Employee Spotlight: Griselda Calderon, Senior Admissions Coordinator

Most people who have gone to college and received their degrees say “goodbye” to the hallowed halls forever. Griselda Calderon, senior admissions coordinator in nursing at Northwestern College, is an exception.

Calderon was an adult student who didn’t return to college until she was 30. She graduated from Northwestern College with a degree in paralegal studies. “I wasn’t successful at the community colleges because it’s just like you’re in an empty hole. Here, it’s a little more one-on-one,” she says. She went on to complete her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Roosevelt University. After accepting a temporary paralegal job, she soon realized it wasn’t what she wanted in a career. “I had to sit back and evaluate what I really wanted.” She turned to her alma mater, where she always felt that she mattered. “I looked online,” she says. “I saw they (Northwestern College) were hiring in admissions, and I’ve been here ever since.”

That was seven years ago. Today, Griselda Calderon helps future Northwestern College students choose the college program that is best for them – something she can relate to. “I came in not knowing at all what I wanted to do,” she admits. “I definitely get it, so I try to help them deal with it.” That requires considerable preparation.

How she “qualifies” students

Some students come to Northwestern College directly after high school graduation. Many are adults looking for a career change or a first-time college experience. “I understand where they’re coming from – the fears behind it and the unknown,” she continues, “so I try to make sure they’re going into it with their eyes wide open.” Calderon asks a lot of questions to make sure she points them in the right direction. “I really go over the experience because the medical field is not something that you just jump into. I try to ask enough questions – their passions, their likes, their dislikes. You can’t say, ‘Oh, I don’t like blood,’ and they’re in nursing.” The main question she asks is why they want to go into nursing. “If I get, ‘I’m doing it for the money,’ then those are the people I’ll probably talk out of it. If you’re only going into nursing for the money, then that’s not the reason to go into nursing – or any field.”

Facing challenges

“I think the biggest challenge I have is that I can’t split myself into two to help more people,” she says. Her challenge with students is unexpected. “The biggest challenge is when a student comes in and doesn’t have enough experience with other colleges out there and doesn’t know the gem that they walked into. I strongly believe in this institution.”

What she loves most about her job

Calderon’s enthusiasm for the students and her job is evident. What she likes most is attending graduation. “Knowing these students that I get to work with from the beginning and seeing them graduate is the highlight for me.” It assures her that the students did get on the right track. “Success for me is really big. To see them finish – I enjoy that.”

An open-door policy extending beyond graduation

Calderon likes following students throughout their studies and even after graduation. Her door is always open – and they always walk in. “I’ve had them crying in my office. I’ve had them happy in my office. I encourage them to call me because I really do care,” she says. I try to walk around the building to see if I see them and ask, ‘How was your clinical? How was your exam?’ If she discovers a student she previously worked with accepted a job, she likes to phone and congratulate them. Calderon also encourages former students to reach out after graduation.

The Northwestern College difference

“What separates us from everybody else is that it’s pretty simply laid out,” Calderon says. At other schools, being accepted into – and completing – a nursing program can take a long time. At Northwestern College, it’s a quicker process. “They cut out everything that’s not necessary. If you’re doing nursing or radiography, it’s specific to that core program.” The Violet L. Schumacher School of Nursing at Northwestern College offers a complete career-focused program that students can complete in as few as two years. Once they successfully complete the program, they earn an Associate in Applied Science degree that puts them on the fast track to a career as a registered nurse.

In addition, Calderon says, “The community is a lot smaller, and you get that ‘you-want-to-go-where-everybody-knows-your-name’ feel.”

“I enjoy all the different people that I meet every single day. It’s never a dull moment,” Calderon says. “I want to be everywhere. I want to do everything. I really believe in education and what we do here.” Griselda Calderon is the kind of admissions coordinator you want to have in your corner.

If you’re interested in a nursing or radiography career, contact Northwestern College today.

 

 

 

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Faculty Spotlight: Raj Patel – You CAN Go Home Again

Raj Patel, 2012 graduate of Northwestern College’s Radiologic Technology Program, spent nearly four years working at a major Chicago hospital. He was well into a successful career when the director of the radiography program called and asked if he would like to teach. “I’d never thought about teaching,” Patel says. “I’d thought about doing something instructional like maybe a C.I., an instructor on-site at the hospital.”

