The Pioneer Academic Center for Community Engagement (PACCE) offers you, as distance education students and alumni, and your employers the opportunity to connect with on-campus students and faculty by becoming community partners to various service and community projects.

The PACCE program is designed to bring together students, community partners and faculty in order for all three parties to “experience, grow and make a difference” by working on real community projects. Students work under faculty and community partner supervision to achieve a goal or accomplish a task set by the group.

You can get involved today by contacting PACCE at 608.342.6121 or visiting their website at http://www.uwplatt.edu/pacce/index.html.

To find out more, check out the full press release.

By Jodi L. Zeal

I have to be honest and tell you that I was skeptical about having success as an online student. I am the kind of person who loves to interact with people and the thought of communicating with fellow students and teachers strictly via computer was scary to me. The other detail that was daunting to me was whether or not I was organized enough to do this on my own....you know, outside of a classroom. Sometimes, we need that extra motivation that happens when you actually come face to face with your professor and discuss the textbook material you were supposed to read last night!

Well, I am happy to report that if you have any reservations about whether or not you can interact with your classmates or stay motivated as an online student, you can put those concerns to rest.

I remember the first time I logged in as a student in my first online class, our professor had typed a message introducing himself and he told us what he hoped we could accomplish this semester and invited us to do the same. I loved learning about my classmates and seeing that we were from all over the country. We had many differences; some were in my class as part of their UWP master’s program and some were in the same undergrad program that I was. Our shared goal was the same—to get as much as possible out of the class and to make it a very enjoyable experience.

The beauty of this program is that you log in and get your work done when it is convenient for you. You learn the study patterns of your classmates....some are early bird students and some are night owls but you are all involved and can interact just the same. I had great experiences with each of my professors in that great discussions were present everyday and questions were answered promptly. If I had any technical issues when attempting to take an exam or just logging into the system itself, help was truly one phone call away.

In this ever-changing economy, it is important to have all the chips in your favor. Whether you are changing careers or getting your first degree, please don’t think that you aren’t the right kind of student for distance education. UW-Platteville’s Distance Education Program is designed just for you, no matter what your organizational skills or sleeping patterns may be!

In May, 2005, I obtained my Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville through their Distance Learning Program. I can honestly say that my degree is a powerful tool. If my position were downsized tomorrow and I was looking for a job, I know that my degree from UW-Platteville makes me a marketable job candidate. We all need that edge when we are up against so many other job applicants. Do you have that edge? If not, please start looking into UWP’s Distance Education Programs to see how they can help.

By Dawn Wheeler, student
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Program

After voluntarily signing up for two demanding, writing-intensive summer school classes, I've decided that I must be a little bit crazy. If I'm not there yet, trying to keep up with the workload over these next several weeks may do it. The only excuse I have for putting myself in this situation to begin with is that I've grown impatient.

I've been working toward my bachelor's degree since 1999, when I began taking one or two classes each semester at the local community college. That was where I discovered the convenience of online classes, so making the decision to transfer to the distance education program at UW-Platteville in January, 2005 was easy. The online program offers everything I was looking for -- it's award-winning, accredited, and offers a business administration degree with an emphasis in human resources. Perfect! The hard part is working full-time, finding time for family, friends and other interests, and continuously plugging away at a degree.

I've noticed that I go through phases where I alternate between being at peace with the progress I've made toward obtaining that all too important piece of paper, and being annoyed that I'm not finished yet. The anxiety increases exponentially every time I review my degree plan to determine which classes I'll enroll in next. When I went through that process this past spring, I realized I could conceivably finish my degree in two years, if (in addition to the usual spring and fall semester classes) I double-up on summer school classes and take two print courses during semester breaks. Crazy, right? Honestly, it didn't seem like such a bad idea at the time.

Thankfully, I realize the frustration I'm feeling now will pass. I will be grateful to be six credits closer to my goal when I turn in my final assignments in August, and the agony of this semester will be a distant memory when I order the print classes and register for two summer school classes again next year. I also realize I'm among good company and that many of you are sharing this experience as you juggle work, school, and life, too. Good luck to all of you. Perhaps we can get a bulk order discount on straitjackets.

By Melissa Gavin, student
Master of Science in Project Management Program



After graduating as an undergrad, I entered the "real world." I was somewhat disappointed in the opportunities that I had as they were not truly what I wanted. After two years, I realized there was not potential for advancement, so I decided to research graduate school. The task was daunting. I talked to many people about their thoughts on grad school and decided upon either an MBA or MSPM. The outcome of my decision was the MSPM at UW-Platteville, mainly because it is a distance education degree, but for other reasons as well.

