Western Governors University aims to increase college opportunities for students of all ages and backgrounds.

Whether youre starting fresh, or starting over, finding the right university that can accommodate your life situation is key to your ultimate career goal.

With online courses at affordable prices, Western Governors Universities offers the flexibility to help you achieve those aspirations.

Offering bachelors and masters degrees in business, IT, nursing, and teaching, Western Governors University is committed to furthering the education of its students. At WGU, we believe in the power of human potential. We believe in the inherent worth and ability of every individual, their website reads. We know that, given the opportunity, every person has something big to contribute.

What sets Western Governors University apart?

Students are the driving force behind Western Governors Universitys competency-based education program. Competency-based education places emphasis on students understanding and ability to master material rather than on time spent in the classroom. This provides students with a course outlook that is tailored to their schedule and specific needs.

Related Adult Learners Of All Backgrounds: Western Governors University Is Here For Your Online Education

With 24/7 access to online learning resources, students embark on a learning journey that focuses on areas that will specifically meet the desired criteria they seek and help to move them through areas with which they are already familiar.

Institutionally Accredited

Furthering your education is a commitment that comes with expectations of a payoff in the future. Western Governors University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) assuring a standard level of quality education and transferable college credits.

Beginning your higher education journey at Western Governors University will give you peace of mind that your higher education pursuit will be recognized and respected by other institutions and employers.

For more information or to enroll, please visit their website at WGU.edu.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Claritas only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Online Western Governors University Dedicated To Making Higher Education Accessible - KHTS Radio

Online platforms that aid in getting scholarships, educational loans

Jul 22, 2022, 06:00 am 2 min read

Pursuing higher studies can be financially taxing most of the time, especially when studying abroad. In today's digital world, however, many online platforms have made the lives of a number of students easier as they can find educational loans and scholarships without much fuss. Here are a few online platforms which can help students with educational loans and scholarships for pursuing higher education.

Buddy4Study is an online platform that aggregates global scholarship information with the aim to make quality education available to all. Launched by IIT, IIM, and BITS Pilani alumni in 2011, the platform has so far helped over one million students get the right scholarships. It has a scholarship search engine that allows seekers and providers to access curated scholarship information from across the world.

GyanDhan is an online education financing marketplace that also offers a scholarship of Rs. 1 lakh. It was launched with the aim of increasing accessibility to higher education. The scholarship is granted based on merit and strength of profile. It's for candidates pursuing a two-year postgraduate course overseasin the USA, UK, Australia, among others. Students must have an undergraduate degree from an Indian university.

Corporate-funded scholarships

Vidyasaarathi

Vidyasaarathi is an online platform run by Protean eGov Technologies Limited. It is a technology-enabled initiative aimed at providing financial assistance to deserving students via corporate-funded scholarships. Students can apply to educational finance schemes for skill development and higher education. Over 10 lakh students have registered on this platform so far, and candidates receive scholarships based on merit from fund providers, industries, and corporates.

National Scholarship Portal

The National Scholarship Portal is an educational assistance initiative under the Centre's National e-Governance Plan (NeGP). It is a Mission Mode Project that aims to provide a digital one-stop platform for different services related to government scholarshipsapplications, receipts, processing, sanctions, and disbursal. It serves as a common portal for implementing scholarships under the central government and those offered by the states and union territories.

Read more:
Online platforms that aid in getting scholarships, educational loans - NewsBytes

New Jersey, United States TheOnline EducationMarket research guides new entrants to obtain precise market data and communicates with customers to know their requirements and preferences. It spots outright business opportunities and helps to bring new products into the market. It identifies opportunities in the marketplace. It aims at doing modifications in the business to make business procedures smooth and make business forward. It helps business players to make sound decision making. Online Education market report helps to reduce business risks and provides ways to deal with upcoming challenges. Market information provided here helps new entrants to take informed decisions making. It emphasizes on major regions of the globe such as Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America along with their market size.

