Thinking About Graduate School in 2010?

As we reflect on our accomplishments in 2009 and look forward to the next year, are you considering a master's degree in 2010?  Maybe it's for a job promotion or a bump in salary.  Maybe it's for a new set of skills or the dream job that requires an advanced degree.  Whatever the reason, a master's degree can help you in various ways throughout your life and it's something that can't be taken away.  So in 2010, consider starting a graduate degree, you'll be glad you did.

Happy New Year!

Very Quiet at GVU

With semester tests completed and faculty grades submitted, Grand View's campus is relatively quiet. Do you know what it feels like to work in a 40,000 sq. ft. building all by yourself?  Try being one of very few non-faculty members in an academic building.  Actually, it's refreshing...the peace and quiet.  It's amazing how much work I can get done when I don't have students, faculty and staff coming in and out of my office.  Also, most of my important meetings involve faculty, so those aren't consuming my day either.  But before I know it, spring classes will start and the madness will begin again, but I love it!

Have a safe and happy holidays!  I might sneak one more post in before 2010!

GV Grad Fact Friday: Spotlight on Business

Spotlight on Business: The Organizational Leader

As we developed the Master of Science in Innovative Leadership, our business advisory council, made up of representatives of about 30 central Iowa employers, stressed the importance of what they called "soft skills." Members observed that it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to find candidates for management positions who are truly proficient in the organizational, managerial, communication and team-building skills they need to move their organizations forward. As a result, Grand View developed the Organizational Leader curriculum, with significant input from those employers.

In the business track, you'll study the relationship between threat analysis and organizational failure ... become competent in conflict management, team-building, and interpersonal dynamics ... learn project management, including budgeting and resource allocation ... explore creative entrepreneurial thinking, including innovative positioning strategies for an organization ... and understand of the role of leadership in shaping organizational culture and social responsibility.

You'll be equipped to contribute innovative strategies and new perspectives to your organization, whether it's a for-profit company, an entrepreneurial endeavor, a government agency, a not-for-profit organization or a military unit.

Courses in the business track stress the competencies strong leadership requires:

• Change: Failures and Successes
• Leadership: Applied Systems Thinking
• Project Readings
• Resource Management
• Motivation
• Team Building and Conflict Management
• Strategic Thinking and Sustainability
• Leadership: Accountability and Social Responsibility
• Leading for Change III: Innovative Leadership Capstone

Semester Break

I can't believe how fast first semester flew by and just like that....it's quiet around here.  Final grades were due to the University by noon today and our registrar's office is working extremely hard to entry the grades so the students can find out if the late night cramming paid off!  Considering it was the graduate school's first-ever semester...I think it went well and judging by the students' feedback, they thought so, too.  Although the students aren't around, allowing the faculty to take a much needed break, the University administration and staff will be hard at work over the holiday break.  Many of us say we get twice as much work done when the students aren't around.  So this won't be my last post of 2009!!

Winter in Iowa

Well, I guess we'll have to wait until next year to start the tradition of having a holiday dinner on the final night of graduate class.  Because of the winter storm, the professors decided to cancel the final presentations and have the students post their final work on Blackboard.  So, obviously my holiday dinner had to be canceled, too. That's Iowa for you.

GV Grad Fact Friday

Since our program is so new, it's fun starting new traditions.  Next Tuesday, the graduate students will gather for their final presentations and I decided that a holiday dinner would top of a successful semester in the classroom.  New Tradition: Holiday Dinner prior to the last Fall semester class.  I like the sounds of that!

The Other Really Good Viking Football Team

As I write this post, the Minnesota Vikings are 10-1 with hopes of making a playoff run to the Super Bowl.  But there's another Viking team that was an even bigger surprise than Brett Favre playing like a NFL MVP.  The Grand View Vikings football team recently completed its second year of football....ever.  Not only did they improve from a two-win season, they were one win away from being the conference champs and playing in the NAIA football playoffs. The team lost their final game, but finished with an 8-3 record and 11 players received all-conference honors.  Coach Woodley was the conference coach of the year and his son, Joe, was the top assistant coach of the year.  The entire GV community is extremely proud of the team. 

