Issue 12
Note from George Burnett, Westwood College System President and CEO
I am thrilled to introduce the first "Graduates and Careers" issue of The Buzz. This premiere issue is all about the fruits of your labor–our graduates. The faculty and staff of Westwood College live our mission statement by working hard to provide you with the skills, tools and credentials you need to launch, enhance or change your career.
We take great pride in the fact that a large majority of our graduates enter the workforce in their chosen or related fields of study. This issue illustrates the kinds of career success they are achieving and, hopefully, offers inspiration for the possibilities that await you–our future graduates.
How do we help our graduates achieve such success? By hiring faculty members with the right credentials who have real-world experience in their fields and instruct with real-world jobs in mind. Small class sizes, one-on-one attention, hands-on learning, an open door approach and flexible scheduling all work to support our diverse and motivated student population.
From the moment you embark on your educational journey with Westwood, you have the support of a Success Team, a group dedicated to helping direct and encourage you through all the facets of your college experience.
In this special issue of The Buzz, you will read about the accomplishments of four graduates and learn more about the Success Teams. And the most exciting news is that we've listed nearly 900 graduates from the first two terms, October and January, who have jobs in their fields of study. All this in spite of the tough economic times we're experiencing right now. This is a tribute to their accomplishments and perseverance.
I continue to be humbled by the commitment of our students and graduates who are working to change their lives. This is, indeed, a reason to pause and celebrate those who have believed in themselves and achieved their goals.
Congratulations!
George
Graduate Profiles
Craig Becker, Senior Network engineer–Teletech
2005 Computer Network Management Graduate
Denver North Campus
Passion for your job is key to success, and from the time he was participating in hands-on labs in the Cisco Networking Academy classes at the Westwood College–Denver North Campus, Craig Becker couldn't believe he was going to get paid for what he loves to do.
Today, Becker works as a senior network engineer for Teletech as part of a team made up of data engineers, VoIP engineers and security engineers. He credits the Cisco classes at Westwood with helping him get his job.
"Cisco classes are top notch and prepare you to walk into any job interview and be confident," he said.
In fact, when searching for a job, Becker says his Cisco training was a "huge plus," showing employers that he had both networking associate and professional training. "I was able to hit the ground running at my job and didn't need much training."
Becker designs data networks that connect Teletech to its business partners' networks. Designing and implementing global Cisco networks that run video, voice and data applications, he credits Westwood faculty member Clay Chandler, national program advisor for the Cisco Networking Academy, with helping him understand topics and making sure that he stayed on top of his studies.
Becker suggests that current Westwood students spend extra time learning and remembering their Cisco labs because, in his opinion, the skill sets achieved while completing Cisco classes are extremely valuable and make graduates marketable in any city. "Stay focused and the three years will fly by, and you could be in a good job in no time."
Andrey Fomichenko, CAD Specialist–Nuvis
2004 Computer Aided Design/Architectural Drafting Graduate
Anaheim Campus
Andrey Fomichenko used to work the graveyard shift at a copying business, spending long nights waiting for something to happen with his life.
His life changed when he started working on his associate degree in the computer aided design/ architectural drafting program. He graduated in 2004 and has been working at the same landscape design firm since then.
"My hands-on training at Westwood allowed me to be successful in this company," Fomichenko said, adding that the company was so impressed with his skills it hired six other Westwood graduates from the same program. Fomichenko says he continues to learn something new each day and appreciates the importance and value of landscape design and how closely it relates to architectural design.
Fomichenko's advice for current Westwood students is simple:"practice, practice, practice." He says a genuine interest in your field of study will pay off in spades once you graduate, and it helps if you love what you do. "Put an emphasis on the 'career' during your Westwood College experience, and you will finish ahead of the game once you graduate," he added.
Check out some of the cool designs by Fomichenko's firm
Monet Murray, Program Specialist– Housing authority of Baltimore City
2008 Criminal Justice Graduate
Virginia–Arlington Ballston Campus
There's a lot of talk about balancing work and life. Monet Murray took it one step further by balancing work, life and college classes as a criminal justice student at Westwood College–Arlington Ballston Campus. While working on her degree, Murray had a full-time job, attended classes full time, studied between those times and commuted two hours!
