WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY Alumni Newsletter

Page 8Alumni Spotlight: Michael PetersMichael Peters graduated from WGU in 2005with a bachelor’s degree in IT Security and in2007 with an MBA in IT Management. Currently,he is in his first year of law school at ConcordLaw School. He is also a contributing author tothe Sun Microsystems Big Admin community,Wikipedia.com, Snort.org, and Sans.org.On Selecting WGU: I chose WGU because Iwanted to complete a well accredited degree inMichael Peters my field. I had been working on a traditionallydelivered degree through brick-and-mortar universitiesfor ten years. I have a family and a career that wouldcompete for academic time. I have withdrawn from many traditionallydelivered classes over the years each time I had to move, orbe out of town for extended periods of time, etc. WGU eliminatedall of my obstacles that enabled me to earn a degree, of which Iam proud.The competency based approach enabled me to move at my pace,not at the brick-and-mortar pace. I had been faced with a ten yearbachelors completion timeframe and WGU condensed it down to 1year. I didn’t sacrifice the quality of my education but rather moreeffectively used my time to accomplish this.Professional Occupation: I am the Chief Information SecurityOfficer for Colonial Bank, a large, national financial institution inMontgomery, Alabama.Notable Innovations: I am the creator of “SafetyNET” - a UNIXbased intrusion appliance security product suite. The catalyst foran innovative online cash management fraud recovery systemknown as “PhishNET.” I am also the innovator behind theHORSE—Holistic Operational Readiness Security Evaluation projectand Wiki, which is gaining global recognition.Other Experience: I have delivered numerous presentations andspeeches on matters of security, especially concerning compliance,auditing, investigation, and best practices for secure computingto various organizations, public radio, technical institutions anduniversity classrooms. I have also been an expert witness for identitytheft, security breach cases and Grand Jury trials.Hobbies: Information Security, kayaking, hiking, biking, painting,wood working, guitar, cooking, etc.Favorite books and/or movies: The Art of War, 48 Laws ofPower, Constantine’s Sword, What Dreams May Come.Preventive Maintenance Tips forComputer UsersIT COLLEGEKeep your operating system updated: For Windowsusers, security updates are critical and should beinstalled and/or evaluated on a monthly basis. Macintoshand Linux systems should also be updated at afrequency level dependent upon hardware and operatingsystem recommendations. Most software companiesand business organizations have automaticupdates, policies, and downloadable web resources.Take a few minutes and read any available information.You’ll be glad you did. Use antivirus and internet security solutions:Again, this is probably more critical for users of Windows,but something everyone should consider.There are free antivirus software applications and awide variety of inexpensive hardware and softwarebasedsecurity solutions available. Organize your files: Dumping everything on yourdesktop space is not the best solution. Store andorganize files in central, easy to find directories. Youcan even set your respective office software to automaticallylook to certain spots for saving and openingdocuments. If you utilize a server drive or a My Documentsor Home type directory, create subdirectories ifnecessary to help with organization. External backups: There are a number of resourcesavailable online to backup your data andeven take an entire snapshot or image of your computer.Regardless, you should occasionally placecritical files on a DVD or CD and store them away. Be cautious on the web: Watch for and read popupads—particularly those disguised as error messages.They can often install malicious programs onyour computer if you click on them. Before you installsoftware from the web, read the available documentation,and take care to know what you’re installing. Always check with IT first: Before engaging inany maintenance on your work computer, consultyour supervisor and your organization’s IT department.Alumni Spotlight: Jennifer BogutJennifer Bogut graduated from WGU’sCollege of IT in April 2006. Shereceived her bachelor’s degree in ITNetwork Management. She comesfrom a background of freedom lovinghippie-like grandparents and informationtechnology… quite the mixture.Jennifer is a computer geek by profession,a writer and a musician. SheJennifer Bogutrevels in politics and loves a good debate and the exchangeof ideas, especially ones she disagrees with. Jenniferwas also selected to be a regular blogger on TheHuffington Post for their “Off-The-Bus” section. Currently,Jennifer lives in New Jersey with her husband and two 80-pound dogs. She says, “I am a drummer; and my hubby is akeyboard, guitar and bass player. I am an avid reader, andam quickly becoming addicted to a writer who catches meup. I currently - for some inexplicable reason - am only readingBritish authors: Terry Pratchett, J.K. Rowling, CliveBarker, Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore.”You may wonder where some of the above informationcame from, such as “hippie-like grandparents.” It actuallycame from Jennifer’s blogs. She partially credits WGU forher selection as a regular Huffington Post blogger and tellsus, “I have to say that the technical education in writing I gotfrom WGU has helped a ton; I probably would not have writtenwell enough to be picked from all of the candidates otherwise.”To read Jennifer’s blog posts, visit:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-bogut/

