phoenix focus · devices and gadgets you use at home and at work. “greening your gadgets” (page...

PHOENIX FOCUSYOUR ALUMNI CONNECTION | APRIL 2011

FEATURED ALUMNA

Quenching a regionLorri Lee, BSB/A ’97Henderson, Nevada

WEB alumni.phoenix.edu EMAIL [email protected]

FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENT

The renewable energy boom

Save green by going green

How to ace the phone interview

BalanceHow have you achieved balance between your work and personal life?

Entrepreneurship Have you started a new business that has thrived despite the economy?

SecurityHow does your job contribute to security at a local or national level?

CommunicationsIn what way is your company revolutionizing the communications field?

Share your story.Email us at [email protected]

Everyone has a story to tell.

We want to hear yours.You could be in an upcoming issue of Phoenix Focus.

Kelly O’Horo, MSC/CC ’10Gilbert, ArizonaPhoenix Focus March 2011

I like to think that I am environmentally conscious. After all, I live out in the country, complete with a well, septic tank, horses and vegetable garden. But

after reading this issue, there is one area that could use improvement—my family’s energy usage.

So, my family’s homework assignment this month is to complete a home energy audit and see how we can reduce our energy consumption. The number one enemy I am targeting—those energy vampires, which you can read about in “Save green by going green” (page 12).

This issue of Phoenix Focus also includes stories about alumni who are involved in large-scale efforts to protect our environment. The perfect example is Lorri Lee, BSBM ’97, regional director of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Region (page 32), who is bringing water to the desert Southwest and working to conserve the unique habitat for generations to come.

As you make your way toward a greener lifestyle, consider adopting a few green practices with the various electronic devices and gadgets you use at home and at work. “Greening your gadgets” (page 18) explains how you can reduce your gadgets’ energy consumption, reuse your older electronics, recycle gadgets the green way and rethink your new gadget purchases.gadgets the green way and rethink your new gadget purchases.

Alanna Vitucci, MBA/GM ’01Executive Director, Alumni RelationsUniversity of [email protected]

Follow me at twitter.com/uopxalumni

let ter from the executive direc tor

PHOENIX FOCUS is produced monthly by University of Phoenix Alumni Association.Visit us at phxfocus.com.

VP, Alumni & Faculty RelationsKathleen Fern, MBA ’99

Executive DirectorAlanna Vitucci, MBA/GM ’01

Editorial DirectorJenifer King

Senior EditorAmanda Flatten

Features EditorLee Jonsson

Communications ManagerBridget Gutierrez

Editorial AssistantArmando Bezies

Contributing WriterJulie Wilson

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Contact us at [email protected] 800.795.2586 F 602.643.0552

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Alanna VitucciExecutive Director, Alumni Relations

alumni.phoenix.edu PAGE 3

FEATURES6 The renewable energy boom

Innovative forms of renewable energies are at the forefront of a new, booming clean-tech industry that is taking the world by storm. The good news is that a new, highly sophisticated energy future will create many new jobs covering the full spectrum of the employment rainbow.

12 Save green by going greenGoing green doesn’t have to be complicated. There are some easy and free ways you can lessen your impact on the environment while increasing what’s in your bank account.

32 Quenching a regionFeatured alumna: Lorri Lee, BSB/A ’97As regional director of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Region, Lorri Lee is bringing water to the desert Southwest and working to conserve the unique habitat for generations to come.

contents /April 2011

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Phoenix Focus April 2011PAGE 4

IN THIS ISSUE

Your CareerGreening your gadgets 18

Do you need a recruiter? 22

How to ace the phone interview 26

Get your color on 28

Alumni ProfilesDavid Raetz 36

Steward of the land

John Warner 38Powering the future

Crystal Evans 40Gaining a greener perspective

The BuzzPublished by alumni 42

Facebook poll 44

University NewsFederal government takes over 46management of student loans

Teach for the Future scholarship 47

Showcase in Excellence Award 47

Our CommunityCampus news 48

Community relations 50

Events 52

12


The renewable energy boomBy Jenny Jedeikin

SOLAR ENERGYDetail of an industrial solar panel.


The new frontierTo explain the evolution that is currently underway in the clean energy industry, many people in “the know” like to make an analogy about what is happening; they compare the ramp-up in the renewable energy industry to the technological transformation that hit personal computers and cell phones throughout the last two decades.

“If you have a [smart phone], you’re holding the confluence of a whole new industry in the palm of your hand,” says Joel Makower, chairman and executive editor of GreenBiz Group. “We’ve transformed how we do lots of things, in ways we couldn’t have imagined even five years ago. Now that same kind of

From high-pressured water power to biofuel made from stale cookie crumbs

and potato peels, innovative forms of renewable energies are at the forefront of a new, booming clean-tech industry that is taking the world by storm—sun, wind and otherwise. The good news is that a new, highly sophisticated energy future will mean new jobs—from business to high-tech engineering, to construction, to bookkeeping— covering the full spectrum of the employment rainbow.


“One of the main impediments to renewable energy has been that it’s expensive. It hasn’t been cost competitive with fossil fuels. Well, that’s changing.”

—Vipin Gupta, a systems engineer and a principal member of the technical staff at Sandia National Laboratories


WIND ENERGY


technological confluence is coming to much bigger and slower moving industries, like energy, buildings and vehicles. They’re coming together to create a whole new wave of technologies that are going to be dramatically more efficient while creating whole new things we can all do.”

Makower, who writes about this topic on his high-traffic website, greenbiz.com, says that as the world shifts away from energy that relies on carbon-emitting fossil fuels, energy systems are going to become more complex and varied. “What’s interesting about the world of energy right now is that there is not going to be just one winner,” Makower says. “We’re going from a mono-culture of energy sources (coal and gas) to a much more interesting array. It’s no longer one size fits all. There’s going to be lots of sources serving different types of applications.”

Right now the United States relies on fossil fuels and natural gas to supply 93 percent of our energy needs. Only 7 percent comes from renewable energy. With growing concern about the environmental consequences of fossil fuels, as well the increasing expense of relying on foreign petroleum, the last five years have seen a dramatic shift in money and resources being poured into alternative energy sources and research. Earlier this year, President Obama made the announcement that by 2035, 80 percent of America’s energy will come from clean energy sources.

Renewable energy frontrunnersBut what will those sources likely be? Vipin Gupta, a systems engineer and a principal member of the technical staff at Sandia National Laboratories, breaks renewable energy into five areas—hydro: energy from water; solar: energy from the sun; biofuel: energy from waste;

geothermal: energy from the earth; and wind: energy from wind. “One of the main impediments to renewable energy has been that it’s expensive. It hasn’t been cost competitive with fossil fuels. Well, that’s changing,” says Gupta.

At Sandia National Laboratories, Gupta is working on new photovoltalic solar systems that will cost four times less to make and use 10 times less photovoltalic material than current models, yet produce the same amount of energy as what is currently available. “We’re developing solar technology that can be readily integrated into things we are already

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

familiar with, such as windows, or unrolled like carpet onto a flat roof.”

Additionally, Makower talks about billion-dollar projects in Southern California’s Mojave desert (as well as in China and India) to build enormous utility-sized solar plants, called concentrated solar plants. “These cells don’t turn photons into electrons the way a portable panel on your roof would do,” Makower says. “They basically concentrate the sunlight and focus it on a tower filled with some kind of special liquid that is used to boil water to make steam to run a turbine.”


“Everyone working in this field feels that one day renewable energy will become mainstream and fossil fuels will become the alternative.”

—Vipin Gupta, systems engineer, Sandia National Laboratories

Gupta also points to innovative technologies happening in wind power. Makani Power is a company that is designing kite-like devices that fly up in the sky to harness wind energy. The higher up you go, the stronger and the steadier the wind and the more energy you can grab. “These new, advanced type of wind energy technologies are becoming cheaper to deploy and can be deployed faster,” says Gupta.

But in order for these projects to succeed, Gupta says, our old-fashioned electric grid—the physical network that is currently utilized to send power to homes and businesses—has to be restructured. “The electric grid was designed to do one-way flow of electricity from a centralized power plant to the end use, your electric dryer or your TV. That’s it,” he says.

Gupta predicts a future power grid where you have a two-way flow, or multiple flows of electricity from various sources. For example, at your home or business you could be generating electricity on your roof, which then circulates on the grid and goes someplace else a few blocks down where it is used by someone else at a dry cleaners.

Job opportunities in renewable energy“The thing that’s really fascinating about this opportunity,” explains Gupta, “is that electricity is something that is not readily imported. We can’t get whole bunches of electricity from China, India or elsewhere. We have to generate it and use it in the United States. Consequently, these are jobs that will be filled by Americans. And that’s in contrast with the oil industry. It’s a huge difference.”

So what kinds of jobs are going to be created? “The good news is that there’s [a] need for everybody,” says Makower. “There’s a need for power

HYDROELECTRIC POWER



“When we talk about green jobs, the possibilities are limitless.”

—Joel Makower, chairman and executive editor of GreenBiz Group

engineers and biochemists and physicists, and there’s also a need for accountants, lawyers, writers and technicians of every description. When we talk about green jobs, the possibilities are limitless.”

Gupta adds to the list a need for heavy lifters: “For building all these things, for installing solar panels on rooftops, for putting up wind towers, for drilling geothermal wells, all these require people in the construction industry. You also need people with business degrees, with accounting and with legal [degrees] in order to craft agreements on how power is going to be purchased from these different types of distributive renewable power plants.”

Hinrich Eylers, the dean of the College of Natural Sciences at University of Phoenix, couldn’t agree more. “This country is in search [of] a new basis for our economy,” says Eylers, who grew up in Germany. “The United States used to be based on retail and housing, and that’s not happening now; we need something new, and I think renewable energy has a good chance of being the new basis for job growth.”

