Schools, Colleges and Universities

A Special Advertising Supplement to The Fayetteville Observer
Tricks for getting accepted
Page 2
Continuing education tips
Page 3
Scholarship opportunities
Page 5
Special Advertising Supplement
2 Sunday, April 12, 2015
Methodist University has much to offer
Methodist University
is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university
located in Fayetteville.
The University offers the
close community and
personal attention of a
small college – the student to faculty ratio is 15
to 1 – with aspects and
opportunities that rival a
much larger institution.
Situated on a beautiful 617-acre campus
that includes an 18-hole
golf course, Methodist
University has an annual
enrollment of more than
2,400 students.
The university enjoys
a global reach and
reputation, with a record
number of international
students on campus this
year from more than
50 countries and study
abroad opportunities
available at foreign
campuses around the
world.
With innovative
programs such as justice
studies, applied forensic
science, and digital
forensics and cyber security, Methodist University
prepares graduates for
exciting careers in
emerging fields.
The School of Health
Sciences prepares
undergraduate and
graduate students
for careers as health
professionals within
various health care
related fields including
applied exercise science,
athletic training, health
care administration, and
professional nursing
studies. The master of
medical science in physician assistant studies
is also included within
the school. The doctor
of physical therapy
program is scheduled to
begin in the fall of 2015,
and will be housed in
the Thomas R. McLean
Health Sciences Building, currently under
construction.
Methodist University
is one of a select group
of universities in the
nation to offer a golf
management program
Head of Class:
How to get accepted to
your school of choice
With tuitions at an
all-time high, the cost of
college and the increasingly competitive job
market have become major
considerations for aspiring
college students and their
parents.
The most challenging
part of the journey to success is oftentimes the first
step – gaining admissions.
There is a lot that aspiring college students and
parents can do to prepare,
according to Dr. Katherine
Cohen, LinkedIn Higher
Ed expert and Founder
and CEO of IvyWise. As
one of the nation’s top
college admissions consultants, Dr. Cohen offers
tips on maximizing college
preparation, including
leveraging your network,
to get you onto the path
towards acceptance into
college, and ultimately
your dream job:
Make the most of
your college prep – start
early, be prepared, and stay
organized: The key is to
start early and think ahead.
Take the most rigorous
courses available at your
accredited by the PGA,
and one of only two
four-year professional
tennis management
programs in the country
accredited by the USPTA.
Both programs
boast 100-percent paid
internships for students
and job placement for
graduates. Methodist
University at Night
provides educational
opportunities for nontraditional students to
take classes online, on
campus, or on our Fort
Bragg campus. The MU
at Night program offers
a traditional campus
experience tailored
to fit the needs of all
students.
With more than 80
undergraduate and
five graduate degree
programs, Methodist
University has a program
to help every student
achieve their career
goals. For more information, call 910.630.7000
or visit methodist.edu.
high school, particularly in
the field of your intended
major or in something that
might interest you.
Perhaps the most
important way to prepare
is by doing careful and
extensive research. A
college should be a great fit
for your career aspirations,
as well as your academic,
social, and financial goals.
Leverage available
resources: There are a
number of new online
resources available to help
guide you and your family
as you tackle the college
decision-making process.
LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional online network, offers a range of new
higher education tools that
provide aspiring students
and young professionals
with the opportunity to
In our area, more than 93,000
people are currently attending
a college or university.
Another 84,148 plan to return
to school in the next year.
*Scarborough Research, Dec. 2014 release.
make informed decisions
on which universities,
majors and skills will help
them achieve personal and
professional success in
years ahead.
■ University Rankings
helps students identify and
rank universities that are
launching graduates into
their desirable jobs in key
industries, based on career
outcomes of alumni from
the more than 332 million
LinkedIn members.
■ Decision Boards
is a great new tool that
helps prospective students
organize their school
search in one place. It also
helps students make well
informed decisions by
enabling friends, family, alumni, and current
students to provide advice
and insight on a school
that might interest you.
■ University Finder
helps students achieve
their career goals by easily
identifying schools that
meet their interests based
on desired area of study,
companies of interest and
preferred location.
