ACHS CIO Erika Yigzaw Awarded 2012 DETC Distinguished Recognition Award

Congratulations Erika Yigzaw, American College CIO, on being awarded the 2012 Distinguished Recognition Award at the 86th Annual Conference of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). We're very proud of your achievement and continual, dedicated contributions to the advancement of distance education.

The 2012 Distinguished Recognition Award recognizes outstanding work on special projects that have contributed to the advancement of distance education and DETC and has been awarded to 23 individuals since 1988.

“It's a great pleasure to award this Distinguished Recognition Award to Erika—her outstanding support for distance education and her tireless work on DETC special projects has more than earned her the respect and admiration of her colleagues,” says Marie Sirney, Chair of the DETC Awards and Recognition Committee and Executive Vice President of American Graduate University.

>> Click here to read the full-length press release, including a message from Erika about what this honor means to her.

ACHS Graduate Emily Stein Named 2012 DETC Outstanding Graduate of the Year

American College graduate Emily Stein says her goal for enrolling in the ACHS Diploma in Holistic Health Practice was to learn about wellness, to improve personal health, and to help others. Over the course of her studies, Stein says, she has learned that the body is an intricate machine requiring a balance between physical and mental health, best maintained by proper nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction.

We're proud to announce Emily has been named ACHS 2012 DETC Outstanding Graduate of the Year! The Distance Education and Training Council is recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as an accrediting body, and conducts the Outstanding Graduate program annually. Students are selected for their academic record and the level and quality of their contribution to society and their chosen profession(s).

“We selected Emily for the Outstanding Graduate honor, and to represent ACHS at the spring DETC conference, because she has continually demonstrated a focused commitment to her studies,” says ACHS President Dorene Petersen. “Emily’s instructors commend her dedication to ‘walk the walk,’ which evidences the depth of Emily’s commitment to education, holistic health, and professionalism in the field.”

>>Read more about Emily's experience at ACHS and long-term holistic health career goals in the full-length press release here

We look forward to reading your comments! What are your long-term health goals and/or holistic health career plans?

2011 DETC Outstanding Graduates and Famous Alumni Book Available Online

The DETC 2011 Outstanding Graduates and Famous Alumni book is now available online. We'd like to congratulate the 43 people selected by their schools! A special congratulations to Robin Barnette from ACHS, Certificate in Aromatherapy program graduate (Robin's profile appears on page 6).

The DETC is recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as an accrediting body, and conducts the “Outstanding Graduate” program annually. Students are selected for their academic record, and the level and quality of their contribution to society and their chosen profession(s).

Robin is the owner of Aromachick, Healing Botanicals for the Body, Mind, and Sprit. She also offers Aroma-Yoga for Healing workshops in Calabasas, California, where she combines the therapeutic benefits of aromatherapy with the healing benefits of yoga.

“Earning my Certificate in Aromatherapy from ACHS was a life changing experience,” Robin says. “ACHS helped me find my passion and follow my dreams!”

To connect with Robin, post a message for her on ACHS Facebook HERE: http://facebook.com/ACHSedu

You can also catch Robin on YouTube! Watch her video about ACHS HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00mVvjvvA2E&feature=email

Meet Robin Barnette, ACHS 2011 DETC Outstanding Graduate

Robin Barnette, ACHS Certificate in Aromatherapy program graduate, has been named a 2011 Outstanding Graduate by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). The DETC is recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as an accrediting body, and conducts the “Outstanding Graduate” program annually. Students are selected for their academic record, and the level and quality of their contribution to society and their chosen profession(s).

Robin says, “Find your passion, follow your dreams.” She had experienced the healing benefits of essential oils first-hand, so pursuing a Certificate in Aromatherapy from ACHS was a natural extension of her passion to share the healing benefits of essential oils with others.

As an aromatherapist, Robin is now successfully educating clients one-on-one and in workshops about how to achieve optimal health naturally by incorporating good lifestyle choices and essential oils. She also regularly publishes articles dedicated to educating and sharing the wonderful healing benefits of therapeutic essential oils.