When alternative goes mainstreamThe transition to renewable is not going to happen tomorrow. “It’s going to take a while to get the technologies into place to replace an economy that is so totally and fully dependent on carbon fuel,” says Eylers.

How long will it take? “How fast all of this grows and when exactly it is going to go mainstream is hard to predict,” says Gupta. “One thing is clear—in contrast with coal, natural gas and petroleum—if you look at renewables, the price of generating renewable electricity is continuing to decline year after year. We are going to see at least one or two of these [types of energies] go mainstream within our generation.”

For Gupta and his colleagues, that’s a real blessing. “Everyone working in this field feels that one day renewable energy will become mainstream and fossil fuels will become the alternative.”

Jenny Jedeikin is a freelance writer and director of communications for national nonprofit cooltheearth.org.

Biofuel in Kristianstad, SwedenThis innovative Swedish city with a population of 80,000 uses no fossil fuels or gas, and instead burns wood, waste and scraps from flooring factories to power an underground district heating grid and provide fuel for cars.

Small-scale solar systems in Kiptusuri, KenyaIn rural Kenya where 85 percent of people still live without electricity, villagers can now purchase small-scale solar systems for $80 to power their cell phones and lighting. As small-scale renewable energy becomes cheaper and more reliable, these tiny systems are playing a transformative role in people’s lives.

Wind and hydropower in Lisbon, PortugalWith rising living costs and no national source of fossil fuel, Portugal was motivated to restructure its entire energy system to draw electricity from its abundant wind and hydro power. Now, in cities such as Lisbon, wind-driven turbines pump water uphill at night, the most blustery period; then the water flows downhill by day, generating electricity.

Renewables around the world

Geothermal power in the PhilippinesThis Southeast Asian country already receives 20 percent of its energy from wells drilled deep into the earth. The wells tap steam or hot water that can power turbines. In the Philippines, geothermal heat is used directly for fish processing, salt production and drying coconuts and fruit.

Tidal power in ScotlandDeals are currently being brokered in the United Kingdom to build the first commercial-scale tidal power systems, which will deliver enough energy to power more than 700,000 homes in Scotland within the next four years. Tidal energy relies on large underwater turbines to capture the kinetic motion of the ebbing and surging of ocean tides in order to produce electricity.


Save green by going greenBy Julie Wilson


Start at homeEnvironmentalism starts at home. The first step is conducting a home energy audit. Your utility company may offer a low-cost audit. If you are conducting your own audit, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), you should start by hunting for any obvious air leaks around windows, doors, electrical outlets, fireplace flues and other spaces with access to outside. Simply fixing these through proper sealing can yield an energy savings of 5 to 30 percent each year.

It’s also important to assess your home’s insulation. Older homes especially might not have insulation that meets today’s standards. Make sure there is a good seal between existing insulation and any pipes or ductwork.

“Turning off lights and adjusting thermostats are two examples of simple no-cost ways to cut utility bills while lowering your carbon footprint,” says Seth Mones, vice president of Sustainability Policy and Programs at Apollo Group, University of Phoenix’s parent company.

Another simple way to save energy at home is by increasing the efficiency of your heating and cooling equipment. Although today’s models automatically run more efficiently, you can help your older units along with minimal effort. Consider turning your thermostat up a bit in the summer and down in the winter to lower your energy usage and your bills. Also, make sure your units are properly maintained and change your filters regularly.

The way you illuminate your home also can impact the environment. According to the DOE, energy used for lighting accounts for 10 percent of a typical electricity bill. Simply lowering the wattage of your light bulbs—from 100 to 60 or 70—can add up to energy and cost savings. Also, choosing compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) instead of traditional incandescent lighting can save up to 75 percent of the initial lighting energy used. While CFLs cost more up front, this is offset by their long life and lower energy requirements.

One more way to trim your electricity consumption is to unplug any appliances that you are not using. Even when something is turned off—such as a microwave or a computer—it still draws electricity. This is known as vampire energy. Another option is using smart power strips, which are designed to automatically cut off the electrical current when an item is not in use.

If you’re confused about how you can do your part to protect the environment, you’re not alone. A recent EcoPinion survey

by marketing strategist EcoAlign indicated that while today’s consumers have a greater understanding of the need for conservation and clean energy, they don’t know how to translate this into action. Going back to the basics can help you avoid confusion. Here are some simple and economical ways to clear through the green haze and make a positive impact on the environment.

Is it better for the environment if you carpool to work or take the bus?

Should you buy those apples labeled “organic” at the mega mart or the locally grown ones from the downtown farmers market?

Does unplugging unused appliances really save energy?



Consider your transportationWhile there are many clear-cut ways to save energy in your own home, it’s easy to become confused once you step out your front door. Is it better to use public transportation or buy a greener vehicle? Are electric cars more energy efficient than hybrids? And what about the carbon footprint associated with producing these vehicles versus keeping your trusty traditional car?

While green vehicles—think hybrids and electric cars—generally are considered to be best for the environment, don’t despair if you are stuck with a decade-old gas guzzler. There are still things you can do to lower your carbon emissions. “You can improve fuel efficiency by keeping your tires properly inflated and getting regular tune-ups and oil changes,” says Melissa Antone, Apollo Group Sustainability Director. The way you drive your vehicle also can make a difference. “You can save fuel by accelerating slowly from a stop and keeping your speed in

check,” she adds, “and cluster your errands so you can make fewer trips.”

Beyond maintaining your car properly, there are other opportunities to increase its energy efficiency. “Carpooling is one way,” says Antone. According to the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC), you can save 749 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per year for each day you carpool to work with another driver, and carpooling every day for 50 weeks in the year can save nearly two tons over the course of a year.

Public transportation, if available where you live or commute, is another sustainable alternative. NRDC estimates that 1,167 pounds per year of carbon dioxide emissions are saved for every weekday you take a peak-occupancy bus to work. If you do so every day of the week for 50 weeks in the year, you’ll save almost three tons. Light rail and subways can achieve even greater environmental benefits.

“You can improve fuel efficiency by keeping your tires properly inflated and getting regular tune-ups and oil changes.”

—Melissa Antone,Apollo Group Sustainability Director

52Number of slots University of Phoenix parent company Apollo Group rose in Newsweek magazine’s Green Rankings from 2009 to 2010. In 2010, the company ranked 131st in the rankings that grade the 500 largest companies in the United States on their environmental performance.


Use water wiselyWhether you live in the sun-soaked deserts of the Southwest or the rain-drenched lushness of the Pacific Northwest, water should be treated as the precious resource it is. There are a few simple ways that anyone can reduce their water usage and save energy in the process. Taking shorter showers saves water and the energy used to heat it. You also can install faucet aerators, which mix air with water and decrease the amount of water coming out of a faucet while maintaining the pressure.

Look to common household appliances, such as dishwashers and washing machines, for other areas where you can save. Today’s models are energy efficient and use less water to get the job done. Whether yours are old or new, use your dishwasher and washing machine only when they are full. Also, using cold water when you run your washing machine will save energy.

“Turning off lights and adjusting thermostats are two examples of simple no-cost ways to cut utility bills while lowering your carbon footprint.” —Seth Mones, vice president of sustainability policy and

programs at Apollo Group

continued on page 16


Antone suggests exploring the use of drought-tolerant, native plants in your landscaping. “These plants already are adapted to your local climate, and they’ll thrive using fewer resources,” she notes.

The three R’sNo, not reading, writing and arithmetic. In today’s environmentally conscious culture, this acronym stands for reduce, reuse and recycle. “This old advice is still a sound guiding principle,” says Antone. “Reducing items you use, such as packaging materials, means less ends up in the landfill. The same goes for reusing things.”

Recycling is easier than ever these days, too. Many municipalities offer curbside recycling programs. These typically address paper, plastic, glass and aluminum. You can visit your city’s website for information on what specific items can be recycled through its program.

There are some items that shouldn’t be thrown away in the garbage or in your recycling bin. Things like paint and batteries should be disposed of properly. Search for local drop-off locations to recycle these and other items that aren’t appropriate for the landfill at a website such as Earth911.com.

You are what you eatWhile many of us focus on how we power our homes and our vehicles, how we fuel ourselves is just as important. One smart choice for the environment—and our health—is to eat organic food. The food label “USDA Organic” indicates the item is grown without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. This method of growing food is kinder to the earth and our bodies.

1 Unplug. That’s right. Appliances you’re not operating still draw energy even if they’re turned off. Unplug them and save on the energy you didn’t even know you were using.

2 Carpool. One less car on the road means fewer carbon dioxide emissions. With carpooling, you have the added benefit of sharing the cost of gas with someone else and having company during your commute.

3 Run your dishwasher and washing machine only when they’re full. Fewer loads add up to lower water and electricity bills, and you save even more by using less detergent.

4 Adjust your thermostat. Turning it down in the winter and up in the summer—even by one or two degrees—can lower your energy consumption and your bill.

5 Buy reusable items. Buying a coffee mug once is cheaper in the long run than buying disposables over and over, with the added benefit of reducing your contributions to your local landfill.

5no-cost ways to go greenEasy, convenient and free. Here’s how to save more by using less.

continued from page 15



Today, it is easy to buy foods that are grown and produced locally. These options often require less transportation to get to your table. This adds up to a savings in energy and other resources.

When it comes to increasing your green quotient, it’s best to let common sense prevail. It doesn’t necessarily require a big investment.

There are countless simple ways that you can lead a more environmentally friendly lifestyle and save money in the process.

Looking for more?Here are some resources to help you on the road to a greener lifestyle.

