News

It's always good to see your friends do well. Here are just a few examples of current students, graduates and faculty who've gone out into the real world and made CityU proud as well as news about our sites, programs and partnerships with universities.

• City University of Seattle Slovakia Featured in Financial Times
  12/04/2011
  
  
  Read the article.

• City University of Seattle Announces New Albright School of Education Dean
  10/31/2011
  
  
  BELLEVUE, Wash. - On October 31, Today, City University of Seattle announced Dr. Craig Schieber has been selected as the new Dean of the Albright School of Education. He will succeed Dr. Judy Hinrichs who will be retiring in December 2011.

  Dr. Schieber currently served as the Associate Dean and Teaching Preparation Program Director of the Alright School of Education. He brings over 30 years of experience in education to this office, with eleven of those years being with CityU. Prior to working at CityU, Dr. Schieber was an associate professor at the College of St. Scholastica in Minnesota and was a visiting professor at Seattle Pacific University.

  Before teaching at the collegiate level, Dr. Schieber taught 4th through 8th grade in the Issaquah School District. During this time he was applauded for having an independent approach to teaching and awarded the prestigious Presidential Scholars Award and named one of two "Distinguished Teachers" in Washington state in 1990.

  "Dr. Schieber regularly demonstrates care and excitement for education, an innovative approach to teaching, and always puts the students first. These mirror our values at CityU and made him the best candidate for the job," said, Provost Dr. Steven Olswang. "We are thrilled Dr. Schieber is our new Dean and look forward to him building on the strong leadership that was provided by his predecessor. With his leadership and progressive way of thinking, we anticipate that he will deepen our relationships with schools in the area and across the state."

  When asked about his new position Dr. Schieber stated, "I am honored to be the Dean of this school at this time in history. I believe the education system is in crisis and know that with crisis comes great opportunity. Because CityU has always put students first, rather than a particular pedagogy, my faculty and I will be able to do what is right for the next generation of students and teachers. I am excited to take on this challenge and will look to expand the appreciation of adaptive technologies and competency-based learning to the teaching environment."

  Dr. Schieber received his Master’s of Education from the University of Washington and his Doctor of Education from Seattle Pacific University. He has researched, written and presented on such topics as comprehensive education, educational technology, assessment and curriculum development. In his career, Schieber has lead innovative initiatives around technology in education, gifted programs, portfolio development, and expanding teacher assessment practices – just to name a few.

  Find out more about CityU's Alright School of Education. Dr. Schieber's first day as Dean is today.

  Press Contact: Tarsi Hall, CityU of Seattle PR/Communications Manager | 206.518.1843

• City University of Seattle is Hosting Its Third Annual Innovations Gala
  10/13/2011
  
  
  Event Aims to Celebrate Innovation and Expand Access to Education

  BELLEVUE, Wash. - On October 21, 2011, City University of Seattle will host its third annual Innovations Gala. This event will be held at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle, Washington.

  Like CityU of Seattle's mission, this event celebrates innovation and aspires to open new doors and improve access to education. For nearly 40 years, CityU has been committed to changing lives for good through education. We are thrilled to celebrate two local innovators, and introduce a keynote speaker who is a living testament to providing educational access and opportunities.

  This year, we are presenting two Innovations Awards. The awards are going to:

  • DreamBox Learning. DreamBox is dedicated to helping students achieve better and faster math proficiency through intelligent adaptive learning™. Their mission is to radically transform the way the world learns by providing better educational tools for parents, teachers, coaches and administrators. Jessie Woolley-Wilson, CEO and president of DreamBox, will be accepting this award on behalf of DreamBox.
  • Dr. Kathy Johanson. A decorated philanthropist, seasoned business woman and a CityU faculty member and alumna, who is committed to ending the cycle of abuse toward women by offering scholarship opportunities through the sale of O Wine, is also an award recipient. Kathy is the co-founder and owner of O Wines, which donates 100 percent of its net profits to helping low income, high potential youth with a scholarship to any college in Washington state. As of this year, Kathy's organization will have funded 40 scholarships.

