Back in April 1972, the legendary American rock band Alice Cooper struck a chord with young people eagerly awaiting several months of recess. “School’s Out” became an instant hit and anthem for students dreaming of a warm-weather break from teachers, books, exams and grades.
Yet for more than 60 years, school’s been decidedly “in” at Syracuse University through its Summer College program for motivated high school learners from across the globe.
“Access to college is an important part of the mission of the College of Professional Studies,” says Dean Michael Frasciello. “While we are well known for assisting non-traditional students with their higher education goals, the College remains committed to providing a transformational introductory experience to university life, including academics and on-campus living.”
Now that summer is over and the regular school year rhythm has begun, Christopher Cofer, executive director of Pre-College Programs, reflects on 2023 and prepares for the coming months.
By Arthur Thomas, executive director of the Office of Professional Acceleration and Microcredentials at the College of Professional Studies | Reposted from evolllution.com
Depending where your institution seems to be along the continuum—from offering just a few microcredentials to offering many—there are some things to keep in mind if you want to achieve large scale with these types of offerings. Every institution is different, but there are some common principles that can determine how this sort of transformation will evolve. So, as you turn onto the entrance ramp, destined for a significant offering of microcredentials at scale, let’s review a few approaches that can help you pick up speed.
Fulbright graduate students from around the world will be presenting a wide range of scholarly research topics on Aug. 11 at Bird Library from 9:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
Leondra Tyler takes in the lush landscape at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. She pops into the campus café and orders her usual coffee before walking through the forest path that leads to her classes. It’s her first time studying abroad, but she’s adjusted to campus life with ease. On the weekends, she explores South Korea, while weekdays are reserved for studying sociology, psychology, and Korean literature and language.
Tyler, a student of the University’s part-time Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), is the first part-time HEOP student to receive the Our Time Has Come (OTHC) scholarship. Back home, Tyler is a part-time neuroscience and psychology student at Syracuse University, but scholarships like the OTHC scholarship have allowed Tyler to push the limits of post-traditional learning and take part in studying abroad.
“What drew me into the OTHC scholarship program was that I really wanted an academically focused program for Black and brown students. This has given me a great opportunity to connect with Black and brown alumni and hear about their experiences and their post-academic lives,” Tyler says. “Although I just got the scholarship this semester, it’s been really nice knowing that I have a support system, not only at Syracuse but also here at Yonsei.”
A Diverse Learning Experience
Scholarships have not only offered Tyler access to an abundance of networking opportunities, but they have also opened doors that diversify her learning portfolio.
When Tyler wraps up classes for the day, she heads across campus to a PC café, a popular hangout spot for people to eat while they play computer games. While she waits for a game to download, Tyler orders lunch and reviews notes from her class about the history of Korean cinema. For Tyler, studying abroad has allowed her access to an array of engaging academic experiences and even expanded her viewpoint.
“We’re learning Korean history through film,” Tyler says. “I took the course because I wanted to learn more analytic skills, because that can translate into my research. But also, I wanted to learn more about Korea outside of pop culture.”
However, South Korea’s pop culture has also given Tyler a chance to analyze sociology and psychology from a new perspective. As the popularity of K-pop and K-dramas trickles their way into American media, Tyler uses K-pop artists like SHINee and 2PM in the course “Understanding K-pop” to examine global trends and parasocial relationships.
“Studying abroad has given me more opportunities to be creative with different projects,” Tyler says. “Sociology courses I’ve taken in the past have been about Western culture, so it’s been nice to learn about it through the lens of Korean society.”
Embracing Communities and Cultures
From attending K-pop concerts to taking part in traditional Korean practices, Tyler has also learned the value of community and the importance of embracing different cultures. Students from 53 different countries gathered at Yonsei University to participate in the study abroad program, giving Tyler the chance to learn about a myriad of cultures.
“I’m not just experiencing Korean culture but also culture from my friends that I met here that are from Australia, New Zealand, and Germany,” Tyler says.
On the weekends, Tyler and her friends take public transportation across South Korea and learn about the history of the country through its landscape. From visiting the coastal city of Busan to exploring the assortment of districts throughout Seoul, Tyler documents it all on her instant film camera and soaks up the unforgettable moments. While studying on the other side of the world has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, friendship has made Tyler’s study abroad trip an even richer experience.