Happy Thanksgiving

Today, GV students are finishing up classes for the week and University offices close tomorrow (Wed.) at noon and will remain closed through the weekend.  Therefore, you won't be hearing from me until next week. Safe travels to everyone and have a happy Thanksgiving! 

GV Grad Fact Friday

The GV Graduate Studies office has teamed up with the YPC to offer members a free one-year parking pass for graduate students enrolling in the M.S. in Innovative Leadership next fall. $50 value.  Details are coming soon on the YPC's Member Discounts page. Check it out.

Spotlight on the Clinical Nurse Leader

The nursing track in Grand View's Master of Science in Innovative Leadership leads to the role of Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL). The CNL is a relatively new role in nursing, sponsored by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).

According to the AACN, "The CNL role emerged following research and discussion with stakeholder groups as a way to engage highly skilled clinicians in outcomes-based practice and quality improvement. In practice, the CNL oversees the care coordination of a distinct group of patients and actively provides direct patient care in complex situations. This master's degree-prepared clinician puts evidence-based practice into action to ensure that patients benefit from the latest innovations in care delivery. The CNL evaluates patient outcomes, assesses cohort risk, and has the decision-making authority to change care plans when necessary. The CNL is a leader in the health care delivery system, and the implementation of this role will vary across settings."

CNL graduates are eligible to take the CNL certification exam through the Commission on Nurse Certification (CNC), an autonomous arm of AACN.

Because the CNL role is new, there is sometimes confusion about the differences between the CNL and other advanced practice nurses. The AACN defines the difference this way: "The CNL is not prepared as an advanced practice nurse (APN) as the APN is currently defined. The CNL is an advanced generalist in contrast with the specialized focus of the practice by clinical nurse specialists (CNS) and nurse practitioners. Advanced practice nurses are prepared with specialist education in a defined area of practice. The CNL and APN roles complement one another. For example, the CNL may call on the CNS to provide consultation when a specialist area of concern arises (i.e. when a patient does not respond to nursing care or therapeutics as expected)."

The AACN has published a brochure on the CNL role. Go to http://www.aacn.nche.edu/CNL/pdf/Brochure.pdf to download it. Other information about the CNL role is available on the AACN web site at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/CNL/Index.htm.

As an example, the Department of Veteran's Affairs is among the health care systems employing Clinical Nurse Leaders. At VA hospitals, CNLs serve as the point people on patient care teams and are leaders in the health care delivery system across all settings in which health care is delivered. This revolutionary role is making a difference in patient care outcomes and professional role satisfaction for many staff nurses.

GV Grad Fact Friday: Student Spotlight Edition

I decided to change it up a bit this week.  This student spotlight article was in our November newsletter and I thought it would be great to post it on my blog.  Enjoy.

A Student Perspective: Peter Kiernan, Business


Peter Kiernan decided to pursue a graduate education after a discussion of career path planning at his employer, John Deere. He saw an opportunity to advance his level of education, communication skills and credentials, for both his career and personal growth goals.

Peter has a long tradition with Grand View. He graduated with a double major in Accounting and Business Administration in 1994 and is successfully completing his first semester of graduate studies. In addition, he has been appointed to President Henning's Advisory Council and as the student representative on the Graduate Council.

"I looked at Grand View’s program because I wanted to focus on improving my leadership skills and to gain an understanding of the dynamics of leadership. After looking at Grand View's curriculum, a traditional MBA would not meet this objective. I was interested in expanding my knowledge in areas other than business. Since my undergraduate degree from Grand View was in Business and Accounting, this prepared and has provided me a very successful career with John Deere."

Peter has worked for John Deere for the past ten years and is currently a pricing analyst in the Intelligent Vehicle Solutions Division. They develop and manufacture satellite technology to provide combines and tractors field solutions of yield mapping and hands-free steering. Peter was raised on a farm south of Des Moines that has been in his family since 1855. Today he farms southeast of Des Moines, which allows him to stay current with farming practices, technologies, and marketing of commodities. So he was also looking for a graduate program with plenty of flexibility to match his busy schedule.