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Key Players Mentioned in the Online Education Market Research Report:

Adobe, Apollo Education Group, Inc., Blackboard Inc., Cisco, Citrix Systems, Inc., McGraw-Hill Education, Microsoft Corporation, Oracle, Pearson, SAP, MPS Limited, Lynda.Com, Aptara, Docebo, Edmodo, PowerSchool Learning, and Tata Interactive Systems, OES among others.

Online EducationMarket report consists of important data about the entire market environment of products or services offered by different industry players. It enables industries to know the market scenario of a particular product or service including demand, supply, market structure, pricing structure, and trend analysis. It is of great assistance in the product market development. It further depicts essential data regarding customers, products, competition, and market growth factors. Online Education market research benefits greatly to make the proper decision. Future trends are also revealed for particular products or services to help business players in making the right investment and launching products into the market.

Online EducationMarket Segmentation:

Online Education Market, By Type

Academic Corporate

Online Education Market, By Technology

Mobile E-learning Learning Management System Application Simulation Tool Rapid E-learning Podcasts Virtual Classroom

Online Education Market, By Vendor

Service Provider Content Provider

Online Education Market, By End-User

Higher Education Institutions K-12 Schools Others

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For Prepare TOC Our Analyst deep Researched the Following Things:

Report Overview:It includes major players of the Online Education market covered in the research study, research scope, market segments by type, market segments by application, years considered for the research study, and objectives of the report.

Global Growth Trends:This section focuses on industry trends where market drivers and top market trends are shed light upon. It also provides growth rates of key producers operating in the Online Education market. Furthermore, it offers production and capacity analysis where marketing pricing trends, capacity, production, and production value of the Online Education market are discussed.

Market Share by Manufacturers:Here, the report provides details about revenue by manufacturers, production and capacity by manufacturers, price by manufacturers, expansion plans, mergers and acquisitions, and products, market entry dates, distribution, and market areas of key manufacturers.

Market Size by Type:This section concentrates on product type segments where production value market share, price, and production market share by product type are discussed.

Market Size by Application:Besides an overview of the Online Education market by application, it gives a study on the consumption in the Online Education market by application.

Production by Region:Here, the production value growth rate, production growth rate, import and export, and key players of each regional market are provided.

Consumption by Region:This section provides information on the consumption in each regional market studied in the report. The consumption is discussed on the basis of country, application, and product type.

Company Profiles:Almost all leading players of the Online Education market are profiled in this section. The analysts have provided information about their recent developments in the Online Education market, products, revenue, production, business, and company.

Market Forecast by Production:The production and production value forecasts included in this section are for the Online Education market as well as for key regional markets.

Market Forecast by Consumption:The consumption and consumption value forecasts included in this section are for the Online Education market as well as for key regional markets.

Value Chain and Sales Analysis:It deeply analyzes customers, distributors, sales channels, and value chain of the Online Education market.

Key Findings:This section gives a quick look at the important findings of the research study.

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Having serviced over 5000+ clients, we have provided reliable market research services to more than 100 Global Fortune 500 companies such as Amazon, Dell, IBM, Shell, Exxon Mobil, General Electric, Siemens, Microsoft, Sony and Hitachi. We have co-consulted with some of the worlds leading consulting firms like McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Bain and Company for custom research and consulting projects for businesses worldwide.

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Online Education Market Size, Scope, Growth Opportunities, Trends by Manufacturers And Forecast to 2029 This Is Ardee - This Is Ardee

Todays rapidly changing workforce requires a shift in learning. Workers dont have of time to conform to a rigid academic setting; they need flexibility. That's good for employers too.

Kimberly K. Estep and Victor Aluise| Guest Columnists

Tennessee Voices: A conversation with Kimberly Estep

Kimberly Estep, Southeast vice president and Tennessee chancellor of WGU, spoke with Tennessean opinion editor David Plazas.

Nashville Tennessean

Even before the global pandemic, employers needs were rapidly changingas technology pushed innovation in business, workflows, and processes. The pandemic has only accelerated these changes.

As a result, many Americans are compelled to learn new skills often several times throughout their professional careers by the evolving workforce. However, acquiring new skillsrequires a new mindset and approach to learning.

Fortunately, education organizations across Tennessee are leading the charge to help students and employees navigate the changing workforce landscape.