  Following these awards, we will hear from the Executive Director of Student and Family Support Services of the Kent School District, Israel Vela. CityU alum, he has been an educator for over 24 years, serving as a classroom teacher, staff development educator, elementary school principal and special services director. Throughout his time in education he has become known as a proactive leader whose actions exemplify true professionalism, conviction and innovation. To close, we will hear from a CityU student whose career path and life is being changed by the education she is receiving from CityU.

  Throughout the evening there will be philanthropic opportunities for people to donate their time, expertise and/or money to a CityU scholarship fund.

  This event is open to the public. To find out more about CityU of Seattle's Innovations Gala, please go to www.cityu.edu/gala.

  Press Contact: Tarsi Hall, CityU of Seattle PR/Communications Manager | 206.518.1843

• CityU Team Scores in the top 10% of CAPSIM Teams Worldwide
  09/15/2011
  
  
  BELLEVUE, Wash. - This summer, City University of Seattle, a not-for-profit university located in Bellevue, Washington, had three teams from their Bratislava, Slovakia campus named among the top 10 on the global "Top 10" Capstone Business Simulation (CAPSIM) list. CAPSIM is the best selling business simulation for college and executive education in the world – it draws over 200,000 participants. There are over 1500 teams in the world competing for this honor, and only the best of the best made it to the top 10 percent.

  There are currently over 500 colleges, universities and elite corporations engaged in CAPSIM, and CityU of Seattle is one of them. CityU of Seattle integrated CAPSIM into its bachelor of science in business administration (BSBA) and its master's in business administration (MBA) curriculum in fall 2009. The hope was to give students an opportunity to explore operations, human resource management and staffing strategies, among other things.

  The teams who were awarded this honor were in a business strategy course taught at CityU of Seattle's Bratislava campus. To secure a spot in the top 10 percent, the CityU teams had to go through several rounds of submissions and revise their business strategy in the aforementioned areas.

  CityU is thrilled to be a part of CAPISM and sees it as a simulation that directly aligns with its value of providing its students with real-world, hands-on experience.

  To find out more about CityU Seattle's MBA program, go here; to find out more about CityU Seattle's BSBA go here.

• CityU Deans and Faculty offer an Anthology of Advice around Authentic Instruction and Online Delivery
  09/12/2011
  
  
  BELLEVUE, Wash. - This summer, Dr. Kurt Kirstein, the Dean of City University of Seattle's school of management, together with Judy Hinrichs, the dean of the Albright School of Education and Dr. Steven Olswang, Provost of the University, published the book titled, Authentic Instruction and Online Delivery: Proven Practices in Higher Education. The book was written from the perspective of instructors at a private, not-for-profit university in Washington state that has locations in eleven countries on four continents, that specializes in personalized, relevant and practitioner oriented programs.

  The book is filled with a collection of best practices of nearly 30 CityU faculty members and focuses on how to effectively teach today's busy adult student population. It includes best practices for faculty wanting to teach abroad, in the classroom and online.

  The book is broken up into three parts. Part one introduces methods of authentic instruction, which mimics real world application. Part two explores online classroom instruction and offers some insight about how teachers can design curriculum around this medium and deliver content effectively. Part three addresses emerging themes in educational assessment and program revision. All three are tied together by the guiding principle: experience is the best teacher.

  "The objective is for this book to be used as a tool for educators in and outside the United States" according to Dr. Steven Olswang, Provost at CityU and a co-editor of the book. "The book contains proven practices that will help faculty assist students achieve their learning objectives and be able to link their education to the relevancy of the subjects they study. The chapters contain great methodologies that are practical and useful, consistent with the educational approach and values fostered at CityU and that many students seek in their education."

  To find out more about the book, please go here.