He had always stayed in touch with the college, occasionally meeting with new classes to talk to them about the opportunities a Northwestern College associate’s degree would give them. When he was asked to teach, he jumped at the chance to shadow his former instructor and mentor, Gary Gruenewald, for a couple of weeks to see what he thought about joining the faculty. “[Gary’s] been teaching for more years than I’ve been alive and has so much industry knowledge,” Patel says. “He’s been everywhere. He was a program director at one point. He worked in interventional radiology. He was a clinical coordinator; he’s done everything.” After following Gruenewald for two weeks, he says, “I really thought I could do it. It seemed like something that would fit me well, and here I am … two years later!”

When Patel speaks of his experience — as a student and an instructor — at Northwestern College, his enthusiasm and praise for the school are obvious. “I did my research when I was looking for schools, and Northwestern College popped up on my search feed. The program itself was well established; it came over from a pre-existing hospital program.” He says the faculty are what makes a Northwestern College education so worthwhile. “The instructors all love what they do. It shows. You can see the passion that they feel about their field,” he says.

That’s a good thing because the field of radiologic technology is growing faster than average for all occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. When instructors, like those at Northwestern College, are so passionate about their work, students are more eager to learn. Patel says the faculty’s passion for the field “helped me propel myself to want to do better in the program.” As a student, he maintained a 4.0-grade point average and was a student speaker at his graduation. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree, and in between his work as an instructor, he is also studying for his master’s degree.

In addition to his teaching duties, Patel is a clinical coordinator. When students are sent out to their clinical sites, he keeps track of where and when they’re going and makes sure that everything they need — evaluations, immunizations, etc. — is up to date. “I follow a class for two years to make sure they’re on track from day one to the end of the program.”

At the end of the program, graduates go on to take the National Certification Exam. Patel and his colleagues are “on the edge of our seats, hoping our students pass. We know what they’ve invested in this program. It’s why I’m here.” He says because of the school’s “exceptional” program, students are well prepared to enter the workforce and can choose from among a variety of positions. “You can do entry-level radiography if you want,” he says. “You could decide to go into forensic radiology or specialize in mammography, interventional radiology, cardiac cath lab. Having the base in radiography is kind of a springboard.”

In lieu of hospital work, radiologic technologists can branch into other areas, Patel says. “You can go from here and work straight into a sales position, where you’re selling radiologic equipment to hospitals, or you can work applications, where — if somebody sells the machine — now you have to teach the employees at the hospital how to use that machine.” Another path is education, as he has chosen, or administration. “You can go almost anywhere.”

Patel says it takes a special type of person to go into radiography. “It’s for someone who’s very inquisitive, somebody who wants to know what’s inside the body. Being an x-ray tech is not only [taking the x-rays].” He says it’s necessary to have compassion and understand that patients might be afraid of having a procedure. “You also have to make sure that you minimize the amount of radiation that the patient will receive. You want to position the patient perfectly every time you take the x-ray.” To do that, he says a tech needs to visualize what’s inside the body. When students are practicing their positioning skills in the lab, they will often close their eyes and turn their bodies to picture themselves in different positions and sort of “look” into the body.

It’s only been five years since Patel was a Northwestern College student, but the industry is ever changing. “When I was in school, we worked more with our computed radiography, which is known as CR technology,” he says. “Now, almost all the hospitals at least have one room that is fully digital.” That has greatly reduced the time it takes to complete a procedure — as well as the number of radiation patients are subjected to. “[Radiography] is moving by leaps and bounds. As fast as somebody can think of it, it’s being made,” he says.

With such an exciting field, Patel is eager to share his enthusiasm with his students. “I try to bring my own examples and my personal experiences into the classroom so they know it’s not just something they’re learning, but it’s a lifelong thing they will experience.”

What advice does Patel have for anyone considering radiologic technology program at NorthWestern? “If you’re looking for a program out there where the instructors love what they do, come here [to Northwestern College]. Take classes, work on your GPA, do whatever you need to pursue your dream.”

As for Patel’s dream, he says, “I’m hoping eventually I’ll move up and be a director of a program someday.” He’s well on his way.  

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Northwestern College Introduces a New BS Program with two tracks in Business Administration

Northwestern College is launching a new Bachelor Program in Business Administration that offers students the opportunity to enroll in one of two tracks – Human Resource Management Specialization Program(HRM specialization) or Logistics & Supply Chain Management (SCM specialization).

The bachelor’s program in Business Administration will begin in January 2018. Students who have previously earned an associate degree can enroll in the two-year program. Even if a student earned an associate degree several years ago or from another college, they can enroll. “As long as they have an associate degree in business administration, it doesn’t matter what track they’re trying to get into. We will honor that degree, and they will start the third year and go on to the fourth year and hopefully finish by then,” says Sheila Roe-Boston, program director. To complete the Bachelor Program in Business Administration, students must have a total of 181 credit hours (including the associate degree courses).