For example, postsecondary institutions are developing or revamping curricula to meet the workforce needs of companies like FedEx, HCA Healthcare, Dolgencorp and Dollar General.

Hear more Tennessee Voices: Get the weekly opinion newsletter for insightful and thought provoking columns.

The integration of technology into critical business processes and the automation of routine tasks was happening well before COVID-19, but the pandemic has hastened these trends dramatically.

In a July 2020 survey of 800 senior business executives by global research firm McKinsey & Company, two-thirds said they were stepping up their automation and artificial intelligence investment either somewhat or significantly due to the pandemic.

These changes are having a profound effect on workplace needs. The roles businesses are looking for are shifting and opening new positions for an incoming workforce equipped with the right mix of hard and soft skills.

Sign up for Latino Tennessee Voices newsletter:Read compelling stories for and with the Latino community in Tennessee.

As the workplace transforms, we must enable workers to change and keep pace. The World Economic Forums Future of Jobs Report 2020 predicts that half of all employees worldwide will need upskilling or reskilling by 2025 to stay competitive in the dynamicbusiness landscape.

Its no surprise that job-posting site Indeedcurrently lists business analysis, cloud computing, and app development among the most in-demand skills. Soft skills such as creativity, collaboration, and adaptability also rank as skill priorities, as todays businesses need team-oriented employees who can help organizations innovate and stay ahead of change.

Most importantly, the cadenceof change for professional skills is gaining speed. For the average worker, the relevance of their core skills has dropped to just five years, according to the Future of Jobs Report. As a result, employees will have to refresh their skills multipletimes during their careers to remain viable. Learning institutionswill need to adapt their teachingmodels toenablestudents to upskill quickly.

Sign up for Black Tennessee Voices newsletter:Read compelling columns by Black writers from across Tennessee.

These rapidly changing workforce requirements create a massive demand for skill growth and professional learning.As a result, higher-education programs must be flexible enough to meet the needs of working adults and accommodate a balance of work, school,and family. Asynchronouslearning allows for this flexibility, resulting ina fourfold increase nationally in people learning online at their own initiative and pace.

Skills-based learning offeringsalso must enable participants to earn a degree or credential in a shortertime frame versus the traditional four-year college model. Competency-based online learning offers one solution. Based on proficiency rather than seat time, competency-based education can help students earn a degree or credential more rapidly by moving through courses and learning experiences as they demonstrate mastery of course materials.

Todays rapidly changing workforce necessitates a shift in approaches to professional learning methods. Working learners dont have an abundance of time to conform to the rigidity that traditional postsecondary settings offer. Instead, they requireflexible degree and credential programs that can help them quickly acquirehigh-demand skills throughout their careers. Employers cant wait on traditional learning methods to close the gaps between workforce skills and economic needs.

Kimberly K. Estep, Ph.D., is chancellor of WGU Tennessee and regional vice president of Southeast Region, Western Governors University,and Victor Aluise, Ed.D., is vice president and dean of Western Governors Universitys College of Business.

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Changing workforce requires new skills and approaches to learning - Tennessean

More from this theme Recent articles

Ofsted has raised concerns over some further education providers reverting back to online learning over the spring without a clear reason for doing so.

The inspectorate published its latest findings today into the recovery of education from the Covid-19 pandemic, with three reports covering early years, schools, and further education and skills.

It follows previous reports in the spring and autumn and assesses what the key issues are and how the sector has been recovering.

The report was informed by discussions among Ofsted staff and inspections carried out between April 25 and May 27 of independent specialist colleges, seven further education colleges, two sixth-form colleges and one local authority and adult education provider. Inspection findings from seven independent training providers with high-needs provision and adult education courses were also reviewed.

Here are the key findings

Ofsted reported that in a small number of cases some providers had switched back to, or retained, remote learning and off-the-job training in apprenticeships where there was no clear benefit for doing so.

It said that while remote learning can be useful in some courses, it can also narrow the opportunities for developing skills and limit social engagement with peers and staff.

That was especially problematic in instances where practical skills are needed, such as brick laying or car mechanics, and is especially important for younger learners in their social development.