• CityU Launches Doctoral Program Designed for Working Professionals in Education and Business Management
  05/13/2011
  
  
  BELLEVUE, Wash. - City University of Seattle, one of the Pacific Northwest's leading not for profit universities, will be offering a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) in Leadership. This doctoral program is unique as it was designed for the experienced leader in education and business management, and is available almost entirely online making it an extremely flexible program. Students in this three-year program will choose from one of three specially developed areas of concentrations to study: Educational Leadership (P-12), Higher Education, and Organizational Leadership. All three concentrations have been designed specifically for individuals currently working as district and school administrators, classroom teachers, higher education leaders in community colleges and universities and organizational entrepreneurs in the global workplace. Like all programs CityU of Seattle offers, this doctoral program will be taught by CityU's practitioner faculty. Students will learn from doctoral level experts who bring a strong background of research achievement in education and organizational practice.

  CityU is currently accepting applications for this 90-credit program. Classes will begin August 2011 with the first of three in-person residencies to be held over a weeklong period in the Seattle area. Aside from the requisite residencies, the course is conducted entirely online to meet the busy scheduling needs of all students. All program concentrations will consist of a leadership and research core, concentration area of study, two comprehensive exams and six dissertation classes.

  "We are honored and privileged to unveil our very first doctoral program that caters to the seasoned professional looking to catapult to the next level of his or her career," says CityU President Lee Gorsuch. "With this multidisciplinary program, students will master advanced skills in strategic thinking, critical analysis and change management - the tools needed to face challenging, real world problems in educational or organizational settings."

  "We've specifically organized these courses so that students will develop a firm grasp of data-driven solutions to today's leadership challenges and be able to use this knowledge in the workplace right away," says Dr. Kurt Kirstein, CityU's School of Management Dean. "They'll also learn to how to share this material with current and future leaders within their own organizations."

  For more program information or to apply for the Ed.D., please visit the official program page.

• President's Spring 2011 Letter to Students
  05/10/2011
  
  
  Dear CityU Student,

  I hope you have had a wonderful academic year here at City University of Seattle. I'd like to personally congratulate those of you who are preparing to graduate with your degree or certificate. I'd also like to share several news updates related to the quality of your educational experience.

  To begin, I am pleased to announce the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities recently approved CityU of Seattle to offer its first doctoral program. This fall, CityU will receive its inaugural cohort of students pursuing the Doctor of Education in Leadership (Ed.D.). The program will be available online and includes face-to-face residencies. Students, primarily working professionals, will choose from three concentration areas: Educational Leadership (P-12), Higher Education and Organizational Leadership.

  This spring the School of Management's Master of Science in Project Management program received accreditation by the Project Management Institute Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC). To achieve GAC accreditation, programs must meet rigorous global standards. To date, only 33 institutions in twelve countries have their PMI programs accredited by GAC. CityU is delighted to be among such an elite group.

  Faithful to our commitment to provide students a global perspective, CityU worked with our Australia partner, the University of Southern Queensland, to develop a Bachelor of Accounting and Sustainable Business degree designed around the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). The GRI is an international standard for businesses to report against a range of key indicator protocols, including the categories of human rights and the environment. Our degree is the first to embed the GRI principles in its curriculum.

  In addition to these accomplishments, CityU was able to increase CityU's scholarship funds by hosting the second annual Innovations Gala. The gala also honored two outstanding individuals who are making a difference in the Seattle community, Dr. Christopher J. Elias of PATH and Dr. Doreen Cato of First Place. KIRO television's Sam Argier served as our master of ceremonies and Mr. Kenny Alhadeff gave an inspiring keynote address. Three CityU students, Char Pogue, Siamak Khoshghalb and Lynn Winslow shared their CityU experiences as former scholarship recipients and spoke from their hearts in sharing their appreciation for the scholarship and how truly helpful the funds were in furthering their education.

