Published August 2004

Education Briefs

University Center expands
its online offerings
The University Center at Everett Station, a partnership of eight colleges and universities, has partnered with Ed2go, a division of Thomson Learning, to offer an array of professional development courses, from business planning and desktop publishing to grant writing and computer industry certification exam preparation.

For more information, go online to www.ed2go.com/nsis.

Alliance for Corporate Education
selects new leader
Ronald Kraft has been appointed president of the Alliance for Corporate Education, a group of 17 community and technical colleges in the Puget Sound area that jointly provide educational services to business, industry and government.

“Our goals are to add customers, provide more training, and distribute delivery of services more evenly among alliance members. Ron’s background includes planning strategic direction and implementing plans for business growth. He will be ideal in this leadership position,” said Charlie Earl, president of Everett Community College and board chair of the alliance.

Kraft, an educator, business executive and consultant to industry and educational organizations, has spent 10 years as a community college professor of business and entrepreneurial studies, according to the alliance.

He also spent five years as chair and director of community college programs and as a special assistant to the president in the community college system, and more than 10 years as an elected governing board member and president of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District in Southern California.

For more information on the alliance, call 206-669-6681 or go online to www.AllianceEd.org.

Northwest Technical College
adds medical office training
Northwest Technical College of Lynnwood has launched two new job training diploma programs: medical billing and coding for the medical business office and medical office administration for the medical front office.

“Health care is one of the state’s fastest-growing industries, but there is a shortage of trained health-care workers,” said Jeff Day, director of Northwest Technical College. “Our vocational training programs address this need by teaching students the practical skills necessary to work in today’s complex health-care industry.”

The school’s programs, developed in partnership with health-care curriculum experts, seasoned instructors, and experienced medical billing and coding professionals, combine academics with hands-on practice, said Day, noting that each student is placed in an internship in a professional medical office to acquire on-the-job-training before graduation.

Along with the two new programs, Northwest Technical College offers information technology programs, including computer applications and office training, systems and network administration, computer programming, PC repair and support, database administration and advanced CompTIA certifications.

Founded in Orange County, Calif., in 1994, Northwest Technical College launched its Puget Sound campus in 2002 as a joint venture between IO Enterprises and Software Education of America Inc. For more information, call 888-883-1414 or visit online at www.NWTechCollege.com.

Alderwood partners
with Public Education Foundation
Alderwood is joining forces with the Public Education Foundation for the Edmonds School District to help support student learning in the district, an official with the mall said in July.

“The Public Education Foundation plays a key role in maximizing students’ personal, creative and academic potential,” Alderwood General Manager Jerry Alder said. “We are excited about the opportunity to help equip teachers and staff in the district and the communities it serves.”

Through the partnership, Alderwood will participate in the foundation’s fund-raising efforts, including hosting a new gala auction fund-raiser and the “Music, Math & Motion” family event, featuring special guest Nate McMillan, head coach of the Seattle SuperSonics, on Sept. 12.

EdCC Foundation to hold
Golf Classic fund-raiser
Keith Coleman, two-time winner of the Washington Open, will help raise funds to support students in their pursuit of an education at the 14th annual Edmonds Community College Foundation Golf Classic, Sept. 10 at Lynnwood Municipal Golf Course.

The foundation’s classic, which starts at noon, costs $150 per golfer including 18 holes of golf, lunch, refreshments, a team photo, giveaways and a steak or salmon reception dinner. Sponsorships also are available.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the foundation, which provides scholarships for students, support for the college and advocacy for the college and its mission.

For more information on the Golf Classic, call Cami Smith at 425-640-1344 or e-mail camismith@edcc.edu. For more information on the foundation, call 425-640-1274, e-mail foundation@edcc.edu or go to http://foundation.edcc.edu.

Western Washington University
makes ‘best value’ list
Western Washington University recently was ranked among the nation’s top 50 best values for public colleges and universities by Consumers Digest magazine.

The rankings, published in the June issue, are based on attributes that define the schools’ academic and educational quality balanced against costs of attendance. The magazine ranked 50 public and 25 private colleges and universities out of some 3,500 schools across the United States. Western was ranked 42nd among public institutions.

Consumers Digest’s rankings blended academic excellence of first-time freshmen at a school (standardized test scores, high school rank, grade-point average) with the institution’s educational quality (student-to-faculty ratio, graduation rate and percentage of faculty holding a Ph.D. or terminal degree).

That “value index” score was factored with the estimated cost of attending each school to determine which schools offered the most academic value per dollar. For public schools, Consumers Digest only considered nonresident tuition figures, since they said that attending a public school as a resident almost always offers the best value.

Eastern Washington University was the only other public university in the state on the list, at number 47. Also on the list for Top 25 Best Values for Private Colleges and Universities was Whitman College in Walla Walla, at 21st.

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