Bay Path University

18 Bay Pathway Spring 2017 Bay Path University Earns 2016 OLC Digital Learning Innovation Award Bay Path University earned the 2016 OLC (Online Learning Consortium) – Digital Learning Innovation Award – Institutional category (DLIAward), for advancing undergraduate student success through the adoption of digital courseware. The University was one of three institutions and five faculty-led teams selected from among 106 submissions in this first year of the DLI Award competition. The University's 2013 launch of The American Women's College, the first fully-online degree program in the country designed just for women, deployed a revolutionary model called Social Online Universal Learning (SOUL) to deliver accelerated baccalaureate degrees targeted to adult women through improved student learning, flexibility and affordability. SOUL uses a data-driven approach, developed in partnership with Realizeit™, intended to make a student's college experience more personal and supportive. The 2016 DLIAwards were presented to honorees on Nov. 17, 2016, by former United States Under Secretary of Education, Martha J. Kanter, Ed.D., during the OLC Accelerate conference, in Orlando. Details about each of the 2016 OLC DLIAward honorees can be found online at http://onlinelearningconsor- tium.org/about/digital-learning-innovation-award. Achieving The Dream After decades of inspiring adult women to pursue their dreams of an education, President Carol Leary has written the ultimate how-to guide that is both a resource and roadmap. With her recently published book, Achieving the Dream, she hopes to help even more adult women overcome the obstacles to earning their degree. Accompanied by Vice President for Special Initiatives, Dr. Vana Nespor, President Leary went on a speaking tour to promote her book, along with Bay Path's mission of educating women, to West Virginia and Florida. To learn more, go to www.baypath.edu/news/details/achieving-the-dream/. In Equal Measure: Diversity and Inclusion Our country is becoming more and more diverse. It's a fact that is also reflected in the makeup of our University community, including students, staff and faculty who differ in ethnicity, gender, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, education, and religion. To create an accepting and open environment that fosters value, respect, and support for all, Bay Path has formed a campus-wide Presidential Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion led by Provost Melissa Morriss-Olson. Many thanks to Bay Path trustee, Dr. Estela Lopez, for her insight and guidance in this initiative. The work of the Task Force is part of Vision 2019, and you can learn more about this multi-layered plan, and read periodic updates on its progress, by visiting www.baypath.edu and clicking on "About." One America Heads to the "Sunshine State" Early in the morning on January 4, 2017, students and faculty, as part of the annual One America trip, departed from the chilly Bay Path campus and headed to sunny Tampa, Florida! It was the first stop on a whirlwind tour of the Sunshine State. One America is an on-the-road learning experience with requirements that include pre-trip classroom study, a willingness to try new cuisine, an openness to art and culture, community service, and an adventurous spirit to take in the diversity of America. In the past, Bay Path students and professors have visited such noteworthy American cities as Memphis, Tucson, St. Louis, and New Orleans as part of One America. And now, Florida. This year our travelers experienced a much warmer January in sunny Florida, where it was a comfortable 79 degrees when they arrived — a big difference compared to the wintery 30-degree weather when they departed Massachusetts. The warm weather meant more opportu- nities for the students to put on the sunblock and be outdoors to explore the great historical and modern culture of Florida. From Tampa to St. Petersburg to Miami, students visited the Big Cat Rescue, where they worked with various rescued exotic felines and wild cats; challenged their taste buds with culinary food tours in each of the cities; put on their sneakers or flip flops for an urban mural walking tour that showcased the Salvador Dali Museum, and visited the ever-popular Miami Seaquarium. Our adventurers documented the sights and tales of their travels on their blog, oneamericaflorida2017.blogspot.com. Click through to learn all about the highlights! One America has largely been funded by the incredible generosity of Patricia Pierce, CFA, Chair of Bay Path's Board of Trustees.

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