"I’ve really been impressed with the caliber of the subject matter and the professors at Grand View. This is a tremendous learning opportunity, and I’m also having a great time. The interdisciplinary nature of the program means classes have a great mix of students, a very diverse group with different perspectives and personal experiences. That matters because leaders will not always be interacting with the same type of people in one area at the same time. "I encourage those contemplating graduate study to look at their own career and personal goals, their strengths and areas where there is room for improvement. Then look at what Grand View offers to meet these goals. My great grandfather used to say, your life is what you make of it; Grand View has definitely prepared the foundation to allow me to not only set goals but to obtain them."

Graduate School: Question of the Week

I’m interested in graduate school, but my work schedule isn’t a typical 40-hour week. I work some days, evenings and nights. Are there part-time graduate schools that will fit in my schedule?


You’re definitely in a tricky situation because your work schedule doesn’t allow for a traditional day or evening program. Most graduate schools try to be as accommodating as possible, but have to draw the line somewhere if they want you to benefit from the classroom experience. I am a huge believer in the face-to-face interactions that you will receive in the classroom, but certainly understand if it isn’t compatible with your schedule. You might want to explore online options for graduate school and a few schools even support a “hybrid” structure that is largely online work with minimal classroom time. Please keep in mind, you’ll gain flexibility, but lose the classroom experience.

GV Grad Fact Friday

Any prospective graduate student who applies to Grand View from now until April 1, 2010 through the website will receive an application fee waiver.  It's a $40 value.  Have a nice Friday...and enjoy the warm weekend!

Graduate School: Question of the Week

"I have never been a good standardized test taker, so I’m very nervous about taking the graduate entrance exam. What should I do to prepare for it?"


Whether you’re taking the GRE, GMAT, LSAT or MCAT, most graduate admission experts will encourage applicants to study for the exam, but how you go about the process should be based on your personal study habits. At a minimum, I believe all applicants should purchase a study guide with prep tests. You can go to your local bookstore or order new and/or used study guides online (Amazon.com is a great resource). Using these test prep books enable you to take simulation tests which helps assess your strengths and weaknesses and also allows you to gauge your time management. Too many times, I hear stories of applicants who say they ran out of time and guessed on the final questions of the section.

Some applicants need a structured study plan and because of this, many will turn to a company that assists clients in studying for graduate exams. Some of these courses can be expensive, but are proven to be extremely helpful for many test-takers. For a low-cost prep course, I recommend contacting DMACC in Ankeny to see if they have a class that fits in your schedule.

Please keep in mind that the standardized test is only one component to the application. Graduate admission committees also consider the personal statement, resume, letters of recommendation, undergraduate gpa and any other components the school requires. So don’t get too stressed about taking the test!

GV Grad Fact Friday

Grand View University's graduate program is accepting applications for the Fall 2010 and the admission/scholarship priority deadline is April 1, 2010.  A complete listing of the admission requirements can be found here. Have a great Friday!

Graduate School: Question of the Week

"I graduated from college over ten years ago, so I don’t know if I can get a letter of recommendation from one of my undergraduate professors and besides, they probably won't remember me. What should I do?"


This can sometimes be challenging, but prospective graduate students in your position have been able to get the recommendation through a few simple steps. First, try to contact your professor a few months before your ideal date to complete the application. Please keep in mind that you’re not the only current or former student asking the professor for a recommendation. As a former student, you might not think they will remember you, but many times they will because professors are used to hearing from former students after graduation. Even if your professors don’t remember you, they have access to your academic records, so that will help them to speak to your ability in the classroom setting.

Sometimes you will find the professor has left the University, but don’t become discouraged. Ask someone from your institution if they have contact information for the professor. If not, just simply perform an internet search and many times you’ll be able to find the needed information.

If you find yourself hitting dead ends at every turn, then contact the graduate admission office to get advice on how to proceed. If the situation is thoroughly explained, many graduate admission offices will then ask you to get an additional letter from someone else who can attest to your ability to succeed in a graduate program.

GV Grad Fact Friday

Grand View's graduate courses are scheduled on Tuesday evenings from 5:30-10 p.m. Our students take two classes per semester (typically 6 credit hours), but only have to meet once a week. So how does that work, you ask?  Although our students are attending class every Tuesday evening, they alternate the specific classes every week.  Click here to see our course schedules in detail.

