Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Spring Preview

January 2, 2012

Jackie Gratz

Want to know what’s coming up for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute’s spring 2012 semester?   Attend its Preview of Spring Classes to be held on Thursday, January 19 from 10 a.m. until noon in the Merrick Lecture Hall at Goucher College.  There’s plenty of free parking with a short walk to the Lecture Hall.  At the Preview you’ll see and hear teachers as they give brief presentations of their upcoming courses.  A wide array of courses in the Fine Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences and Natural Sciences will be offered in spring as well as two book clubs and two film series.   Among the courses are

  • Cosmic Puzzles
  • Russia in Revolution
  • Disease and History
  • Roots of the Blues
  • Jewish Women in the American Labor Movement
  • Physics for Everyday Life
  • Traits of Triumphant Survivors
  • French Wines Demystified
  • and many more

Some of these courses are four-week courses and some are eight-week with all offered during the day.  The spring semester begins on March 5 and ends May 3. View the full list of course offerings.

The Osher Institute offers courses to persons 50 years of age and older, but makes a special offer to Towson University faculty and staff of any age who may join Osher at a reduced rate and take one course each semester without further charge.  If you are reading this blog, you are no doubt still employed and may not have the time to attend even one course.  But please spread the word about the Osher Preview and its upcoming spring semester among the older generations of your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.

For more information about the Osher program, visit the Osher website call the office at 410-704-3688.  We’d love to send you a spring 2012 catalog with descriptions of all of the courses being offered and biographical information on the teachers who will teach them.

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Posted by Guest Blogger

Here for the Long Haul–CGIS Student Staff

January 18, 2011

Sharyn

I’ve worked for the Center for GIS for a LONG time. But, I’m happy to say there are a few other folks who have been here pretty long, too, but more interestingly, they started their careers at CGIS as student employees. I thought it would be interesting to look back and find out more about their days as undergrads (or grad students in some cases).

Ardys Russakis

Ardys Russakis (pronounced R-DIS) started working at CGIS in 1995 and is now the Operations Officer. Her mentor was Dr. Kent Barnes, a professor in the Towson University Department of Geography & Environmental Planning. Ardys believes that his insistence on hard work really paid off. She commented that there were a “number of times I had to redo GIS projects in the lab….by the time I finished my BA I realized how important it was to review, review,  and review your work along the way. If something seems too easy you have probably missed a step, and if something seems impossible you are probably over thinking it.”

Ashley Lesh Buzzeo

Ashley Buzzeo is a rising star around here. She told me that Dr. Jay Morgan, Director Emeritus of CGIS, took the time to mentor her and didn’t just teach her about professional skills, but also life skills that focus on being passionate about work while putting family first. She was recently promoted to project manager and when she shared with me the most valuable skill she gained as a student employee, I can see why these early skills she learned in the workforce have made it easy for her to emerge as a leader. “I learned from day one that at CGIS, our work requires multiple skills, collaboration, and good communication from many coworkers to accomplish specific tasks.” Besides being a leader here, she is one of the most active CGIS staff members in the Maryland State Geographic Information Committee (MSGIC).

Jeremy Monn

Back in 2003 when Jeremy Monn started out as a Graduate Assistant, we sat next to one another in our old offices that use to be located in the basement of Linthicum Hall. Recently, he told me that the most valuable skill he gained while working as a student was preparing and delivering conference presentations.  With encouragement from faculty members in Towson University’s Geography Department and from CGIS supervisors, he prepared and delivered several conference presentations as a graduate assistant. I’m sure that is part of the reason he enjoys teaching as an adjunct in the Geography Department so much. Jeremy also considered Jaime Alvarez, a former CGIS co-worker, to be a good mentor. On Friday afternoons, they’d share a Dr. Pepper and discuss projects. Jaime “was always very approachable and always stressed that I not hesitate to ask him questions.  That’s something I have tried to stress as a CGIS employee and an adjunct instructor.”

Susan Wooden

Just a few months after I started working for CGIS, Susan Wooden was hired as a part time student employee while working on her Master’s degree in Professional Writing. As we discussed our time here, Susan said that not only the coursework sharpened her skills, but also the work she was charged with such as managing proposals and project documents for CGIS made her put everything she was learning about grammar, rhetoric, and style to work right away, under the pressure of deadlines and administrative scrutiny. Besides professors from the Professional Writing program mentoring her, she said that “Dr. Jay Morgan’s encouragement and advice, and his telling me often “Your work is important to CGIS” was key to my longevity and success at CGIS.”

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Posted by Sharyn Kuczka

Guest Blogger: At CGIS, GISP certification matters

January 13, 2011

Mark Helmken

Last November Jimmy Bayne blogged about various educational paths people can take to enter the IT workplace. I want to talk about another facet of professional development—certification. Many professions strongly suggest or require that practitioners acquire certain levels of certification. Having those certifications, usually awarded by the professional’s peers, is one way to say “Hey, I didn’t stop learning… growing… (fill in the blank…) after I finished my formal education.” Specifically, I want to focus this blog post on the value of certification as a GISP—a geographic information systems (GIS) Professional.

What’s so special about GISP?

