AU Blogspot

 
                Thanks to superbomba for permission to use this Photo.

I think the biggest challenge for me personally is trying to study and keep after my daughter at the same time.  She is 15 months now and is into anything and everything, so the only time I get to study anymore is when she’s in bed.  

I’m an Army wife, so spending time with my hubby when he’s actually home cuts into my study time as well.  Between being an Army wife and a mommy; between cooking, cleaning,  bathing, chasing, and keeping the little one happy; it gets rough trying to get my school work done. 

Yet…it’s all worth it though! 

I’m glad Ashworth allows me to work at my own pace or I think I’d be up a creek without a paddle! 

Lynn
Ashworth High School Student 

I finished my first course today! I have a paper that still needs to be graded, but so far my grade is a 99%!  It will be interesting to see what the other courses are like.

I have to admit, this being an *online* school that isn’t going to ‘break the bank”—I thought the lessons and testing would be on the easier side. Boy was I wrong. The first course, EN110, I found challenging and had to actually take time to finish the papers and make sure they didn’t seem ‘thrown together.’ You actually had to understand the material for the exams as well.

Kudos to the Ashworth people.  This is more challenging than the community college that my job sent me to for specialized training!

With the large amount of apprehension that I had my first week, I have to say that this is going to be a very enjoyable journey and worth every blood, sweat, tear and cent I put into it.

John
Student
Ashworth Business Administration Program

 
               Thanks too Margaret S for permission to use this Photo.

I’m new at Ashworth University.  I have been reading the book on becoming a Master’s Student. I’m not sure if anyone has had the same experience I did, but working through the exercises provided in the first chapter of this book has made me realize so much about myself.

Unknowingly, I have gone into a self discovery that I never knew existed inside of me.  Simply by being honest with myself, I was able to see what I need to work on. The funny part is that in the back of my mind I knew I did a lot of these things, but I would always have an excuse for myself on why I did it.  

The reason for this message is that I want to share this experience with some other students that are possibly having a hard time with all the topics this book covers. I was bothered enough to actually take out the time to write this message.

When I say bothered, it’s because this discovery has pierced into my comfort zone. It actually made me feel nervous. The type of nervous you feel when you sense your relationship with your partner is ending. I thought It was something bad, but I sat down to analyze the feeling and I understood  where was it from.

For all those who haven’t read this book—you should.  Even those who have simply read it and and answered the test can find a lifelong lesson hidden in there.

Vanessa
Student
Ashworth University Business Administration Program

Believe it or not, I temporarily worked as an Admissions Specialist at “AU”. I guess you can say the awe-inspiring stories I heard each day from prospective students had a lot to do with me finally going back to school.

Another reason is a little friendly family competition I’m having with my 18-yr old son who will be attending Georgia Military College this fall. I’m somewhat ahead of him already because his semester tuition is $7000 and mine is $1200.   That doesn’t really matter since I am studying for my Associate Degree in Finance; I’ll be able to put a plan in place for him to pay off his student loans in record time!

My goal is to finish my degree in one year; I made 100% on my first exam today. Yesterday was my birthday and it feels great that I am no longer making excuses about not continuing my education -Thanks Ashworth University!

Melissa
Student
Ashworth University Associate Program in Finance

           Thanks to soundfromwayout for permission to use this Photo.

If you are convinced that your dream internship is out of reach, we’re willing to bet that you’re wrong. Landing internships at the Goldmans and McKinseys of the world may be a challenge, but that’s OK. We’ll help you develop a strategy to go after your top choices.

Before we talk strategy, we’d like to give you examples of students who landed their dream internships using our tactics:

Binghamton’s Thomas Burke landed an internship at the Mercantile Exchange through family friends. 

Cabrini’s Dennis Beovich landed an internship as an analyst at a top investment bank through his father.

Sacred Heart’s Joseph Churba landed a Big 4 Accounting Firm internship through a professor.

These are just a handful of students who took their internship search to a new level and scored their top choices. Now we’ll show you how you can do the same.

Dig for connections you never knew you had

The first and most important action you should take is to get in touch with alumni from your school’s alumni network. The majority of alumni will be thrilled to help you, especially if they have made themselves available on the school’s network. If you do not know of such a network at your school, visit your career center and ask for a list of alumni who work in your industry. Remember to always start these conversations with questions, showing interest in the industry, and never with requests for interviews or resume pushes.

Next, take 15 minutes to compile a list of all your family members and friends. When you finish, go through the list and figure out who you will see within the next week. Plan on asking them who they know in your target industry. Email or call everyone else on your list and find out who they know. Make sure you have good questions prepared for your conversations.

If your first contact is unable to help you, ask about introducing you to three people who can. You have the advantage of being a college student and many people will be helpful. (more…)

 
                    Thanks to Torley for permission to use this Photo.

Hi everyone, my name is Camilla.  I am the proud parent of one little angel named Destiny.  She is the love of my life and I love her so much.  Having a daughter has opened my eyes to the realities of this world.

I have always been a very mature and responsible person, but had somehow managed to procrastinate taking my education to the next level.  I have been employed in the travel industry since I left college, which is a very challenging and exciting profession!

I have always put off pursuing my bachelor’s degree for a later date, but after having my daughter, I decided that I needed to do it now for many reasons.

Firstly, earning my degree in management is totally vital to me in terms of self satisfaction and knowing that I did all to achieve my ultimate educational goals. Having taken the necessary steps towards my goal, I totally intend to use this as an example of hard work and dedication to my daughter. 

Some people believe that when one has kids—it’s the end of the world; but it doesn’t have to be. Raising a child is just as much an opportunity to get to know yourself better as it is a life long process of discovery.

