City’s continuing ed programs respond to the changing job market

By Laura Shin

Bob Makarowski has been teaching at Baruch College’s Division of Continuing and Professional Studies for more than 20 years. In the course of those two decades, Makarowski says he has witnessed a noticeable shift in the role these programs play in students’ lives—a shift toward the practical.

“There’s a lot less interest in the courses that are more entertainment-oriented, more fun,” he said in a recent interview. “We still have fitness and swimming courses, but most people come into class not because they have intellectual interest, but because they have a financial demand.”

New York City’s economy has made a robust comeback since the 2008 recession, recovering all the jobs it lost during that time, plus more. But in order for the city’s residents to take advantage of new opportunities and stay competitive in the eyes of employers, many adults have had to learn new skills. They have turned to the city’s continuing and adult education programs to fulfill that need.
“Individuals are seeking certifications and taking classes to strengthen their resumes,” said Roy Cohen, career coach and author of The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide. “It also makes a difference on the job as companies measure employee qualifications, commitment and value. Continuing education demonstrates a desire to remain current and to contribute in a meaningful way.”

For some schools, the sudden influx of students seeking to improve their skills has provided an opportunity to grow their continuing education departments.

Cathy Pagano, director of Continuing and Professional Education at Pace University, said her department took off in a new direction and has been going strong since 2008 precisely when a large number of displaced, underemployed or just plain worried workers suddenly became interested in going back to school to enhance their skills.

“[The students] are busy people, and if they’re going to put their time and money toward something, they want a reward in terms of career advancement or a new job,” Pagano said. “And that’s how Pace has positioned itself with its continuing education program.”

There are many continuing and adult education programs in Manhattan, and nearly all of them have added programs or courses to accommodate the new needs of the city’s adults. Here is some more information on a few of them.

Continuing Education at Hunter College
695 Park Ave.
www.hunter.cuny.edu/ce

Though the Continuing Education division at Hunter College offers numerous personal enrichment courses, such as those offered by its Italian school Parliamo Italiano, the school has added numerous certificate programs due to an increased demand from students.

New programs include the Finance and Accounting Certificate, designed for students who may want to pursue a job at a financial institution, government or nonprofit institution. Another example is the Legal Secretary Certificate, created for both beginning secretaries as well as experienced secretaries who want to improve their skills.

The number of certificate programs has doubled from 10 to approximately 20 in the last few years, said Christy Moorman, deputy director of Continuing Education and Special Programs at Hunter.

Baruch College – Continuing and Professional Studies
William & Anita Newman Vertical Campus
55 Lexington Ave.
www.baruched.com

At Baruch College’s division of Continuing and Professional Studies, more students are seeking courses to obtain advanced level skills in computer programs such as Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint, said Bob Makarowski, technology instructor.

“We take care of adults who need to quickly become workforce-ready,” he said. “What we’ve seen now is when you’re hired, you’re expected to know these programs.”

In response to this new trend, the school has allowed for more “custom-designed” curricula, Makarowski said, allowing businesses, organizations and even government agencies to come in to take courses and request what topics they want covered in those courses.

Other popular courses include Flash programming, Photoshop, project management and Quickbooks, an accounting and payroll software suitable for small to medium businesses, he said.

Pace University—Continuing & Professional Education
One Pace Plaza
www.pace.edu/continuing-professional-education

One of the most successful new programs at Pace University’s Continuing and Professional Education department has been the Paralegal Certificate Program, said director Cathy Pagano.
It is a five- to six-month program that provides hands-on training in addition to education, she said. Students put together a portfolio while they are in school, and they are also assisted with finding a job once they complete the program.

Another popular program is the Human Resources Management Certificate program. Though the program has been around for several years, Pagano said many new classes have been added as human resource jobs have evolved in recent years.

“Human resources people are becoming revenue producers, so they’re working hand-in-hand with management now,” she said.

Columbia University— School of Continuing Education
203 Lewisohn Hall
2970 Broadway
www.ce.columbia.edu

There are three new areas where certificates are being offered at Columbia University’s School of Continuing Education. They are Business, Sustainability (certificates in Sustainability Analytics and Sustainable Water Management) and Bioethics.

These offerings were added in response to a growth in opportunities and global trends, explained George Calderaro, executive director of public, corporate and media relations at the School of Continuing Education.

