0025In 140 characters or less, what message would you give to future graduates?

Treat your career as a game of chess, not checkers. Always think ahead. Make smart moves. Continue working hard now, tomorrow & every day.

 

Click here to read more Graduate Spotlight Stories.

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Guest Post: Victoria McConnell, UMCP at USG Criminal Justice and Criminology Student

Posted on February 22, 2016 by USG

Thailand Pic 2Thailand. The land of mango sticky rice, mountainous scenery, Asian elephants, colorful marketplaces, tuk-tuks, crazy drivers, and some of the most welcoming people you will ever meet. While my time in Thailand was spent enjoying all of these amazing aspects of this wondrous country, we were also there to learn more about a darker side of Thailand. The human trafficking that occurs in this country was the focus of our trip. We experienced a lot of the wonderful things that Thailand has to offer and I am so blessed to have been able to experience that. Even though not everything was sunshine and roses, I am far more blessed to have been able to see the dark sides as well. Awareness and education is what WILL STOP human trafficking and my journey to see that through has only just begun.

Thailand Pic 5In my first semester in the Criminal Justice and Criminology program at the University of Maryland, College Park at USG, I took a class called Child Abuse Investigations taught by a Department of Homeland Security agent. Learning more about trafficking and child sex abuse in that class is what led me to pursue a career in the anti-trafficking field. As soon as I heard about the trip to Thailand, I knew I had to go. As an older student, I was worried about doing a study abroad. Can I afford it? Can I leave my household for that long? Can I take off that much time for work? The fact that this program was a winter study abroad is what sealed the deal for me. The trip wouldn’t be too long and I finally had the opportunity to fulfill a life long dream of mine.

Thailand Pic 4There was never a dull moment in Thailand. We visited with elephants, climbed mountains, visited temples, shopped, took a cooking class, visited markets, did some more shopping, and ate at some of the best restaurants I’ve been to in my life. All of that was just for the cultural experience. What really hit us most was working with DEPDC/GMS, an organization that takes care of children who are at high risk of being trafficked. We painted a building at an organization that has been working towards protecting high-risk children for over 25 years.

Another institution we worked at was a Thai government run school where we taught English to 5th graders. All of these kids are just like American children! You say “selfie” and they all pose! They just want to have fun, play, and learn. But the harsh Thailand Pic 1reality is a lot of them will be trafficked, regardless of these programs and schools. The majority of them will not continue on with education past 6th grade. Some will become beggars. Some of the children we worked with had already been trafficked and their future is still uncertain. You can’t help but smile at these kids because right now, they are just silly children who want to play Heads Up, 7 Up, and Duck Duck Goose. But looking at all the children and not knowing which ones are going to be ok, is devastating.

Thailand Pic 3My time in Thailand was some of the best and worst weeks of my life. But I did learn a lot. I learned that Americans can help these kids, and kids all over the world, by educating themselves and helping to educate others. That is what is going to stop human trafficking. There is a long road ahead of us to stop this from happening to children and adults, but everything has a starting point. My starting point was Thailand.

 

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Guest Post: Ashley Waters, Associate Director, UMBC

Posted on February 16, 2016 by USG
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Ashley Waters

The Universities at Shady Grove (USG) is quite unique – I think all students, faculty, and staff realize this after a short time on our three building campus; but have you ever wondered if other places like USG exist? And what exactly are campuses like USG?

As the Associate Director of UMBC’s operations here at Shady Grove, I have become very familiar with how USG functions and what it aspires to be. Yet, as a student in the Doctor of Public Administration program through the University of Baltimore with a focus on program administration and organizational theory, I became increasingly interested in the development of multi-institutional campuses, like USG, to serve the higher education needs of a community. Thus, when I embarked on my dissertation journey in 2015, I knew I wanted to look at this model for higher education and the colocation of colleges and universities on one campus.

Fast-forward one year; I am nearing the end of the dissertation process! But equally exciting is that I have gained greater insight on centers like USG that are all around the nation. Here is a brief overview of the higher education center model:

Atlanta University Center

Atlanta University Center

  • Nearly 50 centers are currently in operation in the US today. The model really took off in the 1990’s but one of the earliest university centers is the Atlanta University Center opened its doors in 1929!
  • There are over 15 naming conventions for these centers. The most common: higher education center or university center. Maryland refers to the centers in our state as Regional Higher Education Centers
  • Very few university centers are alike – some only host four-year public universities, like USG, where others bring in 4-year private institutions and some are even located on community college campuses with two-year school partners. If you are interested in locating other university centers most like USG, check out PASSHE Center City in Philadelphia and Capitol University Center in South Dakota!