Connecting is king:
Even though students don’t
have decades of professional experience, they
can still develop strong
relationships with their
network of teachers, family
friends and coaches
Don’t forget to also
connect with admissions
officers, they hold the
keys. Introduce yourself
at college fairs, on college
visits, and request their
contact information in
order to establish a line of
communication. Ask meaningful questions but don’t
bombard them – you don’t
want to be remembered
for the wrong reasons.
Use connections to
seek out internships or
volunteer opportunities
to get hands-on experiences in a particular field.
Students can achieve this
by connecting with others
on LinkedIn, and exploring possible connections
through the LinkedIn
University pages. Tap into
the resources available to
develop meaningful and
influential relationships
that can help you make an
informed college decision.
For more information,
visit LinkedIn University
pages: linkedin.com/edu/.
— Brandpoint
Special Advertising Supplement
Sunday, April 12, 2015 3
Is returning to school right for you?
FTCC offers a quality,
affordable education
Want to receive a
high-quality education
at an affordable price?
Take a look at the value
Fayetteville Technical
Community College
delivers:
Affordable academic
programs – face to face
and Online: FTCC has
three campus locations
–Fayetteville, Spring
Lake, and Fort Bragg –
plus online. With more
than 190 programs of
study leading to associate
degrees, certificates, or
diplomas, FTCC offers
something for everyone.
Continuing
education: If you’re
looking to earn your
high school diploma,
want to receive training
to help you succeed in
the workplace, or simply
wish to pursue a special
interest or hobby, such as
painting, photography,
or even how to ride
a motorcycle, FTCC’s
Continuing Education
programs are the
perfect fit. Continuing
Education courses are
conveniently offered
and located and help
students quickly achieve
their goals. FTCC’s
Center for Business and
Industry reaches out to
the business community
by providing tailored
and highly specialized
training and workshops
for employees and staff.
Military friendly:
Home of the All
American Veterans
Center, FTCC takes
pride in serving active
duty military members,
veterans, and their
family members. The
staff at the Fort Bragg
Center specializes in
counseling, registration,
and other one-on-one
assistance to make the
most of prior military
training and experience
in the educational
environment.
Save Money and
easily transfer credits.
Students who begin their
first two years of college
at FTCC save money
on tuition, receive a
high-quality education,
and easily transfer to
a four-year college.
Studies show that
FTCC transfer students
perform exceptionally
well in the four-year
college/university
environment.
Fayetteville Tech
truly offers education
for life--no matter
what phase of life
you’re in. Learn about
programs of study and
available scholarships:
faytechcc.edu. .
Returning to school
later in life is a decision
that requires careful
thinking. Consider
these four things when
deciding on a continuing education.
1. CLEARLY OUTLINE
YOUR GOALS
Identifying why you
want to go back to
school is the first step.
Do you feel like you’re
stuck in a rut and want
to further your abilities
in your current role?
Do you want to switch
careers entirely? Or do
you want to finish that
degree that you started
years ago? Pinpointing
your impetus will allow you to clearly state
your objective and
decide on a program
that is right for you.
2. GIVE IT A TEST RUN
Knowing what
you’ve signed up for
is crucial to being
comfortable with
your decision. Reduce
uncertainty by going
for a trial run. Easing
back into an educational setting may take
some getting used
to, so if you are still
unsure whether going
back to school is right
for you look for a trial
program. Western International University
(West), for example,
allows prospective students to take their first
class without having
to commit themselves
to an entire program.
If you like the class,
you can move forward
with the program and
pay $200 for that first
three-credit class. If
you decide that the
timing isn’t right or
the program isn’t for
you, you can walk
away without any
financial obligation.
3. ANALYZE THE COSTS
AND BENEFITS
Cost always plays a
part in the decision-
making process.
Investing in your
education is exactly
that: an investment.
To assess whether the
investment is a worthy
one, consider the average salary of the career
you are contemplating
and how much you will
gain from returning
to school. Compare
this number to the
cost of the education,
and be sure to account
for tuition, fees and
textbooks.