“They all reflect developments in society and career opportunities globally,” he said. “With businesses coming out of the economic crisis, people who have business experience need to re-tool, and we also find a number of students coming from a liberal arts background who need a business edge.”

Sustainability is a growing area of interest and opportunity, particularly in the wake of events such as Hurricane Sandy and increased awareness of the environment.

Columbia already offers a master’s program in bioethics, which looks at the ethical implications of advances in biology, biotechnology and biomedicine, but the program has now been expanded and will offer a certificate option in the fall.

Unlike most continuing education schools, Columbia’s School of Continuing Education requires students to apply and be admitted to the programs.

NYU School of
Continuing Education and
Professional Studies
7 E. 12th St.
www.nyu.edu/academics/continuing-education

As New Yorkers seek out ways to be more competitive in the job market, NYU’s School of Continuing Education and Professional Studies is offering some new unique programs.
One is the Certificate in Creative and Critical Thinking with courses designed to challenge students to think in new ways, equipping them with tools to help them be more effective in the workplace.
“In a time where innovation is ever more necessary, competition is ever more fierce and product development is accelerated, the ability to generate ideas seems to be more and more important,” said Robert DiYanni, director of the program.

Other new offerings at NYU’s SCPS include three real estate certificates—Real Estate Development, Real Estate Finance and Investment and Construction Project Management.

The school has also added a “Mandarin for Real Estate Professionals” course, which teaches “basic language skills as well as cultural elements to aid real estate professionals in dealing with Mandarin speakers effectively and appropriately,” said Syd Steinhardt, senior director of public relations for the school.

Nyack College – Division of Adult Education
361 Broadway
www.nyack.edu/content/DAEExplore

At Nyack College’s Division of Adult Education, changes in the job market have inspired administrators to reformat one of their main programs—the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management program.

Students are enrolled for 12 months and participate in an applied research project, where they look at an organization in their lives, whether it is where they work or a community group they are a part of, and they identify a problem and learn effective ways to resolve that problem.
“Employers want employees to bring about positive change to help the company become more efficient,” said Julie Hood, academic department chair of Organizational Management.

Nyack also offers a wide array of non-degree courses known as “Adult Intensive Tracks,” Hood said. According to her, enrollment in these courses has skyrocketed in recent years.

HOSPITAL APPOINTS LGBT HEALTH LEADER
Beth Israel Medical Center announced this week the appointment of nationally recognized LGBT health expert Barbara E.Warren, PsyD, as director of its newly established LGBT Health Services program.
Warren will work to develop partnerships between the hospital and local LGBT organizations and continue to advance Beth Israel’s nationally recognized efforts to meet the health care needs of New York’s LGBT community in a respectful and compassionate environment.
“Beth Israel Medical Center has embraced a unique opportunity to lead the way in establishing and sustaining LGBT affirmative hospital-based and outpatient care,” Warren said in a statement.
Warren served most recently for two years as director of the Center for LGBT Social Services and Public Policy at Hunter College. Prior to that she served for almost 20 years in progressively responsible positions at the LGBT Community Center in the West Village, the last seven as director of government relations, planning and research. She also consults on a number of federal, state and citywide initiatives to eliminate LGBT health disparities and to establish health equity throughout the health care system.
One of Warren’s principal assignments in her new position at Beth Israel will be to develop and implement ongoing, in-house educational programs to ensure that the hospital staff is attuned to the particular health care needs of the LGBT community.

UES RAPIST SENTENCED TO 22 YEARS IN PRISON
Kentrel Whitaker, 33, was sentenced this week for the assault and attempted rape of a 73-year-old woman on the Upper East Side. Whitaker attacked the victim last summer as she was walking on the East River promenade near East 111th Street at 6:40 a.m. He approached her from behind, threw her to the ground and hit her repeatedly before attempting to rape her. A passerby helped tear Whitaker away from his victim, but police were still able to collect DNA evidence they used to achieve a conviction. Whitaker was sentenced to 22 years in prison, followed by 15 years of post-release supervision.

ST. PATRICK’S DAY AT CARNEGIE HALL
This Saturday, March 17, Carnegie Hall will host a St. Patrick’s Day concert featuring Irish band The Chieftains with Paddy Moloney accompanied by folk-rock band The Low Anthem. The six-time Grammy Award-winning ensemble will be performing as part of their Voices of the Ages 50th anniversary tour. As Ireland’s musical ambassadors, The Chieftans are credited with bringing traditional Irish music to the world’s attention. The event will take place in the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at 8 p.m. Tickets are from $29 to $88, and are available by calling 212-247-7800 or visiting carnegiehall.org or the Carnegie Hall Box Office, 154 W. 57th St.