Advantages of enrolling in the bachelor’s program in Business Administration

A big advantage of this program is that all classes are online. “[Online classes] give the students a lot of flexible options,” Boston continues. “If they want to work at 2 in the morning in their pajamas, they can do that – as long as they meet their deadline. They have access to the information 24/7.” Depending on the class, most deadlines are Sunday at midnight, so students just need to have assignments and papers completed and turned in by then. Since many Northwestern College students have part-time or full-time jobs, this flexibility allows them to work while pursuing their education.

Another advantage of the bachelor’s program is what it can do for a student’s future career. “The associate degree really is what I call a ‘door opener.’ It gets you in there to get those entry-level positions, but when you go into the bachelor’s program, now your door has more variety,” Boston says. With a Bachelor of Science degree, a graduate can go into management or supervisory positions. “You have that edge,” she says. “The door widens for you in the workplace.”

“We anticipate some of the classes to be a hybrid,” she says. “Hybrid meaning the main course would be online, but [students] may be required to come in maybe once every two weeks or maybe three Saturdays out of the term, or anyway the instructor sees fit.” This gives students the chance to speak with the instructor face-to-face or to even schedule time with tutors when needed.

The Human Resources Management track

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for human resources managers are expected to grow 9 percent by 2026. As new companies enter the marketplace and other organizations expand, more human resources managers will be needed to plan and oversee employee benefit programs, recruit and hire employees, and handle staffing issues. A BS in Business Administration with HRM specialization helps prepare you for such positions.

The HRM track is ideal for those who prefer more of an administrative environment. “It’s a very general program and opens doors to a lot of opportunities in the workplace,” Boston says. It gives students a very broad base of general business knowledge, along with the in-depth knowledge that is HR-specific. Students will learn about workplace health and safety regulations, organizational behavior and leadership, compensation and benefits, training and development, strategic staffing, and laws affecting employment.

The Logistics/Supply Chain Management track

Students who choose this track should have a desire to work in the transportation industry, warehousing or retail. “Most of our students in any school usually work in retail for a part-time job,” Boston says. “They work in grocery stores, clothing stores. They deal with deliveries. They deal with shipping. They also deal with inventory” That’s logistics, she says, and it is an open field with many possibilities. “When you see ads in papers regarding logistics, you will see that it will say ‘degree in logistics’ – which is not very common – or ‘a business degree.’ This is why I say it opens the door for a lot of opportunity in this area.”

Logistics/SCM is important to businesses everywhere, and the effectiveness of a company’s logistics operation can mean the difference between big profits … or big losses. When you combine the BS in Business Administration with a specialization in Logistics & Supply Chain Management, you not only learn business essentials but also study transportation, purchasing and materials management, transportation economics, production quality and control, and professional sales that all give you a heads- start on the beginnings of an in-demand career.

Program instructors and teaching methods

Because the HRM and Logistics/SCM specialization Bachelor of Science degree programs are new, the instructors are current faculty members. Two classes will be introduced during the first term – the January start date – and two more will be added the next term, and so on as the program grows. “At that time, we’ll be adding more faculty as we see fit,” Boston says.

“We’re trying to make the bachelor’s degree program really interesting and really engaging to the students,” she says. “A lot of our instructors are really innovative when it comes to teaching online.” One records her on-ground classes and makes them available to students online. Northwestern College is also making use of resources already available on the Internet, such as relevant YouTube videos and information from Khan Academy that can help students in lieu of tutoring. “We feel an engaged student is one who will actually learn something and will take it with them,” says Boston.

In addition to specialized coursework and general education courses that lead to the bachelor’s degree, students have the opportunity for an externship in order to obtain hands-on experience.

The affordability of a Northwestern College bachelor’s degree program

“In our realm of colleges, we’re competitive with our rates,” Boston says. “It might be even a little cheaper.” There are many scholarship opportunities as well, but a unique benefit at Northwestern College is its incentive for excellence. “For every five A’s that [students] gets – no matter what term they’re in – they get a $500 break on their tuition.” This goes on throughout their educational program and can amount to considerable cost savings.

Although the bachelor’s program in Business Administration is in its infancy, Northwestern College has great hopes. “I think this is really going to be the pinnacle of Northwestern College,” Boston says. “I’m really excited to be part of offering this program to our students”.

If you are interested in pursuing a BS in Business Administration with HRM or Logistics/SCM specialization, Northwestern College is accepting applications for the January term. Call 888-205-2283 today or apply online.

