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2012

A publicAtion of the cMu pArent AssociAtion

parentnewsSteven Johnson, CMU’s vice president for enrollment and student services, wants students to take advantage of what campus offers and to leverage their experiences.

Johnson, who began Jan. 9, leads CMU’s enrollment management efforts, including retention, improved graduation rates, and tuition and financial aid planning.

He’s focused on maintaining and improving a seamless environment for student engagement.

Students’ needs today are different than in the past, and the economic environment is playing a larger role than anticipated.

“Often when students look at majors, they look at professions that seem to pay the best,” he says.

“But they may not know how to navigate the opportunities to be the best candidates for those careers. So our role as educators is making sure that we navigate and help guide students through educational opportunities.”

Johnson says it is CMU’s responsibility to build a learning

environment that is conducive to the full college experience.

He says the university’s goal is to align students with resources – academic, social or otherwise. “We want them to understand who their connections are. We want them to feel comfortable. We want them to see CMU as home.”

“I say to students: ‘Yes, you are here for the degree. But we want to make sure that everything that supports and complements your academics is a great experience, too.’”

He wants students to be aware and connect to what CMU offers – such as career services and scholarship and financial aid opportunities – from their high school years past graduation.

Johnson knows how important cocurricular experiences are – Johnson credits his career path to a financial aid-based work-study position he landed his sophomore year.

“I was looking for something to help me pay for my books and other expenses. The university found me a work-study job in the financial aid office because I could type,” says Johnson, who started college wanting to be a computer systems analyst.

“Working there for the rest of my undergraduate career, I learned I liked working with people and guiding them through the process. My career path changed.”

Immediately after graduation, Johnson accepted a financial aid director position at Davenport University. During the past 27 years Johnson’s career – in addition to Davenport University – included management positions at Howard University, Pace University and CMU, where he served as Off-Campus Programs’ director of operations and professional development from 1997 to 2000.

“Had I seen that typing position as just a typing position, who knows where I would be? I learned – and I share this with students – do not ever minimize any opportunity because you never know what you are going to glean from it,” says Johnson, who later earned a master’s degree in counseling, with a focus in student personnel services.

“It might sound like a filing job, a typing job, but it gives you access to a larger system – one with connections.”

CMU’s Focus: Your studentcMu creates new position dedicated to student engagement

Steven L. Johnson

Parents and students meet with faculty members during CMU and You Day.

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Parent News is the CMU Parent Association Newsletter, published for parents of current CMU students. The newsletter is a joint project of the university’s Enrollment and Student Services and University Communications offices.

Parent News Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 editor – Sarah Chuby, ‘03 M.A. ’11

Designer – Nathan Jones, ‘10

photographers – Robert Barclay, Peggy Brisbane

Communication between CMU staff and our students’ families is important to us. Feel free to contact us with your questions.

Academic Advising and Assistance 989-774-7506

career services 989-774-3068

counseling center 989-774-3381

leadership institute 989-774-1909

Multicultural Academic student services 989-774-3945

residence life 989-774-3111

registrar 989-774-3261

scholarships and financial Aid 989-774-3674

student Account services and university billing 989-774-3618

student Affairs 989-774-3346

student life 989-774-3016

Volunteer center 989-774-7685

CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity within its community.

Produced by University Communications and printed by CMU Printing Services. UComm 8640 -18,000 (4/12)

newsparent

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Career Services will then create a custom interview, matching the student’s career choices with specialized questions, Sherlock says.

The 45-minute interview is divided into two sections: a recorded interview and a review of the interview with feedback.

After completing a mock interview, students receive a detailed copy of their evaluation and are taught resources for future interviewing success.

“Evidence has shown that it has helped position students in the job market,” Sherlock says. “And that is our goal: to help students best position their strengths.”

As Patton finished making notes on her résumé, Sherlock went to her computer and gave Patton the name of a water quality recruiter who was looking for interns.

With experience and an updated résumé, Patton says she’s ready to apply.

But Patton says she’ll be back to the Career Services office soon. “I’m scheduling a mock interview so that I’ll be ready when they call,” she says with a smile. “I want to do everything I can do to get ready – I want that internship.”

