ational EWS SEPTEMBER HAPPY TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY (AND LABOR DAY TOO!)

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1 SEPTEMBER N ational EWS 2016 HAPPY TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY (AND LABOR DAY TOO!) What s Inside? Alumni Updates: pg 2 - NAU s First Canadian Graduate - Alumni Spotlights Campus Happenings: pg Congratulations Graduates! - Chambers recognize NAU Campuses for 75 years System Updates: pg 3 - A&B Business donates $18,000 to NAU Foundation - Faculty of the Quarter Awards Spotlight: pg 4 - Five reasons why mentoring is necessary Message: pg 5 - Alumni Benefits: Our way of saying thanks! Did you know that there are nearly 130 different recognition days September? Coffee, chewing gum, Play-Doh, comic books, hugs, one-hit wonders, math storytelling, butterscotch pudding, talking like a pirate, and many more, are all celebrated in September. Of course, the day we are most familiar with is Labor Day, celebrated each year on the first Monday in September. As the unofficial start to fall and the school year, Labor Day was first proposed in the 1880s to commemorate the importance of American laborers. In 2015, President Barack Obama recognized, as have Presidents before him, the contributions and resilience of working Americans. At NAU, we are acutely aware of the role that higher education plays in the future careers of our students. We get it. NAU students are not in school for just a good time. They re here to gain the education and skills needed for successful careers. Career development is central to NAU s mission and the overall purpose of the university. We take seriously our responsibility to assist students and graduates in this important endeavor. Our Career Services Department helps with job search techniques, resume writing, dressing for success, and more. You can reach a Career Services Director at naucareerservice@national.edu or NAU Connect, for alumni and students approaching graduation, is another great way to connect with NAU alumni who are willing to help. Many alumni are established in their fields and have indicated an interest in giving back. Check out the Alumni Directory at NAUConnect.com to find alumni willing to help. For Labor Day 2016, NAU celebrates YOU, our alumni and students who are on their way to bright futures and successful careers. A great career is something you can celebrate every day of the year! NAU LOCATIONS Albuquerque, NM Albuquerque West, NM Allen Service Center, TX Aurora, CO Austin, TX Austin South, TX Bellevue, NE Bloomington, MN Brooklyn Center, MN Burnsville, MN Centennial, CO Colorado Springs, CO Colorado Springs South, CO Ellsworth AFB, SD Georgetown, TX Houston, TX - Online Independence, MO Indianapolis, IN Lee s Summit, MO Lewisville, TX Mesquite, TX Minnetonka, MN Online - Distance Learning Roueche Graduate Center, TX Overland Park, KS Richardson, TX Rochester, MN Roseville, MN Sioux Falls, SD Tulsa, OK Watertown, SD Wichita, KS Wichita West, KS Zona Rosa, MO

2 NAU NEWS ALUMNI UPDATES NAU S FIRST CANADIAN GRADUATE: KALPNA PATHAK In 2009, an injury led Kalpna to trios College in Canada where she earned a diploma in community service. Upon graduation, she was hand-picked by trios to be the first student to take advantage of a new collaboration with NAU: An online diploma-to-degree completion program. Online learning was new for Kalpna, plus she was working full-time. Kalpna s hard work paid off. Shortly after her June 2016 graduation she had three competing job offers, ultimately accepting a full time position with D+H Financial, while also volunteering as a refugee settlement worker. I am very happy to be volunteering and to work in the service industry, says Kalpna. My time at NAU has been amazing. It has changed my life. L-R: Dr. Robert Paxton, NAU President of Strategic Initiatives and External Relations; Kalpna Pathak; Frank Gerencser, CEO, trios; and Uzma Bhatti, Mississauga Campus Director, trios. ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS Jason Churchill, 14 B.S. Information Technology with an Emphasis in Internet Systems Development, NAU- Online Campus: Jason is an out-of-the-box thinker who reinvented himself after 20 years in the military. In addition to earning his Bachelor s at NAU, he recently secured a Master s in Digital Forensic Science. He donates his tech know-how to a mediation center and at the Michigan Paranormal Research Organization. Jim Stalzer, State Representative, South Dakota, 78 B.S. Business Administration, NAU- Sioux Falls After a long and successful career, Rep. Jim Stalzer is spending his retirement as a state legislator. Graduates from Centennial, Colorado Springs Colorado Springs South, and Garden City celebrate their big day Page 2