4. CONSIDER YOUR
SCHEDULE
Between your
current job and your
family commitments, it
is important to consider
where school will fit
into the equation.
Schools like West are
built specifically for
working adults, so you
can rest easily knowing that the learning
process is designed to fit
into your busy schedule.
Special Advertising Supplement
4 Sunday, April 12, 2015
Is a career in real estate right for you?
Imagine working for
yourself in a flexible
career where you can
set your own schedule
with annual earning
potential of $100,000
or more. There are
so many reasons to
choose real estate as
your career. But, there
are always two sides
to every story, and a
real estate career is no
different. Below is a
straight-forward look at
a list of pros and cons
of a North Carolina real
estate broker career.
estate business.
Getting started in
a real estate career is
quick and painless.
Real estate brokers
have unlimited earning
potential
Pros: In North Carolina, you can complete
the required training,
become a licensed real
estate broker and start a
new career in as little as
a month.
Cons: There is an
investment of time,
money, and effort required … and licensure
comes with no guarantees. Passing the real
estate licensing exam is
difficult and demands
an understanding of
complex topics and a
varied skill set.
As a North Carolina
real estate broker, you
are your own boss.
Pros: You’re an independent contractor and
control your own book
of business. You make
the decisions. With a
good attitude and solid
work ethic, there are
virtually no limits for
the growth of your real
Cons: You’re an
independent contractor,
and it’s up to you to
learn the market and
the business. You are in
charge of building your
lead list, maintaining
your clients’ needs, networking relationships,
marketing your business, and managing the
day-to-day office needs.
Many new brokers fail
to recognize how much
work it takes to become
a successful real estate
broker.
Pros: Your income
isn’t limited by an hourly
wage or a corporatedictated salary range. As a
North Carolina real estate
broker, your income is
largely dictated by the
time you invest. Grow
your real estate business
by adding an assistant
or get the appropriate
license that lets you build
your own brokerage. The
growth potential is huge.
Cons: At first, your
cash-flow direction will
be out. Most new brokers
need a nest egg to begin
their careers. Getting
your first sales to come in
will take some time, and
it will likely be a couple
months or more before
you cash your first check.
Depending on the market
you cover and existing
relationships, it can be a
feast or famine situation.
Real estate brokers
work flexible schedules
Pros: You don’t work
a mundane 9 to 5 job.
Real estate brokers set a
day-to-day work schedule
that works for them.
Much of a broker’s time
is spent socializing, meeting people, and building
relationships.
Cons: Having a
flexible schedule in real
estate means you have
to be flexible to each
client’s needs. In real
estate, you tend to be
working when everyone
else is not. If a client
calls, can you drop everything and be attentive to
their needs, even if it’s a
time that you normally
would be spending with
your friends or family?
As a real estate broker,
you help people with
their largest transactions
Pros: Real estate
brokers receive genuine
satisfaction from helping clients find the
perfect home or sell
their property at a great
price. This is an exciting
time for both buyers
and sellers, and they
look to the real estate
broker as the expert to
help them manage their
way through the process
with excellent client
services.
Cons: Real estate
transactions generally are one of the most
stressful times of a
client’s life, and you will
need to be confident in
your skills and abilities
when things don’t go
as planned. If a client
leaves unhappy, whether
it was due to your efforts
or not, word-of-mouth
spreads quickly. This
can affect your referral
network and, ultimately,
your bottom line.
Real estate is a
great business
Real estate really is
a great career choice.
This article isn’t meant
to scare anyone away
from real estate, but to
provide an honest look
at the real estate business from all angles. It
can be a very difficult
career if your training
and work ethic fail, but
it can be a seriously
rewarding career if you
are self-motivated, hardworking, honest, and
enjoy networking and
helping people.
DOWNLOAD OUR FREE
EBOOK
If you’re interested in learning more,
download the free
eBook, Launching Your
Real Estate Career at
jymonk.com/launch.
J.Y. Monk Real Estate
School has assembled
this book of tips and
advice from successful
real estate professionals
to help you start your
career on the right foot.