Although distance education was an important factor, I had very little experience working in a virtual environment. The virtual environment differs greatly from the standard brick-and-mortar classrooms and takes a lot of adjusting. I remember my first week of school clearly. I made the prediction to my family that I was not going to complete my program due to stress. The online factor was only part of the reason this statement occurred. On top of this, I had just moved, recently had a child, and started working part-time.

I didn’t let the stress get to me. That evening I sat down and devised a plan, which has led to my continued success in the program. The first step of my plan was combining all of my due dates for the entire semester in date order, rather than by course. I broke them down by month and included all days. This helped me see how much time I had between assignments, but also where there were conflicts. I also added any personal items that could not be moved, such as vacations, weddings, and doctor appointments. This list keeps me organized throughout the entire semester and motivated to keep working.

Another thing that aided my success was learning to tackle one thing at a time. For instance, I would work through one course’s assignments in a day. This kept me organized and on topic. Subjects were less likely to get mixed up.

Having a family takes a lot of time, which is realized even more when you are a full-time student and stay-at-home mom. To tackle the family element, I would set aside time just for school. Instead of cleaning while my child was napping, I would read a textbook. Cleaning can be done anytime and by anybody. I also take one Saturday each month to go to the library or coffee shop and work distraction-free (i.e., no family and no cell phone). Studying for 8 hours can put a huge dent in the amount of work that you have to do any given week.

I also learned to balance my school and personal lives. Learning to say "Not today, but maybe tomorrow" to family and friends is an important discipline to follow. My friends and family have accepted that I need to study. They know that I’m not giving up on them, but will give them attention as soon as I have time. A few friends and I have come up with interesting ways to keep our socialization alive. For instance, if I'm studying at the coffee shop, my friends will visit for a quick cup of coffee and then leave. Not only does this let me have the social element, but also a refreshing break from studying.

By not giving up and continuing the challenge, I was able to succeed a lot better than I originally thought. My original goal was to complete my master’s degree; my new goal is to complete my degree with a 4.0 grade point average. It seemed daunting the first week of class, but after reorganization and priority setting, my goal should be accomplished this May. Any person can have a social life, work life, and family, while still completing the distance education program successfully. All you have to do is find a system that works for you.

By Lisa Cousins, alumna
Master of Science in Criminal Justice
Class of 2001

I remember when I first started thinking about earning a degree from a distance education program. I was enrolled in the on-campus Justice Studies graduate program at my local university. My Justice Theory class was small (about 15 students), and we met on Tuesday nights. There was a research paper due at the end of the semester, but a few weeks into the class, the instructor had requested that we turn in our draft outlines the following week. I approached her after class and explained that I was going to be absent the following week because I would be in Israel on a business trip. I asked if I could turn the outline in the following week. Seeing her displeasure, I offered to work on it on the airplane and fax it to her when I arrived in Israel. She liked that idea better. The Holiday Inn in Tel Aviv charged me the equivalent of 18 U.S. dollars to fax my draft outline to my instructor on the day it was due.

I figured there had to be a better way to achieve my goal. I eventually Google'd my way to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Distance education was a perfect fit for me. I had a fairly demanding Monday through Friday job. At UW-Platteville, I was able to do almost all of my schoolwork on the weekends. The coursework itself was very similar to the coursework at my local university—a lot of reading and writing. The work itself was not easier or harder than the traditional master’s program; it’s just that getting it done was easier because I could do it at my convenience, when I more rested and focused.

The secret to being a successful distance education student is to find a rhythm. Because there is usually no set schedule, it is tempting to procrastinate. It works best if you try to set aside time to do your homework. It does not work well when you just try to fit it in here and there, when you have nothing else to do. Inevitably, you will run out of time and end up feeling rushed and pressured. If you can, schedule your school work at a regular day and time each week.

Distance education is great. It opens up opportunities for people who may not be able to commit to a strict schedule of years of college classes at a specific geographic location. For me, I know I would have finished my degree at the local university. But transferring to UWP made my graduate school experience a lot more convenient and a lot less frustrating. If you think it might work for you too, I would encourage you to give it a try. Take a class and see how you like it.

By Scott Skelly

All too often people think of project management as big companies, multimillion dollar projects, and a team full of professionals working non-stop to complete a project. Kim Chapman, a resident of Milwaukee, Wisconsin proved that project management does not always take place in the corporate environment.