"Even though those challenges discouraged me at times, I still got up every Monday and Wednesday morning to attend class," said Murray. "I kept the bigger picture of graduation in the back of my mind, which helped me overcome my frustrations."
Murray's dedication paid off, and today she's working for the Housing Authority of Baltimore City where she provides assistance to low income families.
"I've always seen myself employed with advocacy or social work," she said. "I enjoy working for the people."
One of the most important aspects of Murray's Westwood education was learning from teachers who actually worked in the same field she was preparing to enter. The open-ended class discussions, mock trials, guest speakers and field trips were also instrumental to her hands-on learning experience. And, to help balance the seriousness of her classes, Murray appreciated that teachers and peers could not only hold debates and discuss current events but also laugh about the latest VH1 shows.
Murray recommends that current Westwood students take the time to network on campus and get to know their instructors. "Be nosey and ask them how they got into their careers," she said. "Ask what steps they took to get there and who they may know to help put you in those same shoes."
Efrain Gastelum, Manager of Network Operations and Emerging Technologies–Tangram Interiors
2004 Computer Network Management Graduate
Los Angeles Campus
When the iPad came out earlier this year, it was Efrain Gastelum's job to buy one, review it and prepare a report for his colleagues at his employer, an office furnishings design firm, located in Santa Fe Springs, Calif.
Gastelum, a 2004 graduate from the Los Angeles Wilshire Campus, is the manager of network operations and emerging technologies for Tangram Interiors.
In addition to being on the cutting edge of new technologies, he maintains and manages the company's network infrastructure from his office, which he's dubbed as "Mission Control."
Gastelum says the hands-on skills he learned at Westwood and the ongoing help from faculty, gave him an advantage when he was interviewing for jobs and continues to help him in the field.
"A school can only present the tools and material to you, but it is up to you to actually apply the techniques and information to reach your desired outcome," he said. "The bottom line of any education is: it comes down to you making the sacrifice and taking the initiative to better yourself."
Day One Through Graduation:
Westwood's Success Teams Helps Students Become Graduates
The most exciting and meaningful event at Westwood is the commencement exercises. The ceremony represents the culmination of hard work, perseverance and the realization of the individual goals of each graduate. And to that end, empowering students to pursue their individual career goals is part of the mission of Westwood College.
According to Jennifer Childers, regional director of student services, "As students enter Westwood College, we treat each as an individual by meeting them where they are and then working with them from that point. That's what's so unique about Westwood - we support students to help them achieve their own definition of success."
And to make certain that Westwood is "walking the talk" each and every day, all campuses have a Success Team to fully support students from the day they enroll until well after embarking on a career. As a Westwood student, you can depend on your Success Team to build a personal relationship with you and make it their priority to guide you every step of the way. Get to know the members of your Success Team and utilize their expertise as much as you can!
Your Westwood Success Team includes:
Admissions: provides a comprehensive overview of Westwood and assists in the enrollment process
Student Finance: is your college finance partner and mentor in providing step-by-step assistance as you work through the financing process of paying for college from your first term to your last. Additionally, our Student Loan Solutions group will work with you prior to and after graduation to assist you with loan repayment options.
Education: makes certain that you're taking the courses you need to help launch you into a career and assists with the tuition-free (books, tools, lab fees may apply) graduate retraining in your field of study
Student Services: guides and supports you by:
- providing support with local resources such as housing, transportation, daycare, counseling and more
- working to set up no-cost tutoring either on campus or online
- connecting you to student activities, school clubs and on- and off-campus activities
Career Services: provides the one-on-one support to develop your résumé, practice interview skills and assist you with job-search strategies, so you can find work in your field of study. In addition, he or she will:
- work to foster key relationships in the business community to make certain that Westwood programs meet the workforce requirements
- help find work-study, full- or part-time employment
- assist with job and internship leads
"The Success Team model truly helps students with their journey from entrance through graduation and in the process of starting their careers," says Childers. "I'm so impressed with our students. Every day they make the choice to change their lives by coming to Westwood and completing their education. I'm happy that we can be a part of helping make that a reality."
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