Graduate School: Question of the Week

"My employer does not offer tuition reimbursement.  How am I going to pay for it?"

Graduate school financial assistance, in most cases, will be a different experience when comparing to your undergraduate scholarships, grants, and student loans.  Most graduate schools offer minimal scholarship opportunities for part-time students and the state and federal governments utilize their grants at the undergraduate level.  So many part-time graduate students will either try to pay per semester or in many cases, will simply file the FAFSA and take out federal student loans.  At the graduate and professional school level, students are eligible to take out $20,500/year in Stafford loans.  This will cover tuition and fees at most schools, so students will not have to find alternative ways to pay the school.  Some people a very reluctant to take our student loans because they fear making monthly payments for an extended amount of time.  But think of it this way -- 

Person A:  She decides to get her graduate degree.  Over the course of the two-year program, it will cost roughly $18,000 and she takes out the entire amount in federal student loans.  When completed with the degree, she sets up a 10-year loan repayment plan at 6.8% interest (federal rate), so she'll pay around $200 per month.
Person B:  He decides to buy a used car for $18,000.  The dealership sets him up with a 5-year loan at 5.5% interest, making his payments roughly $350 per month.

Here's my point - Many of us will not bat an eye at a $350 car payment, but will complain about making a smaller student loan payment.  Yes, it is for an additional five years, but the degree doesn't depreciate.  Twenty years from now your graduate degree will still be on our resume, but where will that car be?  My guess is the junkyard.

Higher Education in Iowa

It seems that we all have one of those friends who is always coming up with simple, but intriguing questions and we always end up having a great discussion about the subject.  Recently, I was visiting with "that guy" and he asked how many people in the U.S. have a graduate degree.  I didn't have a clue, but it made for a nice discussion and, of course, the next morning I did a little research on the topic.  Based on the U.S. Census Bureau's 2008 data, 27.7% of Americans 25 or older have a bachelor's degree, but only 24.3% of Iowans have earned the same level of degree.  As for graduate degrees, 10.2% of Americans have an advanced degree and only 7.3% in Iowa.  I am very surprised by the numbers, not the national numbers, but where Iowa stacks up in the rankings.  43rd out of 51 in the graduate degree rankings...let's go Iowa.  It isn't for the lack of great graduate programs in the state!

GV Grad Fact Friday

Week #3: The Grand View University graduate program is currently accepting applications for the Fall 2010 cohort.  The application process can be found on the graduate student web page and if you have any questions, call or email me.  phone: #263-2830. email:  mnorris@grandview.edu.

New Weekly Feature: Graduate Question of the Week

A few weeks ago I added the GV Grad Fact Friday.  Now I have decided to add the "Graduate Question of the Week."  This will be an actual question or concern from a prospective graduate student that I have recently answered.  If one person asked, then there are probably others with the same question/concern.  My plan is to post the question and answer on Tuesday or Wednesday of each week.

"My life is already hectic, how much time will I dedicate to graduate school?"

In graduate school, the time commitment is significant, especially for part-time students who are putting in a full week at work. As a rule of thumb, many professors will say for every hour of class, you can expect at least two hours of work outside of the classroom. Once you have a feel for your time commitment, you have to determine what “non-school” activities to give up to accommodate for your schedule. Most importantly, if you have a family, you need to prepare them for the sacrifices that will be made by everyone involved. With that being said, a graduate degree is certainly attainable and well worth the time and money. Grand View has an excellent support structure which is very important when looking at graduate schools.

My Business Cards Have Arrived

As I have previously posted, I am new to Grand View University, so some of my time has been spent ordering promotional pens and magnets, office supplies, reference material, and, of course, business cards.  In my profession, along with so many others, the business card is one of the most important things to have with you at all times.  As American Express used to say, "never leave home without it."  So when I was told that I had to wait until mid-September to order my business cards ( I started in August), I was somewhat worried about my interactions with potential students and employers.  In the past seven years, I have given out thousands of business cards, it's just something you have to do.  So the past two months have been have been, well, weird when it comes to my business card excuses.  At first, it was easy. "Oh, I'm sorry, I just started and haven't ordered business cards."  Then it turned into, "my business cards have been ordered, but not in."  I was beginning to think GVU was holding out to see how I was doing before they invested in business cards :)  Well, my business cards arrived this morning and I'm a happy camper.  It's amazing how much a person can rely on something so small.