In addition, this degree gives me a better chance of earning a better salary, which will in turn help me care for my daughter much better financially.

Although it is very challenging to study and make plans when you are a parent, it is very important to find it in your inner self to make the time. Dedicate yourself to doing this and rely on your support system no matter how small it is.  Just keep staying focused on your ultimate goal.

However; I have also learned that no matter how urgent the deadline for an assignment might be—it is always best to take care of my daughter first, instead of ignoring her, and then get back to the assignment.

So to all fellow students who are parents (male, female, single, married, or divorced)—I say congratulations for making this step to advancing your education and wish you all the best with your endeavours!

Camilla
Bachelor’s In Management Program Student
Ashworth University

                  
             Thanks to ankatank for permission to use this Photo.

If I were to ask you what your definition of success is could you answer it in a relatively quick fashion? Or would you do as so many do, fumble for an answer — rattling off the common responses which tend to show up when one is asked this question. Answers such as… I’ll be successful when I have x number of dollars in the bank.Or would you instead have an answer which is highly personal to you, to your own life, where you are now, combined with a carefully crafted vision of where you want your life to take you in the future?

As Henry David Thoreau so eloquently said — “Most people lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.” In my humble opinion many people miss the mark, not because they lack the ability to achieve success in their given endeavors, but rather because they never take the time to truly identify what success means to them. And as a result end up moving aimlessly hoping to hit upon what it is they think they want to achieve — often not even truly realizing what it is they are seeking.

When we have a solid definition crafted we can use it to lay out a plan which we can follow that will naturally put us in alignment with whatever it is that we believe to be most important.Believe it or not I have had conversations with people who after taking the time to define what success means to them personally — realized in that very moment that they had in fact already experienced many times where they had met with great success in their life. Imagine that, here were people who longed to achieve this magical place, but up to that point hadn’t ever taken the time to get clear on what that “place” even was.Upon doing so, they acquired a different outlook, one which they could feel good about, knowing that they had already experienced many times where they’d already met with personal achievement. (more…)

From Kate Lorenz of CareerBuilder.com:

There are many rites of passage in every young person’s life. Getting your driver’s license, graduation day and turning 21 are just a few. But another rite of passage can be even more important to your future — writing your first resume. While it’s not as exciting as learning to drive, creating your first resume is a vital step in launching your career. The process may seem daunting. You have to put all of your best qualities on paper, make yourself look more attractive than the next person and completely sell yourself, all on one sheet of paper. “You have only a few seconds to snag the employer’s attention,” writes Seattle-based career coach Robin Ryan in Winning Resumes, (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2003). “You must sell the employer within 15 seconds of looking at your resume, or you’ll lose the job.” Here are seven tips to help you catch an employer’s attention.

1. Start with the basics.

It sounds obvious, but your resume must include your name, address, phone number and e-mail address. Be mindful of the address you include. College students, in particular, tend to move often, so include a permanent address, such as your parent’s address. Take care with your e-mail address too. “Make your user ID related to your name, not any nickname attributions,” Ryan says. If you want to appear professional to an employer, a user ID like “sexylegs2000″ will not work. If your personal e-mail address is not appropriate, set up a new account just for job searches.

2. Include an objective and summary of skills.

These sections come right after your personal information and, for a first-time job seeker, should be concise.

For example:

Objective: Editing Position

Summary of Skills: Excellent writer proficient in copy editing and familiar with AP style. Extremely organized, with ample experience meeting deadlines and working in high-pressure situations.

Your “summary of skills” should highlight experiences and qualifications that the employer is seeking. Remember, Ryan says, “a resume is not about what you want. It’s about what you offer an employer.” 

To read more of Kate’s great article, login to the Ashworth University Career Center through the student portal and click here.

Kate Lorenz is the article and advice editor for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Other writers contributed to this article.

Copyright © 1996 - 2008 Experience, Inc. - All Rights Reserved 

Ryan Rode
Interactive Services Manager
Ashworth University

The Ashworth University Career Center is a free student resource provided through our partnership with Experience.com, the nation’s largest career advancement site focusing exclusively on college students and young professionals.  You can access the Ashworth University Career Center through the Student Portal.  Simply click on the “Career Center” link on the left hand navigation bar after logging into the Student Portal.  Here’s an example of some of the very informative career enhancement articles you have access to within the Career Center:

Getting Great References 

By Tory Johnson, CEO of Women For Hire

It’s inevitable that at some point in your job search you will be asked for references, and when you are, you want to be sure you have a great group of advocates who are prepared with answers that will help rather than hinder your chances at landing the position.

References are something you should think about at the beginning of your interview process and not just at the end when you are under immediate pressure to provide them.

Start by making a list of all the possible people you can use as a reference. Be sure to think about:

• Former employers
• Former Clients
• College professors
• Deans
• Family friends who have seen you in a professional setting
• Association leaders

Copyright © 1996 - 2008 Experience, Inc. - All Rights Reserved   

To read more of Tory’s great article, login to the Ashworth University Career Center through the student portal and click here:

Ryan Rode
Interactive Services Manager
Ashworth University

When I received my first textbook in the mail, the first thing I did was go out and buy a planning book. I then scanned though my textbook and lessons to see about how much work was required of me and I just divided it up into smaller sections so that it wouldn’t be very overwhelming.

I just take my time and get things done when I have enough energy in me to do so. That’s the great thing about this place; you pretty much have all the time you need to complete assignments. You just have to find your pace and stick to it. It’s hard at the beginning, but once you get the momentum going it gets easier.

Shirley
Computer Information Management Student
Ashworth University