The Independent Thinker
Private Colleges Serving the Public... One student at a Time
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Merry Christmas from Alabama Independent Colleges! |
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Special Thank You to U.S. Representative Martha Roby from NAICU |
Dear Representative Roby:
It is with great appreciation that we congratulate you first and foremost for your years of service in the U.S. House of Representatives on behalf of the citizens of Alabama, and secondly, express deep gratitude for your leadership as a Co-Chair of the Congressional Independent Colleges Caucus.
Along with Rep. Derek Kilmer, you very graciously agreed to take up the mantle of co-founders, Reps. Capuano and Goodlatte, upon their retirement from Congress. Your commitment in carrying the banner of the bipartisan Caucus in support of the nation’s independent colleges and universities has been beyond measure. There has not been a time when you failed to make room in your schedule to accommodate our requests in promoting the work and successes of private, nonprofit colleges and universities, especially those in your district and state that I know make you proud. And, as if you don’t have a full agenda as your retirement approaches at the end of the 116th Congress, you very kindly recruited Rep. David Joyce to replace you as co-chair. That extra step is more than we could have expected or imagined, and I thank you for that effort.
We are also deeply appreciative of the superb staff work of Caroline Buyak, who helped us with details large and small on countless occasions.
Please know that our very best wishes are with you as your next chapter unfolds. We salute you and
will most assuredly miss you. Should the need arise, always know that you can call on your friends at NAICU.
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Miles College Becomes Community Center for Coding and Creativity, in Collaboration with Apple and Tennessee State University |
In celebration of Computer Science Education Week, Miles College announced it will become a community center for Coding and Creativity as part of Apple’s Community Education Initiative and Tennessee State University’s HBCU C2 initiative designed to bring coding and creativity experiences to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and their communities.
“We truly appreciate Apple’s leadership in recognizing the pivotal role Miles College and HBCU students will play in the future of global technological advancement and innovation, particularly through supporting and fostering this first-of-its-kind coding partnership,” said Bobbie Knight, Miles College President. “Being aligned in a strategic partnership with the largest technology company in the world will undoubtedly prove an invaluable asset to our graduates as they go on to compete in the global competitive technology marketplace.”
Faculty leaders from Miles College will participate in Apple’s ongoing Community Education Initiative Learning Series to learn about coding and app development. As part of that ongoing professional development, educations will explore innovative ways to engage with learners using Apple’s comprehensive curriculum, which utilizes its easy-to-learn Swift programming language.
As part of its Community Education Initiative, Apple is supporting Miles College with equipment and professional development to help the college become the pre-eminent HBCU C2 community center to bring coding and creativity to Fairfield, Alabama.
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Class of 2020 Celebrates Graduation at University of Mobile |
When the pandemic forced spring graduation ceremonies across the nation to be cancelled earlier this year, University of Mobile President Lonnie Burnett made a promise to the Class of 2020. They would have their graduation ceremony.That promise was kept Saturday, Dec. 5, when the Class of 2020 – both spring and fall semester graduates – celebrated commencement under sunny skies at the University of Mobile. A total of 284 graduates were honored, including 92 fall and 192 spring graduates, at the ceremony held in front of Weaver Hall on the Dr. Fred and Sue Lackey Great Commission Lawn. After receiving their diplomas, students participated in the Great Commission Tradition and touched the Great Commission Globe to represent going out into the world to make an impact.
The university presented awards usually announced in the spring, including the Weaver Awards for the top two graduates. The complete list of spring and fall graduates with academic honors and awards is below. Former UM President Mark Foley carried the ceremonial mace and led the procession of faculty and graduating students. Foley served as president of the Christian university for 18 years.
UM alumnus the Rev. Chris Bell, lead pastor of 3Circle Church in Baldwin and Mobile counties, delivered the commencement address. The 2000 graduate said he thought his class was one of the most unique, having graduated during the Millennium with the specter of Y2K and a computer programming shortcut that was expected to cause widespread turmoil as the year changed from 1999 to 2000. While that fear for the year 2000 was never realized, the year 2020 is marked by a worldwide pandemic that has significantly impacted the Class of 2020.
“You win the contest,” Bell said. “This is the most unique of years. I commend you for being here and completing what you began.”
Speaking from the book of Ecclesiastes, Bell said there is a worldview that will lead to emptiness, which King Solomon referenced in the passage “vanity of vanities…all is vanity.”
“You were made for more than that,” Bell said. “This university has taught you that whether you are a nurse, or a doctor, or a lawyer, or a musician, or a preacher or a teacher – whatever you do, you are made to do it not just for money or success but to the glory of God.
“And when your viewpoint is that life is not just ‘under the sun’ but it is so much more than that, then you will begin to, as King Solomon says, love what you do. You will take great joy in what you do. It will matter.
Aaron James “A.J.” Nipper
“That is the message of the Bible. You were made for more than simply an ‘under the sun’ existence. You are to point to God, and glorify God, in everything that you do,” Bell said.
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Despite Pandemic, 95% of May 2020 Samford Graduates Employed or in Graduate School |
Despite the various challenges presented by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Samford University graduates continue to transition into the workforce successfully. The university’s census of all May 2020 undergraduate alumni indicates 95% of the graduating class are either employed or continuing their education in graduate school. Samford’s Career Development Center administers the bi-annual survey of all undergraduate alumni which confirms consistently high employment and graduate school placement rates for Samford graduates, averaging 97% in recent years.
“We are thrilled to know our students are still advancing their professional goals despite the added strain the pandemic is putting on the job market,” said Dora Ditchfield, director of Samford’s Career Development Center. “This affirms the work of faculty and staff who have poured time, effort and knowledge into helping them succeed.”