SENIOR ROUNDTABLE ON CARETAKING
The next session of State Sen. Liz Krueger’s senior roundtable discussions will be held Thursday, March 22 from 8-10 a.m. at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House. The topic, “Beginning the Conversation: Redefining Aging and How We Care for our Elders,” will cover how seniors can begin asking questions about their future care and planning who might be able to help care for them if the time arises when they need assistance.

Ahigial Lee Zhou plays chess at the P.S. 6 Chess Tournament 2012 on March 11.

Alice Fisher, Krueger’s community outreach director, and Frederic Riccardi, director of programs and outreach at the Medicare Rights Center, will be on hand to lead the discussion and answer questions. A light breakfast will be served. 331 E. 70th St. RSVP required at 212-490-9535 or by emailing doremann@gmail.com.

GROCERY STORE AIDS TORNADO VICTIMS
All Fairway locations are continuing a donation and matching drive through this Sunday, March 18 to aid those affected by recent violent storms in the Midwest. At any Fairway in the city (the Upper East Side store is at 240 E. 86th St.), customers can make cash donations of $1, $3 or $5 or purchase a case of water to aid families devastated by the tornadoes that ripped through Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, North Carolina, Illinois, Nebraska and Missouri. Fairway will match all money donated up to $25,000 and coordinate shipping truckloads of water, canned goods and other nonperishable items to distribution centers in the affected states.

CATHEDRAL HIGH STUDENT VIES FOR POETRY PRIZE
Cathedral High School student Dionne Muyalde is among the top 10 finalists in the Poetry for Peace contest, a competition that has used the power of social media to gauge the power of student poetry. The contest asked students to respond to the stories of atomic bomb survivors from Japan, known as hibakusha, by writing verse poems. In the monthlong competition, 741 poems were submitted and people voted for their favorites on social media sites.
Muyalde’s poem, entitled “Hiroshima Hibakusha,” was selected as a finalist based on criteria, including the poem’s connection to a hibakusha testimony, its relaying a message of peace, the structure of the verse, the overall impact of the poem and the number of “likes” the poem received.

Baruch College has a program in its Division of Continuing and Professional Studies (CAPS) for anyone looking to expand their skillset or fulfill a personal goal. Courses range from accounting to yoga, with many costing as little as $150. One of the largest CUNY colleges, Baruch is always evolving, determined to bring relevant education to meet ever-changing interests and career trends.

Ann Clarkson, assistant dean of CAPS, stressed Baruch’s effort to help individuals overcome a “skill gap,” nurturing what she calls “a belief in lifelong learning.” Lifelong learning is the idea that one never stops learning and that there is always room to grow. Clarkson said that there aren’t any specific subjects regularly pursued by those who register in CAPS programs, but that many of its students come from a business background.

Over 100 years old, Baruch’s goal is to provide graduate programs focusing on professional preparation that enable students to become innovators in their fields. Some of the continuing education courses they offer include project management, certificate programs and real estate licensing. Advisement staff are also on hand to help with students’ goals.
For more information and a list of programs, visit baruched.com.

By Sean Creamer

The New York College of Health Professions, which is chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, has been offering education in the fields of Western, holistic and integrative medicine for 30 years. After great success in their Long Island location in Syosset and two locations in New York City, the college will now collaborate with the world-famous Open Center to hold continuing education classes for even more students, starting Feb. 3.

For many years, the college only offered classes at its Syosset location but, according to Barbara Carver, vice president of marketing and communications for the College, the program began to attract students from Massachusetts and Connecticut, which prompted them to begin expanding into New York City.

“One of the fastest-growing occupations for nurses is holistic care, which would be utilized in assisted living conditions,” Carver said.

The partnership between these two educators is a momentous occasion for both institutions because it exemplifies the growing acceptance of holistic practices in the Western spectrum of medicine.

“We are going to be working jointly with Open Center staff,” Carver said.

Both organization have been working in the field for over 25 years, each teaching in differing styles.