Chief inspector Amanda Spielman said: Across all phases of education, were seeing creative and resilient responses to the ongoing challenges of Covid-19. But I am concerned that some learners in a small minority of further education and skills providers are still not receiving sufficient classroom teaching or off-the-job training.

This is narrowing their opportunities to gain practical skills and limiting their social engagement, which could have serious consequences on their readiness for the workplace.

No matter how good online teaching is, its just not possible to change brake pads, cut hair or lay bricks remotely. And having just a few hours on site each week doing practical activity isnt enough for younger learners to gain the skills and experience theyll need in the workplace.

Spielman continued: It may be better from a business or financial perspective for providers to use online or remote learning, but this should only be done where there is a clear benefit for learners.

Weve seen how the youngest children, who spent most of their lives in lockdown, have struggled with starting school. But the transition from education or training to the workplace is just as dramatic. Learners need to have the confidence and social skills to work alongside their colleagues not only other young people, but also adults who might be decades older than them.

Staff shortages and pressures on businesses resulted in some employers failing to release their apprentices for the mandatory off-the-job training element of their learning.

Ofsted said that firms were struggling to balance training with the day-to-day demands of running their businesses. Areas like hospitality, travel and tourism, and health and social care were particular areas this was happening.

Staff shortages had also amounted to high workloads on some apprentices who were having to fill the gaps.

Learners that missed functional skills during the pandemic often dont understand the importance of the subjects, and opted to duck the learning coming back, according to Ofsted.

In some cases, timetables for maths and English had been compressed in an attempt to help learners catch up in practical and vocational skills, resulting in not enough time being allowed to make good progress in those two areas.

Challenges in securing work placements are easing, the watchdog says, but industries which were hit hard by the pandemic, such as health and social care, still struggled.

It said some health and social care settings were too busy to train staff or were reticent about new people on their premises.

In addition, tasks they were doing were not always appropriate for their course, citing examples of some nursing associate apprentices having to carry out porter duties or work in pharmacies rather than in patient-facing care.

Ofsted praised the hard work of providers to secure new placements with either new contacts or re-establishing partnerships halted during the pandemic.

Elsewhere, some apprentices were still on an agreed pause in their learning or still on their programmes beyond their finish date because of delays in training and assessments, or they just were not ready.

Business closures had contributed to that, but in some cases apprentices had found better paid jobs elsewhere and abandoned their courses altogether, the report said.

Finding end-point assessment organisations had proved a struggle, the documents reported, either because there were not enough organisations to carry out the tests or because of sector pressures in areas such as driving tests.

Many providers have reported declining numbers of adult learners, with some courses closing entirely as a result. That was most prevalent in community learning settings.

However, in some employability courses, interest is higher because adult learners are looking to retrain in a new career.

Ofsted has reported high levels of anxiety among learners who sat exams this summer, with many further education learners taking a high stakes exam for the first time.

The combination of usual exam pressures with the lack of familiarity of exam procedures had contributed to that, and prompted providers to put in place extra measures such as more mock exams, increased pastoral support or more revision time factored into courses.

The watchdog said that the curriculum had been re-sequenced for many learners, such as front-loading courses with the theory elements and focusing on practical skills later.

As a result, we have some concerns that apprentices were not given enough time to learn curriculum content securely, its report said.

Some providers added catch-up elements to the curriculum, while some learners reported feeling overwhelmed with the amount of content they were having to learn.

Read more here:
Ofsted denounces continued use of online teaching in latest education recovery research - FE Week

I recently had an opportunity to reflect upon our recent UNCF UNITE summit theme, Delivering on the Promise of Black Higher Education, and about what it means to me.

I think about my higher education experience. I attended a predominately White institution, and I wasnt prepared. I wasnt prepared to be there both mentally and academically, and I struggled. I struggled with finding my place and struggled with succeeding in my courses. When I finally got it together, I was accused of being the teachers pet and doing too much. There was no winning.