Special Advertising Supplement
Sunday, April 12, 2015 5
Unique scholarships
to save students’ bucks
Does the cost of
higher education scare
you? If so, you’re not
alone. College tuition
prices have skyrocketed.
Over the past 30 years
average tuition and
fees at public four-year
institutions rose by
225 percent, according to The College
Board. Factor in room
and board, books and
living expenses, and it’s
becoming increasingly
difficult to afford the
hefty price tag of higher
education.
For many, applying for scholarships
is essential. Valuable
scholarship dollars are
available to any and
all kinds of students –
artists, athletes, writers,
mathletes and more.
With a little digging you
can find the perfect opportunities for you and
your talents. Here are
five unique scholarships
examples:
STUCK AT PROM
SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST
Students who enjoy
art and fashion design,
or just happen to be duct
tape enthusiasts, should
enter the annual Duck
brand Stuck at Prom
Scholarship Contest.
With more than $50,000
in scholarship prizes
up for grabs, this oneof-a-kind opportunity
emphasizes originality and imagination by
challenging students to
create their own unique
Duck Tape prom wear.
Duck brand has a history
of “sticking” by students,
awarding more than
$300,000 in scholarships
over the last 15 years.
The contest is open
to high school students
in the U.S. and Canada
attending prom in 2015.
For more details and full
contest rules visit StuckatProm.com.
COMMON KNOWLEDGE
SCHOLARSHIP
Trivia talent and
knowledge of random
facts have probably always impressed friends,
but now those skills may
finally “pay” off – college
costs that is. Students
(and parents too) can
simply register for one of
the Common Knowledge
Scholarship Foundation,
Inc., online scholarship
quizzes. Throughout
the year, the foundation
offers quizzes that test
general knowledge
across a variety of
subjects – music, books,
movies, etc. – with prize
amounts ranging from
$250-$2,500.
These scholarships are
available to high school,
undergraduate and
graduate students in the
United States. Visit cksf.
org for full details and
how to register.
TALL CLUBS
INTERNATIONAL
SCHOLARSHIP
It’s a “tall task” to
enter this scholarship.
In fact, that’s it – you
just have to be tall. The
Tall Clubs International
Scholarship is available
to students of aboveaverage height, who plan
to start college in the
fall. Tall Clubs International (TCI) identifies
“above-average height” as
at least 5 feet 10 inches
tall for women and at
least 6 feet 2 inches
tall for men. Those of
elevated stature could
win a $1,000 prize.
To apply, contact the
local TCI Member Club
to request sponsorship
or visit tall.org.
CREATE-A-GREETINGCARD SCHOLARSHIP
Have you ever
searched for the perfect
holiday or birthday card
only to be left unsatisfied in the greeting card
aisle? Now students with
a knack for finding the
perfect words or design
can capture the moment, while also creating the opportunity to
win a $10,000 prize. The
annual Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship
from The Gallery Collection not only offers
funds to the winner, but
the art photo or graphic
design piece will also be
produced and sold as a
real greeting card.
Greeting card designs
must be appropriate for
business and consumer
use. Visit gallerycollection.com for more
information.
VEGETARIAN RESOURCE
GROUP SCHOLARSHIPS
If you’re passionate
about the food you eat,
you’re already winning
with a healthy body ...
and now you could win
scholarship dollars, as
These students decorated their prom outfits with Duct Tape to win a scholarship.
well. Every year, the
Vegetarian Resource
Group (VRG) awards
$20,000 in scholarships
to students who are
active in promoting
vegetarianism in school
or the community. If
you can demonstrate a
strong commitment to
being a vegetarian and
to making the world a
better place through
diet and lifestyle – this
scholarship is for you.
The application requires
an essay that addresses
various challenges and
successes experienced as
a vegetarian.
The group offers a
$10,000 scholarship
as the top prize, and
two additional $5,000
scholarships. Application
details can be found at
vrg.org.
Ready to get creative
with your college costs?
All these original scholarships – and more –
can be found on
resource sites, such as
Fastweb.com. If you
meet the requirements,
it can’t hurt to apply. Just
remember, any scholarship helps reduce college
costs in the long run and
every little bit helps.