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Leveraging Social Media to Find a Job

Social media can be a powerful tool in your search for employment. Knowing how to use social networks the right way can set you apart from other candidates. To help you out, we’ve laid out a few tips to help you make the most of your professional social media presence. From LinkedIn to Facebook and even Twitter, effective social media use can go a long way toward landing your dream job.

Below are some things you can use to optimize your social media and really put it to work for you during the long grueling process that is looking for a full-time job.

Follow your future employers

Liking and following companies on social media outlets will keep you in the loop about what’s going on and even get a jump on their openings. A vast number of unemployed people scour all of the major job sites. Far fewer people pore over company social media feeds, so be sure to follow the companies you think you want to work for on Twitter, Facebook and whichever other platforms on which they have a presence and are active.

Be engaged

Social media, when used in the job search context, is all about networking. Networking requires interaction with other users. Being involved in conversations with other users can allow you to flex your knowledge muscles and posting content allows potential employers to see what you can do. Engaging in the banter of social media can also help you improve your job search process by using the suggestions of others. Sites like LinkedIn and Facebook have groups you can join to meet people, get advice and network, which leads us to our next tip.

Build your network

Social networks exist for you to get in touch with other people. The whole purpose of LinkedIn is to connect with other professionals in order to find employment and people to hire, depending which role you’re in. Even if you don’t know the person in the physical life, it can’t hurt to send them a request to connect. Who knows? Perhaps you can find some common ground and strike up a conversation that leads to an in-person meeting. The worst they can do is not accept your invitation to connect.

LinkedIn offers a whole slew of job postings in your respective field and the site shows you how many connections and people from your school work for each company. Northwestern College boasts a robust alumni base and connecting with them can help you land a job at their company. You can follow NC on LinkedIn and see alumni by following this link: https://www.linkedin.com/school/northwestern-college_2/ .

Create a relevant persona

Tailor your social media profiles to fit the kind of job that you are looking for. Be sure to flaunt your skills and leave no doubt in the employer’s mind as to why you would be the perfect candidate to fill an opening they may have.

Asking for endorsements on LinkedIn is a good way to buff up your profile. Getting endorsements from current and previous employers gives you an added layer of credibility because it shows recruiters that you’ve put those skills to work in a professional setting.

Avoid asking for a job outright

This is a taboo in the world of social media use for professional purposes. Not only does it make you look desperate, but there also happens to be a specific way to go about asking for a job: an application. Your social media accounts should act more like supplemental resources to your application that recruiters can use to make the best assessment of your fitness for the job.

Instead, if there doesn’t happen to be an application or a career’s page on the company website, try sending a message to the company about potential openings. Even if there aren’t any at the time you are reaching out to them, they still might want to talk to you and get a better idea of your qualifications. Many companies are always looking for talent even if the absence of job postings may indicate otherwise. 

Northwestern College is here to help you find your dream job. Contact our Career Development for assistance with your questions, concerns and other job-related needs.

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/pictures/efkk45ehmek/7-ways-to-use-social-media-to-land-a-job/#6328de366ed1

http://www.gijobs.com/7-ways-to-leverage-social-media-in-your-job-search/

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/megan-berry/job-hunting-social-media_b_1366055.html

http://blog.indeed.com/2017/10/20/leverage-social-media-in-job-hunt/

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Five Benefits of Studying Business Administration

Business. It is everywhere. Some may even argue that it makes the world go ’round. In many ways it does, because businesses create the jobs and economic stimulation we depend on for our existence in our civilized society. With this in mind, an education in business administration can be a very valuable asset in the current job market.

The number of jobs in business and financial operations is on the rise and will continue to be in the coming years. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment for such occupations is expected to increase by 9 percent from 2016 to 2026. The BLS cites the increased emphasis on consumer data and market research as a factor in the growth, in addition to the growth of the economy and globalization.  

There is no time like the present to pursue a business administration education and reap the benefits it brings as a result. In fact, below you will find a few of them to squash any doubts you may be having:

Career Flexibility

As we mentioned previously, you can potentially do basically anything you can think of with a business administration education. You can qualify for any number of office and administrative positions, which often require only an associate’s degree in business administration.

Much like business administration, marketing is something of an umbrella term, with a vast number of occupations taking shelter under it. Marketing jobs frequently incorporate a sales aspect, as that is the goal of marketing. There are other aspects of marketing, such as content creation, that allow for more creativity relative to other facets. If you are more interested in numbers, consumer research jobs are in demand as well.