In my doctoral studies, I enrolled in a course that changed my life: The Praxis of Black Education taught by the preeminent scholar in Black Education, Dr. Joyce E. King.Dr. Valora Richardson

It was the first time I had ever taken a college course where the instructor was a Black woman, and all the students were Black women. In the course, we discussed the issues facing Black education and talked about how we were positioned to make a positive impact and to make sure that we were educated with the right mind as Carter G. Woodson and W.E.B. Du Bois observed, that would benefit the Black community.

The nurturing and guidance that I received in that course developed bonds that still continue to this day. The content of the course was incredible, but there we also established a village of support, empowerment and love. That, to me, is the promise of Black higher educationan historic tradition of academic and cultural excellence.

The trajectory of my education and occupation changed because of that one class. I set my aspirations based on a new-found commitment to use my knowledge and experience to have a lasting impact on my community and to find a place that would embrace my desire to do so. And I have found that place.

As the leader of Digital Solutions at the UNCF Institute for Capacity Building (ICB) charged with launching HBCUv, I now have the extraordinary opportunity to help ensure the success of future generations of Black students by implementing innovations, solutions and experiences that provide them with early access to educational epiphanies that confirm their racial identity and life vocation.

HBCUv is an innovative learning technology ecosystem that is nothing short of revolutionary. It will reimagine the legacy, community and culture of HBCUs into a virtual experience thats accessible, equitable and connected. To reach its full potential, we must honor our institutions students, faculty and staff as true partnersnot the consultants in the roombut as our community stakeholders. They are our inspiration. We insist on listening to them with open minds and hearts.

Weve already learned through a months-long process of co-creating this new learning online ecosystem that:

Students want to be engaged in the full college experience and learning processes based on their preferred learning styles. And they want to be inspired by real-world experiences. Were asking further: What does it mean to be a Black college student in America, especially in the virtual world? What does success mean to them, as a student and post-graduation? Our research revealed that 61% of students who work and/or volunteer find managing their time is easier since shifting to online learning.

Faculty want to be better prepared to engage and build trusting relationships with their students. They want to connect with peers across HBCUs in institutionalizing Black pedagogy to prepare our graduates for a world that doesnt always recognize and value our Black racial identities and heritage. We found that 51% of faculty are very or extremely interested in collaborating with other HBCU faculty to discuss evidence-based best practices.

Staff and administrators want the ability to see a holistic picture of students and foster student accountability, as well as open opportunities for community engagement and lifelong learning.

The entire HBCU community wants an environment where personal well-being is centered, prioritized and incorporated into the day-to-day experience.

HBCUv is our collective endeavor. It will be developed intentionally with the voices of our village. I am proud to lead HBCUv for two reasons: first, because it will be measured by its power to preserve and share Black joy, as my colleague Edward Smith-Lewis wrote about. Second, and more critically, I am proud to help shape a platform that will advance the principles of the Black higher education tradition to all parts of our education ecosystem.

I look forward to sharing more in the coming months as HBCUv is designed and comes to life.

Dr.Valora Richardson is director, Digital Solutions and Innovations, Institute for Capacity Building at the United Negro College Fund.

Read this article:
Our Village, Our Digital Innovation: HBCUv - Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

The Ohio State University is instituting a new educational requirement for all first-year and transfer undergraduate students targeting drug, tobacco and alcohol misuse.

The new online educational modules will cover alcohol and other drug misuse prevention, mental wellness and prescription drug abuse. The program will be used on all Ohio State campuses and begin this fall.

This initiative centers the health, safety and wellbeing of every Buckeye, said Senior Vice President for Student Life Melissa Shivers. We have historically communicated and provided a wide variety of education and prevention information and we continue to identify ways to improve programming to best reach all of our students. Education is critical to creating a community of informed, responsible Buckeyes.

Students will access the modules through BuckeyeLearn. Incoming students must complete the educational modules to register for classes next spring or fall semester.

Local and national data demonstrate the growing need for education around alcohol, tobacco and other drug misuse, especially in light of increasing overdose deaths due to alcohol and other drugs, said Shawnt Elbert, associate vice president for health and well-being, Office of Student Life. These educational modules are a best-in-class opportunity to help prepare our students for a safe and healthy Buckeye experience.