Soon, the number of GISPs at CGIS is likely to double. Since GISP status is recognition of a certain level of achievement in the GIS professions, as well as commitment to a high ethical standard, that’s special—for Maryland’s GIS resource base, and for Towson University, DECO, and our clients. Even though we already regard all of these particular CGIS staff to be GIS professionals, the right to put GISP after their names must be earned from the GIS Certification Institute (GISCI) through a rigorous qualifying process.

Qualifying for GISP status

Through a portfolio that includes a 32-page points-based application plus submission of supporting documents, successful GISP applicants prove that they meet GISCI standards for ethical conduct and professional practice, educational achievement, professional experience, and the manner in which they contribute back to the profession. Certification is based on a range of benchmarks.

GISP Code of Ethics

The GISP Code of Ethics includes the same ethical standards that many other professional societies regard as essential, as well as some that are unique to the GIS profession.

The Value of GISP Certification

The rewards and value of GISP certification are both personal and universal. In their own words,

CGIS professionals share their thoughts about the meaning of their own GISP certification.

I like being a part of a professional group that is focused on the specific challenges in the GIS field. The requirements for GISP include not only education and experience, but community outreach, contributions to the field, and willingness to learn new things. Melanie Ruff, GISP, GIS Specialist III

I believe that certification as a Professional in my chosen field will add value to any organization I am a part of. It’s also gratifying to know that my accomplishments in the classroom, experience in the field, and contributions to GIS in Maryland are recognized and valued by other members of the GIS industry. Tom Earp, Jr., GISP, Project Manager

The GIS Certification Institute’s mission, “to maintain the high standards and integrity of the GIS profession and promote ethical conduct within it”, is one that I believe in, and obtaining GISP Certification reinforces that belief. Ken Juengling, GISP, Project Manager

Obtaining the GISP certification as a GIS professional acknowledges to the industry and public that I value, support, and will abide by all standards and guidelines established, and that I am proficient in Geographic Information Systems and Science. The certification is one more step forward in professional development, which can lead to career advancement. As a GIS professional this certification informs me of what to expect from other GIS professionals.

Lionell Sewell, GIS Specialist II and GISP applicant

I’d like to repeat part of Lionell’s statement: “The certification is one more step forward in professional development…” I believe it’s important for any individual, regardless of his or her professional or trade, to seek opportunities for professional certification and to continually reach for the highest standard.

Click here to learn more about GISP certification.

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Posted by Guest Blogger

Video: DECO’s 2010 Holiday Card

December 13, 2010

Bobbie

For those that voted—No it wasn’t Jingle Bells, Frosty the Snowman, or Rudolph—our 2010 holiday video card includes our talented staff and students singing (and in some cases dancing) to our version of the 12 Days of Christmas.  Jenn Lake, our student graphic designer, deserves a  big THANK YOU for all her work in producing this year’s video.

4 Comments | Business Analysis, Community Outreach, Economic Analysis, Education, Entrepreneurship, International Business Development, IT, Lifelong Learning, Mapping, News, Project Management, Small Business Development, Students, Training, TU Faculty & Staff | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Bobbie Laur

My experience teaching with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

November 22, 2010

Bobbie

Towson’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is one our most dynamic community engagement initiatives.  I published a blog post back in August on their upcoming Fall semester. About a year ago, Jackie Gratz, Osher Director, attended a workshop Sharyn Kuczka and I facilitated at the Pikesville Senior Center on using Social Media.  During that 1.5 hour workshop, we touched on the basics of social media, but more specifically using Facebook and privacy concerns that were relevant to that audience.

Following the workshop, Jackie approached Sharyn and me about creating a 4-week course for Osher.  While we were interested, we had a few concerns:

  1. Is there enough interest in this topic among the Osher membership?
  2. Can we cover all the topics we had in mind in just 4 weeks?

Now that the class is over I can say the answers to those concerns were Yes and No.  Yes, there was plenty of interest—in fact we had 50 students and a waiting list!  I’d have to say no, in terms of whether we were able to cover everything we wanted to.  We made great strides in educating the students on the social media tools available for their use and teaching them how to maintain their own security on these tools.  However, based on the class feedback, an 8-week course would have allowed us to expand on these topics as opposed to just touching on the high level points.

One of my favorite parts of the course was having John Laur as a guest speaker.  John, who happens to also be my (new) husband, is the Digital Director for WBAL 1090 and 98 Rock.  John discussed the impact social media is having on traditional forms of media like radio.  He focused on branding, information gathering, and audience engagement.

The course was a great experience and it’s clear that people of all ages are interested in experimenting with all of these new tools to connect with our friends, family, co-workers, and in a lot of their cases grand-kids!

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Posted by Bobbie Laur

Review of 2010 Workforce Trends

November 17, 2010

Allie

In the world of workforce training, determining trends year-to-year comes down program popularity.  In other words – what trainings will produce JOBS! When I asked Gordon Davis, our Educational Consultant, what the hottest programs on the market have been for the past year he immediately said, “That’s an easy question: Project Management, and Medical Coding and Billing.”

In as little as 6 to 12 months, depending on your own schedule you have the ability to become certified online in any of the above fields. Prerequisites are not required!

