By Gregory Distefano

FOCUS 2011 has our entire university community continually striving to provide relevant and rewarding experiences for our students — both inside and beyond the classroom. We’re addressing affordability and making the necessary investments in structural, fiscal and human resources to ensure the best possible educational experience for future generations of JWU students.

In this final year of FOCUS 2011, we take a closer look at a handful of accomplishments within the academic area — new graduate programs, the notoriety that our unique experiential education approach is receiving across the nation, and a conversation with an alumna who is taking advantage of the opportunity to further her education online at JWU.

Image top: Twelve JWU faculty and staff traveled to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong in May 2011 to learn about the Chinese culture, educational system and economy. The intent was to improve JWU’s ability to educate and service students from the region and teach our core disciplines, impacted by China’s role in the world today. Throughout the 2011–2012 academic year, the group will work on related initiatives and provide faculty and staff with insight and tools to work more effectively with Chinese students enrolled at JWU, whose number last year reached 695.

A Graduate School Reshaped to Meet the Market
The Alan Shawn Feinstein Graduate School has undergone significant change. As a result of an intensive review of the university’s MBA programs during the 2009–10 academic year, the graduate school and School of Education have been reorganized under a single dean. New offerings have been established, new leadership is in place, additional academically qualified faculty have been hired and the curricula have been redesigned for broader relevance and academic rigor. These changes were designed to satisfy the FOCUS 2011 goals to review existing programs and develop innovative new ones.

“Through the Academic Program Review process we learned that our programs needed to be more ‘industry standard’ and more rigorous,” says Jeffrey Senese, PhD, vice president of academic affairs. “We realigned the core of our graduate curricula. Our MBA programs now not only meet industry standards, they’re also differentiated enough to give graduates a competitive edge in specific job markets. This is part of our strategic focus and will increase with ongoing program reviews.”

Two new graduate school programs have also been established. An enhanced MBA program in accounting allows students to complete the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification concurrently with MBA coursework, providing a distinct job advantage for graduates while enhancing the graduate school’s reputation. “In addition, the accounting program is not just limited to accounting; it incorporates finance as well,” says Senese. “This broader base was designed to provide graduates more job options to consider.”

A new Master of Science in Criminal Justice Management degree was also developed. “It too aligns with our undergraduate program, and was designed to position graduates for management fields within the criminal justice industry,” says Senese. “To support the program, we invested in hiring two faculty with more than 20 years of experience each in the field. One has a JD and a PhD. Our faculty in the program is a perfect combination of practitioners and PhDs.” To cap the transformation, the graduate school has named a new dean, Frank Sargent, JD, EdD.

“We conducted a national search and received more than 70 applications from across the country, but Frank really rose to the top,” says Senese. “He comes to us from Bridgewater State where he was an associate dean and has both an EdD and JD.”

Sargent has been charged with reorganizing the graduate school to ensure integration of staff and faculty; reviewing and defining MBA, MAT and doctoral programs, and determining the feasibility of new programs on an ongoing basis.

As VP of academic affairs, Senese will remain focused on taking advantage of strong undergraduate programs and assessing how they can be integrated or taken further at the graduate level. “For now we’ll concentrate on growing and maintaining our graduate programs at the Providence Campus,” he says. “But down the road we’ll consider more and more online opportunities at the graduate level.”
Master of Business Administration in Accounting (PDF brochure)
Master of Science in Criminal Justice Management (PDF brochure)

Online Path Offers Access to Advancement
Desirée Narog ’02 graduated from JWU’s Providence Campus with an associate degree in baking and pastry arts. She could only pursue an associate degree because “federal funding decreases as you progress,” she notes, adding, “In 2002 the economy still supported jobs for people with an AS.”

She enjoyed working at a chocolate-making company but didn’t have the proper credentials or experience to move into the development labs, where she really wanted to work.

In 2008, a mailer from JWU that offered an opportunity to earn her bachelor’s degree online in either baking and pastry arts and food service management or culinary arts and food service management piqued her interest. With the economy tanking and the job market tight, Narog thought, “Now’s the time to further my education.” By then she’d moved to the insurance industry. The stable income would allow her to go to school full time online, work a part-time job in retail and have a happy balance. “Besides, I’d never lost the itch to bake and had even thought often about hospitality management.”

Although she had her doubts, Narog enrolled in JWU’s online program. “I like human interaction and wasn’t sure about online learning,” she says. “But I’ve had some great classes and you can always connect with your instructors. There are a few students I’m progressing with and it’s comforting to see familiar names appear on the discussion boards.”

Narog had the AS lab skills, rounded out through three separate internships. Today in the online program she enjoys “delving into the ‘business’ side of the program.” Narog logs in on her lunch hour, downloads materials and completes her assignments on weeknights. “It could be a challenge for people who don’t have the focus, but I want my bachelor’s … I’m not going to let myself down.”

Narog is reaching out to potential employers. She envisions starting in the back of the house doing mass production, or working in guest services and advancing to management. “The online degree will kick up my résumé, and hopefully highlight my work ethic. The industry has progressed and the employment market has changed.