University Corner: Baker College Online
MAE 2012 Volume: 7 Issue: 1 (February)
Shawn Mann
Director of Military Education Programs
Baker College Online
Q: To begin with, could you please provide a brief overview of the college’s history, mission and curriculum?
A: Baker College is a private, nonprofit, regionally accredited, degree-granting, higher educational institution with locations throughout Michigan and students throughout the world via Baker College Online and the Center for Graduate Studies. The Baker College system—which includes Baker College Online and the Center for Graduate Studies—serves over 43,000 students worldwide. The mission of the Baker College system is to provide quality higher education and training, which will enable graduates to be successful throughout challenging and rewarding careers. Baker College awards certificates, associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in business, health sciences, education, information technology and human service, and various technical fields. This year, Baker College is celebrating its 101st year in existence.
Q: What is the college’s background in military education?
A: Baker College has been in the GoArmyEd program since that program’s inception. We recently completed our paperwork to be an Air University Associate to Baccalaureate Cooperative (AUABC) school and we expect to apply to be a Navy College Program Distance Learning Partnership school as soon as that contract allows. We’re a Servicemembers Opportunity College (SOC) that is TA and VA approved. We’re a partner institution in the Marine Corps Leadership Scholar program and we’re a Legion De Lafayette recipient from the National Guard Education Foundation. We have a Salute honors society for our veteran students, an SVA Chapter and, most recently, we opened our Military and Veteran Student Resources Center at our offices in Flint, Mich. So, we have a very long history of serving students from all branches of service, and we strive to be the servicemember and veteran’s first choice when seeking a degree that provides quality higher education and training enabling graduates to be successful throughout challenging and rewarding careers.
Q: How has the college positioned itself to serve military students?
A: Over the last two years, the college has critically evaluated its military program and established one of the best voluntary education and veteran student programs available. We really asked ourselves what we could do to be the best choice for servicemembers and veterans, and we followed that up with substantive changes and additions to our program. From a reduced tuition rate and providing textbooks for qualified active duty students to opening our Military and Veteran Student Resource Center, we’ve cultivated and codified the best of what we were doing to remain viable through the years.
Q: What have been some of the biggest lessons you have learned since assuming your current position?
A: Well, let me rephrase that a bit into “what’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned and would impart to others.” You see, I have almost 15 years experience in Voluntary Education and almost 20 total years in academia. I’ve seen VolEd from many different angles: instructor, course designer, management, outreach and senior leadership to name a few. My experiences vary from creating mobile courses for PDAs back in 2003 and creating the first mobile testing center for CLEP/DSST testing, to managing teams of outreach staff and providing leadership for an entire program. All along the way and at every point along the way there has been a lesson, so narrowing it down to lessons in my current position doesn’t account for all the other lessons which have helped me to realize anything at all today. Still, I can narrow it down and somewhat summarize them all in one biggest lesson. I have seen people burn out of this industry and I have seen people retire out of this industry with accolades. What separates them from each other is the biggest lesson I would impart to someone: This industry is full of passionate and compassionate patriots who truly love being able to help our servicemember and veteran students attain their academic aspirations. The bottom line is you have to believe in what you do and always strive to do the right thing the best way you can. The day you show up to work with ulterior motives or only giving 90 percent of your 110 percent is the day you do a disservice to yourself, your company and those servicemembers we serve. Before I hire anyone, I make sure they’ve learned this lesson already.
Q: Do you have any closing thoughts?
A: 2011 has brought some significant spotlights on the education sector. As the nation enters a highly charged political year with increased economic woes, we’re not likely to see any less focus on our sector through 2012 and beyond. The current administration has made it relatively clear that an increasing focus on student debt, college prices, retention rates and employment rates of graduates will be a plank in their platform. So, both parties will continue to scrutinize and propose ideas to regulate the overall sector. As military educators, we serve civilians, active duty, dependents and an ever growing, cohesive and vocal student veteran population. This increased scrutiny is a means for schools involved in voluntary education to showcase the positive things that they do to create successful military, spouse and veteran students. I know Baker College is looking forward to spotlighting the job we do for servicemembers and veterans. ♦