National Resource Defense Council http://bit.ly/10tonsofco2

U.S. Department of Energyenergysavers.gov

The Sierra Clubsierraclubgreenhome.com

Earth911earth911.com

Consumer Reportsgreenerchoices.org/eco-labels


your career

Greening your gadgetsBy Joe Hutsko


Living a greener lifestyle by practicing the “three R’s” of green living—reduce,

reuse, recycle—is something most of us pursue incrementally. You start out by implementing a few green practices such as bringing your own shopping bags to the grocer and turning down the thermostat when you leave your home. As those positive changes become part of your routine, you implement a few more. As you make your way toward a greener lifestyle, consider adopting a few green practices with the various electronic devices and gadgets in your life.

Evaluating how much energy you use and waste can be an eye-opening experience that may compel you to pay closer attention to what the Consumer Electronics Association’s website, digitaltips.org, refers to as the fourth R: rethink. Rethinking applies to how you use gadgets you own, how you shop for new, eco-friendly ones and how you dispose of those you no longer want or need.

Evaluating your energy usage and wasteWhen it comes to your gadgets, the most important issue to consider isn’t how much or how little energy they use or waste, but how much you waste. A gadget, whether it is the latest and most energy- efficient model or is old and inefficient, uses energy only when you use it—and for many gadgets, even when you don’t use it.

Most electronic gadgets, new and old alike, continue to draw power when they’re turned off but are in standby mode. So, turning off your television cuts most, but not all, of the power it draws as it stands by, ready to display the picture more quickly when you turn it on.

Gadgets that continue to draw power even when they are turned off are sometimes referred to as energy vampires. Although manufacturers are working on or have begun offering eco-friendly products that draw little or almost no power when they’re off or fully charged, zapping any energy vampires you currently own can help lower your energy consumption and your energy bill.

Reducing your gadgets’ energy consumptionThe first of the green living R’s—reduce—can be summed up in three words: less is more. Turning off gadgets when you aren’t using them, and adjusting any power setting options they may have so they run more efficiently when you are using them, can provide more savings in both kilowatts and the amount of money you pay for them. According to the International Energy Agency, an estimated 5 to 15 percent of the world’s domestic electricity is wasted by electronic devices idling their time in standby mode.

Two gadgets that help you monitor and manage your energy consumption are The Energy Detective, which uses sensors to tap into your home or apartment circuit breaker to reveal your total household consumption, and the Kill A Watt, which has a single outlet you plug your electronic devices into to monitor how much energy that device consumes when you use it and when it’s turned off.

Plugging your mobile phone charger, television, personal computer and other “standby” devices into an inexpensive power strip makes it easy to pull the plug on all of them at once when you shut off the switch. If you don’t want to bend down or reach behind your gear to hit the switch, plug the power strip into an inexpensive power outlet timer that you can set to automatically switch off the power strip at bedtime.


your career |

Consider spending a little extra for a more-advanced power strip, like the Belkin Conserve. It comes with remote controls that let you instantly power off devices plugged into up to eight of its switchable outlets. Two additional outlets are for always-on devices that you want to keep on, such as your broadband modem, your cable or your Digital Video Recorder that records programs you want to watch another time. Another option is the Smart Strip, which automatically senses when you turn off a device and cuts the power to the outlet accordingly. Other simple actions you can take to reduce your gadgets’ energy consumption include:

• Replace single-use batteries withrechargeable batteries.

• Unplug your mobile phone, personalmusic player and other gadget chargers when the devices are fully charged.

• Disable your computer’s screen saverand turn on its power setting option to turn off the screen after five minutes of inactivity.

• Read and review documents on screenand only print them when hard copy is absolutely necessary.

• Reduce fuel consumption andautomobile emissions by shopping and banking online, and by renting or buying downloadable and streaming movies and television shows rather than renting or buying the disc version.

Reusing your gadgets and electronicsIn certain instances, reuse and recycle (the second and third R’s) are interchangeable. Passing on to others gadgets and electronics that are still useable extends the lives of the useable products, and postpones their eventual entry into the waste stream.

Some examples of the interchangeability of reusing and recycling include refilling spent inkjet or toner cartridges instead of buying new ones every time they’re empty. Adding more memory to your computer and installing a bigger hard drive can help it run faster and give you more storage space rather than buying a new computer. Donating, selling or giving away gadgets, computers and other electronics that you no longer want or use, that someone else can use, is another green gadget option.

Recycling gadgets the green wayAlthough the third R of green gadgets is recycle, it doesn’t necessarily mean items you want to dispose of will be broken down into parts and ground up, melted or otherwise destroyed.

Why should you try to reuse or repurpose a gadget instead of sending it off to a recycler? Here’s where rethinking really comes into play. Think about recycled paper. It comes from existing paper that’s collected, processed and then repurposed as new paper. By selling a gadget or giving it away, you’re repurposing it, but you’re also essentially recycling it. The real win here is that you’re skipping the processing part of breaking down the gadget the way a recycler would when the gadget has truly reached its end. Reusing or repurposing a gadget means not having to purchase a new product to replace it, which in turn means you’re reducing the resources and energy required to manufacture, package, ship and operate yet another new gadget.

Although the third R of green gadgets is recycle, it doesn’t necessarily mean items you want to dispose of will be broken down into parts and ground up, melted or otherwise destroyed.


Some other options for incorporating recycling into your greener gadget lifestyle include:

• Visit computer manufacturer websitesto find out more about take-back, trade-in and recycling programs.

• Visit electronics trade-in websites tosee if your still-working but unwanted gadgets can earn you cash or credit toward a new purchase.

• List and sell your unwanted gadgetsusing your local newspaper, Craigslist.org or an Internet auction site like eBay or eBid.

• Drop off your working but unwantedmobile phone at any major wireless carrier’s retail store so that it can be repurposed or properly recycled. (Don’t forget the charger and any accessories that you no longer want.)

• Find a reputable recycler of e-waste(e-cycler) that can properly dispose of broken or otherwise hopelessly useless electronics rather than throwing them in the trash.

Rethinking new greener gadget purchasesRethinking new gadget purchases means considering products with expressly green features and benefits that have a smaller negative impact on the environment. For instance, a notebook computer is a greener choice than a desktop PC because notebooks require fewer resources to build, less packaging to ship and less energy (and cost) to operate.

More and more, the process of buying greener electronics is getting easier all the time. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, the good news is that more and more consumer electronics are now being produced that contain fewer toxic substances, offer greater energy efficiency and are easier to upgrade, repair and recycle.

Some actions you can take to rethink before you buy new gadgets include:

• Visitwebsitesthatevaluate,rateandlist greener products by category, brand or other criteria:

º Digital Tips: digitaltips.org º Greener Choices: greenerchoices.org º Energy Star: energystar.gov º Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool: epeat.net

• Stay up to date on how the topelectronics companies rank against each other by visiting the Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics at greenpeace.org/electronics.

• Visit the environmental sections ofcompany websites that manufacture the products you’re considering buying to find out about their greener products, programs, services and policies.

• Read news, features and reviewsof the latest eco-friendly products by visiting green gadget blogs and consumer electronics websites such as:º EcoGeek:

ecogeek.orgº Good Clean Tech:

goodcleantech.comº Tree Hugger Science and Tech:

treehugger.com/science_technologyº CNET Energy Efficient Guide:

cnet.com/greenº PC Magazine’s Green Tech:

http://bit.ly/pcmaggreenº Eco Snobbery Sucks,

Tech and Biz section: http://bit.ly/ecosnobsucks.

Joe Hutsko is the author of Green Gadgets For Dummies (http://bit.ly/ggfd). His stories about consumer technology products and trends have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, MSNBC.com, TV Guide, Fortune, Wired, Newsweek, Time, Engadget, TechCrunch.com and others.

Many electronic devices contain heavy metals and chemicals that cause pollution and serious health risks to workers during the production or disposal of the device. According to greenpeace.org, the most hazardous toxins are:

LeadMercuryCadmiumBeryliumChromium HexavalentOrganotinsBrominated flame retardants (BFRs)Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

Hazardous materials In electronics


“Recruiters are essentially salespeople so they are going to look at how they can sell you to clients. Therefore, you also have to have your sales pitch ready.”

—Shelley Zajic, vice president of talent management for Apollo Group

your career |

Do you need a recruiter?By Marissa Yaremich


Y ou took the right classes, landed great internships and accumulated enough skills to make your résumé shine. So why aren’t

the job offers rolling in? It’s likely you are among the majority of professionals who neglected to consider one of the top career strategies to successfully groom your job prospects: hiring a recruiter.

In fact, hiring a recruiter, also known as a headhunter, is typically a job seeker’s last and often desperate resort.

Yet initiating a long-term relationship with one or several job recruiters and treating them like a colleague even when you have a job is a career tactic that is as integral as schmoozing with top executives, according to Shelley Zajic, vice president of talent management for Apollo Group, University of Phoenix’s parent company.

Zajic says she remains in contact with candidates she placed almost 20 years ago. “Recruiters are essentially service providers who specialize in helping professionals find their next career opportunity.”

Recruiters also make sense for those tackling today’s competitive job market, she adds. “As a job seeker, it is easier to network with the top five or 10 recruiters in your area that are already networked with local companies than to try to figure out individual contacts for numerous companies,” Zajic says. “It is also a great way to learn about the different company cultures to see if they could be a fit for you.”

In turn, you also share your network with the recruiters to help them fill other jobs.

What is a recruiter?Whether you’re looking to start a new career or need to crawl out of an unemployment black hole, Zajic says key to building an effective relationship with a recruiter is understanding the recruiter’s role and the kinds of recruiters available.

The role of a job recruiter is to serve as a third party working to fill job vacancies for one or multiple companies with appropriate candidates. Most recruiters find these candidates by specializing in a specific field, such as finance or technology, so that they can speak the “language.”


Do you need a recruiter?

“Recruiters are essentially service providers who specialize in helping save or maintain people’s careers.”

—Shelley Zajic, vice president of talent management for Apollo Group


There are two types of recruiters to seek:

• External recruiters who work forcommunity, regional, national or global-oriented recruiting agencies. Hiring companies pay external recruiters a fee if the recruiter fills the position, making their services free for job seekers.