Page 10WGU Applies for CCNE Accreditation for Nursing ProgramsCOLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONSWestern Governors University has applied for accreditation of itsnursing programs by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education(CCNE). The WGU nursing programs are part of WGU's College ofHealth Professions and are national online programs drawingstudents from across the country.Currently the nursing programs include an RN to B.S. inNursing degree program and two master's level programs, a M.S. inNursing-Leadership and Management directed at the preparation ofchief nursing officers, administrators, and managers, as well as a M.S.in Nursing-Education directed at the preparation of nursing faculty andnursing educators. Information about the online degrees is availableat www.wgu.edu/nursingannouncement.Because the programs are competency-based, students whoalready have extensive knowledge may be able to accelerate the timeto completion. Tuition is $3,250 per 6-month term or just $6,500 peryear. Enrollments are open continuously and new cohorts begin eachmonth.An accreditation site visit is scheduled for November 19, 2008. Interested parties are invited to makewritten comments to CCNE by October 15, 2008. Comments must include a signature.Direct all comments to:Commission on Collegiate Nursing EducationOne Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530Washington, DC 20036-1120

ALUMNI HAPPENINGSWGU Alumni in the NewsJosh Adams, teacherscollege graduate, wasfeatured in the Las VegasSun newspaper in anarticle titled, “Green ValleyTeacher Not in KansasAnymore: First YearTeacher Moves from theHeartland to Henderson.”Kimberly Lillywhite,teachers college graduate,appeared on KSL Channel 5 News in Utah. She wasinterviewed by KSL television about reaching her goal ofbecoming a teacher.Dale Nelson, teachers college graduate, appeared in TheSalt Lake Tribune newspaper. He was interviewed about hisWGU degree.Lisa Santiago, teacher college graduate, from Bronx, NewYork, appeared on the front page of The Diversity Timesnewspaper in Salt Lake City in article about the WGUgraduation.Been in the news? E-mail us at alumni@wgu.eduOnline Student Survival GuidePage 11As alumni, you have valuable experiences and suggestionsabout online education that can be a great insightto others interested in online learning. Take some timeand visit www.onlinestudentsurvival.com, a blog thatWestern Governors University is sponsoring.The Online Student Survival Guide is not explicitly aboutbeing a WGU student, but instead a survival guide thata potential online student or other schools’ studentscould enjoy reading too. The blog will cover a broadrange of topics from choosing the right online universityto staying fit while studying.Save The DateWinter GraduationSaturdayJanuary 24, 2009

MY WGU EXPERIENCEPage 12My name is Tammy Baxter and I am a 2006 Western GovernorsUniversity graduate with a Bachelor Degree of Arts inEducational Studies. I live in one of the most beautiful places onearth: Maine. I live with my two children, Alyssa and Ryan, andhusband Mike. I am totally addicted to bike riding and kayaking,among other hobbies such as gardening. As a family, we like tohike, travel, cross-country ski in the winter months and enjoyour Boston Whaler in the summer months.Teaching is a second career for me. With a young family, Idid not know how I was going to obtain this goal. My friend, andformer superintendent, was instrumental in nudging me to lookTammy Baxterfor ways to further my education in this field; though I perceivedtime and family obligations as obstacles. Through the researchprocess, it became clear that WGU was the university for me! The WGU model fit me perfectly and I was supportedevery step of the way. The model was competency based, rigorous and it thoroughly prepared me to enhance myexisting skills as well as teach me new ones through in-depth study. Two weeks after graduating from WesternGovernors University, I was offered a teaching position. Currently, I am teaching fifth grade (love this age!) inBrunswick, Maine.As I have navigated the waters in this exciting field of education, it was a natural progression for me to seek outhigher learning for myself. In March 2008, I graduated from the University of New England with a master’s degree ineducation with a concentration in Literacy K-6. Without my experience at WGU, I truly feel I would not haveachieved this goal nor felt the confidence to attempt such an undertaking.All the time and effort that I have put forth over the past few years has affected more than just me, it has affectedan entire community. Through my experience with WGU, my students have benefited in numerous ways. Ihave implemented strategies and methods to inspire and engage them in their learning. My colleagues have beeninspired through my WGU experience, which has contributed to some amazing discussions and activities. Parentsof my students are well informed, not only by what and how their child is learning in school, but how they can assistin their child’s learning. My family has benefited in ways that I never thought of when I began this journey. Theyhave witnessed me become more self-confident and secure in the education I provide to my students. The toolboxof knowledge that I carry is full and invaluable, but never too full to add learning experiences throughout my career.My experience with Western Governors University is a life-altering one that I will cherish and continuously drawRefer–A-Friend ProgramRefer a friend to WGU and we’ll give you both a little “Thank You.” First, we’llwaive your friend’s application fee (a $65 value). Second, once they enroll andcomplete the Education Without Boundaries course, we’ll send you a $100 giftcertificate to Amazon.com to spend on everything you enjoy. Share your WGUexperience! We all know someone who talks about continuing their education.Take a moment and visit www.wgu.edu/refer to learn more about how you cangive a gift to a friend – the gift of saving money on a quality education – and geta gift from us.Submit Your StoryThe WGU Alumni staff wants to hear from you. Tell us about your experiences withobtaining your degree and your successes since you graduated. If you are interestedin submitting a story or your profile for the WGU Alumni Newsletter, please e‐mailalumni@wgu.edu.