The New York College of Health Professions welcomes both new and continuing education students and offers classes to members of the public who wish to enhance their knowledge of Eastern medicine. One of the most popular classes offered by the College is “The Science of Self-Improvement,” where students learn how to assess their strengths and weaknesses versus their personal goals. This type of learning characterizes the outside-the-box style of education that the College offers.

The College was the first to give degrees in acupuncture and massage therapy, according to Carver. As holistic medicine begins to take hold in Western practices, the College has gained “a worldwide reputation for being at the top of the field,” She said.

The College offers many of its programs to the public, such as massage therapy, healing arts and energy work and physical arts. These classes are all included in the curriculum of the continuing education major and serve to expand upon the culture behind the medicine, a facet of holistic care that is crucial to implementing it in a field dominated by Western medicine ideals.

Although the College offers many of its programs to the public, the focus of the curriculum can be found in its continuing education program, where registered nurses, doctors, physical therapists and chiropractors take classes in the aforementioned fields to be certified as holistic caregivers.

While the College has been accredited to award degrees in the field of holistic care in traditional college-style classes, The Open Center explores much more the spirituality of holistic care while still teaching the techniques of the trade.

The Open Center has been teaching the practices for over 28 years, bringing “over 500 programs of exceptional depth and integrity to audiences totaling more than 10,000 annually,” according to The Open Center’s website. Akin to the New York College of Health Professions, The Open Center offers classes in the many fields of holistic care, ranging from the physical to the spiritual side.

The Open Center focuses not only on teaching the practice of holistic medicine but on living it. This is a notion that the College shares as well, requiring that continuing education students take one class in yoga, tai-chi or reiki because “physical arts play an essential and vital role in the education of our holistic health practitioners [as they] grasp an understanding of the culture behind the medicine,” according to the College’s course description.

Now that these two programs have united, students will be able to take advantage of the best of both worlds, working toward accredited degrees from the New York College of Health Professions while taking advantage of the many spiritual classes offered by The Open Center.

In order to enroll in a program to become a computer technician, you should already have a working knowledge of how to operate a computer. You should know how to create different types of documents, browse the Internet and compose an email. A healthy curiosity about “how the PC works internally and what it takes to deal with its common problems” is also a plus, according to the program description for a computer technician course at Hunter College.

Most often, people who enroll in such courses are pursuing a career as an IT professional or are already in the PC repair business. These courses cover basic knowledge about the workings of the computer, software/operating system variants, networking, the Internet, assembly and disassembly of the PC, malfunctions, viruses, troubleshooting and customer support. Many of the areas covered are those that aspiring technicians will be tested on when taking CompTIA certification tests. CompTIA, the information technology industry association, offers a variety of certifications within the field, the most common and basic of which are the A and Networks certifications.

“CompTIA A measures the necessary competencies of an entry-level IT professional with a recommended 500 hours of hands-on experience in the lab or field. It tests for technical understanding of computer technology, networking and security, as well as the communication skills and professionalism now required of all entry-level IT professionals,” reads a statement on the CompTIA website.

A certification is proof of competence in areas such as installation, preventative maintenance, networking, security and troubleshooting. The two requirements for CompTIA A certification are the A Essentials and Practical Application exams. CompTIA Network certification proves knowledge of networking features and functions and is the leading vendor-neutral certification for networking professionals. All certification exams are 90 minutes long and consist of 100 questions.

There are a few different courses and programs offered in New York that you can take to prepare for these exams and become a computer technician or IT professional. City University of New York offers a number of computer technology courses in its continuing education programs at Hunter College, New York City College of Technology and Medgar Evers College. A high school diploma or a GED is required for entry in these courses.

The computer technician certificate program at Hunter College consists of two courses and introduces students to the basic concepts and mechanics of PC support, with a emphasis on concepts at the first level and on mechanics at the second level. Classes meet in the evenings and the full certificate program package costs $1,300—or, separately, each level costs $700.

New York City College of Technology offers classes geared specifically toward preparation for CompTIA exams. The A certification test prep course costs $790, with an additional $120 for textbook and personal tools. The Networking Technologies course also costs $790, with $70 for textbook expenses. The Computer Technology Institute at Medgar Evers College offers courses in the basic computer programs you should be familiar with before enrolling in the more advanced classes, though they not actual prerequisites. CUNY courses are offered every semester and tuition can be paid either at once or on a set payment plan.