  CityU has also forged three new "on-campus" partnerships in Washington; one with Shoreline Community College to offer the Bachelor of Arts in Management, a second with Lower Columbia College to offer the Bachelor of Arts in Education and a third with Grays Harbor College to offer the Bachelor of Arts in Education and Bachelor of Arts in Management. Internationally, the China Ministry of Education approved CityU's joint agreement with the University of International Economics and Business (UIBE) to offer an improved Master of Business Administration program and highlights our 15th year in partnership in China.

  Finally, I am also pleased to report the university was chosen by Starbucks Coffee Company to be one of two preferred higher education providers to offer educational opportunities to its U.S. partners (employees) and families. We are honored to have this opportunity to work with Starbucks. If you are a Starbucks partner or family member, contact your CityU advisor to find out more.

  All of us at CityU are committed to ensuring your access to higher education while also delivering high quality programs and remaining competitively priced. To achieve these goals and upon careful consideration of the impact tuition has on our students' lives, the City University of Seattle Board of Governors approved tuition increases for the 2011/12 academic year.

  While these important developments may not affect you directly, they all contribute to the university efforts to fulfill its mission: To change lives for good by offering high quality and relevant lifelong education to anyone with the desire to learn. As always, we remain dedicated to you, our students, and wish you a successful academic year filled with professional and personal milestones.

  Very truly yours,
  E. Lee Gorsuch II

• CityU Joins the Ranks of Select Institutions Offering a Project Management Degree Program
  04/05/2011
  
  
  BELLEVUE, Wash. and Newtown Square, Pa., April 5, 2011 — The Master of Science in Project Management (MSPM) at City University of Seattle's School of Management was accredited by the Project Management Institute Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC) on March 14, 2011.

  Degree programs that achieve GAC accreditation must demonstrate and meet the GAC's rigorous global standards, which include an assessment of each program's objectives and outcomes, faculty and student evaluations, onsite and online resources, annual self-evaluation, and proof of continuous improvements in the area of project management education. Seventy-six project management degree programs at 33 institutions in twelve countries are accredited by GAC. Programs at 14 other universities are in the process of accreditation. GAC accreditation ensures the quality of academic degree programs and their graduates in order to meet the needs of the rapidly growing field of project management.

  Since its creation in 1997, CityU of Seattle's MSPM program has graduated more than 300 students. In 2002, CityU became a PMI Registered Education Provider (R.E.P.), which allows students the opportunity to earn professional development units (PDUs) toward a Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification.

  On behalf of CityU, MSPM Program Director Linh Luong managed the yearlong accreditation process and its approval. PMI representatives also visited CityU to learn about the MSPM program last November.

  "This rare and prestigious accreditation is truly a quality stamp of approval — a milestone desired by many leading universities. Having GAC recognition of our project management program ensures a high level of education for our students and gives worldwide exposure to this quality CityU program," says School of Management Dean Kurt Kirstein.

  "Obtaining PMI GAC accreditation is a rigorous process and CityU's participation makes a public statement about the deep commitment of the institution and its faculty to ongoing evaluation and continuous quality improvement," said Edwin Andrews, Ph.D., director of academic and educational programs and services at PMI. "GAC accreditation confirms that the scale and quality of an institution's project management degree program conforms to a comprehensive international standard."

  Individuals who complete CityU's GAC accredited project management program earn 1,500 hours of project management experience toward the requirements that are needed to sit for PMI's Project Management Professional (PMP)® credential examination. Currently, an applicant with a bachelor degree (or higher) must document 4,500 hours spent leading and directing project tasks. If the applicant documents that he or she graduated from a GAC accredited program, then only 3,000 hours of work experience need to be presented to fulfill this requirement. Additionally, individuals who complete a GAC accredited program earn 1,500 hours of project management experience toward the requirements that are needed to sit for the PMI Program Management Professional (PgMP)® credential examination.