The point is there is something for everyone in the world of business, and a business administration education provides you the luxury of being able to find the best fit for yourself.

Save Time and Money on Education

There are a wide variety of degrees you can achieve to start your career by studying business administration. Many business administration programs across the country offer certificates, associate degrees, and bachelor degrees.

An associate degree will prepare you to enter the workforce sooner because of the shorter period of time they take to complete. Business administration programs like these are commonly available at community and career colleges throughout the United States. The program nearest you is but a simple web search away.

Continue Your Education

An associate degree can be the start of your quest toward a business-related occupation, but it does not have to be the last step. Once you have completed one of those programs and perhaps worked for a period of time to earn some money, you can parlay that educational award into a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and eventually maybe even a doctorate. Much like the career paths, your education can afford you, the continuing education options in business administration are bountiful.

In your work experience, you might find a facet of business or finance that you are more passionate about than others and want to specialize in that area. Continuing your education can allow you an opportunity to find what you truly want to do with your career, while also perhaps making yourself more marketable in the process.

Learn Practical Skills

During the course of a business administration program, you can learn skills that are not only useful in business settings but in nearly any occupation you may find yourself in one day. Some of these practical skills include the following:

• Communication skills – Communication is crucial because it is vital that everyone is on the same page when working on any project, regardless of the context. Public speaking and presentation skills are also important, especially if you are considering starting your own business. If you are not able to articulate your company’s vision to investors, for example, who will?
• Teamwork – Feeding off the last point, many jobs require teamwork, which requires communication skills to get things done in the most efficient way possible. Working with others is also a great way to refine ideas. You know the old cliché: two heads (or x number of heads) are better than one. Teamwork also allows a group to accomplish things that one person could seldom do alone by utilizing everyone’s unique skill sets. In short, teamwork will make your dreams work.
• Customer service – This is a crucial aspect of almost any job. Whether it’s at a retail store, fast-food joint, advertising agency or manufacturing firm, treating consumers with courtesy and a friendly demeanor is typically of the utmost importance. After all, without customers, clients or whatever term an industry employs for those who use its services, there would be neither a business nor jobs for its employees. As is the case with teamwork, customer service is in large part predicated on effective communication skills.

Start Your Own Business

Surely you have at one point thought of doing something you are good at for money and making a living by doing so. All of the greatest entrepreneurs began with a dream and, in some cases, had a business education to set them toward commercial success.

In pursuing a business administration education, you can learn the ins and outs of how business is done in modern settings. Once you have the knowledge in tow, you can use the skills you learned to start your own business and perhaps live the dream of being self-employed. As a business owner, you could have the power and the freedom to run things the way you want to, building the kind of culture you desire and ultimately making your dreams a reality.

The benefits of a business administration education are vast and can help you be successful in your career, even if you end up changing occupations somewhere along the line.

If you live in the Chicagoland area, you may be asking yourself, “Where can I find a reputable business administration program to start my career?” The answer is quite simple: Northwestern College.  

Since 1902, Northwestern College has provided students the stellar career education they need to succeed as employees in the workforce.

If interested in obtaining a two-year associate degree, know that Northwestern College offers an associate degree in Business Administration at both the Bridgeview campus and online. For those seeking a more comprehensive education in the form of a four-year degree, Northwestern College also offers programs for a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with various specializations. These include Human Resource Management and Logistics and Supply Chain Management.

Are you worried about not being able to afford a top-notch business administration education? Northwestern College offers financial assistance to those who qualify for it. Be sure to inquire about what might be available to you when you enroll. 

Northwestern College is proud to be accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org) and is approved to provide career education for military veterans under the GI Bill.  

Your dreams are within reach, and Northwestern College wants to help you achieve them. For more information, visit us today at http://nc.edu/ or call (888) 205-2283 to speak with one of our helpful representatives.

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Alumni Spotlight Nursing Grad Larisa Latimer

Watch Larisa Latimer, September 2017 Nursing Graduate, highlight what she loves most about Northwestern College! The faculty at Northwestern College ensure that students are on the right path to success and strongly care about their student’s education. If you are interested in pursuing a degree in nursing, find out why you should choose Northwestern College today!

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Alumni Spotlight Nursing Grad Pedro Uribe

Watch Pedro Uribe, September 2017 Nursing Graduate, share why he chose to pursue a career in nursing! Find out what he likes most about the nursing program at Northwestern College and what he has to share about his experience overall! If you are still searching for your dream job, don’t hold back. Take the next steps in your career and visit Northwestern College today!

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