• Corporate recruiters who are paidemployees of a particular company and fill that company’s job openings—also free for job seekers.

Zajic says she is a “fan” of using recruiters who are free to job seekers. “In today’s market, there is no need for the job seeker to pay a recruiter to find them a job,” she adds.

Choosing a recruiterIdentifying a recruiter to help you embark on a job search is as simple as plugging in the keywords “finance recruiter” in LinkedIn’s people search field, Zajic says. You can then review the recruiters’ specialties and whether they work for an agency, corporation or independently. Recruiters also fill positions based on their geographical concentrations (globally, nationally, regionally, statewide or locally), so it is important for job seekers to connect with recruiters tapped into the correct geographical job market.

“You have to be strategic about what you’re looking for in a recruiter,” says Zajic.

Pitching a recruiter and how recruiters pitch youRecruiters also must differentiate you from the onslaught of résumés clogging hiring managers’ email inboxes. Therefore,

Zajic says it is integral to find a recruiter that matches your personality so that you can build an authentic relationship.

“Recruiters are essentially salespeople so they are going to look at how they can sell you to clients,” says Zajic. “Therefore, you also have to have your sales pitch ready. Why should a company hire you?”

The “number one mistake” is to call a recruiter and sell your worth, Zajic adds. Instead email your résumé and then call to confidently pitch your strengths based on facts and accomplishments, not emotions.

Zajic offers this positive example of a conversation from a job seeker with a recruiter: “I am currently a tax manager at a $3 billion organization. I have managed teams up to 5 individuals. I focus on the areas of … I report to director of tax and work with higher levels of management. I am moving back to Waukesha, Wisconsin, and I am interested in networking to get back into the community. I am just checking in with you, first of all, to see what kind of recruiting you do, as well as whether you think there is an opportunity for us to partner together. If you think so, I am happy to answer any questions you might have and share my résumé with you. If you don’t think so who can you recommend in the area?”

Zajic says if you’re looking for a sales job, but your only job experience is working retail to put yourself through school, you can still pursue a professional sales position. “It’s how you spin it,” she adds. “A person who has worked in retail has

already been in the sales environment. The job seeker needs to polish up those experiences and share how that experience lends itself to a professional sales job.”

What won’t work is if you give an uninformative pitch. “We get thousands of messages like ‘Hi, I sent you my résumé and I wanted to know if you received it,’” Zajic says. “The job seeker that gives the recruiter the most valuable information is the person a recruiter is going to call back first.”

Marissa Yaremich is an award-winning freelance journalist with more than 13 years of experience serving in various positions as a reporter, researcher or photojournalist at several media outlets, including CBS’s Inside Edition, The Boston Globe and the New Haven Register. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism from Boston University.


How to ace the phone interview

Phone interviews are commonly used to screen the most likely applicants before scheduling in-person interviews. While some companies

call in every candidate who has the qualifications, more and more employers use the phone screen to save time and effort on both sides. Sometimes people without exact qualifications get screened to see if something about them sparks further interest. Phone interviews also can take the place of an in-person interview, especially if distance is involved. In some cases, phone interviews are a conference call to allow all the stakeholders to get a sense of who you are.

There are times you will be contacted ahead of time to arrange the actual phone interview, but other times the phone might just ring. If you need a moment to gather your thoughts, it’s OK to ask if they can call back in 10 minutes. However, if you are looking for a job and have prepared yourself for the possibility of an impromptu phone interview, go for it right then and there because you don’t want the opportunity to disappear.

What interviewers are looking forHaving interviewed many people for various jobs and having been interviewed myself it is useful to keep in mind what an interviewer (over the phone or in-person) is looking for in a job candidate. Here are a few desired qualities or characteristics employers are looking for:

• Someonewho can do the job. If asked, give clear, strong examples of skills that fit the job description.

• Someone theywant toworkwith on a daily basis. Personality matters. You don’t have to be dazzling—just someone they feel meshes well with their team.

• Someone they can turn to in a crisis. Help them see you are someone others can rely on and who doesn’t get caught up in drama.

• Someonewho finds solutions. Share experiences in which you helped solve a problem or figured out a better way.

• Someonewho listens and respondscoherently. The phone interview is your chance to show one of your most valuable job skills: effective communication.

• Someonewho comes across aspositive, pleasant and proactive. Employers want candidates who will add positive energy to their teams.

Before the interviewIf you are looking for a job, be prepared for a phone interview at any time. A few simple things can make that welcome call less stressful. Find a quiet place where you can do the phone interview away from the distractions of stereos, televisions, other noisy devices, children and pets. Then, keep a few items such as your résumé, any potential company or contact information, a notepad, pen or pencil and a calculator near the phone so you have your important materials readily accessible.

Also prepare for the phone interview by researching the companies you’re interested in, being able to recite the skills and accomplishments on your résumé and preparing stories that show obstacles you’ve overcome or weaknesses you’ve turned into strengths.

Since you may not always be available to take the call, make sure the recording on your voicemail message is clear and professional. If you are making the call, it is important to know how to turn off call-waiting and use a landline to avoid the possibility of a dropped call.

By Ronnie Ann Himmel

your career |


During the interviewAlthough any interview can be stressful, with a phone interview you have the benefit of being in your own environment with your materials close at hand.

Assuming you know what time the phone interview will be, consider dressing as you would for an in-person interview. Being dressed in a way that says, “I am ready to do this job,” will come across over the phone.

Good energy also makes a big difference in how you are perceived over the phone. Some experts suggest standing or walking around to keep the energy up. Do what is most comfortable, but at the very least, sit up straight and give your full attention and energy to the person on the other end of the line. It is important to realize that your position and posture are closely tied to your engagement and enthusiasm on the call. Also, smile when you speak. Smiling changes the tone of your voice. Phone interviewers can sense your positive attitude.

One of the most important things to remember during the phone interview is to be present and fully engaged in the conversation. If your mind wanders to the next question or last answer, they’ll feel the loss of energy and connection. Listen carefully, answer thoughtfully and be yourself. Remember, you have something great to offer them. During a tough job search, we sometimes forget who we are.

When answering questions, speak slowly, loudly and clearly enough that you are easy to understand. Make sure your responses are professional and not too

personal. Avoid excessively long, negative or inappropriate stories. Find the balance between talking too little and talking too much. Answer what is asked but where appropriate, give the interviewer a chance to see your personality. Don’t feel you must share every interview story. They just need to see you are someone they want to know more about. When appropriate, ask questions that show your genuine interest.

If you have thoughtfully answered a question, don’t worry about a quiet period. Let the interviewer look for his or her next question. Don’t over-commit yourself during the in-between times. You don’t have to fill in the dead air. Avoid um and uh. Just pause to think. Practice, if necessary.

Below are a few additional tips you should remember for your phone interview:• Do not call the interviewer by his or her

first name unless invited to do so.• Do not interrupt the interviewer.• Do not eat, drink, chew gum or smoke

during an interview.

After the interviewWrite down the questions, answers and responses you can remember. If you do this while the interview is fresh in your mind, you will have better information to refer back to.

Make sure you send a short thank-you note for the interview. Common courtesy is still essential.

You have no way of knowing exactly what your interviewer is thinking or screening for. All you can ever do is your best. By being fully engaged, using positive, results-oriented stories where appropriate, connecting with the interviewer and letting your real self shine through, you give yourself the absolute best chance of getting that next interview and landing a job that’s right for you.

Ronnie Ann Himmel is an organizational consultant, workplace coach and writer living in the New York City area. She blogs about job searches, interviews and career advice at Work Coach Café (http://workcoachcafe.com).

When answering questions, speak slowly, loudly and clearly enough that you are easy to understand. Make sure your responses are professional and not too personal.


Get your color on

The most important color you should not only be aware of but also incorporate into your wardrobe is your eye color.

By Brenda Kinsel

your career |


Some people intuitively know which colors work for them. When they wear those colors, the difference is dramatic; they look brighter, younger, more vital and healthy. If you don’t have a good sense of what colors work for you, there are people who can help. A professional color consultant looks at your skin, hair and eye color and determines what colors are the most flattering on you. These are colors that look exceptional and sensational on you but might look flat or dull on someone else.

Your essential colorThe most important color you should not only be aware of but also incorporate into your wardrobe is your eye color. This is the color that makes you irresistible and memorable—the person others just want to be around.

Here’s the thing: We want people paying attention to us and more specifically, we want people looking at our eyes. They are our communication center. If something about your outfit is basically drawing everyone’s attention to your face, that’s a good thing. Your communication center is where you can be most influential.

You can look great tomorrow if you simply look at your eye color, and then look into your closet and see if you already own clothes or accessories in that color. And if you do, then wear it—a lot. I’ve lost track of the number of clients I’ve had over the years who completely neglected the power of repeating their eye color in their clothes.

Have you ever considered how certain colors

make you feel? Are there certain colors you just feel better wearing? Do you know why? Have you ever considered that the colors you wear could affect what someone thinks about you? Would you believe me if I told you that using color effectively in your wardrobe could change your life and the way others perceive you at work? I’m going to let you decide. Let’s start with some basics.

Consider what Paul Newman looked like when he wore a blue shirt that matched his blue eyes. He was mesmerizing. A woman client of mine has a hard-to-describe yellow-green eye color. When I found that same color in a gemstone in a pendant, even though it was more money than she was used to paying for jewelry, I was confident she’d never regret the purchase. “Really?” she asked. I said: “Yes. It’s already a color that exists on you. No one will be able to take their eyes off of you when you wear this necklace. It’ll be your signature necklace.” And it is.

Understanding color messagesNow that we have you wearing a color that’s getting people to focus on you, let’s go further. Colors that you wear convey important information about you. It is important to know the effect certain colors have on you and other people’s perception of you. Universal color messages can boost your image and your impact even more. Did you know that each color has its own meaning? When you know what you want to express about yourself in your workplace, you can use color in your clothing to convey just the right things.