  About Project Management Institute (PMI)
  PMI is the world's largest project management member association, representing more than half a million practitioners in over 185 countries. As a global thought leader and knowledge resource, PMI advances the profession through its global standards and credentials, collaborative chapters and virtual communities and academic research. When organizations invest in project management, supported by PMI, executives have confidence their important initiatives deliver expected results, greater business value and competitive advantage. Learn more at www.pmi.org.

  About the PMI Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC)
  Established by the PMI Board of Directors in 2001, the Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC) is a specialized accrediting body that assures the quality of project management degree programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

• CityU Graduate and Olympia Businessman Tomlinson to Run for City Council
  03/01/2011
  
  
  OLYMPIA - Businessman Brian Tomlinson announced Monday he will run for Olympia City Council.

  Tomlinson, 55, is a technician for CETEC Solutions, a California-based company that sells, installs and services cash registers. Among his priorities are partnering with other jurisdictions to grow the economy and plan for Budd Inlet restoration and partnering with neighborhoods to improve them. "My main message is partnership," he said.

  Tomlinson said he will run for Position No. 7, the seat that Councilman Steve Langer is vacating, which will have about two years left in the term at the time of the November election. Nonprofit leader Jim Cooper is also running for the job.

  Langer, who was appointed to the seat formerly held by Joe Hyer, announced he's running for Position No. 2, which is a full four-year term. That seat's current occupant, Councilman Craig Ottavelli, announced he's not seeking re-election.

  Tomlinson said he has lived in Olympia for five years. He was born in Slatersville, R.I, and has a bachelor's degree in environmental science from City University of Seattle. He said he's been interested in politics for years.

  "I had been on the fringes of public service and community service for a long time going back to when I campaigned for (current California governor) Jerry Brown for president" in 1976. "I was a family man and I was a workaholic and just could never find time for it."

  But his children are grown now, he said, and he's not working as much. He said he'd like to see more partnership among businesses in downtown Olympia. He'd like to remove some of the "blighted buildings" in downtown.

  "I think my biggest, my most ambitious plan is a multiuse sports complex in Olympia," he said. It would have 5,000 seats, enough for an NHL-size hockey rink open for public skating and parties, and could also be converted into a soccer field, he said. He cites a facility in Wenatchee as a model.

  Another goal is bringing Artspace, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit, to town. The group builds live-work developments for artists, and the City Council has pursued the group on and off for the last several years. The hangup has been the group wants public money to study the issue, and the artist housing idea became a lower priority in the down economy.

  Tomlinson said he favors keeping Capitol Lake rather than turning it into an estuary "for now, until more could be learned about it."

  He said he disagreed with the council's recent decision to cut $11,067 in funding to Centennial Station, the Amtrak train depot in Lacey. The city and other jurisdictions have agreed to fund maintenance of the station since it was built in 1993, but Olympia pulled out this year.

  "I just want to listen to and really hear people and respect public opinion on city matters," he said.

  [Link to article]

• Kirkland teacher honored as Teacher of the Week in STAR 101.5 contest
  03/17/2011
  
  
  Mark Twain Elementary teacher, Kris McKenna, was named Teacher of the Week in a local contest conducted by STAR 101.5 radio. McKenna, a 1st grade teacher, was nominated by her student, Jamie La Breck.

  Curt Kruse, STAR 101.5's Afternoon Show co-host, made a surprise visit to McKenna's classroom in Kirkland.

  Each student received a goody bag full of prizes from McDonald's, City University of Seattle, KOMO 4, KOMO Communities and STAR 101.5. McKenna received a personalized plaque from Issaquah Trophies and a $100 check from City University of Seattle.

  She is also entered as one of 24 teachers from the 2010/2011 school year that could win an all new redesigned 2011 Volkswagen Jetta from Chaplins Bellevue Volkswagen. The car will be given away on June 10 at Fisher Plaza.

  STAR 101.5's "Teacher of the Week" is a program that allows students to recognize local, deserving teachers for their commitment to the quality education of children. To nominate a teacher, go to STAR1015.com.