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    Capitol University Center

  • University centers can be made up of two academic partners or even upwards of 12! USG is on the higher end of that scale, making it one of the larger university centers by academic institution partnership.
  • The majority of colleges and universities participating in university centers do so within 50 miles of their home/main campus site.
  • Most university centers only maintain a small staff on-site to support the overall operations of a center. USG is certainly unique in that we have an abundance of academic partner staff and over 75 USG staff devoted to the center’s success!
  • Not only does USG have more site-devoted staff than most university centers, USG is also one of the few to offer an abundance of shared service centers; this includes offices such as Center for Academic Success (CAS), Career and Internship Services Center (CISC), and Office of Student Services (OSS). Many university centers do not offer these abundant services. This is just another example of how USG is excelling as a university center.

While my dissertation (which will be available for your reading pleasure this summer if you’d like!) will go into more detail regarding the level of partnership between the institutions at university centers and the hiccups along the way to being fully collaborative, I hope you now also have a greater sense of how unique your college experience is and can be. Attending classes at a campus with nine universities allows you to contribute to the evolution of partnerships and engage in tackling complex challenges. It offers you the opportunity to invest in your future, while at the same time investing in the future of your local economy and community. No matter how you see it, being part of a university center like USG is truly one of a kind!

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The Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, Maryland

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Guest Post: Andy Varshine ’12 UB, USG Staff, Global Game Jam Participant

Posted on February 4, 2016 by USG
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Andy Varshine

Just like most of you, I grew up playing video games, and I haven’t stopped playing them yet! My busy schedule leaves me little time to play the latest Call of Duty; but when I finally get the chance to sit down and play a game, I still get that feeling of excitement and amazement.

When I was a student at Montgomery College, I learned about their game design program. I enrolled and I was immediately hooked on game development. After graduating, I decided to continue my education and enroll at the University of Baltimore (UB) at USG to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Simulation and Digital Entertainment (SDE). This program opened my eyes to the possibilities of creating video games as a career path.

While going to school I was offered a job at USG, where I currently work. I graduated from UB in 2012 and started working on my masters degree at UMUC. In my spare time, between work and school, I work on game development projects. One of my favorite events is the annual Global Game Jam. This is a 48-hour event in which a theme is presented and then teams are created to work together to develop a rapid prototype of a unique game experience. Although participants find little time to sleep and can become very grumpy, everyone has an amazing time.

GGJ Rite of PassageThe theme for this year was “Ritual.” Right after the theme was announced on Friday afternoon I found a team and we started letting our imaginations run wild. At this stage no idea is a bad one. From my past experience it’s usually the weirdest ideas that turn out to be the most captivating. Our team decided to interpret the theme of ritual to be an act that defines a specific moment in one’s life. Our game would go through a boy’s journey to becoming a man by gathering the tools he needs to trek to the far off mountain and slay the hungry mountain lion that resides on top. Only then would he be considered a man to the rest of his village.

Once all of our ideas were fleshed out, the work began. We all had our tasks and were ready to knock it out of the park. This stage of development is where the bulk of the work begins and doesn’t stop until Sunday morning (hence the lack of sleep and grumpiness).

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Noah Edgar (age 5) playing some of the games created at the Global Game Jam

Early Sunday morning (I mean really early) we began testing and polishing our game. We made sure that the game is playable and enjoyable. Our team was really good with time management, so we had a lot of functionality completed and were able to add several improvements. As the 3:00PM deadline quickly approached, teams scrambled to get everything just right for their presentations and online submission. Eventually, time was up and all submissions needed to be in. A wave of relief came over our team as we sat and appreciated the other games that were made. It’s always amazing to see the talent that can come out of a very small weekend.

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Group of students who participated in the Global Game Jams 2016

In the end, our game Rite of Passage came in 2nd place, while 1st went to a very charming game named Chant Chant Boom. I am very proud of our team and what we were able to create. To me, the experience isn’t just about making a cool game. It’s more about meeting new people, trying something different, and having fun doing something that you’re passionate about. If you are looking for a creative outlet (be it art, writing, music, etc.), I would definitely recommend taking on the challenge that is the Global Game Jam Experience.

Click here and you can play all of the games that were made at the USG Global Game Jam!

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Building for a Sustainable Future

Posted on December 14, 2015 by USG

Over the past two weeks, political leaders, activists and scientists from nearly 200 countries have been in Paris to discuss climate change at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21, for short) – with the ultimate goal of signing a universal agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions and keep the global temperature from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius.