— Brandpoint
Special Advertising Supplement
6 Sunday, April 12, 2015
Campbell University breaks new ground again
With only 50 seats
open when Campbell
University’s new Bachelor of Science degree
in nursing program
goes into effect in fall
of 2016, the stakes are
high for the approximately 114 freshmen and
sophomores who have
declared pre-nursing as
their major.
A formal dedication
of the Catherine W.
Wood School of Nursing
and groundbreaking
ceremony for the Tracey
F. Smith Hall of Nursing
& Health Sciences was
held on March 25.
Located on
Campbell’s Health
Sciences Campus, the
72,000-square-foot facility will house students
from the Doctor of
Physical Therapy program as well as nursing,
occupational therapy
and medical research
students beginning in
2016.
The facility will feature state-of-the-art labs,
clinical skills spaces,
open research space,
and large classrooms
and study areas; and
will eventually house
more than 320 students,
sharing a campus with
the Leon Levine Hall
of Medical Sciences,
which is home to more
than 400 medical and
physician assistant
students. The building
will be a major piece
in Campbell’s efforts
to become a leader in
inter-professional health
care education.
Nursing: Campbell
leading the change
in educating nursing
students
The Bachelor of
Science in Nursing (BSN)
program has been cultivated tirelessly since its
approval by the Campbell Board of Trustees in
April. The program received approval from the
North Carolina Board of
Nursing in January 2014
and from the Southern
Association of Colleges
and Schools Commission
on Colleges (SACSCOC)
in August 2014.
The first cohort of
pre-nursing students was
enrolled in the fall semester of 2014. Per BSN
standards, undergraduate students enroll in
core curriculum coursework their freshman and
sophomore years to meet
the general education
prerequisite for upper
level nursing classes.
Upon their sophomore
year, students can apply
to the nursing program
to complete didactic and
clinical coursework.
Physical therapy:
Dedicated to eliminating
rural health care disparities
They have been on
campus for only a little
over a year, but physical
therapy students have
already made themselves
at home. The students
and faculty of the Doctor
of Physical Therapy
program at the Campbell
University College of
Pharmacy & Health
Sciences are making a
name for themselves
on campus. Announced
in the fall of 2011,
the Campbell Board
of Trustees voted to
bring a physical therapy
program to Buies Creek
as another effort to train
qualified practitioners to
meet anticipated shortages in the health care
industry.
Two classes are
currently matriculating
through the program
with a third being
hand-picked from a
competitive pool of more
than 175 applicants. Each
class of 40 boasts an
average cumulative GPA
of average of 3.35 with
over half of the students
having experience with
rural areas. This only
reinforces Campbell’s
dedication to educating
quality health care providers to eliminate rural
health care disparities.
One unique aspect of the
program is a month-long
clinical rotation between
the first and second year
of didactic instruction.
Medical research:
New space will open
doors to more collaborative research
Last August, about a
year after opening, the
Campbell University
Jerry M. Wallace School
of Osteopathic Medicine
received its first federal
grant – $300,000 from
the National Institutes
of Health and National
Cancer Institutes for a
three-year project that
will focus on the relationship between che-
motherapy and chronic
heart failure.
The new Tracey F.
Smith Hall of Nursing
& Health Sciences will
be critical in opening
up the doors to more
collaborative research
projects and grants
like this one. The new
facility will include 7,000
square feet of open
research space, state-ofthe-art equipment, and
the latest technologies
that nurture a robust
research program – vital
to attracting top faculty
members and giving students access to high-level
residency programs.
Occupational
therapy: Solidifying
Campbell’s commitment
to health care in North
Carolina.
The Campbell Board
of Trustees has approved
starting a Doctor of
Occupational Therapy
(OTD) degree program
in August 2016.
Currently, there are
only six fully-accredited
OTD programs in the
U.S. and eight programs
progressing through the
accreditation process.
Campbell’s program
is also expected to
have an impact on the
university’s undergraduate programs, including
possibly requiring
additional faculty for
biology and athletic
training or kinesiology
courses, according to
the proposal presented
before the Campbell
Board of Trustees’ vote
last fall.