First Alumni Directory


In honor of the College's 40th year, work began on Excelsior's first alumni directory, Excelsior College Alumni Today. More than 121,000 alumni were contacted, and the College received more than 18,000 responses including photographs and essays.


Alumni Today Alumni Speaker Series


The College launched an Alumni Speaker Series to engage alumni in topical discussions of interest and to connect alumni with each other. Alumnus Dr. Wayne Oppel, BSL '91, led the first of these Web chats on the topic of leadership. The 2008 recipient of Excelsior's C. Wayne Williams Award in recognition of outstanding public service and community involvement, Dr. Oppel is an ardent lifelong learner; he has earned two master's degrees from Webster University and then went on to complete a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership from Regent University and a Doctorate of Organizational Management from Capella University.


Partners in Lifelong Learning Award


The third Partners in Lifelong Learning event honored John Cavalier, whose pioneering work at Apple advanced the effort to bring computers into classrooms. He later went on to become chairman and CEO of MapInfo and currently chairs the Tech Valley High Foundation, guiding this innovative high school, which was created in 2007 to provide students with the skills needed to be successful in college and in the workforce of the future.


Photo Caption: Director of Development Marcy Stryker with Partners in Lifelong Learning awardee John Cavalier


Endowment Funds


The Brigadier General Jerry L. and Judy A. Neff Scholarship Fund was established by alumnus and new trustee Jerry Neff to support the periodic award of scholarship money to students with financial need who are members of the U.S. Army National Guard or the U.S. Air National Guard. Neff is also chair of the 40th Anniversary Committee.


The Jean Bovard Cramer Scholarship Fund was established by Excelsior College President John F. Ebersole and his wife Connie Cramer in honor of Connie's mother Jean. The fund will support the periodic award of scholarship money to a female student with financial need who is accepted into an Excelsior College liberal arts degree program.


The Military Financial Assistance Endowment Fund was established by alumnus and trustee William T. Moran to support the periodic award of scholarship money to servicemembers and their families as they engage in study at Excelsior College.


President's Forum


With support from Lumina Foundation for Education ($58,500), the Presidents' Forum convened in Washington, DC, in October 2009, to consider a national strategy for aligning state approval and regional accreditation for online institutions. Following this, the College applied for (and later received) additional funding ($300,000) from Lumina Foundation for the Presidents' Forum to explore the potential for multi-state reciprocity for post-secondary institutional approvals to broaden the availability of online degree programs by reducing duplicative regulatory barriers. In September 2010, the Presidents' Forum convened a meeting of twenty-five state regulators and stakeholders, including representatives from Lumina, the Council of State Governments, State Higher Education Executive Officers, and accrediting associations, to begin work on developing a model template for Multi-State Reciprocal Regulation and Approval of Postsecondary Educational Institutions.


In the Community


Excelsior College participated in many community activities and was even recognized with an award! The College came in third for having the largest participation among education agencies in the Albany area's CDPHP Workforce Challenge. The 3-1/2 mile race for runners and walkers was held in May, and among the 7,000 participants, 76 were from Excelsior. Many other events were enthusiastically embraced by the College including numerous blood donation drives, a Wellness Fair, a food collection sponsored by Weight Watchers and Excelsior, a coat donation initiative organized by the Community Service Committee, a staff art exhibit, and a Nation of Celebrations event that highlighted the diversity of the holidays celebrated by the College staff.


Credit by Examination


New practice exams were introduced for the following exams: Labor Relations, Social Psychology, Research Methods in Psychology, Psychology of Adulthood & Aging, and Introduction to Philosophy.


ACE approval was gained for the UExcel Spanish Language exam, bringing UExcel offerings to seven exams.


Center for Military Education


The orientation course, CCS 112 Success Strategies for Military Students and Veterans, was launched, facilitating the academic as well as career success of active duty servicemembers, military transitioners, those in the reserve components, and veterans.


The College celebrated the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy Baccalaureate Ceremony, which concluded Excelsior's first year offering on-site course instruction.


Excelsior presented a proposal to the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) that focuses on offering associate degree programs to soldiers during their first term of enlistment and faculty evaluation of Army training for college credit. The U.S. Army Enlisted Degree Program College of the American Soldier is anticipated to launch in January 2011. EC faculty have evaluated Army training for college credit combined with new course development from the School of Liberal Arts and School of Business & Technology to complement the Army training.


Excelsior was again named a top military-friendly college by G.I. Jobs magazine.


The College hosted a number of veteran/military open houses during which military members, veterans, and their families and friends were invited to receive free preliminary transcript evaluations and resume critiques, learn how to maximize their credit from military training, and speak with academic advisors from the schools and representatives from the financial aid office regarding VA benefits.


Center for Military Education staff participated for the first time in the Fort Drum Army Career & Alumni Program (ACAP) Quarterly Career Fair, which assists transitioning soldiers, family members, veterans, and retirees to make informed career decisions, find employment, research career options, and experience success in the civilian sector.


Photo Caption: Judy Reed, director of veteran services and outreach, discusses college degree options with an injured solider at Fort Drum during the ACAP Career Fair.


Live & Learn /Annual Report 2009-2010 | 15

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