Sophomore Tonisha Patton has worn fishing waders and conducted research with a CMU professor. She has taken biology courses. The Detroit native also has volunteered for the CMU Alliance for Clean Water organization.

Now the aspiring aquatic biologist wants to put her experience together to find the right internship.

And she plans to do that with the assistance of CMU’s Career Services.

During their first meeting in the fall semester, Director of Career Services Julia Sherlock helped Patton, a biology major, focus on career goals and aspirations.

This time Patton brought a draft of her résumé and wanted Sherlock to guide her in organizing it.

Looking through the document, Sherlock points out the importance of highlighting class projects pertaining to the career interest and making sure the document’s formatting is consistent.

“Ms. Sherlock pointed out things that I didn’t even think about,” Patton says. “I was so focused on my experience that I didn’t think about the importance of formatting.”

Although freshmen and sophomores have a few years before graduation, Sherlock says students – like Patton – should begin visiting Career Services now.

“Career development is something that just doesn’t happen senior year,” Sherlock says. “We offer many activities to prepare a student’s professional self before senior year.”

In addition to the résumé critiques, a popular professional development offering from Career Services is the mock interview – more than 2,000 students participate in those annually.

Students interested in scheduling a mock interview must first submit an updated résumé to CMU’s eRecruiting website at www.careers.cmich.edu.

CMU Career Services offers free professional advice

Promote yourself

Career Services Director Julia Sherlock helps sophomore Tonisha Patton organize her résumé.

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if your student is working on his or her résumé this summer, here are some tips.

A résumé is typically organized into sections arranged from most important to least important. And remember – a résumé is only 90 percent complete until tailored to complement the position your CMU student is applying for.

Below are some guidelines for résumé writing. If your student has any questions, have them contact Career Services at 989-774-3868 or careers@cmich.edu.

Contact Information Your name should appear first. You may wish to emphasize your name by using a larger, bold font. This section also may include your present and permanent addresses, telephone numbers, and professional email address.

Objective The objective is a brief statement (usually one or two lines) used to inform the employer of the position you are seeking. If using an objective, your statement should include three basic components:

1. Type of position (internship vs. full-time interest) 2. Position title or area of interest 3. Employer name

Typically this is not a full sentence; a résumé consists of short, powerful statements. Therefore, periods should not be used at the end of the phrase.

Experience This section may have several titles. Some of the more popular titles include: Internship, Professional Development, Related Experience, etc. Regardless of the title, there are several pieces of information to include in reverse chronological order:

Promote yourself

1. Name of employer, city, state 2. Position title, month, year of employment 3. Brief description of your duties (bullet format is preferred)

Start each bullet with an action verb. Action verbs such as manage, coordinate, supervise, assist and aid grab the employer’s attention. Bullet points should not be full sentences. When possible, avoid the use of personal pronouns like: I, me and my.

Education List all earned degrees in reverse chronological order, most recent first. Be sure to include:

1. College/university, city, state 2. Title of degree or expected degree (Bachelor of Science), date(s) 3. Major(s), minor(s) and/or certifications 4. Grade Point Average if 3.00/4.00 or higher

This section is for college-related information only; high school information is no longer relevant.

Involvements / Honors Involvements include clubs, organizations, volunteer activities, international experiences, fraternities/sororities and civic organizations; consider all social, professional and academic groups. Honors may include Dean’s List, awards, scholarships and honorary societies.

Writing the résumé

CMU has hundreds of employers come to campus during several Career Fairs that

take place each academic year.

For Career Fair times and locations, email careers@cmich.edu.

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‘This is the place to be’Student-focused renovations made to the Bovee University CenterCommunications junior Alexandria Kennedy grabs her peppermint mocha from the newly added Starbucks Coffee Company in the Bovee University Center and sits down to wait for her classmates to join her in the new second-floor student lounge.

Even though it is just after 10 a.m. on a Tuesday, groups of students sit on couches, at desks and in glass-walled study rooms. The large area is more than half full.

“This is the place to be on campus,” says Kennedy. “After I meet with my group members, I am going to grab lunch, pick up a book for class and stop in the Greek Life office. Everything is here.”

