Saturday, June 2, 2012

The Pay Off for Individuals, Families, and Communities

One of the neatest things I have been able to do in my academic career is to participate in creating a Leadership Institute for the professional association, EDUCAUSE. The Institute was originally for instructional designers and was later changed to learning technologists. As founding faculty members of this Institute, myself, Alan Levine, Larry Ragan, Rick Shearer, Kathy Cristoff, Heather Thompson, Cynthia Golden, and Carole Barone saw first hand just how diverse America is with the variety of educational institutions that exist. Public, private, for profit, large decentralized state schools, and very small Liberal Arts Colleges make up the tapestry of opportunities available to attend college in the United States. Some staff have very specific specialized occupations while others are generalists wearing multiple hats. Leadership was a constant need across the continent to assure academic success.

This blog is typically used for my doctoral studies performed at Colorado Tech, where I have felt like my brain is all lit up and my pants are on fire. Recent blog posts about graduation ceremonies compel me to share another video.

This is the best video my home institution has ever made in my opinion. It is a reminder of what I do for work and school. Often, I am reminded how I am living my dream to be able to pursue a doctorate degree. For all the nontraditional students out there, I dedicate this video to you. Your personal learning network is behind you as well as your kids, your parents, your siblings, and friends and someday all the hard work will pay off.

When you graduate, make sure you take the time to thank your supporters.

Enjoy this video! The voice of the speaker is Judge Belvin Perry who presided over the famous trial held in Orange County, Florida in 2011.