Alliances across State Lines Provide Students with Roadmap to Success

Impressed by the growing partnerships, the Community College Times recently reported on UMUC’s transfer agreements and alliances being built with two-year colleges across the nation.

Working to “provide educational continuum” for students not only inside of Maryland, but outside as well, UMUC has built nearly 80 alliance agreements. With these connections, students from all over can now take advantage of the university’s online degree programs without having to leave home.

“Everything we have built in the alliance program is about completion,” said Lisa Romano, UMUC’s associate vice president of college and university partnerships, when she spoke to the publication.

Having been a transfer student herself, Romano discusses the confusion students face when moving from a two-year to a four-year institution. Working to close the gaps and simplify the process for students, Romano explains UMUC’s goal to “strip down the barriers” by making sure there’s transparency in how their credits will transfer.

To read more about how UMUC is creating and maintaining partnerships check out the article, “Md. University Builds Transfer Agreements across State Lines.”

How to Know If a Four-Year Program is the Next Step

Most students at a two-year institution usually consider transferring to a four-year program at some point in their education. The decision to further pursue higher education by working toward a bachelor’s degree is not a simple choice, as it depends upon a student’s goals and current standing.

Attempting to assist students in the process, the National Association of Colleges and Employers discusses the steps to take and thoughts to consider before moving forward with the pursuit of a four-year degree in their publication, Job Choices: 2012.

The article by Rebecca Doak suggests students begin this process by taking personal inventory, which includes considering personal and professional goals and the benefits of a bachelor’s degree. It emphasizes the importance of students understanding their goals and the part that higher education will play in their future.

If a student elects to move forward, the second step suggested is to proceed by selecting the right college and program. Students should consider what type of college they’re coming from when choosing a new school and take into account the number of credits that are able to be transferred. With the option of colleges that offer different styles of learning, it’s important for students to consider which is most compatible with their schedule—a traditional, adult or accelerated program.

Once the decision is made to move forward with enrollment, it’s best to get involved in the school where you can. Network and get to know other students with similar goals and lifestyles. Though it may be a new experience, ultimately being involved and connecting with classmates will help students make the most of their new college life.

To find out more about what steps to take and thoughts to consider, check out the Job Choices: 2012 article, “Applying Your Two-Year Degree to a Four-Year Program.”

UMUC Team Wins Third in National Cybersecurity Competition

To stop a hacker, you first have to think like one. Four cybersecurity students from UMUC took on that challenge earlier this summer as they spent two grueling 10-hour days working against the clock to infiltrate networks, exploit software, decrypt data and ultimately prove their cybersecurity expertise. The UMUC Cyber Padawans won third in the Capture the Flag Cyber Challenge, sponsored by MITRE Corporation.

The team, whose name is a nod to Jedi apprentices from "Star Wars," faced stiff competition, battling cyber warriors from 35 colleges and high schools across the country. The top five was rounded out by teams from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (first place), the University of South Florida (second place), Carnegie Mellon University (fourth place) and the Polytechnic Institute of New York University (fifth place).

Read more about the Padawans and how they earned points in the competition by hacking a simulated student records database to change grades.

How to Diminish, Prevent and Manage Stress

It may seem that stress is unmanageable. At the end of the day, you’ll still have family responsibilities, a job and schoolwork to juggle, relationships to manage, and every day duties. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t take steps to diminish the presence of stressors and their impact.

Reduce Life Stressors

• Drop unnecessary responsibilities. Take a step back and look at your weekly schedule. Recognize the categories your responsibilities fall under and how they differ. Let go of everything you wouldn’t categorize as absolutely necessary and give your attention to what must be done. Cutting back will allow you to focus on what must be done, without less important tasks looming over you.
• Know your limits. Once you’ve lightened your schedule, it’s easy to allow other stressors to take their place. When other responsibilities or tasks come up, be mindful of your schedule and what you’re really capable of taking on. If someone asks you to assume a responsibility, rather than accepting it to please someone else, be fair to yourself and know when to say ‘no.’
• Be in charge of your surroundings. You know what kind of environment is best for you, so modify your surroundings for a space that best suits you. If you breathe easier in a well-organized area, clean and de-clutter your place. If you can think more clearly in a quiet space, turn down the music and turn off the TV. Eliminating the small things that add anxiety can have a big impact overall. 