Vector Solutions, the provider of the modules, works with 2,200 colleges and universities. The company provides evidence-based education used by millions of students at institutions across the U.S.

The new modules help educate students about a growing problem facing campuses across the country: Nationally, from 2019 to 2021, deaths from synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, doubled. In Ohio, as of January 2021, incidents of opioid overdose were at the highest rate in 10 years.

According to the 2022 National College Health Assessment:

These modules will be an additional requirement to those related to sexual misconduct and hazing, and part of a strong portfolio that builds on Ohio States commitment to the health, wellness and safety of the campus community, Shivers said.

While the modules are required for first-year and transfer undergraduate students, Ohio State is making the program available to and will actively encourage completion by any student who wants to take part by summer 2023.

More:
New student education program supports drug and alcohol abuse prevention - The Ohio State University News

Opinion: Here's what removing obstacles for new providers to install their fiber optic network facilities in Mesa will mean for residents.

John Giles| Opinion contributor

In todays digitally connected world, access to high-speed internet is not a luxury its an essential utility, just like water or electricity. No one can afford to be disconnected.

Broadband is vital to fully accessing online education, leveling the playing field for economic opportunity, enhancing telemedicine, making e-commerce possible and connecting residents and businesses with family, friends, customers and more.

We need to break down the 21stcentury divide that separates those with high-speed internet from those without. Put simply, someones zip code should not be the determining factor of whether a person gets to access the benefits of modern society.

Thats why I am proud that Mesa is embarking on a massive effort to accelerate the availability of fiber optic internet to every premise in the city. Mesa City Council took a landmark vote to open the marketplace to more providers, moving us closer to the goal of affordable, reliable high-speed internet to every home and business.

The City Council unanimously approved license agreements with Google Fiber, SiFi, Ubiquity and Wyyerd, effectively removing obstacles for new providers to install their fiber optic network facilities within the city's rights of way.

In addition to fast-tracking the availability of fiber in Mesa, this will create more possibilities to bridge the digital divide for those who currently fall in the gap through more competitive pricing, programs and partnerships. And its worth noting that we are doing this at zero cost to the city or its taxpayers.

MESA DEVELOPMENT: Developers have a plan to revamp infamous city eyesore. Will it work?

Mesas approach could emerge as the model for other cities across the U.S.

It has long been a priority of mine and my colleagues to bring additional network connectivity to everyone in Mesa, especially since the pandemic heightened the need for fast, reliable and affordable internet service.

This will be a game changer for our city, one that will catalyze economic growth and improve the lives of residents. In short, we are future-proofing our city for at least the next decade. And fiber optics is the gold standard for high-speed internet, as my colleague, Councilman David Luna, said.

During the height of the pandemic, when schools and other services closed, I was proud that Mesa led the effort to quickly fund and distribute 9,500 computers for students and 7,000 internet plans for households in the city.

But I learned a valuable lesson: just because you give a kid a laptop, it doesnt mean theyll have the ability togo online and join their classmates virtually. I saw this firsthand at an elementary school event in which hundreds of families lined up to pick up thick-paper homework packets because their children didnt have any way of submitting their assignments online.

The reality is, bridging the digital divide is more complicated than just handing somebody a device. In addition to the partnerships with private companies for fiber installation, the city of Mesa is upgrading its Wi-Fi networks through the Smart Cities program.

Free Wi-Fi in downtown, parks, pools and libraries is being upgraded to Wi-Fi 6, 21 cellular radio towers are being installed in west Mesa near underserved neighborhoods in a partnership with Mesa Public Schools and a Citizen Broadband Radio System is being tested.

Im proud that Mesa is leading on this issue. Reliable connectivity is essential, and fiber is the future.

John Giles is mayor of Mesa. On Twitter: @MayorGiles.

Originally posted here:
Deal with providers paves way to fast-speed internet for all in Mesa - The Arizona Republic

The 2021-2022 academic year continued the drive for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts at Illinois State University.

Equity work is not the role of the few, but the responsibility of the many, said Interim Assistant to the President for Diversity and Inclusion Dr. Doris Houston. Grassroots efforts joined with administrative initiatives to reflect and shape the Universitys core value of diversity and inclusion.

