National Student Exchange!

In my opinion, the National Student Exchange Program (NSE) is one of the best kept secrets here at IPFW. I wish more students would take advantage of this opportunity and I wanted to share a little bit about the program with you!

NSE provides students with affordable and practical opportunities to experience new and diverse settings in which to study and live. NSE has found that exchange within the U.S. and Canada can be just as exhilarating and culturally enriching as international study and one of the most significant experiences of a student's undergraduate education. NSE students access new academic options, immerse themselves in a different environment, search for graduate schools or future employment, acquire life skills, experience life from a different point of view, and expand their personal and educational perspectives.

Students must be enrolled at one of NSE’s Member Universities in order to apply for exchange; and exchanges are only available at other member institutions. Students apply for participation on their home campus and pay their normal tuition. NSE includes nearly 200 colleges and universities...so there is definitely a school out there for you to consider! I think I would pick the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras!

For more information about the NSE program, go to http://www.ipfw.edu/nse/

Facebook Appearance and Students

A few days ago one of my EDUC x210 students Facebooked me and asked: "So, do you approve of my profile and my pictures? :)" I was immediately taken aback!

I've preached about having a professional Facebook appearance to students across the campus with the majority of responses being, "ARGH!" or "Why?!" or "Uh, it's not fair that employers look at my page without asking!" It was so refreshing and welcoming to have a student actively respond to my preaching by cleaning up her pictures and then asking for my professional opinion.

It is also nice to report that I only made a comment about one picture and even glanced over the rest of her profile and can honestly say it looked clean. She still had fun with it, but nothing inappropriate.

On a side note, to the students that protest with the "Uh, it's not fair that employers look at my page without asking!" comment, Facebook is public! This is a public profile that you've just created and unless you adjust your privacy settings, anyone can see your profile. And, yes it may seem sneaky that employers judge you without your knowledge but it's their job to pick the best candidate during a job search and that means hiring someone that fits with their company mission and goals. Personality can be the tie-breaker when candidates are neck-and-neck with relevant work experience. So clean it up!

And, one final fun comment... I've had a great semester with my EDUC x210 (Career & Life Planning class) students. They are motivated young adults with so much intellect and spirit. We're nearing the end and it will be a bitter sweet parting, but I wish them all the luck and good blessings with their future endeavors!