3 CAMPUS UPDATES NAU HOSTS GRADUATION CEREMONIES HONORING THOUSANDS OF GRADUATES 11 NAU locations held graduation ceremonies this spring, celebrating the success of more than a thousand NAU graduates. Commencement is the culmination of academic achievement, earned with hard work and perseverance. All of us at NAU applaud you! As official NAU Alumni, check out the great alumni benefits on page 5. Congratulations Graduates! RAPID CITY CAMPUS RECEIVES CHAMBER S BEAUTIFICATION AWARD, PLUS RECOGNITION FOR 75 YEARS NAU received the August 2016 Rapid City Chamber Beautification Award for the improvements made to the Rapid City Campus. NAU was also the featured article in the Chamber s 2016 Investment Report, recognizing its 75 years in Rapid City. BELLEVUE CAMPUS CELEBRATES NAU S 75 YEARS In partnership with the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, NAU s Bellevue campus (Nebraska) enjoyed a ribbon cutting to commemorate NAU s 75th Anniversary. Campus Director Susan Wurtele spoke of NAU s rich history and its commitment in Bellevue to its students, including active duty military and veterans. SYSTEM UPDATES NAU RECOGNIZES FACULTY OF THE QUARTER Faculty of the Quarter are recognized for their significant accomplishments in and outside the classroom, their ability to create a dynamic learning environment, and their support of students academic success. Congratulations to Carla-Elaine Johnson (English, Bloomington) and Ryan Jenkins (Accounting, Bellevue), NAU s faculty of the quarter for the winter term, 2015; and to Amy Shaw-Valentin (Pharmacy Tech and English, Roseville) and Diane Heinemann (Mathematics, Colorado Springs), NAU s faculty of the quarter for the spring term, NAU RECEIVES PARTNERSHIP AWARD FROM THE SOUTH DAKOTA PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION On behalf of National American University, Chris Cady, NAU- Sioux Falls Paralegal Studies Program Coordinator and Marsha Stacey, NAU-Sioux Falls Librarian, Law Librarian, and adjunct faculty, received the South Dakota Paralegal Association s Professional Development Partnership Award. NAU s paralegal studies degrees are recognized as Approved Paralegal Education Programs by the American Bar Association, the only such programs in South Dakota. Rapid City Chamber members awarding the Beautification Award to NAU s Rapid City Campus employees NAU FOUNDATION RECEIVES $18,000 FROM A&B BUSINESS SOLUTIONS FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS The nonprofit NAU Foundation is grateful to A&B Business Solutions for its support of 15 student scholarships over the next 3 years. A&B, headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with locations in six states, provides a wide variety of business services and products, including managed print and document services, equipment, and office supplies. For more information visit abbusiness.com. The NAU Foundation is grateful to these NEW corporate donors! Philadelphia, PA Lenexa, KS Online Commencement Ceremony now available! Perfect for sharing your big moment with family and friends. Chris Cady (left) and Marsha Stacey Dr. Ron Shape, President & CEO of NAU (left) with Dennis Aanenson, owner of A&B Business Solutions. Paramus, NJ Page 3

4 IN THE SPOTLIGHT ARE YOU CONNECTED? At NAU Connect, more than 370 alumni have indicated a willingness to be a mentor to fellow alumni and students. 5 Reasons Why Mentoring is Necessary in Today s Professional World Simply join NAU Connect (it s free!) at NAUConnect.com and check out the alumni directory to find a mentor today! Mentoring is an often overlooked factor that can give you a leg-up in today s highly competitive world of work. Here are five reasons why a mentor will help you: 1. A mentor may provide feedback that helps you uncover your personal blind spots that are holding back your long-term success. 2. A mentor can help with your skill development, which requires constant attention to stay current and successful in your field. 3. You can look to a mentor for social and emotional support from someone familiar with the difficulties particular to your field or workplace (however, be careful not to let the mentoring relationship turn into a regular gripe session). 4. A mentor provides valuable career advice, from lessons learned to opportunities. 5. Mentors provide the social connections you need for success, taking the awkwardness out of vitally important networking. Conclusion Good mentoring can be provided by a variety of people, sometimes by peers, and other times by people in senior positions. One of the most important things you can do for your career is to tap into a mentoring network, like the one offered by the NAU alumni office through NAU Connect (see sidebar). So, take that first step and reach out to someone willing to help. It s an important part of your career development journey. An expanded version of this article is available at naufoundation.org/2015/08/nau-publications. About the author: Christopher Nettles, Ph.D. received his Bachelor of Science from National American University in 1995, a Master of Arts from the University of Colorado-Denver in 2007, and his doctoral degree in clinical psychology from George Washington University in Dr. Nettles runs a mentoring program for early career researchers at the American Psychological Association. Page 4

5 MESSAGE NAU ALUMNI BENEFITS: OUR WAY OF SAYING THANKS! For 75 years, NAU has been providing quality education. Tens of thousands of college graduates from 49 states and 27 countries proudly claim NAU as their alma mater. We are grateful and are pleased to offer several alumni benefits. Keeping and Making NAU Connections NAU Connect (nauconnect.com) is a free online community for NAU alumni. At NAU Connect, you can network with other NAU graduates, find job postings, career advice and news. Facebook (/AlumniNAU) Twitter (@AlumniNAU) LinkedIn (Official National American University Alumni Network; linkedin.com/groups/ ) Communications National News, published quarterly and mailed directly to alumni. The Maverick Way Bulletin, a weekly e-newsletter, featuring career news, alumni spotlights, campus happenings, and more. Join NAU Connect (nauconnect.com) to get this publication. Career Services NAU s alumni services office works very closely with our career services team. We realize that a good career is why you went to college in the first place. Reach out to naucareerservice@national.edu or NAU Alumni Office: alumni@national.edu Contact us today to share your story or to receive YOUR alumni newsletters. Save Money In partnership with HotelStorm, NAU Alumni get hotel discounts of up to 55% at nationwide hotels (hotelstorm.com/national-american-university; Password: ALUMNI). Tuition free classes! Stay current in your career field. As a graduate, you may audit a course you have previously taken to refresh and update your learning. Engage! We love Alumni Spotlights! Share your story by ing alumni@national.edu Share your knowledge. We ll publish your article for fellow alumni. For details, alumni@national.edu. Page 5

6 National American University ALUMNI OFFICE 5301 S. Highway PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID RAPID CITY, SD PERMIT NO 618 ATTENTION ALL ALUMNI! GET CONNECTED WITH NAU AND EACH OTHER Please continue to submit updates relating to career and personal successes at or share your information directly with Tamie Hopp, Director of Alumni & Foundation Services at or This will allow NAU to provide you with alumni updates, services, benefits, and communication. Notice: NAU will never sell alumni or student contact information. Contact information will be used only for official NAU purposes. Recipients have the right to unsubscribe and opt-out of such communication. You can also connect with alumni, faculty and students on NAU Connect (nauconnect.com), LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook by visiting naufoundation.org/2015/09/get-connected-with-nau/.