The $5 million University Center renovation project had the goal to increase the variety and the quality of space dedicated to students, says Chad Garland, UC building coordinator.

“To start the process, we asked students what they wanted to have in this location. And we listened.”

Garland says traffic has picked up in the UC, and the university is pleased to see students congregating there.

“The location is perfect – it really is in the center of campus. But we wanted to make it more than a location; we wanted to make it a destination.”

In addition to a U.S. Post Office, a gaming area and the coffee shop, several offices were renovated – including the Center for Inclusion and Diversity and the Mary Ellen Brandell Volunteer Center.

In the area that was once taken up with office space on the UC’s main floor, a student lounge was created.

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In the new space for the Center for Inclusion and Diversity – located on the UC’s lower level – Maame Adomako, student assistant, meets with Marceil Davis, an academic advisor for the Pathways program.

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In the student lounge area, there is a space for musicians to perform. Concerts take place during the lunch hour on Wednesdays.

Above: The Mary Ellen Brandell Volunteer Center has a new office on the bottom level of the UC. Inside the Volunteer Center office is a meeting place for students to plan their volunteer activities.

Left: As a part of the student lounge, there is a Starbucks where students can grab coffee during a study break.

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From reviewing campus food to scoping out new flicks, Grand Central Magazine is written by students, for students.

And a national publication has taken notice.

Grand Central Magazine, a CMU online publication, was awarded a 2011 EPPY for Best College University Journalism Website.

Presented by Editor and Publisher, EPPY awards are given to the best media-affiliated websites. Editor and Publisher also awarded some of the most prestigious national publications such as Sports Illustrated, Associated Press, CNN and NPR.

“I’m extremely honored to win this award and grateful for the hard-working staff that put their best foot forward to help win it,” says Grand Central Magazine Editor Matt Erspamer, a Lakeview senior.

The magazine is run by student-volunteers and publishes stories that incorporate photography, video and podcasting.

Grand Central Magazine also won first place for the Best Independent Online Publication in Region 4 two consecutive years from the Society of Professional Journalists. To read the publication, go to gcmag.org.

National News

A CMU freshman’s innovative idea to fund infrastructure needs in the state’s transportation system earned her the opportunity to testify before state legislators.

Lauren Grotkowski of Auburn gained the attention of lawmakers after placing second in the statewide Students Reinventing Michigan competition – a competition began this year asking college students to create ways to improve the state’s infrastructure funds with public support.

“I never expected all of this – especially during my freshman year,” Grotkowski says about her March visit to the State Capitol. “It’s pretty exciting. I feel honored and proud to represent CMU.”

Grotkowski’s proposal aims to redirect money from used car sales and auto repairs toward the infrastructure fund.

Her proposal also would include a slight increase in vehicle registration and require a few changes to current tax laws. Grotkowski

Road to Success

Points of pride

says she thought it was important to focus her proposal on the infrastructure fund because maintaining Michigan’s roads and bridges are a common interest among all of the state’s residents.

Senator Tom Casperson, chair of the Joint Transportation Committee, expressed how pleased he was to hear such great ideas coming from college students.

“It’s very rare to have college students come in and talk in detail on these types of issues,” Casperson said. “As we move forward with our committee meetings, we’ll be reflecting on the reports that they turned in and use those as the foundation to make the argument on what we’re going to do and why we need to do it.”

Following her presentation, Grotkowski says the feedback she got from the committee was overwhelmingly positive.

“They kept telling me how proud they were,” she says. “I think the experience opened a lot of doors for my future.”

Grand Central Magazine Editor Matt Erspamer, senior

Freshman Lauren Grotkowski traveled to Lansing to share her plan to fund infrastructure needs in the state’s transportation system.

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April 30- May 4• Examination Week

May 5 • Commencement ceremonies will take

place at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.

• Residence halls move-out day. Deadline for move out is 6 p.m.

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The Honor SystemDuring the past 50 years, more than 10,000 students have taken part in the CMU Honors Program.

