Multimedia News

Sexiest older women. How old are they?
20 photos
Actress Kate Walsh poses for pictures after l...
Beautiful people in Cannes
20 photos
Australian actress Diana Glenn poses for phot...
Celebs out and about
18 photos
Actress Lindsay Lohan arrives at the Diesel x...
NFL Sunday
20 photos
New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre passes ...
The best of college football
20 photos
Miami's Graig Cooper scores a touchdown as Ce...

University College educates soldiers

Jul 2, 2007 12:00 AM (469 days ago) by Megan McIlroy, The Examiner
This story ranks Not ranked
Related Topics: Adelphia, MD
Adelphia, MD (Map, News) - The University of Maryland University College follows the boots.

With about 50,000 active duty military students or their dependents taking classes and satellite offices in Kuwait and Afghanistan, UMUC is one of the largest providers of education for the U.S. Department of Defense, President Susan Aldridge said.

A longtime military contractor, UMUC has built a presence on military bases around the country and the world. The university is represented on every military base in Maryland.

“When the soldiers are not doing a mission and there is downtime — what better to fill it with than education?” asked Marky Campbell, the executive director of Maryland operations at UMUC.

This story continues below
Advertisement

When the college first started providing distance learning in the 1960s, classes were videotaped and sent out to students. As the Internet evolved, classes became more high tech, and the satellite locations continued to grow.

The majority of UMUC’s military students are undergraduates, and the most popular majors are business, management studies, criminal justice and information systems management.

Aldridge said working with the military gives UMUC a special responsibility to provide high-caliber education.

“In order to meet their standards, we must have rigorous [classes],” Aldridge said. “These student must receive a quality education because their promotions are really dependent on it.”

Soldier Mark McKaig, 39, received his bachelor’s degree in business management from UMUC in 2003 and is working toward his master’s degree in telecommunications.

When he first started his undergraduate classes, he was stationed at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington.

“I did my research, and UMUC was by far the most flexible and accessible with traditional classes and online classes,” he said.

Even though he was constantly traveling because of his job, he finished in three years.

“Civilian education is looked on highly when it comes to promotions,” he said. “If you want to get promoted, one of the quickest ways is to get a degree.”

mmcilroy@baltimoreexaminer.com

Add a Comment


Name: (required)
Comments:
characters left
Comments are regulated by the Terms of Use.

Comments from Examiner Readers

8:44 AM MST on Fri., May. 23, 2008 re: "For many women, this school is a perfect fit"

Examiner Reader said:
The institution is a fraud. They treat employees unfairly and they have forgotten the roots of the institution- the undergraduate women and the communal attitude. The school has become driven by profit and has turn into an old boys club. Higher-ups chum it up with each other while "lesser" staff are walked all over. The students enjoy their time, but with limited resources and budget- the school is having a hard time providing for their campus members.

5 agree | 5 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

10:19 AM MST on Sun., Mar. 23, 2008 re: "Be in demand; become a nurse"

Examiner Reader said:
my question is at the end of your statement you said that you don't want the most quilfied nurse to take care of you. why that just don't make sense. I just retired from the military and am looking to become a nurse and if I was some old person laying bed I would like to know that there was someone that was well quilified to take care of me. thank you for your time in reading this note

6 agree | 6 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
7:54 PM MST on Mon., Nov. 5, 2007 re: "Be in demand; become a nurse"

Examiner Reader said:
The Maryland State Board of Nursing should let LPN's do the MD degrees not just BSN on line... The Associates On-line degree program is only 12-18 months long to complete, compared to 18-24 months for the MD. And it costs half as much to acquire....Some of our dedicated nurses are moving to other states to complete MD programs. Many don't come back to Maryland to work.I like it that way. And I promise not to delete anyone else's comment ever again

179 agree | 190 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
7:53 PM MST on Mon., Nov. 5, 2007 re: "Be in demand; become a nurse"

