The Yellow Jacket | 9.26.19

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I N S I D E SERVICE LEADERSHIP PREPARES HURRICANE RELIEF TRIP S E E A 4

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SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 • VOL. 97 NO. 02 • EST. 1924

theyellowjacket.org

OP-ED

REGION

SPORTS

Column: Children should be cautious of viewing athletes as role models.

After years of travel, Camilo Jauregui has found that music can be a valuable tool.

During summer, WU soccer programs played and served in Costa Rica for a week.

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SEE B1

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Waynesburg U. recognized for student outcomes REBEKAH VAUGHAN For The Yellow Jacket

Holly Hendershot, Executive Editor

STRATEGY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

President Lee outlines five-year plan to ensure success LACHLAN LOUDON Web Editor

Starting in 2018, President Douglas Lee has been following a detailed plan to keep Waynesburg University optimistic for the future. This five-year plan, titled the “Strategy for the 21stCentury,” aims to keep the university successful by maintaining a commitment to mission, outcomes and values. The three major strategic themes of this plan are learning experiences, affordability and recognition. “Those are the three themes that, [if] we continue to lead and develop, will ensure the success of the university moving forward,” Lee said. So far, the university has implemented efforts in order to align with the strategic plan. This past summer, incoming freshmen were

able to take part in “Seeds for Success,” which helped students “acclimate and adapt to college life,” Lee said. This school year, the Pathways Center was established as a forthcoming campaign to centralize student support, and there is a new initiative to teach students entrepre-

burg University number one in Pennsylvania universities and number six among regional universities. Lee says it is “critical” to maintain this status. Higher education is changing. President Lee is confident the university will continue to be a top value school, even in

“[Mission, outcomes and values] are the three themes that, [if ] we continue to lead and develop, will ensure the success of the university moving forward.” DOUGLAS LEE

President of Waynesburg University

neurial leadership skills in Fiat Lux classes. Lee also stresses the importance of maintaining their prestigious ranking as a top value school. The U.S. World Report has placed Waynes-

the wake of higher education bankruptcies. Wheeling University, formerly Wheeling Jesuit University, and Green Mountain College, located in Vermont, and many other establishments in America have

fallen victim to bankruptcy, a recent trend in higher education. Lee says Waynesburg University is “very conservative” in its spending. The conservative approach has allowed the university to offer value to students and provide an enriching learning experience with lower debt than most private schools in the nation. Learning experiences breed outcomes, and affordability and recognition breed value. This plan primarily revolves around the interests of students, both current and incoming. However, good faculty and staff, as Lee admitted, are essential to making this strategy function properly. “And what it boils down to ultimately is the people,” Lee said. “We have really great STRATEGY >> A4

For the fourth consecutive year, Waynesburg University has been named a College of Distinction. Colleges of Distinction awards this title to schools that excel in student engagement, teaching, community and outcomes. According to the website, Colleges of Distinction was created in 2000 to make sure students and their parents are able to find the best school for them. “College of Distinction graduates are prepared for anything,” according to the website. “They are strong writers, speakers and thinkers because their professors have encouraged and challenged them oneon-one. They have meaningful professional experience from internships and advanced research, and they know how to work together with people different than themselves because they have been active on campus, traveled abroad and pursued service opportunities.” Graduates from a school with this title are claimed to be the best prepared for anything a professional job can throw at them. In order to be named a College of Distinction, a school’s curriculum “must emphasize such core competencies as critical thinking, writing, oral skills, research and global perspectives,” according to the website. Colleges and universities are awarded this title after being nominated and going through long evaluations and interviews. This prestig ious title helps Waynesburg University stand out to exploring high school students who have begun their college search by demonstrating

that Waynesburg University is about more than just attending classes and getting good grades. A good college experience also includes having the confidence that the education the students receive will be beneficial outside of the classroom. “ Taken together, our ranking and awards paint the picture of a highly valuable education,” said Stacey Brodak, vice president for Institutional Advancement and University Relations. “A Waynesburg University degree is not only affordable, but it is one with a reputation for positive outcomes, both personally and professionally, for both our students and the communities in which they live and work. Our students grow extraordinarily during their time on our beautiful campus, and the recognition we receive attests to that.” The College of Distinction title isn’t the only award Waynesburg has received this year. Many of the university’s programs have been highly praised for their educational benefits in and out of the classroom. Along with earning the College of Distinction award for the 2019-2020 academic year, Waynesburg has received other awards including: the Christian Colleges of Distinction award and the Nursing Colleges of Distinction award for the 2019-2020 school year. “ Waynesburg University has built a reputation for outstanding values and outcomes,” Brodak said. “We know that those qualities are important to our students. Maintaining that reputation is a differentiator for our University. Ranking and recognition such as this are important to our retention and recruitment efforts.”

Waynesburg nursing program ranked No. 2 in the state JOSEPH SMELTZER Sports Web Editor

Waynesburg University’s nursing program took another step forward earlier this year. In late May, it was announced that Waynesburg’s Bachelor of Science in the nursing program placed second in Pennsylvania in a ranking done by RNCareers.Org The list evaluated 668 schools nationwide, and Waynesburg ranked 23rd out of those schools. T h e p r o g r a m s we r e judged based on their accumulated NCLEX-RN pass rates over the past three years, along with program offerings, accreditation, institutional ranking, cost and graduation ranks. The program is familiar with recognition, and Lina Hixson, director of t h e R N/ B S N p ro g ra m

and assistant professor of nursing, credits the work of those around her, such as Director of Online Programs Jessica Sumpter, for the consistent success. “I think that we’ve done a lot of work,” Hixson said. “A l l o f t h e part-time faculty, mys e l f , [a n d ] Jessica Sumpter, the online program director, in making sure the courses are manageable, yet challenging … I think it’s because courses are challenging and they meet the needs of the working nurse.” The program went online in the fall of 2017. As with most new projects, it took awhile for the online program to find its foot-

ing.

T w o years later, Hixson feels that awareness for the program is continuing to grow. “I think the word has gotten out,” she said. “Now

nurses

and hospitals are hearing that this is manageable. It’s something they can do, and it’s applicable and productive.” Hixson said many stu-

dents who were in the program years ago are coming back, and this is a sign that the program is turning heads within the field. “That tells me there is a conversation that’s going on outside of the university,” she said. Waynesburg has long established itself as a top nursing school at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Because the healthcare is always changing, Hixson said, there is no room for complacency. “I think [a key is] making sure we’re always looking at current evidence that’s out there,” she said. “Looking at recent articles, things that are appli-

cable to the changes that are always happening on a daily basis in healthcare and the expectations for nurses, it always changes.” The idea that the profession is always changing means the faculty of the RN/BSN program constantly need to keep up to date. “We always have to be reading current journals, articles, listening to current webinars,” Hixson said. “Keeping up to date with what’s going on in hospitals and in the community.” For Hixson, the key to keeping this success going will be making the program as challenging as possible, while still making sure students get what they need. “Just being able to meet the needs of the student [and] maintaining the NURSING >> A4


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