During the early months of the pandemic, the Career Development Center launched virtual workshops to offer additional support for career preparedness, including interview preparation and salary negotiation. These types of training became particularly important as more students sought preparation for remote interviews.
Professional experience prior to graduation is one factor that Samford students agree is key to success in a competitive job market. In recent results reported by the National Survey of Student Engagement, 84% of Samford seniors have either completed or plan to complete at least one internship by the time they graduate, compared to 43% of seniors at private southeastern universities. Career readiness is a central goal of all academic programs across the university. Beginning their freshman year, students are equipped with resources to explore interests and career aspirations through student organizations, global engagement opportunities and individual career counseling services. The result is a highly-tailored educational experience that results in consistently high employment and graduate school acceptance rates among Samford graduates.
Samford graduates also have a significant impact on workforce development in both the state of Alabama and the Birmingham metropolitan area. Samford enrolls students from 47 states and 30 countries, many of whom elect to remain in the state after graduation, making the university a significant net importer of human capital. According to recent analysis, between 2010-2018, 25% of all students whose home state was outside of Alabama decided to remain in Alabama employed or in graduate school after graduation.
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Spring Hill College Reduces Tuition by almost 50% |
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Spring Hill College President E. Joseph Lee II, PhD, along with the Board of Trustees, announce today a reset of the College’s tuition, increasing accessibility and affordability to more students than ever before to an education rooted in Jesuit, Catholic tradition. The new tuition price will decrease by approximately 50 percent of the current fee, from about $42,000 in 2020 to $21,100 in the Fall of 2021. Standard room and board rates have been reduced by more than $3,200. This price reduction moves Spring Hill College from having the highest direct costs in Alabama to among the most affordable schools in the region.
“Lowering our costs does not mean lessening the distinction of a Spring Hill degree,” said Lee. “As our world continues to change, it is part of our mission and vision as Spring Hill College to help shape the kind of education that will address the new opportunities and challenges students will face.”
The price reset is being done from a position of strength. Spring Hill is adding two new undergraduate programs in the fall of 2021. Projections are that at least two new degrees will be added each year for the next three years. The College has attracted new national grants and rankings including recognition as a top 10 college degree by “Forbes” magazine and is listed as a College of Distinction in several categories. A new Center for Online Learning has been developed which will increase online offerings to non-resident, non-traditional students throughout the South.
“We want students from not only our region but also across the country to know that Spring Hill College can be a choice for them,” continued Lee. “That we are a desirable, affordable education for students everywhere – one that not only prepares students for real-world professions but also one that won’t leave them with unnecessary debt after they graduate.”
The tuition change also means the College is providing more price transparency for new and continuing students and their families. By stating the direct costs, students will know that what they are paying more closely reflects the real costs at Spring Hill prior to the awarding of merit and need-based aid. For more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the tuition reset, please visit https://bit.ly/SHCRWR.
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United States Sports Academy Announces Landmark First Lower Division Bachelor of Sports Science Degree Program |
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For the first time in its 48-year history, the United States Sports Academy in Spring semester 2021 will begin admitting Freshman students into its renowned sport education degree programs. The Academy has received accreditor approval to begin offering the first years of the Bachelor of Sports Science (B.S.S.) degree program to complement its longstanding and highly regarded bachelor’s degree completion program.
Founded as a graduate school of sport in 1972, the Academy admitted its first bachelor’s degree students in the Fall semester of 2004. The Academy’s application for four-year bachelor’s status was recently approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
The landmark change means that the institution will begin admitting freshmen for a four-year B.S.S. degree program and teaching general educational core curriculum courses in the Spring semester 2021.
“Since its founding in 1972, the sole focus of the Academy has been sports and this has been the driving force behind all of the institutions sport education programs,” Academy President and CEO Dr. T.J. Rosandich said. “However, the Academy has been fielding many requests from here and abroad to build an undergraduate degree program that would allow first-time college students to pursue their aspirations for a career in sports. This new development will allow the Academy to bring these requests to reality.”
“This expansion of our bachelor’s degree program is a part of our long-term strategy to broaden our course offerings and to appeal to a wider audience of students,” Academy Provost Dr. Tomi Wahlstrom said. “Starting to teach general education core courses is a departure from our tradition to only teach sport specific courses and a significant evolutionary step in towards the future of the Academy. New high-school graduates are a new target market for us and we are very excited to be working with freshmen and sophomores.”
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Four AAICU Colleges Selected as Colleges of Distinction |
Colleges of Distinction has hand-picked a selection of top schools that are well equipped to provide a personalized education catered to students’ interests. Through a rigorous vetting and interview process for the 2020-2021 academic year, we have refreshed and reaffirmed that these institutions strive for excellence in line with the four overarching distinctions—Student Engagement, Teaching, Community, and Outcomes.
These schools vary in size, cost, location, academic offerings, and more, but they are all distinguished by their commitment to the undergraduate experience. The diversity of the college list is intentional, giving students and parents a variety of public and private universities to consider. No matter what, they all exhibit the foundational qualities of a fulfilling undergraduate education.
Alabama
Samford University
Spring Hill College
Stillman College
Tuskegee University
University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama in Huntsville
University of Montevallo
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AAICU is pleased to welcome a new business partner! The Virtual Care Group (VCG) provides medical and mental health services to college campuses 24/7 through a turnkey telehealth solution. VCG combines the highest quality clinicians with an advanced technology platform to promote high member satisfaction and participation. Board-certified physicians and licensed counselors support the needs of students, faculty, and staff at more than 100 colleges and universities throughout the country. VCG leads the industry in setting up telehealth operations within 24 hours, expanding campus health center resources and providing safe, affordable, private, and convenient healthcare. Click here for contact information.
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