Examiner Reader said:
The Maryland State Board of Nursing should let LPN's do the MD degrees not just BSN on line... The Associates On-line degree program is only 12-18 months long to complete, compared to 18-24 months for the MD. And it costs half as much to acquire....Some of our dedicated nurses are moving to other states to complete MD programs. Many don't come back to Maryland to work.I like it that way. And I promise not to delete anyone else's comment ever again

188 agree | 190 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
11:52 AM MST on Mon., Nov. 5, 2007 re: "Be in demand; become a nurse"

Examiner Reader said:
The Maryland State Board of Nursing should let LPN's do the RN Associates degrees not just BSN on line... The Associates On-line degree program is only 12-18 months long to complete. Compared to 18-24 months for BSN. And it costs half as much to acquire....Some of our dedicated nurses are moving to other states to complete programs. Many don't come back to Maryland to work.

178 agree | 185 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
2:53 PM MST on Sun., Oct. 28, 2007 re: "Promises aside, read the contract"

Examiner Reader said:
If the military truly wanted to have potential recruits understand the enlistment contract it would simply reduce the entire bogus contract to the following infamous 40 words from Section C, Paragraph 9: "Laws and regulations that govern military personnel may change without notice to me. Such changes may affect my status, pay, allowances, benefits, and responsibilities as a member of the Armed Forces regardless of the provisions of this enlistment/reenlistment document." - Pat Elder

172 agree | 199 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
1:19 PM MST on Mon., Oct. 22, 2007 re: "Join up, go to war, get a degree"

Don said:
I tried to join up they told me I was too old. I'm 64 I think I'll file papers for age discrimination.

219 agree | 194 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
6:15 PM MST on Mon., Oct. 15, 2007 re: "Loyola teaches with outside service"

Examiner Reader said:
Any plans in the works to overthrow the Vatican again or is that something you can't talk about?

211 agree | 186 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
5:53 AM MST on Mon., Sep. 10, 2007 re: "UMES is a model of diversity"

Diversity? said:
What diversity? The article talks only about blacks.

355 agree | 212 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
6:00 AM MST on Mon., Jul. 9, 2007 re: "A passion for ‘more education’ is key"

Examiner Reader said:
Great article...My 2 kids went there and it was the best 8 yrs anyone could ask for. Both have since gone on to great jobs and both value their days at SMCM.

427 agree | 274 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
2:29 PM MST on Mon., Jun. 4, 2007 re: "McDaniel College: Real-world learning"

Examiner Reader said:
Glad to see you acknowledge McDaniel College. I am a grad ( Class of "61 ) and a Trustee--and very proud to be both. George Varga

477 agree | 305 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
2:12 PM MST on Mon., May. 21, 2007 re: "Campus growth is Coppin’s focus"

Examiner Reader said:
Over the last 20 years or more "Baltimore City School System," has been under the microscope of Judge Garbish (Special Education). Morgan, Johns Hopkin, Coppin, all have had opportunities as research institutions to address this major educational problem and the poverty rate, un-employment, single mothers crime. Coppin has had its misfortunes, and attracted low quality of instructors whom are not concerned with the social economical, educational, problems that plague the Urban Inner City youth. Poverty is a key element in Baltimore City. Politicians does not give a hoot of the demographics nor the incidents of poverty across the city. The fourth count census 2000 is a clear in measuring how people live. African Americans are left out of the loop "Johns Hopkins are the main architect to disenfranchise the poor, disadvantaged. They are the major research institution in Maryland from all indications the African American community is ignored by the major players.

265 agree | 311 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
9:58 AM MST on Mon., May. 21, 2007 re: "Campus growth is Coppin’s focus"

Examiner Reader said:
Coppin State should be proud that it focuses on academics and not sports. Who cares if the baseball team lost 44 games in a year. The students who earn a degree will have more power than any hitter on a baseball diamond.

451 agree | 306 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
10:10 AM MST on Mon., Apr. 23, 2007 re: "Love to read? This college is for you"

Examiner Reader said:
Excellent and informative series that parents and students can use to decide on a Maryland college or university. Thanks!

511 agree | 358 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Advertisement