  [Link to article]

• City University of Seattle to Offer Bachelor of Arts in Education Degree at Grays Harbors College This Summer
  02/28/2011
  
  
  GRAYS HARBOR, Wash. - City University of Seattle will offer aspiring teachers in Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties a unique opportunity to study locally for their Bachelor of Arts in Education this summer. Students who have earned or are nearly finished with an associate degree may enroll now in program classes on the Grays Harbor College (GHC) campus.

  "In light of ongoing state budget cuts to higher education, I'm delighted CityU of Seattle's Albright School of Education (ASOE) will be able to provide an accommodating and affordable solution for students in and around Grays Harbor. This new partnership also will allow students the opportunity to develop their specialty skills in high needs areas," said CityU President Lee Gorsuch.

  Under this degree option, students will take a two-year program offered at GHC and then enter CityU's two-year Bachelor of Arts in Education program. They also will qualify to earn a teacher certification with an emphasis in Special Education, Elementary Education, Math, English Language Learners (ELL) or Reading and Literacy. Both single and dual endorsements are available in these emphasis areas, which are listed on CityU's Bachelor of Arts in Education web page. Students also may take advantage of CityU's convenient course schedule.

  "Students living in Grays Harbor and Pacific counties should not have limited choices for their education because of our geographical location. Grays Harbor College is pleased to partner with CityU to offer the Bachelor of Arts in Education. Now our students can dream big and consider this excellent teaching degree program offered through our campus, close to home," said GHC President Ed Brewster.

  Currently, the Bachelor of Arts in Education degree is offered at CityU's Bellevue, Everett, Tacoma, Vancouver, Port Angeles, Centralia and Longview sites. Several spaces are still available in GHC's first CityU cohort group. For more information, please contact Jeff Snell, CityU Advisor at GHC.

  The ASOE was the state's fourth largest provider of teacher certificates during the 2008-09 academic year, according to the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). CityU also was the largest and top provider of graduates with principal and program administrator certification and school counselor certification. For more information on CityU's education programs, please visit www.cityu.edu/teacher.

• City University of Seattle Awards Lakewood Resident Melanie Krook $15,000 Seahawks Undergrad Scholarship
  01/30/2011
  
  
  BELLEVUE, Wash. - City University of Seattle honored Melanie Krook with the 2010 Seahawks Undergrad Scholarship during a special game ceremony at Seattle's Qwest Field recently. Provost Steven Olswang presented the $15,000 scholarship to Krook - a Lakewood mother of two and autism behavior support specialist for the Clover Park School District.

  

  "Melanie is a stellar individual with an inspiring story and a desire to finish her four-year degree and give back to the developmental disability community as a support provider," Olswang said. "Here at CityU of Seattle, we celebrate future leaders, like Melanie, and do everything we can to make sure they're prepared with tools and knowledge to find a fulfilling career."

  This summer Krook will enter the CityU bachelor's program in Applied Psychology upon finishing her associate's degree at Pierce College. Krook plans for a future career counseling families who have loved ones living with autism. Among her accomplishments, Krook is a staunch advocate for people with developmental disabilities and holds a certificate in social services and mental health from Pierce College.

  "This scholarship gives me the opportunity to realize my dream of working with families with autism," said Krook, whose husband and 12-year-old son Kenny both have the neural development disorder. "A lot has changed in the field of education for those with disabilities. We didn't have the benefit of the resources that we have now. That's why I'm very passionate about sharing my personal background and enriching my professional credentials."

  For the past three years, CityU and the Seattle Seahawks have offered the undergrad scholarship to an outstanding individual with a desire to finish a four-year degree. A volunteer committee of community representatives selects a recipient who demonstrates perseverance and the motivation to earn a degree. All applicants submit personal essays.

  Please read more about Krook's family and her educational goals by visiting the official Seahawks Undergrad Scholarship page.

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