Here are some highlights:

A new statement: EDI ISU

EDI is you. It is a simple, but powerful, message. One that is encapsulated in a new wordmarkor a logo created mainly from textfor Illinois States commitment to equity work. The EDI ISU wordmark was conceived by Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Dakesa Pia from the College of Education, and designed with intentionality of font and style by University Marketing and Communications graphic designer Lawrence Lair. Learn more about the development of the wordmark.

Fulfilling commitments

This year saw further continuation of the work to bring to life the visions and suggestions from the latest Campus Climate Task Force, which wrapped in 2017.

Multicultural Center After more than a decade of discussions and five years of planning, the Multicultural Center opened on October 15 with a ribbon cutting and dedication. Students joined University and community leaders at the center, which provides an affirming environment where students can flourish in their intersecting identities. Read more.

Faculty Diversity Enhancement Program (FDEP) In the ongoing effort to recruit and retain outstanding new faculty who promote equity, diversity, and inclusion at the University, Vice President and Provost Aondover Tarhule announced the launch of the Faculty Diversity Enhancement Program. The $4.5 million program will advance teaching, scholarly, and creative efforts of new faculty who promote EDI through their research, teaching, service, and mentoring. Read more.

Search Advocate Program As part of efforts to recognize and interrupt unconscious bias throughout the search process, Human Resources began training sessions for the Search Advocate Program. Read more.

College of Engineering The Illinois Board of Higher Education approved a new College of Engineering at Illinois State, with the institution centering equity in every stage of development. Read more.

EDI Leaders Circle

The EDI Leaders Circle represents nearly 40 councils, committees, and areas across campus dedicated to advancing EDI at the University. Members gathered for an EDI Leaders Circle Symposium in February to exchange ideas and explore equity Pillars of Progress, designed by Houston. This symposium was a chance for advocate-leaders to continue to forge pathways toward a foundation for equity at Illinois State, she said. Read more.

Leading the way

Low vision and blindness Consistently ranked as one of the top programs in the state and in the country, the Department of Special Education offers one of 33 low vision and blindness programs in the country and one of only eight for undergraduates. Read more.

Illinois Tutoring Initiative Illinois State is coordinating the Illinois Tutoring Initiative in partnership with the Governors Office, the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Board of Higher Education, and the Illinois Community College Board. The program will provide tutoring for approximately 8,500 Illinois students during the two-year period. Read more.

Hope Chicago Illinois State University announced an agreement with Hope Chicago, opening the door for Chicago Public School (CPS) students and their parents to pursue debt-free higher education. Hope Scholars who are accepted into Illinois State will receive full tuition, fees, room, and board. Hope Parent Scholars have the option to apply and attend the following year, with full tuition, fees, and a stipend for living expenses. Read more.

Giving voice

Collective grief As the campus grappled with the feelings of fear and loss in the wake of student Jelani Days disappearance and death, the Multicultural Center and Student Counseling Services provided support and spaces to grieve, including a memorial service. Read more.

Listening Circles Listening circles provided a brave space for members of the University to express emotions such as fear, confusion, and frustration. Circles this year included topics such as Transgender Awareness Week and the overturning of Roe v Wade. The National Center for Urban Education at Illinois State offers more about listening circles.

Tapis Talk A new podcast launched by Assistant Professor of Race, Visual, and African American Rhetoric Byron Craig, called Tapis Talk, explores issues surrounding equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) at Illinois State. Read more.

First-Generation Triumph Podcast Elevating the voices of first-generation students and their lived experiences is the goal of the First-Generation Triumph Podcast, which launched in September. Read more.

Deliberative Dialogues The new program Deliberative Dialogues seeks to depolarize opinions and connect students with training in constructive dialogues. Read more.

Amplifiers The fall began with instructors having greater access to personal voice amplifiers, which not only assisted low-hearing students, but also faculty who preferred to wear masks. Read more.

