Joint Patriots … Driving Transformation
Written by Misty Isak and Terri Tallon-Hammill
SERVICEMEMBERS WERE THE FOCUS OF THE COUNCIL OF COLLEGE AND MILITARY EDUCATORS ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM.
The Council of College and Military Educators (CCME) symposium, held annually, took place in beautiful Monterey, California, January 22 to 25. The theme of this year’s conference was, “Joint Patriots … Driving Transformation,” continuing the organization’s focus on the servicemembers. Over 600 individuals representing colleges and universities, the Department of Defense, the military services (Active and Reserve components), and corporate businesses and organizations contributing to the education of America’s servicemembers attended the symposium. Regardless of their background, attendees came to promote and provide educational programs and services to facilitate communication between the membership and the DoD educational support network.
Each individual or organization attended CCME with the shared goal of promoting education in flexible and inventive ways to our nation’s servicemembers. The branches of service and the various educational institutions came together to address the various issues facing students with the intention of working jointly so students have better methods and resources available to them as they strive for the goal of attaining a degree.
CCME provided a forum for these groups to present the issues they are struggling with themselves, such as advances in technology, budgetary restraints, etc. This exchange of information cultivated an environment where all organizations were heard, allowing for changes to be made on both sides of the spectrum.
Conference highlights included an early morning golf outing at the renowned Pebble Beach Golf Course, providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for golfers to play at one of the most beautiful courses in the country overlooking scenic views of the Pacific Ocean. Whether it was their best or worst day, everyone walked off the course happy to have played in the footsteps of the world’s most famous golfers. The event was sponsored by Thomas Edison State College in conjunction with CCME.
The conference began in the general session with a ceremonial posting of the colors and singing of the National Anthem by Army National Guard Staff Sergeant Tinthy Harper. Conference attendees were also greeted by the Honorable Chuck Della Sala, mayor of Monterey. Current board members of CCME were introduced by CCME President Sherry Sims and commended for their efforts, which contributed to the highest attended CCME in history.
CCME is a growing organization, as it is the only international symposium that meets annually and brings together leadership from both DoD educational support network and decision-makers from various aspects of higher education. As the military continues to place an emphasis on not only training, but also education, the value of the organization and the content of the symposium are strengthened. In recent history, attendance has grown as various organizations see the benefit of holding their individual meetings in conjunction with CCME. This allows their staff to reap the benefits of the information provided in this setting in addition to the added incentive that limited budgets are used more efficiently when there is the opportunity to pull people together for multiple meetings in the same location.
Keynote speaker Leslye A. Arsht, deputy undersecretary of defense for Military Community and Family Policy, outlined the role of her office in developing policy and advocacy for community and educational support to servicemembers and their families, particularly during high deployment and the global war on terrorism. Speakers representing each branch of the armed forces addressed the audience about education programs, education policy and resources, and a range of unique initiatives being offered in support of military servicemembers and their families.
With each branch of the service able to present their viewpoint and corresponding struggles, attendees were able to gain a better sense of the unique obstacles and advantages that pertain to each branch’s individual mission. In addition, statistics were presented highlighting the number of enrollments, creating a visual representation of the funds available to each service and how those government dollars are distributed to students. Overall, the emphasis was on the student; while the branches of service may differ in mission, their focus on the student was unanimous. One question raised was what exactly it meant to be “military friendly,” and while the answer may differ slightly based on the service provider, the thoughts that surround the concept fueled discussion and laid the groundwork for more developments as we fine tune what exactly it does mean to be military friendly in the realm of education.
Sixty-one exhibitors and 36 sponsors participated in the symposium to promote their services and offer new information to the servicemembers and those that work with them.
Exhibitors encompassed all forms of educational institutions, whether public, private, for-profit, non-profit, vocational, online or traditional; whether they provide associates, baccalaureate, graduate degrees or certificates, the options for educational pursuit were vast. Appropriately, there was also representation from book providers and testing agencies as well as other educational resource providers to supplement the programs. Governmentfunded organizations and consulting firms that work closely with military education were also present and available so anybody could learn more about what they do and their involvement with students. Exhibits provided the appropriate venue to explore what is available to students along with to networking opportunities within the field. In addition to the general sessions and the exhibitor displays, concurrent sessions highlighted programs, projects and concepts relative to military education and its partnerships. Participants were able to gain a greater understanding of military programs as well as their role within this network of people working together to enhance the educational environment.
In the current national climate, several themes emerged. Among them, the symposium addressed the advances in technology developed to better meet the needs of the servicemember, and how the various providers will rise to meet the challenge and incorporate these advancements into their product. There were also sessions acknowledging the difficult but necessary issue of accommodations for severely injured soldiers. It is universally important to find ways to meet these needs that we are only on the cusp of addressing. In addition, several speakers conveyed their concept of “best practices” among institutions and organizations, including mentor reviews and standards, distance learning methodology, integrity of the programs, and how to gauge a healthy environment of competition while meeting the needs of the student. Sessions provided ample time for Q & A, allowing individuals to select personally relevant sessions and gain knowledge that was pertinent to their individual needs.
As the symposium came to a close, 10 scholarships were awarded to deserving military students, with one or more of the award recipients representing each branch of service. These scholarships are distributed annually, illustrating one of the many outcomes of the successful partnership between members of the military and those institutions and individuals committed to serving them as they dedicate their lives to serving their country. Appropriately, as CCME 2007 wrapped up, the new members of the CCME executive board were installed, initiating the beginning of this current term, led by the president of CCME and director of military education at Thomas Edison State College, Louis Martini. Encouraged with the success of this year, the board will be working throughout the year, continuing to address issues that affect our servicemembers in the academic realm and planning for CCME 2008, scheduled for February 18 to 22 in San Francisco, Calif. ♦
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For more information and to view PowerPoint slideshows from a sampling of the sessions, please reference the CCME website at http://www.ccmeonline.org. Misty Isak and Terri Tallon-Hammill are assistant directors of military education at Thomas Edison State College.