Articles

Attending a University in the Midwest

January 21, 2020 

Postsecondary education doesn’t just happen in the classroom. It’s an experience: sunny afternoons reading literature on the campus lawn, brisk evenings cheering along with fellow sports fanatics, and weekends spent with new friends exploring the local scenery. Or perhaps it’s diving into a challenging, engaging, and spirited debate with your classmates and your professor, developing the communications skills and knowledge you’ll need as a working professional — all done from your local coffee shop or living room, thanks to innovative online education opportunities. The right mix of cultural and social experiences alongside nationally recognized, specialized programs may be found in […]

From Blogs to Books: Exploring the Versatile Careers in Writing

January 15, 2020 

Some people claim that technology is destroying the role of the writer in modern society. However, as technology evolves and online writing becomes more prominent, many versatile careers in writing continue to surface. The role of writing is no longer confined to pen and paper; careers in writing now range from authoring books to creating blogs. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there were over 123,000 jobs for U.S. writers and authors in 2018. Writers can work for a variety of industries and present their written words through a variety of mediums. They can take their careers in […]

Women of Color in STEM

January 9, 2020 

Throughout history, hidden figures — women of color who contributed to and sustained different fields of study — have gone without recognition. NASA scientist Mary Jackson at work. Many important women of color made groundbreaking discoveries in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. These women were experts in their fields and contributed to the success of their organizations and institutions. They were educated professionals who defied constraints, rose to the top of their organizations, and accomplished great things. In recent years, their stories have been uncovered, and many women of color are now being acknowledged for their contributions to STEM to […]

How Many Seniors Live in Poverty?

January 8, 2020 

Running out of money in retirement is a major financial worry among America’s senior population. AARP reports that 49% of seniors fear they won’t have enough to tide them over. As a result, more and more older Americans who are technically “retired” are returning to the workforce to supplement their incomes with part-time work — for instance, by participating in the gig economy and working as drivers for ride-sharing services such as Uber or Lyft. According to Forbes, the U.S. is one of only two “rich” nations (by OECD standards) with an elder labor force participation rate of more than […]

Providing Quality Elder Care: Top Skills for Working in a Nursing Home

January 8, 2020 

All across the country, millions of people work in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, retirement communities, and other facilities that cater to those in their later years. As the U.S. population continues to age over the coming decades, there will be more of those facilities and a greater need for healthcare professionals who know how to work with the elderly. These facilities provide a variety of activities, opportunities for socializing, and educational programs, as well as medical care. As such, it takes all types of professionals to make a nursing home successful. Working in a nursing home requires the right […]

Protecting Child Welfare and Preventing Abuse: A Guide for Social Workers and Educational Professionals

January 8, 2020 

Children and adolescents rely on their parents, caretakers, and other trusted adults to ensure they are safe, happy, and supported. They are among the most vulnerable members of society, and that leaves them open to mistreatment by the people who are supposed to care for them. Child abuse is a monumental issue that affects millions of people throughout the country. According to the 2017 Child Maltreatment Report, nearly 700,000 children are abused — and almost 2,000 die — as a result of abuse in the United States each year. Because they are susceptible to maltreatment, ensuring the safety and welfare […]

Resources and Tips for a Career in Criminal Justice

December 31, 2019 

In the past several years, criminal psychology issues have become increasingly popular in the media. For example, television series like “The Killing” and “CSI” that portray fictional criminal psychologists have sparked interest in how criminals think. This has led to a marked increase in the number of students who want to pursue criminal psychology jobs. Individuals who wish to begin this career path would do well to develop the knowledge and skills they’ll need to be successful. Completing a bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as an online bachelor’s degree in forensic psychology, is an important first step toward […]

How Is DNA Profiling Used to Solve Crimes?

December 31, 2019 

DNA profiling is a state-of-the-art procedure that can be used to identify individuals on the basis of their unique genetic makeup. While people may share the same eye and hair color, and may even have similar facial features, they will not have the same DNA. This means the process can be useful in more accurately solving crimes. Forensic scientists can compare DNA found at a crime scene (from blood or hair, for example) to DNA samples taken from suspects. If there is no match, they may be able to rule out that suspect. If there is a match, police will […]

Multicultural Counseling: Types, Strategies, and Techniques

December 31, 2019 

For many years, white men dominated the counseling field in the U.S., along with most other professions during the first 200 years of the country’s existence. Most higher learning institutions did not admit women, and few admitted men of color. This inequality still influences the counseling field today. In 2015, the American Psychological Association reported that 86% of psychologists in the U.S. were white, 5% were Asian, 5% were Hispanic, and 4% were African American. That distribution doesn’t reflect the country’s demographics: 60.4% white, 18.3% Hispanic/Latino, 13.4% African American, and 5.9% Asian, according to 2018 census data. The racial and […]

Risk Management in Healthcare

December 11, 2019 

On any given day, professionals in hospitals and healthcare facilities across the country encounter a variety of risks that can impact an organization’s performance and potentially impair patient health. Practitioners need to take into account new regulations and legal requirements when providing patient care. Sensitive data, such as electronic health records (EHRs), can be compromised and manipulated by digital criminals, and inadequate cleansing or sterilization can open up patients to new infections and ailments. These real and ever-present dangers illustrate the need for comprehensive risk management in healthcare. But effective risk management is more than just being aware of these […]