Using colors effectively1. Take a minute and think about

what people know about you within five minutes of meeting you. Write those words down.

2. Think about what people don’t know about you but you wish they did. Write those words down.

3. Now, look at the list of colors (above) and see if there’s a color that could help you get from what people know about you to what you want others to know about you.

Layering color messagesThink about how to use color effectively in different scenarios. If you’re a naturally gregarious

person, there’s no need to use color to bring out any more of those qualities. You might want to tone down your obvious gregarious nature and bring out the fact that you’re a deep thinker and a great problem solver while working with a team on a project. Use communication colors—shades of blue—to keep others focused on what you can contribute. Or use the colors tan or cream to encourage people to trust you and listen to you. If you’re wearing bouncy colors like red or bright yellow, we’re expecting you to entertain us with your wit, not impress us with your thoughts.In the same situation, you could limit the number of colors

you wear and avoid wearing busy prints. Bring focus to the project by wearing clothes in a monochromatic way. Convey a sense of loyalty and steadfastness in head-to-toe shades of brown (from chocolate to tan). If you want to demonstrate a sense of authority, wear black head-to-toe, preferably using more than one texture to make it interesting.

In what situations would bright colors work to your advantage? Bright colors work when you are doing a presentation at the front of the room and you want to capture everyone’s full attention. That’s when you want to convey messages of enthusiasm, energy

Here are some universal color messages for business

DARK BLUE honest, possesses integrity, trustworthy, hardworking, organized, communication

BLACK authoritative, powerful, assertive, sophisticated

TAN/CREAM/CAMELelegant, approachable, trustworthy

BROWNstable, secure, persevering

CHARCOAL GRAY authoritative, refined, strong in character

WHITEfresh, hopeful, reliable, expressive

REDdramatic, self-assured, high energy, courageous

ORANGEsocial, fun loving, enthusiastic, thoughtful

YELLOWcreative, outgoing, bright, cheerful, optimistic

VIOLETsensitive, unusual, exotic

PINKquiet, refined, artistic

TEALinventive, soothing, balancing

Get your color on


It is important to know the effect certain colors have on you and other people’s perception of you.

establishing your credibility. And dressing in colors that match the message you want to convey will make you feel more confident.

Choosing to wear a color that supports the person you want to be can remind you that you’re putting your best foot forward. You get dressed every day, why not use color to your advantage? If you do, you will find that color can change your life. Enjoy color, and wear it with meaning.

Brenda Kinsel is a 25-year veteran of the image industry, a national radio and television speaker and author of five popular books on fashion and style. Visit her online at brendakinsel.com.

and confidence. So choose a tie with orange or yellow. Or wear a blouse or a dress in those colors.

When you look at that list, I bet three colors have popped out at you. Perhaps you’d like those qualities to be an integral part of your personal branding. If you want to focus on one or two traits, limit the number of colors you wear together. If you want to give a more energetic, lively impression, wear three colors in an outfit.

When you personalize your choice of colors, you become more memorable. Just wearing a shade that mimics your hair or eye color will go a long way toward


featured alumna | Lorri Lee

Quenching a regionMost of us don’t think much about where our water comes from. We just open the tap, and there it is ready to sustain us—and our lawns, dishes and laundry. But that’s not the case for Lorri Lee, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSB/A) ’97. In her role as regional director of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s (USBR) Lower Colorado Region, she works to ensure that citizens in three Western states get their fair share of water from the Lower Colorado River.

“It’s my job to ensure that we are sorting through the maze of complex resource issues and operating in a manner that our stakeholders can support.”

—Lorri Lee, BSB/A ‘97


Lorri Lee, BSB/A ’97Director of U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Region,bringing water to the desert Southwest and working to conserve the unique habitat for generations to come.


From entry level to executiveToday, Lee holds a high-profile position at the USBR, but when she began her career there 28 years ago, she was just another high school student working at the local A&W Restaurant. “A wonderful typing teacher saw potential in me and asked me if I was interested in applying for a job she knew about at the USBR,” Lee remembers. “The idea of working in an office was very appealing to me.”

Lee started her new career in the human resources department and rose through the ranks, gradually taking on more responsibilities. “When I started, I didn’t know what the USBR was all about, but I quickly learned that its mission is just phenomenal,” she says.

Bringing water to the SouthwestThat mission, which impressed her as much in her teens as it does today, is to manage, develop and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. Simply put, Lee’s office is responsible for the last 688 miles of the Colorado River, known as the Lower Colorado Region. When three states in the region—Arizona, California and Nevada—experienced disputes over rights to the water, the U.S. Congress and the Supreme Court placed the Secretary of Interior in the role of water master for the lower Colorado River. “My office oversees and administers contracts for water on his behalf,” explains Lee. “We also maintain Hoover, Davis and Parker dams.”

Lee is relishing her current role, which she began in 2007. As director of a region that spans more than 200,000 square miles, she deals with a broad range of hot-button issues and a multitude of interested parties. “I am responsible for 840 employees in the region, the budget and our other resources,” she says.

New home development overlooking the shores of Lake Mead, approximately 11 million acre feet of water, impounded by the Hoover Dam.


“It is my job to ensure we are sorting through the maze of complex resource issues and operating in a manner that our stakeholders can support.” Those stakeholders include the governments and citizens of three states and an array of non-government organizations in the United States and Mexico.

Although Lee found success at the USBR with only a high school diploma, she eventually realized that she wanted to earn a college degree to give her a higher level of confidence when she worked with engineers and other highly educated colleagues. “Once I completed my degree, I didn’t have to worry about someone second-guessing me,” says Lee. “My degree has opened doors for me that I wouldn’t have been allowed to walk through otherwise.”

A message of conservation For Lee and the USBR, water management goes beyond doling out the appropriate allotments to the right parties. It also is about protecting the endangered species and native habitats that are an intrinsic part of the Colorado River. “We have a 50-year program to address the needs of the native fish, birds and mammals along the Colorado,” says Lee. “To that end, we are working with our partners to create over 8,100 acres of new habitat for wildlife.”

Facts about the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

10million acresNumber of acres of farmland irrigated by Reclamation water

17%hydropowerPercent of nation’s hydropower produced by Bureau of Reclamation facilities

7.1million acresNumber of acres of Reclamation land and easements

For more information,visit www.usbr.gov/facts.html.

“My office oversees and administers contracts for Colorado River water. We also maintain Hoover, Davis and Parker dams.”

—Lorri Lee, BSB/A ’97

Lee also is committed to fostering a sense of stewardship and responsibility in youth. “We all have a responsibility for our water and our environment, and we are doing a lot with our youth to make sure they understand the importance of this,” she says. “I think we are doing it better than we ever have, but we are not there yet. ”Lee’s organization promotes math and sciences in the schools to prepare young people for future employment. “I want to help them understand the important jobs that are out there in public service where they can make a real difference,” she says.

Although Lee’s real reward is the fulfillment she gets from her role at USBR, she also has received accolades from her peers for her outstanding contributions. She has been honored with the Superior Service Award and the Meritorious Service Award—two of the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) highest honors for career employees. “DOI is an amazing organization,” she asserts. “They provide the resources that allow me to do important work and also say thank you for a job well done. I am very fortunate.”


alumni profiles | David Raetz

Even as a boy, David Raetz, Bachelor of Science in Business

Administration (BSB/A) ’06,had a special connection to the beautiful wilderness around his home in Orange County, California, where he would happily collect snakes and other small creatures to care for. Today, he is working to protect this beloved and endangered ecosystem through his work at the Irvine Ranch Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that tends to 50,000 acres of jointly owned, permanently protected wildlands and parks on the historic Irvine Ranch.

Protecting a rare ecosystemThe lands protected by the Conservancy are unique because they are one of just five areas around the world in what is known as the Mediterranean climate zone. Coveted because of their livability, these areas are disappearing at a rate of 3 percent each year to development and agriculture, according to the Conservancy. “Mediterranean climate zones rival tropical rainforests for their biodiversity,” says Raetz. “From an ecological perspective, these areas are really important.”

The Conservancy was established in 2005 in an effort to protect and preserve the Mediterranean climate zone in Southern California, which includes nearly 40,000 acres of open space that has been designated a Natural Landmark by both the State of California and the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Steward of the land

David Raetz, BSB/A ’06 Deputy Director, Irvine Ranch Conservancy


Areas with Mediterranean climate

“We have three restoration projects that are 100 acres apiece. We are taking areas that have been 100 percent degraded and trying to bounce them back to 80 percent restored.”

—David Raetz, BSB/A ’06

The Conservancy is home to hundreds of species of native animals and plants that are highly adapted to the Mediterranean climate zone. The diverse terrain there includes grasslands, mountains, oak woodlands and stretches of beach.

A new directionRaetz joined the Conservancy four years ago after working for the Orange County Department of Education where he managed the environmental education program. In his role as deputy director at the Conservancy, Raetz is enjoying the next phase of his environmental career unencumbered by government process. “At the Conservancy, we have taken the best of the business world and the best of the government world and put them together in a nonprofit,” he explains. “We are results-oriented, and we are working at lightning speed to get things done.”

Currently, the Conservancy is in the midst of large-scale landscape restoration. “We have three restoration projects that are 100 acres apiece,” he says. The Conservancy—backed by hundreds of active volunteers—is working to remove non-native plants from the Irvine Ranch area and install native seeds and plants, many of which are from its own native plant farm. “We are taking areas that have been 100 percent degraded and trying to bounce them back to 80 percent restored,” he says. “We are trying to change the trajectory of a habitat, and each site will take six to 10 years before we reach our success criteria.”

