7 tips to help adult learners stay focused this school year

FOCUSED LEARNING: 7 tips to help adult
learners stay on track this school year

I detailed five benefits of a college degree, and why now is the perfect time to go back to school in my last blog post. So if you read that and decided to enroll in a class or two this fall, you might be wondering how to make the most of your college experience.

As an adult learner, you have a lot on your plate. Adding classes to your already busy schedule requires careful planning and ample diligence to ensure your academic success. So here are seven tips to help you stay on track while earning your college degree.

1. Create a strong academic foundation. When you start the semester, make sure you understand your responsibilities as a student. In each class you sign up for, get to know the syllabus and your professor. Understand the academic expectations of your classes and your program, as well as what GPA you have to maintain to stay in good academic standing.
2. Be a voracious learner. Take every chance to learn from professors and fellow adult learners, and share your knowledge and experiences with them. One of the greatest assets you have as an adult learner is your life experience, and learning and sharing with others can help you reach your personal and professional goals.

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Presenting Peirce College’s 2012 Commencement video

The full video of Peirce’s 2012 Commencement is in! If you weren’t able to make it to the ceremony, want to relive that incredible night, or just want to catch the graduating class walking across the stage again, our videographers were on hand to catch it all.

Thank you to everyone who made our commencement ceremony a success -- our dedicated faculty and staff, speakers, volunteers, and all the family and friends who shared in this special night. And a hearty congratulations again to our 2012 graduates. You should be proud of what you’ve accomplished with Peirce and this video of Commencement embodies that.

Feel free to share this video with your friends and family! If you want to share it on Facebook, just click share at the bottom of the Facebook post.

Why I decided to return to Peirce: Checking in with Nephetina Serrano

Last year, we told you all about Nephetina Serrano and her decision to return to Peirce to finish her degree. As a member of the workforce, a wife, mother, daughter, mentor, and volunteer, Nephetina has a lot on her plate to balance.

But in order to better herself and her family, she realized that it's never too late to pick up where you left off and came back to Peirce to earn her associate degree in Business Administration. (After she earns that, she's planning to continue on for her bachelor's, but more on that later!)

Listen in as she talks about where she's at on her educational journey and what she would say to a former Peirce student who's on the fence about returning to complete their degree.



If you want to achieve your dreams of finishing your education, it's never too late to pick back up. Contact a member of the Peirce College Readmit Team. They will work with you to get back on track in a way that works for you. Call 888.467.3472, ext. 9026, or visit http://www.Peirce.edu/ReturningStudents for more information.

Campus Philly names 2012 Peirce graduate Student of the Month

SPOTLIGHT’S ON: Campus Philly names Atiya 

Goldsmith-Irby Student of the Month

We love when our students go out and inspire others in their communities. Case in point is Atiya Goldsmith-Irby. She graduated this year with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship/Small Business Management.

Atiya was heavily involved in campus activities, honor societies -- she served as president of Peirce's chapter of Delta Mu Delta, Kappa Nu -- and her local community during her time at Peirce. In fact, Atiya even was our Student Commencement Speaker at this year's ceremony!

I was excited to see that Campus Philly named Atiya its August Student of the Month. If you're looking for a little inspiration, click over to Atiya's interview to read why she decided to attend Peirce after having three kids, what her ideal job in Philadelphia would be, and why she and her husband decided to create a scholarship for married students.

Congratulations Atiya -- be sure to come back and fill us in on what you're doing in the future!

How to make and perfect your resume

PRESENTING THE BEST YOU: Tips for making your resume
stand out from the crowd

As we start into August, we thought it might be a good time to refresh your memory and rejuvenate your job search by sharing a few tips and strategies for presenting the best you possible.

One of the aspects of my job as Dean of Career Development Services is to help Peirce students and sometimes alumni find internships and co-op experiences, as well as to assist in the job search process. That includes imparting advice on everything from how to write effective resumes to interview etiquette and even what to do (and not to do) after landing your coveted position.

Constructing and perfecting your resume is often the first step in any job search. It can also be one of the most crucial steps, as what you present to future employers has to reflect your value in a language and format that is aligned with the job or industry you’re working towards. Below are a few tips for putting together the perfect resume that accurately portrays you and your abilities, whether you’re preparing for your first job, your dream job, or anywhere in between.

Illustrate what you have. Focus on separate skills and job titles. I suggest swapping a vague objectives statement to a very specific skills summary that speaks to what you have done or can contribute to the job. This changes your resume from focusing on what you want, to what you can contribute. I also suggest getting away from simply listing activities you’ve done and instead using that space to qualify skills and quantify results.

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What you should be doing to secure your IT job

ENDANGERED: It has come down to the survival
of the fittest in IT jobs

Not all IT jobs are created equal, especially in today's ever-changing IT landscape. With IT innovations moving at the speed of light, once-secure tech jobs are now on the verge of extinction.

InfoWorld contributor Dan Tynan recently analyzed this trend in his article, "The 9 Most Endangered Species in the IT Workforce." He turned to me for my insights on what IT jobs I see disappearing in the coming years and how to avoid falling prey to IT job extinction.

If you're interested to know what IT jobs are on the endangered species list (genus, species, and all), click over to Dan's article. You'll find some great advice on how to stay current in the fast-paced IT world.