More than 25,500 delegates, including President Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso, have had wide-ranging conversations and negotiations about reducing emissions to introducing new energy infrastructure, and universal agreement on climate change. As leaders across the world tackle the issue of climate change and global warming, the Universities at Shady Grove remains committed to serving as a leader in sustainable development right here in Maryland. Just last month, in anticipation of the COP21, USG signed the White House’s American Campus Act on Climate Pledge to demonstrate support for strong action on climate change. As a signatory, the Universities at Shady Grove is part of a robust network of more than 600 college and university presidents and chancellors who have committed their institutions to take bold climate actions.

Campus Drone Photo

In 2008, the Camille Kendall Academic Center was awarded LEED Gold (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification by U.S. Green Building Council. The following year, we built our first ‘green’ garage that includes designated parking spaces for hybrids, carpool vehicles, and bicycles, as well as daylight sensors to reduce power requirements and light pollution. We currently have a second garage under construction, which has the distinction of being the first project in the country to submit an application to the Green Parking Council to become a “Certified Green Garage” – the world’s only rating system defining and recognizing sustainable practices in parking structure management, programming, design and technology. The new garage will finish construction in February 2016.

In 2016, we are slated to break ground on our biggest – and most sustainable – project yet. The Biomedical Science & Engineering Education Facility will set an example in the Mid-Atlantic region for sustainable design. This state-of-the-art building will be a leader in conserving resources and will include, rainwater harvesting; strategic daylighting; renewable energy resources; and environmentally sustainable, durable materials.

As part of our core values, USG encourages the students, faculty, staff, and administration to take its commitment to sustainability seriously.

As an organization, and more importantly, as a global society, we have responsibility to promote and encourage eco-friendly practices so future generations not only have the option of attending college, but doing so in a livable world.

USG Green Committee

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Guest Post: Andrew Richardson, UMB Nursing Student

Posted on December 8, 2015 by USG
Andrew Richardson

Andrew Richardson

The Poverty Simulation that took place at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) campus was an eye opening event. Many times poverty is a phenomenon that is extremely misunderstood or ignored by individuals in our society. The way that the media presents what poverty looks like, it only taints the truth of what it means to live in poverty. There are several levels to poverty and the simulation helps to put that into perspective for participating volunteers.

The Poverty Simulation is run by the Missouri Association for the Community Action that operates in the state of Missouri. The company has 19 Community Action Agencies which functions “in every county to help people achieve self-sufficiency” (Missouri Association for Community Action, 2015). Karin Russ, a faculty member from the Maryland School of Nursing at USG coordinated the Poverty Simulation event on campus and invited many other disciplines to partake in the experience. Students from: Social Work, Public Health, Psychology, Criminal Justice and Nursing all worked together to accomplish one goal, Survival!

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Each student upon walking into the room are assigned to a family and a card which describes their role and function within the family. Whether it be a troubled sixteen year old girl who is 5 months pregnant by her drug dealing boyfriend, or a father of 4 all under the age of seventeen, living off of food stamps. Regardless of your circumstances, you are still required to find a way to make it through each simulated “week”. The simulation lasted one hour (representing a month) and each fifteen minute block equated to one weeks’ time. Each family is given assigned roles (mother, father, daughter etc.). The duties of the parents included: reporting to work and paying the bills. It is up to each group to organize a plan of action. The first two weeks were somewhat manageable, but as the “weeks” passed, things quickly got out of hand and panic began to settle in across the room. To make matters worse, random acts of crime took place when families left their homes to go to work, school or social services appointments, setting the family up for perpetual failure. By the end of the “month” (end of the hour long simulation), some individuals were panting, many with looks of disappointment, terror and amazement. Mixed emotions indeed, but real none the less.

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At the conclusion of the simulation, the event coordinator began to receive feedback from the volunteers about their feelings throughout the whole simulation, and the responses were interesting. One female nursing student mentioned that she felt much stress, where her heart rate increased significantly, and she began to sweat as a result. Another student mentioned how thoughts of stealing from others began creeping into his mind without thinking of the repercussions punishable by law, but only thoughts about surviving another day kept running through his mind.

Personally, I’ve shared very similar emotions as mentioned by the other students above. My shock finally settled in when I, (as many other volunteers have confessed) began to think of theft as a viable option, totally bypassing any established moral or ethical values I may have had. So, when I am asked, “How was the Poverty Simulation?” I simply respond, “Life changing!”