Raetz oversees strategic planning, project management, budget and staffing, among other things. When he is able to get out of his office and into the field,

he is most enchanted by the annual spectacle of wildflowers each spring. “Our wildflower displays are just phenomenal,” he says. “You’ll see one mountain that is orange, and then another that is purple.”

Looking forwardAlthough Raetz has an innate love for the environment, over the years he found that he needed additional skills to reach his career goals. After stints studying biology and archeology at other schools, Raetz enrolled at University of Phoenix to pursue a business degree. “I was at the point in my career where I had topped out without a degree,” he admits. “At the Conservancy, I was promoted from senior manager to deputy director, and it is due in part to my University of Phoenix education. I could immediately apply what I learned to the running of an organization, and it has helped me tremendously.”

Most of Raetz’s work is done in collaboration with partner agencies and volunteers, a skill he learned during his degree program. “When the Conservancy was started, we began working with many other groups,” says Raetz. “Because University of Phoenix promotes group work, it was natural for me to work this way.”

As for the future, Raetz is hoping to stay at the Conservancy for the long haul so he can make a difference in its upcoming, large-scale restoration projects. He also is committed to creating a culture of stewardship in the Orange County area. “The next step is to work on environmental education initiatives,” he asserts. “There are 3.5 million people in Orange County, and we have the opportunity to connect people to this unique habitat in a meaningful way, which is the most rewarding part for me.”

In good company: Mediterranean climate zones around the worldThe Mediterranean climate zone, which supports a unique ecosystem, exists in only five small areas of the world: around the Mediterranean Sea, in central coastal Chile, the Cape region of South Africa, southwestern and southern Australia, and coastal California—including the wild lands and parks of Irvine Ranch Conservancy.


alumni profiles | Dr. John Warner

Hailing from a fourth-generation General Motors family, it was

almost inevitable that the auto industry would be in John Warner’s blood (Doctor of Organizational Management (DM) ’03). His great-grandfather worked for GM in the early 1900s in Michigan, followed by his grandfather and father—and eventually Dr. Warner himself. Although the car industry factors heavily into his past, today Dr. Warner is helping to power clean-running automobiles of the future—and much more—through his work at battery producer Boston-Power.

A new opportunityIn 2009, Dr. Warner left GM, after a dozen years, to join a young company. “I found the opportunity to come to Boston-Power, and I jumped at it,” says Dr. Warner. “It’s exciting to be involved in an emerging company.”

Dr. Christina Lampe-Onnerud established Boston-Power in 2005 with the mission of bringing dependable energy to a wide range of everyday applications. “This includes lithium-ion battery systems for electric vehicles, utility applications and laptop computers,” says Dr. Warner. Boasting more than 138 patents in the United States and internationally, Boston-Power is focused on bringing to market battery systems that are long-lasting, quick to charge, safe and environmentally sustainable.

Powering the futureJohn Warner, DM ’03Director of product management,Boston-Power


“Our battery solutions help in multiple industries, including transportation and utility energy storage.

These are two of the biggest carbon dioxide generators in this country—and the world. Our products offer the

opportunity to help reduce these emissions.” —John Warner, DM ’03

In his role as director of product management at Boston-Power, Dr. Warner is responsible for bringing to market large format battery systems. “My job is to define and drive the development of battery blocks and modules and then build them into larger packs for end applications,” he explains.

Saab storyOne common application for Boston-Power’s battery cells is in electric vehicles, which Dr. Warner believes will be widely available on the mass market by 2015. The team at Boston-Power is working on multiple electric vehicle projects, including one with automaker Saab. “The idea is to have a fully electric vehicle fleet based on the Saab 9-3 sedan,” he says. “We have a demonstration vehicle fleet up and running, with another planned for later this year.”

Boston-Power is developing the entire battery for Saab, which consists of separate battery cells. The battery cells are about the size of two 18650 lithium-ion batteries put together, and they are used as building blocks to fit each unique application. “We are working with our customers, like Saab, to see what space they have for the batteries in their vehicles and what their requirements are,” he elaborates. “I am responsible for defining and integrating their requirements into our products.”

Dr. Warner is busy working on the next stage of development for battery systems that can be used to fit more electric vehicles off the shelf. “Because each vehicle’s battery enclosure is unique,” he says, “we want to make our batteries as modular as possible to reduce customization and re-engineering.”

Harnessing renewable energyAnother common application for Boston-Power’s battery cells is storing alternative forms of energy, such as wind and solar. On their own, wind turbines

and solar cells don’t have the ability to store the power they are generating, so it goes directly to the energy grid. Simply adding batteries enables the energy to be stored and used when needed.

“Peak solar energy generation occurs at around noon, while peak demand occurs at around 6 p.m. The battery allows our customers to store solar energy and use it when the demand is highest,” says Dr. Warner. The same can be said for energy generated from wind turbines, which peaks at night in some areas and during the day in other areas. Batteries make it possible to offset the difference in optimal generation time and top usage time.

Cross-industry impactBecause batteries have so many applications, the benefits of using them also are widespread. “Our battery solutions help in multiple industries,

including transportation and utility energy storage,” says Dr. Warner. “These are two of the biggest carbon dioxide generators in this country—and the world. Our products offer the opportunity to help reduce these emissions, which are generally believed to be the source of global warming.”

While Dr. Warner’s passion for sustainability is integral to his success at Boston-Power, so are the skills he learned during his doctoral program at University of Phoenix. “The University has such a solid leadership program, which helps me as I do my part to continue to grow Boston-Power into an industry leader,” he asserts.

In the end, though, Dr. Warner’s purpose is to help preserve the environment for the generations that will follow. Simply put, “My intention is to leave the world a better place.”

What’s old is new againDid you know that the first electric cars were invented nearly 180 years ago? Initially hailed as a horseless carriage, a crude version of an electric vehicle was invented between 1832 and 1839 by Scottish inventor Robert Anderson. In 1835, American Thomas Davenport is said to have built the first practical electric vehicle. Over the many decades to come, the electric vehicle would take many forms, though it has yet to become a viable option for the majority of drivers on the road.

According to Dr. John Warner, director of product management at Boston-Power, that will all change in the coming decade. “Today, the technology is getting to the place where electric vehicles are becoming feasible for consumers,” he asserts.


alumni profiles | Crystal Evans

F or much of her life, Crystal Evans, Master of Management (MM) ’05, didn’t consider herself to be particularly environmentally minded. But that all changed when she began climbing the corporate ladder at The ABB Group, a global leader in sustainable power and automation technologies. There, she

not only gained increased responsibility through a series of promotions, but also an awareness of her impact on the environment and the know-how to minimize it.

Gaining a greener perspectiveCrystal Evans, MM ’05Demand creation manager,ABB Group

Today, Evans is demand creation manager in ABB’s Discrete Automation and Motion Division. She specializes in low-voltage drives that control the speed of motors so they don’t run any faster than necessary, thus saving energy. “Our drives are in everything from conveyer belts to wind turbines and food and beverage production facilities to water treatment plants,” explains Evans. “Simply put, we strive for overall energy efficiency.”

In her role as demand creation manager, Evans works to attract new customers and introduce them to ABB’s energy-saving

drive technologies. “My job is to create the demand so that our channel partners can help their customers improve their productivity and increase their output while creating energy efficiency wherever possible,” says Evans.

Up the ladder Evans wasn’t always a manager. She began her career at ABB 11 years ago as a marketing specialist in one of the company’s training departments. At the time, she didn’t have a college degree. Despite that fact, she was asked to assume responsibility for ABB’s global online training platform.


“Four months into the job, my new boss informed me that I needed to finish my college degree,” she remembers. “Since I was the global champion for our online training platform, I decided to get my degree online.”

Evans intertwined her education and her profession by recruiting a co-worker to pursue her degree at University of Phoenix at the same time. She also incorporated her on-the-job projects into her homework assignments. “I figured I might as well do real work and use it to benefit the company,” she says. “I did that throughout my bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.”

A growing awarenessAlong the way, Evans was introduced to the idea of sustainability. “Our impact on the environment is integral to all aspects of ABB’s business,” she affirms. “We’re not just environmentally conscious inside the business, but we also strive to help our customers understand ways they can have more of a positive impact on the environment.”

ABB’s sustainability efforts also can be seen in its internal education program. “We have a woman here whose full-time job is to help us understand what it means to be green and how to behave in a green manner,” Evans says. “And we tell our friends what we have learned, and they tell their friends, and pretty soon thousands of people know about it.”

Evans also has shared this knowledge with her family, and they have incorporated green practices inside their home. “At ABB, there is a program that teaches employees how to properly dispose of things, and now we have separate recycling containers at home and no longer throw batteries and other items away,” she says. “This has opened my eyes about how we treat disposables as a family.”

Evans, who teaches business classes at University of Phoenix, also advises her

students to get involved in sustainability efforts at work. “I tell them to go to their human resources department to see if there is a green program at the company. If not, I encourage them to volunteer to start a committee,” she says. “There are so many simple things they can do, such as provide reusable coffee cups at work instead of paper or Styrofoam ones. The possibilities are mind boggling.”

How to go green at workCrystal Evans shares her top tips for implementing sustainable practices at work.

“We’re not just environmentally conscious inside the business, but we also strive to help our customers understand ways they can have more of a positive impact on the environment.”

—Crystal Evans, MM ’05

1. Tap into existing programs. If your company already has environmental programs in place, get involved.

2. Start a committee. If your place of business doesn’t already offer a program, start one yourself. Identify like-minded colleagues and tap into available resources—locally and on the Internet.

3.Make it fun. Start a contest around recycling or decreasing paper consumption, and give away an environmentally friendly prize if the company meets the challenge.

4. Join the University of Phoenix Alumni Association. “The Alumni Association can be astronomically beneficial,” says Evans. “You can find people doing things for the environment that you never thought of.”


