Monday, April 6, 2015

Don’t Miss GSU’s: Fishin' Buddies! Walk-A-Thon! The ART of Nature



Get ready to have some fun while helping to raise money for a good cause.  In partnership with Fishin’ Buddies, the School of Extended Learning, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park, the Fishin’ Buddies Walk-a-Thon is a fund-raiser for the S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) Programs for Chicagoland at-risk youth.  In addition there are more than 100 local organizations, schools, businesses and clubs who are supporting the hikers, volunteers and sponsors.
The event takes place on Saturday, June 6th, 2015 from 10am to 3pm with an onsite check-in at 9am.  Held at the beautiful Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park located on GSU’s main campus, participants will register as individuals or as a team.  Once you register, you can set up your own FB Walk-a-Thon Page where you can post information about your fundraising goal and personalize with pictures, videos and messages.  Then all you have to do is to share your page via Facebook, email or text and ask your support group to help you meet your fundraising goal. 
Not only does the event provide the opportunity to walk for a cause but also gives you a chance to experience the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park.  To help fully appreciate the park, there will be a FB Outdoor Assistant mobile app available to use to further explore the trails and learn more about GSU’s natural areas and student research projects
You will also have the opportunity to take a look at the Solo Exhibition Series: Don’t Tread on Me by Chakaia Booker.  The exhibit consists of three outdoor pieces, Serendipity (1998), Meeting Ends (2005) and What’s Not (2009).  Booker is renowned for her work with discarded automobile tires that are cut up into various shapes and sizes and then fastened onto wooden or metal armatures. 
Please see the School of Extended Learning’s website for more details and our online registration form.  Registration fees and donations can be made via debit card, credit card and/or check.
At GSU you will discover a highly diverse student body made up of individuals of all ages and backgrounds and courses that are taught by gifted professors.  At the School of Extended Learning we are dedicated to providing support and resources to all students, faculty, and the community to enhance individual growth and global understanding.
  


Saturday, April 4, 2015

GSU’s Office of Continuing Education



The School of Extended Learning’s Office of Continuing Education is responsible for planning and scheduling professional development and continuing education opportunities for individuals interested in advancing professionally and personally.  Many of these programs are a collaborative effort between the College of Business and Public Administration (CBPA) and the Office of Continuing Education and utilize the resources of the CBPA.
Our programs offer the opportunity to acquire advance training and certification with courses such as the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate or the American Home Inspectors Training.  Also our Supply Chain Optimization Leadership Overview course demonstrates the benefits and the approach of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Supply Chain Optimization program that helps reduce risk, increase visibility and builds stronger manufacturers. 
Another exciting, upcoming program is the GSU Faculty Development in International Business (FDIB) Workshops, which will take place on June 10-11th.  Led by the CBPA faculty who are content experts on the relevant topics, this program is sponsored by a US Department of Education grant and is offered at minimum cost to participants. 
Furthermore, in order to provide an even greater selection of programs, Governors State has partnered with OnCourse Learning.  They are an exceptional provider of quality, state approved, customized training solutions, textbooks, and occupational tools for both pre-licensing and continuing education.  Courses include the real estate, appraisal, mortgage, home inspection, IT, engineering, insurance, and bank and credit union industries. 
The university also offers professional development through the Illinois Small Business Development Center at GSU and the International Trade Center.  Both of these organizations offer existing businesses or start-ups an opportunity to receive consulting and training expertise.  Please see the School of Extended Learning’s website for information on all of these continuing educational opportunities.    

In every college we have outstanding programs and world-class professors; all focused on delivering academic excellence in a small-class setting.  Academic excellence and innovation are natural partners. At Governors State University you’ll find an abundance of both.  We look forward to helping you achieve your educational and career goals.

Thursday, April 2, 2015

GRE Test Preparation Workshops



According to an article from U.S. News and World Report, more than 700,000 people take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) for admission to graduate or business school each year.  In fact, Educational Testing Services reports that now over 800 MBA programs worldwide accept the revised GRE as an alternative to the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT).  The GRE includes questions that incorporate verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing.

The GRE is similar to the SAT, but there are some significant differences that you will want to know if you plan to take the test.  First, the GRE is a computer-adaptive test and is not done with paper and pencil.  The U.S. News and World Report article explains that, “the difficulty of the questions is based on the accuracy of your answers to previous questions. The better you perform on the first sets of 20 verbal and quantitative reasoning questions, the harder the next sets of 20 questions will be.” 

At GSU’s School of Extended Learning, we offer a GRE Test Preparation course.  During the course, you will acquire strategies in math, reading comprehension, writing, and verbal and quantitative skills to improve GRE scores using acclaimed Cambridge test preparation materials.  Textbook, practice tests, and all course materials are included in the fee. 

By taking the workshop, you will more fully understand the requirements, scoring, and logistics of the GRE.   In addition you will recognize specific question types on the GRE and become familiar with the skill sets that the GRE seeks to test. 

We also offer an online course in partnership with The Princeton Review.  To enroll in the GRE LiveOnline course, you need to go to the Princeton Review website, and during checkout, type in the promo code: GSUGRE.  Please refer to GSU’s School of Extended Learning’s website for more information on our GRE Test Preparation Workshops. 

Source:
usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/articles/2012/04/30/test-prep-6-tips-for-gre-success?int=96ef08,ets.org/gre

We encourage you to explore our many degree, certificate and individual course offerings listed on our website.  Each college has stellar programs and world-class professors; all of which are focused on delivering academic excellence in a small-class setting.  Learn more about the rich history, cultural amenities and beautiful campus that contributes to making us one of the top colleges in Illinois.