To mark five decades of student success, the CMU Honors Program has brought back traditions such as the annual trip to Stratford, Ontario, to see the Shakespeare Festival, the walk across the Mackinac Bridge, Fireside chats, and more.

Recently – as a part of those Fireside chats – Geology Professor Mark Francek spoke to students about planning and living their dreams.

Francek, a cancer survivor and Michigan Professor of the Year awardee, shared photos and stories from his cross-country bicycle trips. His message: Value the journey.

And that is what the Honors Program at CMU offers, says Director Phame Camarena. He says the academic and outreach opportunities the students have create a unique experience for them. In return, Camarena says the Honors students have to give back through service.

Camarena says Honors students must complete a capstone project – basically a service project, creative endeavor or original research – as a program requirement.

“It teaches them to use their skills and talents for the greater good,” he says. “Honors goes beyond having a high GPA – it is learning to make thoughtful decisions and to serve others.”

A pioneer in distance learning since 1971 with more than 50 locations in the United States, Mexico and Canada, CMU is making its mark in online education.

U.S. News and World Report, in its first-ever Top Online Education Programs rankings, rated CMU in the Top 10 placing in several categories.

Participants in the ranking include 184 institutions in the undergraduate comparison and 150 in the graduate programs.

Vice President of CMU’s Off Campus and Online Programs Merodie Hancock says CMU’s online history dates back to 1997, when the university offered its first online course (MTH 105).

“These rankings say we haven’t lost that student touch as we’ve moved online,” she says.

Highlights of the rankings for CMU, which offers nearly 200 online bachelor’s degree programs and 170 online master’s degree programs, include a No. 3 ranking for student services and technology for online graduate business programs, a No. 3 ranking for student engagement and accreditation for online graduate education programs, and a No. 10 ranking for student services and technology in online bachelor’s programs.

For classes, go to http://go.cmich.edu and click Off-Campus & Online.

Online Learning

Here are some upcoming CMU dates that may be important to your family:

May 14 • Mount Pleasant campus classes

begin for Summer Session I

June 25

• Mount Pleasant campus classes begin for Summer Session II

Aug. 23

• Residence Halls open at 8 a.m. for student move-in

Aug. 27

• Fall 2012 classes begin

Sept. 3

• Labor Day, no classes.

As part of the Honors 50-year celebration, Geology Professor Mark Francek spoke to

students about living their dreams.

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Nonprofit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDMount Pleasant, MI 48859

Permit No. 93

CMU students have found a new way to give back through the use of their academic talents.

Several interior design students were given the opportunity to renovate several rooms in Midland’s Shelterhouse to better meet the needs of the program.

CMU faculty member Brenda Skeel said that by getting involved in the renovations of the safe house for women and children who are victims of domestic violence, she wanted to show her students the value of what they were learning.

“I thought it was important to show them that design can make a difference. I wanted to show them that they could give back to the community through design,” Skeel says.

Croswell senior Brianne Bawol was involved in the project redesigning the Teen Room, the Mom and Me Play Room, and the Play Therapy Room at the Shelterhouse.

“To have that real experience teaches you a lot. It’s different than just reading it in a book because you’re actually applying what you learn. It’s not for a grade, it’s for real life,” Bawol says.

With such an impactful experience, Bawol says her work with the Shelterhouse has helped her figure out what she wants to do with her degree once she graduates.

Giving back by design

Parent News Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI 48859

“It was everything I wanted out of a project. It was an invaluable experience as far as supplementing my education,” Bawol says. “It’s one more experience that helped me find my career path.”

Nikita Murray, Shelterhouse’s children’s program coordinator, says when she saw the finished product she was speechless.

“I keep using the word ‘amazing,’ and I don’t know if that’s quite enough to describe the experience,” Murray says. “The children’s eyes just lit up when they saw what these CMU students had done. When the children are happy about being in the rooms and comfortable, we know that CMU did a great job.”

CMU faculty member Brenda Skeel, Nikita Murray, Shelterhouse’s children’s program coordinator, and

CMU senior Brianne Bawol, review the work CMU interior design students did while renovating the Midland Shelterhouse, which is a safe house for

domestic violence survivors.Brianne Bawol, CMU senior