Published by alumniLessons from Lorena: Living with Autism By Kimberly J. Stults

When most people imagine a newborn baby girl, they think of bows, ballet lessons and future boyfriend issues. Kimberly J. Stults, Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) ’03, was no different until her daughter, Lorena, was born. Stults knew something was wrong when Lorena didn’t smile, roll over or grab at objects as most babies do. After countless doctor visits, Lorena’s diagnosis as autistic was confirmed.

Lessons from Lorena: Living with Autism chronicles the painful years Stults and her family faced before Lorena was finally pronounced autistic at age 5 and offers advice from the mother of an autistic child. Written in down-to-earth style, Lessons from Lorena: Living with Autism is a tool for parents of autistic children, but it is applicable to anyone facing struggles.

For more information, visit http://bit.ly/tatepub-autism.

We want to celebrate you in our alumni announcements. Share your story and be part of “The Buzz.” Email us at [email protected].

Moral Discourse and Moral FactsBy Cornell Horn

In his first published book titled Moral Discourse and Moral Facts,Cornell Horn, Doctor of Management (DM) ’10, invites students majoring in philosophy to look at the nature of moral facts and of moral discourse. The book provides a survey of perspectives within the moral realism debate. The work concludes with a moral relativism that maintains moral facts are determined in communicative agreement and not by properties experienced independent of collective agreement.

“After reading my work, I hope readers will understand that although moral disagreement is real, it is the group’s cognitive abilities, in the hands of a (presumed) majority that determines morality,” Dr. Horn says. “In collective agreement, certain ethical principles and facts get formed, and certain actions get scrutinized relative to them. Therefore, it is not necessary to believe moral knowledge is grounded by or even relevant to objective human independent properties in order to affirm that we have moral knowledge about facts.”

This book can be purchased at amazon.com.


Betray Me NotBy Linda Stallworth

When MaryAnn Mantel, a young college girl, falls in love with a wealthy older man, her family and friends criticize their age difference. However, MaryAnn’s need for love and affection blind her to the true nature of her newfound love, which leads to a tragic ending.

Linda Stallworth, Bachelor of Science in Business Management (BSB/M) ’10, is the author of Betray Me Not, a three-part fictional mini series dealing with real-life situations for women in the dating realm.

“Pay close attention to initial signs in a relationship before falling in love,” Stallworth says. “If you take the time out to become friends first, you will discover whether you want it to be a lasting, meaningful relationship or continue with a platonic friendship. The tell-tale signs are always there from the beginning of a courtship.”

Parts I and II of the series can be purchased at http://betraymenot.com. The third installment will be publishedin 2013.

Coolposing: Secrets of Black Male Leadership in AmericaBy Dr. George Cross

In Coolposing: Secrets of Black Male Leadership in America, author George Cross, Doctor of Management (DM) ’04, explores “coolposing,” a psychologically-based coping leadership strategy based on African traditions.

Inspired by his studies at University of Phoenix School of Advanced Studies, Dr. Cross’ book offers a step-by-step blueprint to help educators, social workers, psychologists, law enforcement agents, parents and others begin to better understand and mediate the confusing and disruptive behaviors of “cool” black males, both mature and adolescent. “I discuss ways black males attempt to level the unequal playing field of opportunity in America and explore the concept of the negative images in the media that surround black males,” Dr. Cross says.

“During my doctoral program I became acutely aware that the black male was rarely referenced within the leadership literature review as anything other than from a problem perspective,” explains Dr. Cross. The need to fill this significant literature gap strongly influenced Dr. Cross’ decision to use black male leadership as the focus of the book.

The book can be purchased at http://coolposing.com.


13%

13%

13%34%

27%

A little (I recycle whenit is convenient)

Some (I recycle almost everything)

Eco friendly (I recycle, use reusable bags for groceries, etc.) Very (I recycle, reuse

and I’m interested in learning ways I can save energy)

Extremely (I recycle, reuse, have solar panels on my house and more)

Some

A little

Very

Extremely

Eco friendly

Alumni Facebook poll

How environmentally friendly are you?

* Results of those who responded

Interesting ways alumni are helping the environment

“Recycling aluminum, plastic and working on ways to turn our office into a go-green establishment.”

“I carry two bags when walking my dog, one for him and another to pick up litter in our neighborhood, which teaches my 5-year-old boy a sense of community and taking resposibility even in small ways.”

“I am a current student and will eventually pursue a bachelor’s degree in green and sustainable business enterprise. I have just opened my own store and it is on the way to becoming sustainable—all fair trade, organic, green, upcycled and recycled.”

Facebook comments:


university news

Federal government takes overmanagement of student loansRecently, the federal government changed the way it handles all federal student loans, and these changes have affected many University of Phoenix alumni. Phoenix Focus sat down with Mark Brenner, chief communications officer and senior vice president of External Affairs for Apollo Group, parent company of University of Phoenix, to learn more and to find out how alumni can get involved to ensure that their interests are represented in Washington.

PF: Can you explain the recent changes to the way the government now handles student loans?

MB: These changes are part of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act that the U.S. Congress passed in 2010. In short, banks and other financial institutions previously made and collected most student loans. When the bill was passed last March, the federal government took over the management of all federal student loans and now all students get their money directly from the U.S. Department of Education.

PF: Who is impacted by this change?

MB: All graduates who are in the process of repaying a federal student loan are affected. The existing loans themselves are not altered, but the process has changed. For some of our alumni, it has caused confusion. For others, it meant their loans went delinquent due to no fault of their own, but because the

government did not properly tell our graduates about the change.

PF: What is Apollo Group doing to ensure University of Phoenix alumni aren’t adversely affected by these changes?

MB: We knew this would be difficult for the government to manage, and we have worked proactively to help the government give students and graduates a clear understanding of the changes. We continue to offer the Obama Administration our assistance. Like our alumni, we want to help prevent delinquent loans. We want to make sure the system is easy to navigate for graduates paying back student loans.

And if there are ways the system can work better, we think we have a role to play in making it happen. But to do that properly, we want to hear from University of Phoenix graduates.

PF: Education has been in the news a lot lately. What are some other changes on the horizon for higher education?

MB: As the debate in Washington focuses on spending, the federal budget deficit, jobs and the economy, policymakers understand the important part higher education plays in our country’s future. Earning a college degree and ensuring job training is closely aligned with the evolving needs of the global economy is how best to grow the American workforce and, as we’ve heard President Obama say, “win the future.” Education policies are being debated in both the state and federal legislatures, and I urge all students and alumni to pay close attention to these discussions.

PF: How can alumni get involved to ensure their interests are being represented by their elected officials?

MB: We’re organizing a growing network of alumni by actively seeking graduates who are willing to tell politicians their stories. University of Phoenix alumni are voters and the very people lawmakers are suppose to listen to. They’re employees, mothers, fathers, nurses and soldiers, and they all have powerful stories to share. I’ve found that leaders

Mark Brenner, chief communications officer and senior vice president of External Affairs for Apollo Group.


Teach for the Future scholarship Angelique Batsel, Emily Omondi and Crystal Davidson received full-tuition scholarships to pursue master’s degree programs in education at the University of Phoenix through the Teach for the Future program. Batsel resides in Anaheim, California, and plans to pursue a master’s in early childhood education. She currently holds a bachelor’s in psychology from UCLA and a Juris Doctor from Chapman University School of Law. Omandi, who lives in Fullerton, California, plans to obtain a master’s in teacher leadership. She has a bachelor’s in liberal studies from Westmount College and has six years of classroom experience. Davidson lives in Boise, Idaho, and previously earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Boise State University. She will pursue a master’s degree in Secondary Teacher Education. Three additional Teach for the Future scholarships will be awarded in August. Applications for these scholarships open in May. Learn more at phoenix.edu/scholarships.

Get involved To share your story with federal and state elected officials, email Mark Brenner’s team at [email protected]. Type “What I want politicians to know about my education” in the subject line.

Showcase in Excellence AwardFor the second consecutive year, University of Phoenix was honored with the Arizona Quality Alliance (AQA) Showcase in Excellence Award. The Arizona Performance Excellence Program recognizes manufacturing, health care, nonprofit, government and education organizations using the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence, the nation’s highest recognition for organizational excellence.

This year, the University was recognized for its Online Faculty Certification Process, a multi-month program that prepares new instructors to be classroom-ready and thoroughly familiar with the University’s curriculum.

in Washington are astounded by what University of Phoenix alumni have accomplished with their lives. But frankly, too often they form their impressions of us from less than ideal sources.

That’s why we have a tremendous opportunity to help educate our leaders in Washington. There are a lot of us at University of Phoenix—almost 500,000 current students and more than 622,000 alumni. And there are more than 45,000 combined University of Phoenix employees and faculty. Those are big numbers, and as we more actively tell our story, lawmakers are realizing we are an important voice in their home districts. They want to know about the issues that are most important to University of Phoenix graduates. I think the voices of our alumni, students and faculty will change the debate in Washington and will impact who is elected to represent us.


campus news

Keeping Sacramento beautifulIn spite of pouring rain and high winds, 118 brave staff members from Sacramento Valley Campus volunteered to plant trees and beautify the Northern Sacramento Parkway. In partnership with the City of Sacramento and the Sacramento Tree Foundation, volunteers planted 43 trees, weeded, mulched and pruned roses along a five-mile stretch of the parkway.

Members from Sacramento Valley Campus plant trees and beautify the Northern Sacramento Parkway.

North Florida Campus delivers Build-A-Bear giftsThis year Valentine’s Day included a special delivery for the patients at Wolfson Children’s Hospital thanks to a partnership between University of Phoenix North Florida Campus and the Build-A-Bear located in The Avenues Mall in Jacksonville, Florida. Approximately two dozen University employees created bears at a Build-A-Bear workshop for the patients.

Volunteers from the Raleigh Campus made 45 valentines to donate to the children at WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina.Volunteers at the North Florida Campus made bears for patients at Wolfson Children’s Hospital for Valentine’s Day.

