Come to CCME
Written by Misty Isak
If you have not registered to attend the 2008 Council of College and Military Educators symposium, what are you waiting for? We are deep in the planning stages and not only is San Francisco an enticing venue but the program itself promises to be captivating and informative. As in years past, we have a diverse group of vendors already committed to exhibit, highlighting the most up-to-date programs and opportunities within voluntary military education. Throughout the week, the exhibit hall will be open for attendees to browse for new vendors, get a look at the competition and establish connections for new opportunities.
The schedule will feel familiar to those who have attended in the past; we will kick off Monday evening with our Presidents reception to reconnect with peers and meet the newcomers. The rest of the week will build on the enthusiasm from the first night as our speakers begin to offer insight into the changing times of their respective fields. We have a vital group of people scheduled to speak during the symposium: the Chief of Continuing Education, Carolyn Baker; Jeff Cropsey, the director of DANTES; Dr. Kathy Snead, president of Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC); Leslie Arsht, deputy under secretary of defense for military Community and Family Policy; and Vernon Jordon, head, Lifelong Learning, U.S. Marine Corps. Those confirmed and those invited create a program that guarantees depth and clarity from the voices within the field.
Mid-week, attendees can explore topics reflective of their individual interests and concerns by selecting which concurrent sessions they want to attend. The number of proposals for concurrent sessions that were submitted this year was a testament to the growing awareness of this community and the breadth of information that is out there. Concurrent sessions center on the CCME theme, Globalization of Voluntary Education, but range in topic from new programs to new technology to approaches on how best to offer education to our military servicemembers. We live in a world where communication has left pen and paper behind and instead, is provided on PDA’s, laptops and iPod’s; a world where the complexity of language and culture take on a whole new meaning as we seek to provide relevant education to those living among these diverse cultures. The themes of this year’s concurrent sessions help us to grapple with some of these pressing issues, reminding us that we have a community of support to rely on and learn from.
In the uncertain and ever changing environment of voluntary military education, CCME provides a meeting place to hear the most current information, discuss ideas and enact change. We will hear from experts in the field addressing matters pertinent to all of us. Anyone who has the good fortune to serve in this field understands the importance of staying informed and working collectively, finding ways to provide more efficient and more effective ways to provide education to the men and women serving in our military.
The CCME agenda is updated frequently on the CCME website, www.ccmeonline.org. Please check here for more information regarding registration, exhibits, sponsorships and details pertaining to the location and the selected hotels.
The following are the breakout sessions scheduled as of this date:
- Marine Corps Lifelong Learning Program’s Academic Explorer (AeX): Providing Universal, Standardized, and Un-Biased Information to Service Members
- Schools of the Future
- “Military Friendly” What Does it Look Like?
- America’s Silent Epidemic: Stemming the Flow of High School Dropouts in California and the Role of Colleges, Universities and Military Organizations
- Taking the Confusion Out of Certificates
- GI Bill—Then and Now
- The Global Delivery of Course Materials
- Community College of the Air Force Update
- Campus in a Pocket: Learning Any Time, Any Place
- Mission Funded Leader Skills Enhancement for NCOs.
- Reserve Component Education Panel (RCEP)
Misty Isak is assistant director of military education at Thomas Edison State College.