PC Tech vocational and technical school in New York City offers a variety of computer classes, both part time and full time. Among them is a part-time CompTIA A class that meets over the course of four weeks, either two nights a week or on Saturdays, and costs $399 for 28 hours. A full-time CompTIA A class meets Monday through Friday mornings for three weeks and costs $750 for 54 hours.

Other centers offering courses and training in computer and information technology are NetCom Information Technology, Ace Computer Training and Technology Career Services. And if you cannot afford to pay for such courses, the Per Scholas Institute for Technology in the South Bronx offers free intensive technology training to people in lowincome communities. Per Scholas covers the cost of both tuition and books and even offers job placement services for students.

While his colleagues have packed up and left for weekends of socializing, sleeping in and spending time with families, Williams, a PR manager at Weber Shandwick, is still hard at work and facing a weekend of more of the same: finishing papers and projects and studying for final exams.

That’s because Williams, 25, is also a part-time grad student, studying strategic communications at Columbia University’s School of Continuing Education.

Juggling classes with a full-time job is a tremendous challenge, Williams said. “It’s always added pressure, that time crunch… It always feels like something
is failing a bit, either work or school is suffering.”

It’s no secret that hard economic times drive people to the classroom. Enrollment at colleges across the country has been booming since the recession began.

At the City University of New York, enrollment is at its highest level in over 30 years, with nearly 80,000 degree-credit students—up 12 percent since 2002—and nearly 118,000 adult and continuing education students. (On a recent weekday afternoon, the wait time was nearly half an hour just to speak with an admissions counselor at the school.)

Most of the jump, experts say, is fueled by folks who have been laid off or can’t find work and have chosen to ride out the recession by going back to class.

“The conventional wisdom is that when the economy goes down, people pull out of the workforce and go back to school,” said Sara Edwards, program director of Cornell’s part-time master’s program for working professionals in New York.

But enrolling in a program when you’re already fully employed is a different story. Some professionals want to go back to learn new skills, but can’t imagine packing up their corporate lives to return to school full-time, Edwards explained. Many are driven by financial concerns, and can’t give up steady salaries to live on loans or teaching assistant pay. Others are reluctant to quit jobs they already have, for fear they won’t find another.

For the Long Island-raised Williams, choosing to return to school was not an easy decision. Williams graduated from Cornell in 2004, but knew that having a master’s degree would propel his career, and that the longer he waited the harder it would be.

“It was sort of a now or never sort of thing,” he said.

But enrolling full-time would have sent Williams deep into debt. He also worried about losing touch with the industry if he left for two or three years to go back to school. So instead, he enrolled at Columbia in a program designed specifically for working professionals like him.

Nearly every school in the city offers part-time programs designed for working students, with classes taught on weekends, at night and online. These range from part-time master’s degrees and bachelor’s degrees to certificate programs in nearly every topic imaginable for people both returning to school and attending for the first time.

Cornell’s Edwards said students should look for programs that are accustomed to dealing with students who are employed full-time.

“I think the trick is to find a program that accommodates the schedules and realities and demands of working people but doesn’t compromise on the quality,” she said.

But balancing work and school will always be a difficult act.

Most days, Jay Williams arrives at the office around 9 a.m. and spends eight hours doing pharmaceutical public relations. Then he rushes uptown for three hours of class. Weekends are spent catching up at the office or tucked away at the library, reading and working on school projects. He may steal a few hours to run errands or hit the gym, but there’s really no time for much else.

“That’s what sucks,” Williams said. “The last few weeks have been miserable. It’s an endless amount of work. All you see is darkness. There’s not a lot of time for fun.”

Those who’ve been through it say that having a flexible employer is key to managing what’s bound to be a balancing act.

Roman Matatov, 27, recognized that getting an education would be crucial to landing the job he wanted, but couldn’t afford to leave work for school.

“I needed to earn and I needed to learn,” joked the Moscow-born Matatov, who completed a Bachelors of Business Administration in finance and investments and a Master’s in accountancy from Baruch College in 2004 while working full-time. He currently lives in Brooklyn.

Like Williams, Matatov endured
years of waking up before dawn and working late into the night to keep the balls afloat.

But what made it easier, he said, was working for a company full of young MBAs who appreciated his investments, and understood and made allowances for his unique constraints.

Students and educators also agree that there can be a lot to gain from going to school and working at the same time. These working students are able to apply what they learn inside the classroom directly to their jobs and can test concepts and strategies immediately in the real world.

