Rasmussen College to host Career and Networking Fair August 19

Rasmussen College will host a free Career and Networking Fair for residents of the surrounding communities at its local campuses on August 19, 2010. Companies from a variety of industries will be present and looking to fill positions with qualified candidates. Interested parties are encouraged to attend to gain a competitive edge in the job search process.

Rasmussen College representatives will be on hand to provide information about Master’s degree programs offered through the Rasmussen Partner Network of schools, and Bachelor’s and Associate’s degree programs offered through the local campus, as well as career opportunities within the Rasmussen College system.

To register for the event or get more information on the career fair in your community, visit the Rasmussen College student events page.

Rasmussen College receives USA FUNDS 2010 Excellence in Debt Award of Merit for Loan Debt Management Efforts

Rasmussen College is pleased to announce it has received a 2010 Excellence in Debt Award of Merit by USA Funds, the nation’s leading education loan guarantor.

The USA Funds Excellence in Debt Management awards are presented annually to highlight outstanding campus debt management programs and to encourage other postsecondary institutions to follow best practices in debt management and student loan default prevention.

Rasmussen College was one of only four higher learning institutions recognized this year for promoting financial literacy by helping students minimize and manage their student loan debt, which allowed them to reduce their default rate by 2 percent during the most recent cohort period.

USA Funds’ staff and school representatives from the 2009 award winners selected the recipients of this year’s awards.

In-person and online financial counseling is offered to Rasmussen College students through the organization’s student finance department. Trained specialists within the department discuss financial aid at Rasmussen College, along with personal finance issues and loan repayment
options with the more than 15,000 students enrolled nationwide through Rasmussen College Online, as well as through the 21 Rasmussen College campuses located throughout the Midwest and Florida.

An internal database helps track outstanding loans so that student borrowers can be contacted prior to entering the loan repayment period and in the early stages of loan delinquency. Monthly mailings, postcards, and emails to borrowers help further reinforce loan deadlines and update students about financial news. For borrowers with past-due loan payments, the department’s outreach team is available for one-on-one counseling to discuss repayment and other options with students.


Rasmussen Fort Myers Campus launches Professional Nursing Program through School of Nursing

Rasmussen College announces the launch of an Associate’s Degree in Professional Nursing program through the School of Nursing at its campus in Fort Myers, which will soon celebrate its two-year anniversary.

Approved by the Florida Board of Nursing, the degree program fills a market need for board-approved Registered Nurse (RN) programs, as students nationwide are experiencing long waiting lists for program admission and the national demand for nursing professionals grows.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses constitute the largest group of health care workers in the United States, and employment in the field is expected to increase by 22 percent through 2018, resulting in more than 500,000 new jobs.

A Nursing Management Aging Workforce Survey by the Bernard Hodes Group indicates that thousands of nurses are expected to retire soon, further increasing the need for educational options that deliver programs for students interested in becoming professional nurses.

The Rasmussen College Associate’s Degree in Professional Nursing program combines academic principles and practical skills development to prepare students to work in fast-paced environments to provide acute care to patients in a wide range of health care settings.

Upon graduation, students will be eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination – Registered Nurses), the licensing exam for registered nurses.

With this announcement, Rasmussen College welcomes the following esteemed professionals to its Nursing Advisory Board: Linda Brown, MSN, ARNP, Chairman, Board of Directors, Lee Memorial Health System; Carol McConn, RN, MBA, Chief Nursing Officer, Physicians Regional Medical Center; Sandy Morgan, MSN, Chief Nursing Officer, Fawcett Memorial Hospital; Bobbi Schmidt, Chief Nursing Officer, Charlotte Regional Medical Center; Agnes Smith, Chief Nursing Officer, Peace River Medical Center; Jeffrey Doucette, MS, CEN, RN, FACHE, NEA-BC, Vice President Emergency Services, Bon Secours Hampton Roads; Debra Townsend, RN, President and CEO, Concepts of Care; Denise Grimsley, State Representative, State of Florida District 77; Linda Gipson; Michelle Thoman, Chief Nursing Officer, Naples Community Health System; and Nan Grottanelli, RN MSN, CHPN, Chief of Clinical Care, Hope Hospice.

Students interested in enrolling for October classes may register to attend a Nursing Information Session by visiting www.Rasmussen.edu/Nursing. For additional information about programs offered through Rasmussen College, visit www.Rasmussen.edu.

Rasmussen College named one of the 100 Top Workplaces in the Twin Cities area

Rasmussen, Inc. was recently named one of the 100 Top Workplaces in the Twin Cities area by the Minneapolis Star Tribune in partnership with research firm WorkplaceDynamics.

The top 100 companies in the Minneapolis/St Paul area were evaluated and chosen solely through responses to an employee survey completed by an impressive 33,193 professionals.

Rasmussen is a post-secondary educational services organization that offers degrees in fields of high demand through its network of Rasmussen College campuses and its online education services provider, Deltak.

With 351 regional employees, Rasmussen was recognized as a Top Workplace after receiving favorable ratings in the survey’s four categories; direction, career, managers, and conditions.

The Top Workplaces program has pioneered using employee feedback to directly measure the health of U.S. companies and has been utilized in 20 regions nationwide.

Rasmussen College Green Bay announces new hires and looks to hire more qualified candidates

Rasmussen College announced today the addition of two new faculty members at its campus in Green Bay.