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Guest Post: John Sackett, President Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center & Chair, USG Board of Advisors

Posted on November 23, 2015 by USG
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John Sackett

Those of you who have seen the Adventist HealthCare logo may have noticed these three words that appear along with it: “Care. Compassion. Community.” They are more than just a tagline.

As president of Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center, I get to witness each day the care and compassion that our physicians, nurses and employees show our patients. The dedication that I see from each of my team members throughout our organization excites and inspires me.

In addition to my work inside the hospital, I have the honor of representing Adventist HealthCare in the community. Our organization was one of the first in Montgomery County – we began serving the region in 1907. We know from experience that our community is healthiest and grows best when residents, academic institutions, government agencies and businesses all work as partners. This is why I relish serving as chairman of the Universities at Shady Grove’s Board of Advisors.

As a part of this outstanding academic center, I help facilitate collaboration between community leadership and academic leadership in developing curriculum that best prepares students for living both a knowledgeable and skilled life. The success of this effort not only benefits our students, but creates a workforce that will contribute to the economic and physical health of Montgomery County and the region for years to come. As a healthcare administrator, I witness a changing world first-hand.

It is an exciting time in medicine. In addition to providing quality care in hospitals, our providers are tasked with keeping the people

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Dr. Edelstein, Dr. Congdon and John Sackett with students from Frontiers in Science & Medicine Day

of our community healthy. For Adventist HealthCare, this focus on prevention and wellness ties into our Adventist roots. In 1866, medical pioneers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church laid the groundwork for what would become a revolutionary health program and the core of how hospitals today are looking at health. The Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan was created to help people achieve physical, mental and spiritual wholeness. It was a special place that went beyond merely treating diseases to promoting a life of good nutrition, exercise and hygiene.

Since opening its doors 108 years ago in Montgomery County, Adventist HealthCare has stayed true to that mission of providing whole person care. Today, we are leading the way in helping to close major healthcare gaps in the Washington, D.C. region through a number of population health initiatives. It is my hope that many of today’s students at USG will embrace this focus and join Adventist HealthCare in making this community a healthier place to live.

John Sackett in Nursing Lab

John Sackett helping students at Frontiers in Science & Medicine Day

I encourage you to take advantage of everything USG has to offer, both inside and outside the classroom, to prepare yourself for the exciting life’s work ahead of you. Together we will design the future of how to care for each other. Together we will serve society’s needs with compassion. Together we will reach excellence in all that we do and build a strong, vibrant and thriving community.

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Guest Post: Joan Pittman, Clinical Assistant Professor & Director of the MSW Program at USG

Posted on November 3, 2015 by USG
Joan Pittman, PhD, MSW, LCSW-C Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of the MSW Program at USG

Joan Pittman, PhD, MSW, LCSW-C
Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of the MSW Program at USG

Who is the largest provider of mental health services in this country? Social Workers!

Maybe you already knew this but when I was getting my undergraduate degree in Business Administration many years ago I had never heard of the Social Work profession, and I think many people are unaware of the career opportunities for Masters Level Social Workers.

My first career as an Insurance Underwriter I quickly realized was not my life’s passion – nothing against the insurance field. I explored several different “helping fields” and decided on Social Work because of the breadth of opportunities and the ability to earn a professional license upon graduation. What a great decision! As a Masters Level Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-C) over the past 15+ years, I have worked in counseling centers, schools, and businesses helping people overcome depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship issues and other life challenges. Working with families to rebuild connections, facilitating parenting groups, and helping teenagers develop positive coping strategies are just a few examples of the challenging, exciting, and rewarding work that I have been able to do as a social worker.

Joan with StudentsIf this blog is peaking your interest in the social work field you’re in luck because UMB just started offering the complete MSW degree at USG in the Clinical Behavioral Health Specialization! The demand for MSWs with expertise in Behavioral Health in Montgomery County and nationwide is on the rise. With recent changes in health polices, more individuals have coverage for mental health and substance abuse services, and health systems are offering more preventive and integrated services that are often provided by social workers.

Clinical Behavioral Health encompasses many different career opportunities and focuses on treating the whole person, which is often talked about as the intersection of mental health, substance use, and medical needs. MSW Behavioral Health students are trained to work with children, adolescents, and adults using prevention and intervention skills in individual, family and group formats. One of the exciting components of the MSW program is that a large part of the course work takes place in agencies practicing skills and gaining experience in the field. MSW students at USG are placed in lots of different settings including community mental health centers, primary care clinics, psychiatric hospitals, schools, family service agencies, and government agencies.

If you are interested in learning more about the MSW program at USG please visit us at USG’s Open House on Saturday, November 7th from 9-12 or attend one of our MSW information sessions at USG.

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