Matatov, who now works as a forensic accountant with Marcum, LLP, said that without that combination of class and work experience, he never would have landed the position he has now.

“It was critical, essential,” said Matatov, who is now coincidently back at Baruch, teaching Principles of Forensic Accounting as an adjunct professor—while continuing to work full-time.

Looking back at his experience, Williams said he, too, is glad he went back to school and eager to graduate
this December.

But he warned anyone considering embarking on a degree program while working full-time to think long and hard about what they may be giving up to have it all.

With so much on his plate, Williams said he’s drifted from once-close family and friends. He’s missed countless happy hours, birthdays and weddings, working late at the office or rushing to class.

“It’s a sacrifice,” Williams said. “That’s the worst part of it, the social stuff. That’s the stuff that kills you.”

“I don’t know anyone who has gotten the gift of going to school with a parent,” she said. “College is a scary thing the first year. You are meeting people from all over the world and it will be a nice thing to have a guiding hand to help me transition from high school to college.”

Isabella Tobias and her father Stephen at her high school graduation. They will both pursue bachelor’s degrees at Columbia University’s School of General Studies this fall.

Her father Stephen agrees that a father-daughter scholarly pursuit sounds more exciting than daunting, and he is looking forward to sharing his school with her.

“I was excited,” he said. “I had always been looking forward to her possibly doing the same program.”

Six years ago, Stephen started attending Columbia University’s School of General Studies part-time, where he studied English to complete his overdue undergraduate degree.

“I went back just for the purpose of enlarging my life experience,” he said. “Fortunately, at this time in my career, I have reached a point where I can go to work from 8 to 4 and go to school at night.”

Though he started taking classes at Brooklyn College and the Fashion Institute of Technology when he was younger, 61-year-old Stephen gave that up after a stint with the army, and the beginning of a lucrative career. He still runs his boutique brokerage firm, I.A. Englander, but he now has a greater goal in mind—getting his B.A., a master’s degree and then becoming a teacher.

“I don’t know many people, if any, that would be able to do that,” Isabella said of her father’s plans. “He didn’t have to go back to school. He has a family and a job, but he wanted to better himself. I respect him for going back to school after all those years and opening up the textbook.”

Her father’s hard work and drive have inspired Isabella in her own career path. Even though she has seriously taken on ice dancing as a vocation, and she is currently training to compete in the 2014 Olympics, Isabella decided that she wanted to plan a career beyond skating.

“It will help me better myself as a person,” she said. “It will help me to prepare myself to be an adult, be more educated, and be more well rounded.”

The subject Isabella chose to study has proved practical in her current globe-trotting line of work: linguistics. Spanish is the first language she will tackle this coming semester.

“The many places skating has taken me in the world is great and when you pick up a couple words in the native language, it’s just amazing to communicate with such a broad array of people,” she said.

One reason the Tobiases chose the Columbia University School of General Studies is because it offers an Ivy League undergraduate degree but works with both their hectic schedules. Isabella practices skating four to five hours a day, Monday through Friday, and Stephen works full time.

“They picked the school probably because from a traditional view, it’s a rigid liberal arts education,” said Curtis Rodgers, the university’s dean of enrollment management. “But it’s not for traditional students.”

The school currently hosts about 1,300 students, and while the ages range from 18 to 65, Rodgers said the average attendee is 29 years old.

“Isabella is more traditional in terms of age,” Rodgers said, “but she is non-traditional because she will be attending part time while pursuing her dream of become an Olympic skater.”

The school’s roots go back to the 19th century, when it was conceived to teach night classes for working men. By 1891 women were allowed to attend classes, and in 1921, the facility became known as the University Extension and started offering a Bachelor of Science degree. The extension officially became a school in 1947, when it was granted university status to help support the education of G.I.s coming home from World War II. In 1968, the Bachelor of Arts degree became available.

When Stephen graduates in May 2010, he will join the ranks of alumni including Isaac Asimov, Pat Boone and Howard Dean. And if Isabella makes it to the Olympics, she may eventually join the list of notable graduates athletes as well.

I look at going back to school with my father as a blessing instead of a curse,” she said. “It’s an honor, and going to Columbia is an honor as well.”

Steve Schwartz is a professional college admissions counselor and tutor for SAT, Regents and Advanced Placement exams. He can be reached at collegecounselingservices@gmail.com.