Modify the Way You Operate

• Vocalize your needs. Take the time to communicate with those around you. If you need help or are bothered by something, reach out for assistance or talk out a problem. Without vocalizing your needs, stress will only build until the situation is addressed and a solution is developed.
• Focus on time management. It’s easy to tell yourself a task may take 30 minutes, but if you know it’s taken longer in the past, do yourself a favor—be realistic and plan accordingly. Being stuck in a time crunch is one of the easiest ways to increase stress, but with the right preparation, you can avoid the self-imposed tension and make everyday tasks more enjoyable.
• Assert yourself. Being passive can not only be time consuming, but more than anything it can be extremely taxing. If you’re dealing with a problem, tackle it head on. Most issues come to light eventually, so save yourself the time and worry.

Adjust and Adapt

• Take a step back. When an unexpected situation develops, take a step back to evaluate it. Unforeseen circumstances can often cause anxiety, so before you jump to that reaction, try analyzing an issue as an outsider. Seeing the circumstances for what they really are can help prevent stress.
• Manage your expectations. Be realistic when prepping for a situation. Just as they say, “Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst,” putting the extra time in considering alternative scenarios will help you avoid disappointment and panic. Having prepared for less expected events, you’ll be able to accept the new situation and respond appropriately.
• Thinking before responding. How you react to a situation can make all the difference in how it develops. Responding without considering your action’s impact can often lead to a greater, more stressful situation. Learn to gather your thoughts, consider the circumstances and then move forward.

Stressful situations aren’t always avoidable, but by being assertive, proactive and level-headed, you can learn to avoid and prevent anxiety with ease.

10 Effortless Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Between the waste created and energy consumed by the average person, everyone’s carbon footprint could use some work. But when the most talked about solutions involve buying hybrid cars and investing hundreds of dollars in energy-efficient light bulbs, it’s a little more difficult to commit to improvement. So, to offer a few alternatives, here are 10 tips that will not only be good for the environment, but may save you a little money.

1. Unplug appliances. Though they may not be in use, appliances that are plugged in still use energy. Consider using a power strip for devices so you can easily unplug them all at night or before you leave for the day.
   
2. Use cold water. Don’t worry, we don’t mean for a shower. But a lot of energy is required to heat water, so when it comes to doing laundry, consider whether or not you really need to wash something in hot water.
   
3. Get creative with your recycling. Sure, it’s easy to throw things out, but first consider the possibilities for an object. An old metal rake mounted on the wall makes for a great wine glass rack or key holder. Old furniture can easily be repainted to look like new. Rather than buying plastic bags or Tupperware, old soda bottles can be used to store things like pasta, rice or pet food. An empty prescription bottle is great for stashing little things like bobby or safety pins. If you have something you’re about to toss – consider looking up its reuses before deeming it useless.
   
4. Use a drying rack or clothes line. Dryers create a great deal of carbon emissions, but you can avoid contributing to this by hanging clothes up whenever possible. If you don’t like the way something has dried, pop it in the dryer for a few minutes to fluff it up. You’ll have greatly reduced the amount of energy that would have been used otherwise, and you’ll help your clothes last longer as dryers are known to wear down fabrics.
   
5. Shop with a reusable bag. They’re eco-friendly, they don’t break and they won’t wear out your hands. Plus, some stores give you a discount for using them!
   
6. Lower the brightness of your computer screen. Most people keep their computer screen at the maximum level of brightness, though it’s not necessary and uses much more energy.
   
7. Shut down your computer when it’s not in use. Whether it’s a laptop or a desktop, you’ll use much less energy by not keeping your computer running and/or having to charge it so often.
   
8. Donate or recycle your old clothes. Rather than throwing out clothing you’re ready to part with, donating it or creating something new from it saves the energy and resources that are used to create new clothes.
   
9. Carry less in your car. For any extra weight your car has to carry, whether it is unpacked items hanging out in the trunk or a bike rack, it has to work that much harder which requires more gas. So remove the bike rack or unpack the trunk because it could end up saving you some money at the pump.
   
10. Use the top shelf of the oven. The top shelf cooks food faster so it’s less time you’ll have to wait and less time the oven has to be in use.