Project Management

It takes 3-6 months and 56 hours of coursework to fully prepare yourself to sit for the PMP Exam to become PMI Certified. This course is self-paced with 24/7 access as well as direct contact with an instructor if mentor assistance is needed.

Photo Credit: Jakub Krechowicz

Medical Billing and Coding

Why not train for one of the hottest and fastest growing careers in the medical industry? In the Medical Coding and Billing Certification course, you’ll learn the essentials of Medical Coding and Billing, including evaluation and management coding, proper billing procedures for Medicare and private insurance companies, anatomy and medical terminology, claims appeals and more. Studies show that Medical Coders and Billers are paid accordingly for their skills. The average starting pay for a certified Medical Coder is about $35,000 per year, with veterans in the field making over $50,000.

In preparation for this blog, I took a look back at some of my posts from the past year and came across these two that highlighted additional programs focused on workforce training:

If you have questions on how to take the next step into a new career, please contact our Educational Consultant Gordon Davis at 410-704-4743 or gmdavis@towson.edu.

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Posted by Allie Pyzik

Meet our Team- Jackie Gratz

October 4, 2010

Allie

Jackie Gratz is the Director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute providing oversight, curriculum planning and implementation of the Institute’s on-campus academic program as well as programs at local retirement communities and the Towson public library. Jackie holds a M.A. in History from Harvard University and a B.A. in History from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her broad academic background provides a unique perspective for her work in curriculum planning. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work on projects with Jackie and I have witnessed her commitment, leadership, management, and communication skills in action and can see why Osher has seen the success it has. Take a few minutes to hear more from Jackie Gratz.

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Posted by Allie Pyzik

Attend our Federal Tax Update Seminar and earn 16 Credits of CPE/NASBA/CFP/EA!

September 20, 2010

Allie

Extended Education and Online Learning (EEOL) is hosting an annual Federal Tax Update Seminar on November 10 – 11, 2010.  The seminar’s main objective is to provide an update on federal law changes including bills that might pass in late October 2010. Participants have the opportunity to earn 16 Credits of CPE/NASBA/CFP/EA and receive certificates upon course completion. The Federal Tax Update Seminar is held in the beautiful setting of the Minnegan Room located in the Johnny Unitas Field house overlooking Towson’s Football stadium. Participants are given ample opportunity to speak one on one with the instructors as well as ask questions in a group or setting.

Two instructors lead the seminar discussing topics including:

  • New Legislation

    Photo Credit: File Your Taxes Now

  • Rulings and Cases
  • Individual Taxpayer Issues
  • Financial Distress
  • Business Issues, Retirement Issues
  • Agricultural Issues
  • Investment Issues
  • IRS Issues
  • Trusts and Estates
  • Tax Practices
  • Basis of Assets
  • Ethics
  • Tax Rates and Useful Tables

Don’t miss out on this great seminar! Contact me at 410-296-8596 for more information.

The view from the Minnegan Room at TU's Johnny Unitas Stadium Photo Credit: David Vatz

Leave a Comment » | Community Outreach, Education, Events, Lifelong Learning, Small Business Development, Training | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Allie Pyzik

A tour of our Digital Media Classroom (DMC)

September 2, 2010

Allie

Towson University’s Extended Education and Online Learning (EEOL) unit has been utilizing the DMC  to assist partners and clients for over three years.  With multiple locations and portable equipment, the DMC creates a training environment without location barriers.  We’ve helped clients save travel funds by being able to broadcast to employees around the state and save time by only having to record a training program one time and re-use it without losing the interaction experience with the instructor.

My two favorite DMC features are the ability to live broadcast a training to anywhere in the world and simultanteously record the instructor and participants for archiving for later use AND the remote control feature that puts the course pace in the hands of the user.   Check out the video below to learn more about how your organization could benefit from using Towson University’s Digital Media Classrooms!

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Posted by Allie Pyzik

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in 15 seconds!

August 19, 2010

Bobbie

Towson University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute ) has been serving the 50 and older population of the greater Baltimore Metropolitan region since 1999.  The Institute was originally founded as the Auburn Society, and was renamed in 2006 when Towson University received the first in a series of grants from the Bernard Osher Foundation.  Some interesting points of pride you may not know about the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute are:

  • They are close to 600 members strong!
  • Their semi-annual preview event brings together hundreds of guests and participants to hear from the upcoming semester’s teachers. 
  • They partner with the NY Times Knowledge Network to provide online adult learning opportunities.
  • Their Director, Jackie Gratz, received her M.A. from Harvard University in History.

The core of the program is the courses they offer each Spring and Fall in two sessions.  This coming Fall Osher members can take courses in a variety of areas including:

  • Bob Dylan: The Artist Behind the Legend
  • The Enduring Art of Japan
  • Wild Kingdom: The Behavior and Ecology of Maryland’s Wildlife
  • Social Media: What’s it all about? (co-taught by yours truly and Sharyn Kuczka)

Now, that you’ve heard my highlights of the MAGNIFICENT Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Towson University, check out this 15 second commercial currently rolling on MPT!

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Posted by Bobbie Laur

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