After thinking about the importance of business cards, I will leave you with something I found while doing a bit of business card history research:

"Modern Business Card Etiquette and Format

Not only are elaborate rituals of presentation and reception followed in Asian nations but in many parts of the world it is rude to present your card with your left hand or to immediately put a card away upon receiving it. Internationally a card should never be used to take notes and all cards should be translated on the reverse side in the language of the nation in question. Cards should not be carried loose but in appropriate card cases and should be maintained in pristine condition. The general rule of thumb is that the card should be presented in the condition in which the owner himself would appear for a high level business meeting -- immaculate and behaving according to the manners of the host nation."

GV Grad Fact Friday

As I stated last week, I have started Grad Fact Friday...

Fact #2:  Our MS in Innovative Leadership gained accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in October 2009.  At a press conference in early November, President Henning announced the launch of graduate education, as well as the adoption of the name Grand View University.

Have a great Friday and try to stay warm!

What a Weekend for Viking Fans

If you are a Viking football fan (Grand View or Minnesota), then you probably had a pretty good weekend.  If you're a fan of both, then you had a great weekend.  Thankfully, I'm a fan of both teams, so I had a fantastic weekend.  First, on Saturday afternoon Grand View played William Penn University at Williams Stadium in Des Moines.  With the scored tied at 17 with less than 30 seconds left in the game, William Penn attempted a field goal and it was blocked by Grand View.  One of our players picked up the blocked kick and ran it in for a touchdown....game over.  What an exciting conclusion to a hard fought game and to top it off, it was Homecoming Weekend!  In only its second year of life, the Grand View football team is 4-2 heading into this weekend's match up against Quincy University.

Then, last night concluded what would be a great weekend for a true Viking fan.  It's a good day when Minnesota beats Green Bay, but Brett Favre leading the Vikings to victory over the Packers seemed even sweeter!  Argue all you want about how Favre went about it (and I would probably argee with much of it), he's a Viking and I'm loving every minute of it.

The New Weekly Installment

I have been representing our graduate program the past two days at a middle school teachers conference in Des Moines. Some of the sponsors, including me, have tables set up in the lobby of the hotel.  The attendees have a few minutes between sessions to visit with us and then we all go back to our laptops for an hour or so to get some work done. Hence, the blog post right now. 

Anyway, I thought I would add a new weekly feature to my blog...Grad Fact Friday.  So every Friday, I will write a brief post about something you might not know about GVU's graduate program. I will start with general facts about our program and over the course of the year, I will write about in-depth topics.

The fact for this Friday:  Our graduate program started in its development stage over three years ago and our very first cohort of students (21) started in August.  We have 7 teachers, 3 nurses, and 11 business students in the cohort.

See, it will only be a couple of sentences, but informative.

Being the New Guy

For anyone who is currently transitioning into a new job, you can probably relate to this post.  I started at GVU in mid-August and it has been a whirlwind ever since then.  Thankfully, everyone here has been welcoming and extremely supportive as I find my way.  From learning how to use the phones to faxing a document, the first week you feel absolutely helpless.  Tasks that wouldn't have taken any thought at your previous job, end up consuming an hour of your time. You spend much of your time meeting new co-workers and trying to remember their names.  You're in meeting after meeting trying to catch up on three years' worth of information while trying to juggle other projects that were waiting for you months before you started. Just as you start to get your sea legs, you decide to start a blog. ;) 

I love my new job and think the GVU graduate program has a lot to offer central Iowa.  Now it's my goal to make sure central Iowa knows it, too.

Now I Know Why Paula is Crazy

As I posted last week, I was one of the judges for GVU's street painting competition on Sunday.  I judged alongside three new faculty members.  It was fun to judge with them because we had gone through new faculty orientation together and since the start of school we hadn't visited too much. So it was nice to catch up with them. 