“Even though we’re all from different parts of the world, I’m going to stay connected with the people I’ve met here for years to come,” Tyler says. “That’s what makes this experience so special.”
About the College of Professional Studies
The College of Professional Studies is a global, inclusive and future-facing college, providing access to diverse students and learners seeking a Syracuse University degree, credential, certificate or education experience.
About the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP)
The College of Professional Studies at Syracuse University is the home of New York State’s only Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) program for part-time students. The program provides economically and educationally disadvantaged students from New York State with access to Syracuse University through academic support and financial assistance.
Today Syracuse University’s College of Professional Studies is announcing it will offer Google’s new Cybersecurity Certificate.
The Google Career Certificates prepare learners for in-demand fields including Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, IT Support, Project Management, and UX Design—with no experience required. This offering will equip students with job-ready skills as they pursue their degree, while also connecting them to career resources and a network of over 150 companies through the program’s employer consortium.
“The certificate programs from Google are structured to address the skills gap being experienced by a number of employers,” said Arthur Thomas, executive director of the Office of Professional Acceleration and Microcredentials at the College of Professional Studies. “What we’ve created is a hybrid learning experience that builds on the excellent foundations established by Google by adding a dimension of live online sessions with instructors, specific readings, additional videos and discussion groups guided by our faculty. This added perspective and interaction will give our students a distinct advantage as they approach the job market.”
The certificate in cybersecurity is the first of six Google Career Certificates that will be available through Syracuse University.
Students who enroll in the Google Career Certificates through Syracuse University will unlock access to Syracuse University services, including personalized student support, career services and one-on-one instructor support. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to directly discuss course content through virtual live sessions that offer moments to engage with classmates and learn from industry experts who help illustrate how concepts are applied in real-life experiences.
When taking a Google Certificate through Syracuse University, students get the full Orange experience. The Google and Syracuse University partnership brings together two industry leaders to create a fully immersive professional development experience.
Originally designed and taught by Google employees, Syracuse University has added perspectives and information from both faculty and practitioners to build an even more comprehensive foundation in these areas. Each certificate program includes over 150+ practice and graded assessments, quizzes, or writing assignments to ensure rigor and mastery. To help prepare learners for jobs, the program provides resources including resume templates, coaching from Career Circle and interview practice with Big Interview. Graduates are also connected with an employer consortium of over 150 companies—including American Express, Colgate, T-Mobile, Walmart, and Google—that considers them for relevant roles.
“Global interest in cybersecurity jobs among job seekers has reached an all-time high on Google Search this year, yet businesses continue to report a large cybersecurity skills gap,” said Lisa Gevelber, Founder, Grow with Google. “The data is clear: we must create more pathways for people to enter the cybersecurity field and build a lasting career. Google is combining our industry-leading expertise in cybersecurity with our proven approach to training people for in-demand jobs to help create a solution. The Google Cybersecurity Certificate will help businesses fill cybersecurity roles and enable people to earn an industry-recognized credential that will qualify them for a great job.”
A Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) will be available for students who complete the Google Career Certificates through Syracuse University. This assessment awards college credits based on prior learning and experiences by identifying direct course overlaps in a specific for-credit program at Syracuse University to which the student is applying. The PLA allows students to personalize their learning pathway into a for-credit degree or certificate program.
Since Google launched the original Grow with Google program in 2018, over 200,000 people have graduated in the U.S. Seventy-five percent of them report a positive career impact—such as a new job, higher pay, or a promotion—within six months of completion, and over 50% of graduates identify as Asian, Black, or Latino.
The College of Professional Studies is a global, inclusive and future-facing college, providing access to diverse students and learners seeking a Syracuse University degree, credential, certificate or education experience.
About Grow with Google
Grow with Google was started in 2017 to help Americans grow their skills, careers, and businesses. It provides training, tools, and expertise to help small business owners, veterans and military families, jobseekers and students, educators, startups, and developers. Since Grow with Google’s inception, it has helped more than 10 million Americans develop new skills. Grow with Google has a network of more than 9,500 partner organizations like libraries, schools, small business development centers, chambers of commerce, and nonprofits to help people coast-to-coast.