Raleigh Campus gives back onValentine’s Day The Raleigh Campus shared the Valentine’s Day spirit with children and families in Raleigh, Durham and Fayetteville, North Carolina. At the Boys & Girls Club of Wake County, campus employees assisted students with homework and then helped make valentines for parents and family members. At the Boys & Girls Club of Cumberland County, the boys and girls participated in a Valentine’s Day party, making valentines for family and friends. At The Ronald McDonald House of Durham, volunteers baked valentines cookies and made goodie bags to welcome guests to the house. Also, employees made 45 valentines to donate to the children in the pediatric unit of WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh. In total, 16 employees volunteered 29 hours on Feb. 14.


Volunteers give blood during a Valentine’s Day blood drive at the Indianapolis Campus.

Indianapolis Campus hosts mobile blood driveThe Indianapolis Campus hosted a mobile blood drive with the Indiana Blood Center on Valentine’s Day. The event was open to staff, students, faculty and other businesses in the Indianapolis Campus building. Indiana Blood Center supplies more than 550 units of blood to more than 60 Indiana hospitals every day.

Minneapolis Campus supports local elementaryFor the past three months, employees from the Minneapolis/St. Paul Campus have volunteered with Everybody Wins Minnesota! during their lunch hour to make a difference in a child’s life by reading books out loud at their elementary classroom. Everybody Wins! is a national children’s literacy and mentoring nonprofit proven to build the skills and love of reading among low-income elementary students. The Campus also has a strong volunteer relationship with Junior Achievement—a partnership between the business community, educators and volunteers, all working together to inspire young people to dream big and reach their potential. More than 20 employees volunteered during a recent Junior Achievement day event. Volunteers taught classroom curriculum on work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy to children in grades K-6.

Teacher of the Month AppreciationUniversity of Phoenix and the LA Kings launched the “Teacher of the Month Appreciation” program to recognize Southern California K-12 teachers in the counties of Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino. Recipients are awarded tickets to one of the LA Kings’ regular season home games in addition to being recognized in front of thousands of fans at the game. Robert Pambello, principal of the Heritage College Ready High School in Los Angeles, was named February 2011 Teacher of the Month. Yvette Evans, a fourth grade teacher at Corona’s Eisenhower Elementary School, was named March 2011 Teacher of the Month.

February Teacher of the Month: Robert Pambello (center), principal of the Heritage College Ready High School in Los Angeles.

Shane LaCroste from the Minneapolis Campus volunteers at a local classroom during a Junior Achievement day event.

March Teacher of the Month: Yvette Evans (center), fourth grade teacher at Eisenhower Elementary School in Corona.


community relations

University of Phoenix opens a shop in BizTownIn February, University of Phoenix opened a new shop in Junior Achievement Arizona’s BizTown educational facility. The University of Phoenix shop provides students the opportunity to enroll as a college student and earn a certificate of completion. Students apply for positions to work within this simulated campus environment as a CEO/Campus director, CFO and many other roles. University of Phoenix’s long-standing partnership with Junior Achievement began in 1994. To learn more about Junior Achievement, visit www.ja.org.

Volunteer fairUniversity of Phoenix hosted its third Volunteer Fair in February at its corporate headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona. Eighteen local nonprofit organizations attended to showcase their organization, promote their volunteer needs and inspire University employees to get involved. An estimated 300 employees attended the event to learn about local volunteering opportunities.

The third annual Volunteer Fair in Phoenix included 18 local nonprofit organizations.

Raising money for Special OlympicsIn February, advisors from the Continuing Education Division bundled up, braved the cold and volunteered to raise money for Special Olympics Arizona (SOAZ), Chandler Division. Volunteers spent the day running concession stands at the Waste Management Open. All tips and $2,000 per concession stand went directly to SOAZ.

Employees volunteered at the Special Olympics in Chandler, Arizona. Pictured from top left: Jason Hand, Sergio Rodriguez, Quintin Crook, Amanda Loyd and Sam Tilford. Middle: Marie Hall, Christy Mercado, Cliff Yang, Chantel Hansen and Andrew Olson. Bottom: Brian Eastwood and Kenny Sylvester.

University of Phoenix opened a new shop in Junior Achievement Arizona’s BizTown educational facility.


Near or far, you’ll find a Phoenix wherever you are.Europe Reception May 6, 2011All University of Phoenix alumni are invited to a special reception in

Heidelberg, Germany on May 6, 2011. Connect with fellow alumni for

an evening of fun and networking from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at ART Hotel,

Grabengasse 7, D 691117, Heidelberg.

Reserve your spot today.+49 (0)6221-7050670

+1 (800) 333-5305

uopxalumnigermany.eventbrite.com.

April

1Charlotte CampusPhoenix at the Finn Mixer6 p.m. to 8 p.m.BlackFinn American Saloon210 East Trade Street Charlotte, NChttp://phoenixatthefinn.eventbrite.com

6Phoenix HohokamCampusResumeWorkshop6 p.m. to 8 p.m.Northwest Learning Center2550 W. Union Hills DrivePhoenix, AZ

7Sacramento Valley CampusCareer Fair10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Fairfield Learning Center5253 Business Center Drive, Suite BFairfield, CA

8Sacramento Valley CampusCollege of Social Sciences 2011 Site Fair3 p.m. to 6 p.m.Gateway Oaks Learning Center2860 Gateway Oaks DriveSacramento, CAhttp://uopxsitefair.eventbrite.com

9Phoenix HohokamCampusRoad to the Gulf Volunteer Project8 a.m. to 12 p.m.Orangedale Junior High School5048 East Oak StreetPhoenix, AZ

14Phoenix HohokamCampusInterviewWorkshop6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Northwest Learning Center2550 W. Union Hills DrivePhoenix, AZ

Central Valley CampusAlumni Mixer6 p.m. to 9 p.m.The Petroleum Club of Bakersfield5060 California Avenue #12Bakersfield, CAhttp://cvalalumnimixer.eventbrite.com

16Washington DC CampusRoad to the Gulf9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.Strive DC715 I Street Northeast Washington, D.C.

Philadelphia CampusResumeWritingWorkshop1 p.m. to 4 p.m.Center City Learning Center30 South 17th Street, Second Floor Philadelphia, PA

18Cleveland CampusConversations of Life LessonsGuest Speaker Regina Brett5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.Beachwood Learning Center3201 Enterprise Pkwy., Suite 250Beachwood, OHhttp://clevalumni.eventbrite.com

19Phoenix HohokamCampusInternetWorkshop6 p.m. to 8 p.m.Northwest Learning Center2550 W. Union Hills DrivePhoenix, AZ

Chicago CampusRoad to the Gulf12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.Sayre Elementary School1850 N. Newland Avenue Chicago, IL

21Pasadena Learning CenterMonthly Mixer6 p.m. to 9 p.m.Dave & Buster’s 400 S. Baldwin AvenueArcadia, CA

South Coast Learning CenterMonthly Mixer6 p.m. to 9 p.m.Dave & Buster’s 71 Fortune DriveIrvine, CA

Ontario Learning CenterMonthly Mixer6 p.m. to 9 p.m.Dave & Buster’s4821 Mills Circle Ontario, CA

Lancaster Learning CenterMonthly Mixer6 p.m. to 9 p.m.Bex’s Grill 706 West Lancaster Blvd.Lancaster, CA

events


28National Association of Women MBAsEmpower, Lead, Succeed: An Evening with Women in Business6:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.Binn’s Wildflower Pavilion at the Desert Botanical Garden 1201 N. Galvin Parkway Phoenix, AZ $35 for members; $55 for non-membersRegister: [email protected]

30Southern California CampusALAC Fight for Air Climb7 a.m. to 1 p.m.Aon Center707 Wilshire BoulevardLos Angeles, CAhttp://bit.ly/climbforcleanair

May

1New Mexico CampusAmerican Cancer Walk7:30 a.m.Cottonwood Mall10000 Coors Blvd. Bypass NWAlbuquerque, NMhttp://bit.ly/goEqiZ

6Charlotte CampusPhoenix at the Finn Mixer6 p.m. to 8 p.m.BlackFinn American Saloon210 East Trade Street Charlotte, NChttp://phoenixatthefinn.eventbrite.com

9Military Overseas, European CampusEurope Alumni Reception6 p.m. to 8 p.m.ART HotelGrabengasse 7D 69117 Heidelberg, Germanyhttp://uopxalumnigermany.eventbrite.com

eventbrite.com

12Sacramento CampusWeek of the Teacher Alumni Dinner5:30 to 8:30 p.m.Zinfandel Grille2384 Fair Oaks BoulevardSacramento, CA http://educationalumnidinner.eventbrite.com

eventbrite.com

19Pasadena Learning CenterMonthly Mixer6 p.m. to 9 p.m.Dave & Buster’s 400 S. Baldwin AvenueArcadia, CA

South Coast Learning CenterMonthly Mixer6 p.m. to 9 p.m.Dave & Buster’s 71 Fortune DriveIrvine, CA

Ontario Learning CenterMonthly Mixer6 p.m. to 9 p.m.Dave & Buster’s4821 Mills Circle Ontario, CA

19Lancaster Learning CenterMonthly Mixer6 p.m. to 9 p.m.Bex’s Grill 706 West Lancaster Blvd.Lancaster, CA

21Phoenix HohokamCampusCareerWorkshop8 a.m. to 3 p.m.Hohokam Campus4635 East Elwood StreetPhoenix, AZ

OntarioCriminal Justice & SecurityAlumni Reception 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.New York Grill950 Ontario Mills Drive Ontario, CAhttp://cjsalumni.eventbrite.com

21Philadelphia CampusNetworking for Success1 p.m. to 4 p.m.Center City Learning Center30 South 17th Street, Second Floor Philadelphia, PA


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