It was interesting to see how each individual went about judging the paintings.  We had one judge who made up her own scoring system to aid in her decision, another judge walked slowly around the paintings taking everything in and the other judge (my favorite) looked like he was judging at the Westminster Dog Show. In a very formal manner, he walked swiftly through the paintings as if he knew exactly what he was looking for and then stood at the end of the street gazing over the entire group of the paintings. After a bit a pondering, he made a brisk stroll back through the paintings.  He knew his "Grand Champion" before we had even finished getting halfway through. (Don't worry, I already joked with him about being a dog show judge).  They're all great and we had a good laugh about it!

There was some added pressure to the competition for a couple of reasons.  #1 - I didn't realize the clubs receive cash prizes for placing: 1st place- $200, 2nd place - $150, Third place - $75.  #2 - all of the students stand around the street staring at you as you judge their painting they had painstakingly worked on for the past three hours.  The four of us were surrounding by students with no way out.  If they didn't like the decision, they could have easily stoned us to death.

We had to make some tough decisions because there were many deserving paintings and now I know why Paula Abdul is insane.  Well, she might have been crazy prior to American Idol, but being on that show couldn't help.  Anyway, in the end, I believe we came to a good decision and awarded prizes to the appropriate clubs.  We even had a tie for 3rd place.  I would like to publicly apologize to the Viking Council for having to spend an extra $75 because we couldn't agree on 3rd place!

Move Over Simon Cowell

Next week is Homecoming Week at Grand View University and it will be an exciting time for everyone on campus, especially the students. Grand View started a football team last year and it seems to have added to the "homecoming experience." Now, I've only been at GVU since August, but I've been told that, prior to adding football, the homecoming game was actually a soccer match. Nothing against soccer, but that just seemed a little weird to me. Although, they didn't have a football team, so what do you do? Anyway, the student body president contacted me a few weeks ago to see if I would like to be one of the judges for the street painting competition. I enjoy volunteering for these types of events, so I gladly said I would do it. I worked at Drake University for five years and they have a popular street painting competition during the Drake Relays in late April, but I never was asked to be a judge. That got me thinking...well, no one questioned me about my artistic ability (I don't have any) and if I have any experience judging a similar competition (I haven't), which really made me question the validity of the competition. That would be like American Idol asking someone with no history of being involved in the music industry to be a judge on the show...seriously, that would be like asking Ellen DeGeneres to be a judge...wait a minute.

Make a Name for Yourself

Last Friday, I attended the annual Young Professionals of Iowa Conference in Des Moines.  Grand View was one of the sponsors and since I'm considered a "young professional," I was excited to attend the sessions and promote our graduate program. I visited with some great people from all over our great state and had the pleasure of listening to the featured keynote speaker, Scott Ginsberg.  He is best known for wearing a nametag 24/7, I believe, for almost nine years....get this, he even has a nametag tattoo on his chest.  He is high energy...just think of the kid in elementary school who couldn't sit still in class and then at recess would run around in circles the entire time.  Scott has been featured on 20/20, CNN, and the Today Show, just to name a few and has written eight books, but the best part is that he doesn't take himself too seriously.  I encourage you to check out his information - Hello, My Name Is Scott.  He had a ton of great information during his presentation and the one quote that I keep thinking about is this..."Make a name for yourself, or someone else will make one for you."

Hello, Blog World

Well, I guess it's about time that I start a blog.  I have read blogs for quite a few years, but I've always thought...what would I write about and why would people keep coming back.  Why not write about what I know best.  After working in higher education for over seven years, I have dubbed myself, "The Graduate Admission Guy."  Now, before my brother-in-law throws a fit, let me say that it's a play on his Morningside College blog called "The Mside Admissions Guy."  He has worked in undergraduate admissions for a few years now and has been faithfully writing his blog for over a year, I believe.  So I thought a graduate school admission blog would be a nice angle and frankly, my name has a better ring to it, Jim.

So for anyone interested in graduate school, whether just considering it or currently applying to schools, hopefully this blog will assist you along the way.