Dr. Mark Heintzkill and Audra Castonia join Rasmussen College during a time of significant growth for the Green Bay campus, which is currently seeking additional qualified professionals to fill a number of available positions, including a dean of Student Learning and accounting instructor.

Heintzkill joins Rasmussen College as a general education instructor for the School of Allied Health. Previously an adjunct kinesiology and structure function professor for Rasmussen, he also practiced chiropractic medicine in Wisconsin for many years.

Castonia brings more than two decades of high school and postgraduate teaching experience to her new position of general education instructor at Rasmussen College Green Bay.

With the announcement of these new hires, Rasmussen College also announces a search for qualified candidates to fill available positions, including a dean of Student Learning and accounting instructor, at its Green Bay campus.

Recently named one of the Top 20 Companies Hiring Now and Top 100 Companies for Working Families, Rasmussen, Inc. continues its long-standing efforts to provide employees and their families with a wide range of opportunities for growth and improvement, from health care benefits to professional development.

Rasmussen College hires design and animation expert for Lake Elmo Woodbury Campus School of Technology and Design

Delivering students the most up-to-date training in the digital design and animation fields, Rasmussen College announces the recent addition of animation expert Drew Blom to its School of Technology and Design faculty.

Blom, who has an extensive background in 3D computer animation, character design, and art and animation direction, will guide students through Digital Design and Animation courses as a full-time instructor at the college’s Lake Elmo/Woodbury campus.

An award-winning animator, Blom has been involved in the production of a number of animated projects, including Me and Jessie D, The Moodsters, Auto-B-Good, and 20th Century Fox’s theatrical short and video series, Bug Rangers. As an art director, he also generated concept art and led the design of Armor Quest, a comic book IP translated into a 3D trailer.

Prior to becoming a Rasmussen College instructor, Blom was responsible for teaching a variety of subject matter, from character design to career development, at Brown College as an instructor to Game Design degree-seeking students.

He previously served award-winning, family-friendly
animation studio Wet Cement Productions as art director and character animator for its diverse client base.

Rasmussen College receives 10-year grant of accreditation, plans to expand Bachelor’s degrees

Rasmussen College is honored to announce that it has received a ten year grant of accreditation, the longest period of time for which an academic institution can receive approval without an interim visit, from its accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

The HLC recently concluded its comprehensive evaluation of Rasmussen College and granted the College approval to expand its Bachelor degree offerings in addition to its 10-year grant of approval. The intense evaluation, which included campus visits, curriculum evaluation, student success analysis, and interviews with faculty, staff and college leadership, came as part of a scheduled comprehensive review, which accrediting agencies perform during required review cycles. The Rasmussen College visit concluded in October of 2009 and the recommendations of the team were approved by the HLC Board of Directors in April of 2010.

In its evaluation, the HLC peer reviewers reported that, “[Rasmussen] College has remained true to its mission, purposes, and core values by focusing its resources on meeting the needs of its various communities in providing educational programs.” In addition, the team reported that “[Rasmussen College] promotes a life of learning for its faculty, administration, staff, and students by fostering and supporting inquiry, creativity, practice, and social responsibility in ways consistent with its mission.”

With this new grant of accreditation, Rasmussen College will expand its Bachelor’s degree offerings in Florida, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. In addition, Rasmussen College will begin offering Bachelor’s degrees in Illinois for the first time.

Moreover, Rasmussen College will also continue to develop new baccalaureate degree offerings that are in high demand both online and across its 21 campuses.

Rasmussen Wausau campus looking to hire locals

The Rasmussen College campus in Wausau, Wisconsin, is hiring. The campus opened its doors for the first time this spring.

The Wausau campus is looking to hire instructors and support staff. To view the openings, please visit the career website.

According to an article on News Talk, the Wausau campus director, Sue Williams, has noticed a large number of job applicants as the economy slowly changes. She added that the campus takes its time to hire each new applicant, because Rasmussen wants to make sure they have the right people in the right places.

Rasmussen Romeoville/Joliet hosts health fair for local residents

The Rasmussen College Romeoville/Joliet campus will host a health fair for local residents Thursday, June 24.

WHAT: Health Fair

WHEN: Thursday, June 24, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: Rasmussen College, Romeoville/Joliet campus

1400 W. Normantown Road
Romeoville, IL 60446
Phone: (815) 306-2600

According to The Homer Sun, the event will feature stress and body management, 10-minute massages, discount prescription cards, and seminars including:

A diabetes presentation, 4:30 p.m.

Exercise and autism presentation, 5:00 p.m.

Varicose veins presentation, 5:30 p.m.

Foot health and surgery presentation, 5:50 p.m.

Stress management presentation, 6:10 p.m.

Stroke and brain surgery presentation, 6:20 p.m.

Rasmussen Brooklyn Park to open new School of Technology and Design center in fall 2010

Rasmussen College is expanding its Brooklyn Park campus with a new center designed to house its School of Technology and Design.

Scheduled to open fall 2010, the 11,000 square foot facility will feature state-of-the-art technology and additional space to meet the needs of growing demand and technological advancements in the rapidly expanding field of technology and design.

The Rasmussen College Brooklyn Park Technology and Design Center will house high-powered Mac and IT labs, among other top-of-the-line technologies. Enrollment for Bachelor’s and Associate’s degree programs in the School of Technology and Design will be available in July.