Robin is the owner of Aromachick, Healing Botanicals for the Body, Mind, and Sprit. She also offers Aroma-Yoga for Healing workshops in Calabasas, California, where she combines the therapeutic benefits of aromatherapy with the healing benefits of yoga.

“Earning my Certificate in Aromatherapy from ACHS was a life changing experience,” Robin says. “ACHS helped me find my passion and follow my dreams!”

To connect with Robin, post a message for her on ACHS Facebook HERE: http://facebook.com/ACHSedu

You can also catch Robin on YouTube! Watch her video about ACHS HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00mVvjvvA2E&feature=email

ACHS names Pat Reder DETC Outstanding Graduate award winner for 2010

Congratulations to Pat Reder, DETC Outstanding Graduate award winner for 2010!

DETC Outstanding Graduates represent the more than three million distance education students now studying with DETC member institutions.

Pat has worked as a registered nurse for about 30 years, including critical care and emergency and trauma medicine. She has always had an interest in holistic health because she feels there is “a need for an integrative approach between allopathic and holistic healthcare practices.” That is why Pat chose to enroll in ACHS’s Holistic Health Practitioner Diploma program, which she completed in December 2009, in addition to a Certificate in Nutrition, Bodycare, and Herbalism.

Her distance education experience with ACHS gave her “confidence to seek out opportunity,” Pat says. After finishing her first course, Pat says she was able to use the knowledge base from that course to approach her employer about incorporating wellness coaching into their services. She also has used her training to develop a wellness coaching program, which she successfully trialed with her co-workers, and has since “opened the door to marketing the wellness coaching program to their clients.”

To read Pat's full profile, visit: http://www.achs.edu/course-desc.aspx?pid=29&id=4

For more information on the DETC Outstanding Graduate awards, go to www.detc.org.

ACHS names Michael Edwards, Director of Thee Wellness Institute, DETC Famous Alumni award winner for 2010

Congratulations to Michael Edwards, DETC Famous Alumni award winner for 2010!

The DETC Famous Alumni award honors distance education graduates who meet select criteria or academic records and the quality of their contribution to their chosen profession and society in general.

Michael, who graduated with a Certificate in Nutrition, Bodycare, and Herbalism, says, “The first acceptance I had at ACHS made a big difference to me, and it motivated me to read and teach as often as possible. I feel I’m doing my share to give people back control of their health.”

Since completing his Certificate, Michael has completed his master’s degree and launched Thee Wellness Institute (previously The NC Health and Wellness Institute), specializing in preventative health programs and natural products for the community. Edwards also worked as the Clinical Health Educator at Cherry Point Marine Base before accepting the position of Education Program Manager at Patrick Air Force Base. While in this position, Edwards has developed several health-promoting programs and has led motivational wellness classes for thousands of service members in the U.S. Marines, Navy, and Coast Guard.

Read Michael's complete profile here: http://www.achs.edu/alumni/alumni-spotlight.aspx?spid=43

For more information about the DETC and this award, check out www.detc.org.

U.S. Department of Education finds online learning has advantages over traditional classrooms

By Jonathan Kaplan

A few weeks ago, the U.S. Department of Education released a report that looked at 12 years' worth of education studies, and found that online learning has clear advantages over face-to-face instruction.

The study, "An Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies," stated that “students who took all or part of their class online performed better, on average, than those taking the same course through traditional face-to-face instruction.”

But imagine for a moment that the report came to the opposite conclusion. I’m sure that if the U.S. Department of Education had published a report showing that students in online learning environments performed worse, there would have been a major outcry in higher education with calls to shut down distance-learning programs and close virtual campuses.

I believe the reason that the recent study elicited so little commentary is due to the fact that it flies in the face of the biases held by some across the higher education landscape. Yet this study confirms what those of us working in distance education have witnessed for years: Good teaching helps students achieve, and good teaching comes in many forms.

