One responsibility the pandemic has forced on educators is to rethink everything they do for students.
One realization 吃瓜头条 came to was that it鈥檚 more adept at delivering an online education than it thought.
One opportunity that has emerged is what President Chris Vitelli describes as 鈥渁 student-centered approach for working professionals to advance their careers.鈥�It is called Relaunch, and the fast-track program built for adults with lives and jobs will kick off in August for Fall 2022. Students will have the opportunity to earn an associate鈥檚 degree in just 17 months, with programs offering 6-, 9- and 12-week sessions.
All classes in Business, Child Development, Computer Technology & Information Systems (CTIS) or Criminal Justice will be delivered online. Working students can study when they have time. Support services, like financial aid and counseling, will also be available to students virtually. No need to come on campus.
Students will work in cohorts in Relaunch, advancing toward degrees together and building their own support systems along the way. Faculty and student services will work together as well, so students don鈥檛 have to guess who to approach if they need help beyond the classroom.
鈥淗opefully we鈥檒l be more agile in how we serve students,鈥� said Karissa Morehouse, Assistant Superintendent and Vice President of Instruction. 鈥淚 think our faculty are looking forward to working with a team and not feeling alone while trying to help students.鈥�
When an industry is always changing
The skills needed to work within the CTIS industry are always evolving because technology never stops evolving. Newcomers can find it hard to jump into a job since they鈥檙e so skill-specific.
Computer Science professor Bhrigu Celly, Ph.D., has years of relevant work experience in CTIS, like working on blockbuster movies with Sony Pictures. He has long felt that shortening the time it takes to earn a CTIS degree was important to narrow the gap between learning skills and executing them.
Celly sees the urgency in how quickly his courses fill up each semester. Students know they鈥檙e instantly employable after taking one course. CTIS was also a good choice for Relaunch because it attracts so many different types of students. Celly teaches high school students who are trying to figure out if they want a CTIS job or career, adults with bachelor鈥檚 degrees who want to add skills, and even those with master鈥檚 degrees who want to change careers. He teaches IT professionals who come back to retrain themselves and current college students who need one certification to enhance their resume when they apply for internships.
And they鈥檙e all in class together.
鈥淭he need for CTIS training is so high,鈥� Celly said. 鈥淧eople need very specific training for a lot of different work, and can鈥檛 go to school for every small thing. Employers don鈥檛 always care about people having a B.A. or M.A. They just need people who can do the work right now.鈥�
Celly is ready to make Relaunch work because of how well it fits the needs of his industry.
鈥淚鈥檝e been here three years, and I鈥檓 having so much fun,鈥� Celly said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e talking about new technology all the time here and about putting Merced on the map with this department.鈥�
When a degree is the only way to advance
Instructor David Noblett, a retired sergeant with the Chowchilla Police Department, and colleague Mark Johnson make up the Relaunch faculty for the criminal justice degree. They have been eager to offer a fast track for their always-impacted program so more current officers can move through the ranks of their agencies.
That鈥檚 because, years ago, officers could join an agency with a high school diploma and academy training. Then they earned promotions through time and hard work.
That path is no longer quite so clear. Many agencies now require a college degree for promotion. Also, a new law in California will require police officers to be 21 and hold a bachelor鈥檚 degree to start.
Noblett understands why starting back at college in the middle of one鈥檚 career can feel daunting. He was a 鈥渢wo-time quitter鈥� himself.
He graduated early from Madera High and was a 17-year-old freshman at Fresno State when he realized college was harder than high school. He dropped out and went to the police academy instead. Years later, he went back to take some college classes to start receiving promotions.
鈥淎nd then I realized I鈥檇 be 104 before I got my degree,鈥� Noblett said.
He eventually earned one with the University of Phoenix, but he and Johnson realized long ago that online classes could be the answer for their peers.
鈥淟aw enforcement is all shift work; they can鈥檛 plan 18 weeks ahead,鈥� Noblett said. 鈥淭he pandemic shifted us online, and we wanted to be there anyway.鈥�
When community begs for a new idea
The 17-month window and faster pace with Relaunch means busy, working adults aren鈥檛 likely to waste time or get bored.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 not to say you can鈥檛 take these programs if you鈥檙e not a working professional, but we wanted to be very intentional to make sure we fit their needs,鈥� Morehouse said. 鈥淲e realized we needed a new way.鈥�
吃瓜头条 will eventually add more degrees and more cohorts for the existing majors.鈥淚t鈥檚 very exciting,鈥� Morehouse said. 鈥淚 see huge potential.鈥�
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