Celebrations and anniversaries

Strand Award Mayuko Nakamura was honored with the 2022 David A. Strand Diversity Achievement Award, in part for her work with the Presidents Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council, AsiaConnect affinity group, Campus Climate Task Force, Office of the Provosts Inclusive Leadership Initiative planning committee, and the Multi-Ethnic Cultural and Co-Curricular Advisory Committee. Read more.

Title IX The University hosted a year-long celebration of the landmark statute Title IX.

WGSS Womens, Gender, and Sexuality Studies celebrated 25 years of the annual research symposium. Read more.

Crossroads Project The Crossroads Project selected Tidtaya Sinutokes play Dear Mr. C as the winner of the 2022 Diverse Voices Playwriting Initiative, a play development program for BIPOC playwrights organized by the Illinois State University School of Theatre and Dance. The production was staged in April.

Lincoln Laureate Luke Madden was named one of the years outstanding college students by the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, in part for his work with the STEM Alliance.

New roles and new faces

Illinois State welcomed new faces and new roles to administrative positions at Illinois State. Clockwise from top left, Dr. Deneca Winfrey Avant joined the Office of the Provost as the interim assistant vice president for faculty development, diversity, and learning. Chrishaya Dixon was hired as Athletics first assistant athletics director for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Dr. Roopa Rawjee was named executive director of the Office of International Engagement. Dr. Anthony Jones was named director of the Laboratory Schools. Dr. Anthony Pia was selected as the director of online education and chief online learning officer for the Center for Integrated Professional Development.Tamekia Bailey was named director for CAST Connections, the Colleges new student-level success center. Dr. Francis Ebenezer Godwyll was appointed as dean of the College of Education.

Opportunities and development

Opportunities, workshops, and training thrived across campus as individuals, departments, and divisions made their way further along equity journeys.

The Division of Student Affairs led the way, providing more than 200 professional development opportunities throughout the academic year to students, staff, and faculty.The Office of the Provosts GROWTH program continued across campus, with a focus on collaboration and assessment.Under the guidance of the College of Education, the University offered restorative justice workshops to campus.Human Resources is now partnering with with LinkedIn Learning, a digital library of more than 16,000 courses, covering a wide range of topics that encompass equity and inclusion, technical aptitude and application, leadership, mindfulness, and more.

More EDI insights from 2021-2022

Items in the story were taken from features in the bi-weekly newsletter Identity, and the weekly newsletter Report.

Read more:
EDI Year in Review: 2021-2022 - News - Illinois State - Illinois State University News

India's early learning ed-tech platform for kids between 3-10 years of age, Creative Galileo, raised $7.5 million in a Series A funding round on Thursday.

"We want to enable bespoke learning for children across the globe through their favourite characters to strengthen their foundation during their early years, which will also help develop and strengthen critical thinking, confidence, cognitive skills, and emotional intelligence," Prerna A Jhunjhunwala, Founder, Creative Galileo, said.

The money has been raised from Kalaari Capital, Affirma Capital, East Ventures, Valiant Employee Investment Fund, and angel investors.

"We are excited to strengthen our partnership with Prerna and Nikhil as they continue their journey of transforming learning experiences for children across the globe," said Vani Kola, Managing Director, Kalaari Capital.

The latest round brings Creative Galileo's total funding to $10 million, including a pre-series A round of $ 2.5 million announced in October 2021.

As education shifted online, the edtech sector in India has boomed since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Between September 2020 to June 2022, six unicorns have emerged in the industry, namely, Unacademy, Eruditus, UpGrad, Vedantu, Lead School and PhysicsWallah, according to Inc42.

Byju's, the sponsor of FIFA World Cup 2022, scheduled to take place in Qatar this year, was the first edtech company to become a unicorn in March 2018.

Creative Galileo plans to use the newly infused funds to scale up, accelerate hiring across the teams in multiple geographies, introduce regional languages and further strengthen the research and development of the platform.

It offers a curriculum for children, including narration, games, interactive learning journeys, and detailed parent updates.

The company was founded in July 2020 by Prerna A Jhunjhunwala and co-founded by Nikhil Naik.

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Originally posted here:
Edtech startup Creative Galileo raises $7.5 million in Series A funding - Business Standard