We know that online learning requires devout attention on the part of both the professor and the student -- and a collaboration between the two -- in a different way from that of a face-to-face classroom. These critical aspects of online education are worth particular mention:

• Greater student engagement: In an online classroom, there is no back row and nowhere for students to hide. Every student participates in class.
• Increased faculty attention: In most online classes, the faculty’s role is focused on mentoring students and fostering discussion. Interestingly, many faculty members choose to teach online because they want more student interaction.
• Constant access: The Internet is open 24/7, so students can share ideas and “sit in class” whenever they have time or when an idea strikes -- whether it be the dead of night or during lunch. Online learning occurs on the student’s time, making it more accessible, convenient, and attainable.

In higher education, there is still too much debate about how we are delivering content: Is it online education, face-to-face teaching, or hybrid instruction? It’s time for us to stop categorizing higher education by the medium of delivery and start focusing on its impact and outcomes.

Recently, President Obama remarked, “I think there’s a possibility that online education can provide, especially for people who are already in the workforce and want to retrain, the chance to upgrade their skills without having to quit their job.” As the U.S. Department of Education study concluded, online education can do that and much more.

>> READ MORE about the U.S. Department of Education study, "An Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies," here

© Jonathan Kaplan, Inside Higher Ed: http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2009/08/11/kaplan

ACHS Offers Imagine American Scholarship to Veterans and Spouses of Active Duty Servicemembers

May 8, 2009—American College of Healthcare Sciences in Portland, Oregon, has been approved as a participating institution in the national Imagine America scholarship program. This scholarship offers veterans with expired military benefits and spouses of active duty servicemembers a one-time scholarship of $1,000 toward tuition. ACHS has been a participant in the Imagine America Military Award Program (MAP) since March 2009 and is pleased to have already awarded three scholarships. MAP, which is sponsored by the Imagine American Foundation, was established in 2004 for any active duty or honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. military attending a career college. Visit www.imagine-america.org for more information.

ACHS Imagine America applicants must enroll in a minimum of six credit hours and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. For additional scholarship eligibility information, please visit www.achs.edu. According to ACHS Dean of Admissions Tracey Miller, the $1,000 scholarship helps “provide a new opportunity for veterans to have successful civilian careers and a much needed tuition assistance option for spouses of active duty servicemembers. The holistic health industry continues to grow and expand, and by providing scholarships like the Imagine America Military Award Program, ACHS is making holistic health career training as inclusive, affordable, and viable as possible.”

The college, which launched seven new career training certificate programs in January 2009, has a clear mission: To provide leadership in holistic health education through comprehensive professional online and on-campus education and high quality natural products with a commitment to sustainable practices and principles. As such, ACHS is the only DETC accredited, fully online college offering degrees, certificates, and continuing education programs in complementary alternative medicine. In addition to the Masters and Associates of Applied Science in Complementary Alternative Medicine, the College’s new certificate programs include: certified wellness coach, certified holistic nutrition consultant, and certified herbal retailer, in addition to the Certificate in Aromatherapy, which the college has been providing for more than 30 years.

ACHS prides itself on their flexible, online classrooms, extensive faculty of highly trained industry professionals, and commitment to sustainable practices and principles. For more information about your ACHS education and the Imagine America Military Award application, call ACHS at (800) 487-8839, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., PST. Or, visit the college website at www.achs.edu to request a catalog.

New Master of Science in Complementary Alternative Medicine Accredited

Holistic Tip of the Week: Earn a Graduate Degree in CAM.
We are delighted to announce that our new Master of Science degree program has received accreditation through the DETC. ACHS was approved to offer and confer this degree by the Oregon Office of Degree Authorization in December 2007, but has waited until accreditation was received to admit students. Applicants must hold a Bachelors degree from an accredited institution and receive recommendation for admission to the Program.

Classes for this Graduate degree program begin this fall and we are accepting applications now, so don't delay and be one of the first in the United States to earn this exciting degree. Call admissions at 800 487 8839 to schedule your admissions interview and see if you qualify for admission. www.achs.edu