Chapman completed her Master of Science in Project Management last fall through UW-Platteville. When it came time to lead a project, she realized she did not want to complete her project as a part of a company. Instead, she wanted to touch lives. She wanted to give some people dinner.

Chapman had an idea in her head and started researching resources. A local non-profit called Cluster to Neighborhood Organization liked her idea and agreed to help. Her plan was to provide a free Thanksgiving dinner for a poorer neighborhood in Milwaukee. But she wanted to do more than just give the people food and a piece of clothing to go home with. Through her work, those who attended received that and much more.

Chapman knew that many of these residents have a number of problems with local government, landlords, and social services. Many times if these people call city numbers with questions about city and social services, they may be on the phone for hours and not get an answer. So, she decided that to help both groups she would put everyone in the same room to help them connect with needed resources. On the Saturday before Thanksgiving, she organized a unique event to serve her community.

A wide variety of city and non-profit groups attended the event held in the basement of a local church. Agencies such as the Adult Literacy Center, the Department of Health and Family Services, Department of Corrections, agencies that process food stamps, and Medicare representatives were some of the groups represented. The Milwaukee Health Department gave out health kits and special coupons to families. Neighborhood service organizations also talked to attendees about things such as rental issues to help residents solve landlord problems rather than the resident simply stopping payment and end up being evicted. Specialists shared information about creating more energy efficient solutions in a home which is important for people on a tight budget. County supervisors also attended and talked with people attending the event, and some helped serve meals. One supervisor commented that this was the largest event that person had ever attended of this type. “It put the individuals face to face,” Chapman said. For once, they were able to get their questions answered. She said that city caseworkers have a very high turnover rate so it can be hard for people to get answers. Caseworkers were at the event to help answer residents’ questions.

Chapman was very pleased with the turnout of 273 people coming during the four hour event. Based on past Cluster to Neighborhood events, Chapman had originally thought that only about 50 people would attend. But donations had allowed her to prepare ahead and she still had left over food to donate to Sojourner’s Truth House, a local women’s shelter. “This place was packed with families who sat down together and had a dinner,” she said. After the dinner, families had the opportunity to take home household items and a variety of clothing items. The event did not cost Chapman or Cluster to Neighborhood anything besides a few fliers Chapman printed because everything else was donated.

“My perspective of project management was much different than I thought it would be,” she recalled after the event. She found something that she cared about and made it successful. “When you see project management, do not assume it will be hard.” She used her social service experience to help others through her project. “It felt good when they said thank you because they felt like their voices were heard.”

By Kevin Straka, Merchandising Analyst at The Guild, Inc.

Throughout my career in product development and design, I was many times faced with the fact that there were process deficiencies, resulting in many deadlines not met and certainly not within budget restrictions. I am one who thrives on change and the always-alluring "better way."

While working on my MBA program, this desire to bring a more a fluid process to my professional career, prompted the search for knowledge I could apply to bring about efficiencies I could see, but could not truly figure out how to obtain. I turned to a friend who works in Information Technology. This friend is a Project Manager, but has never had formal training. During our casual discussion, that internal light bulb popped on. As she explained what her responsibilities were, I realized what she was charged to do was very similar to what I was seeking knowledge for.

Project Management isn't new in the fields of Engineering, Architecture, or Information Technology, but it is in business fields. And, the need is ever present.

I decided to research graduate programs offering a specialization in project management. As I searched, I found the program at UW Platteville. Oddly enough, UW Platteville is my undergraduate alma mater.

What appealed to me most was the fact that the program was all online. My entire MBA program was based in a traditional classroom setting. Being a lover of change and new challenges, I was drawn to the online opportunity. And, as I researched programs and searched for professional recommendations, UW Platteville’s program continuously came highly recommended.

After completing the program, I could not agree more. I was offered the opportunity to learn with other students, some abroad. I had teammates in Italy and Yemen, proving global learning is possible and preferred on my part. I feared being placed on teams for every class and worried about limitations of time and location, but those fears were quickly diminished. I guess a great equalizer is that students who enter this program share these same worries or fears and are truly dedicated to their education so they make sure it works. And, sharing different team roles for each project allows team members the opportunity to lead projects or be the individual who ensures work is completed within plan.

I recently finished my final project. I am excited about the fact that I was able to introduce project management in a direct merchant catalogue/website setting and garner such enthusiasm and excitement around efficient process initiation, integration and reporting. Company executives see the value of project management tools and processes and look forward to great achievements with these tools and processes in the future. I truly feel that I have now found the right path to efficiency that I could see but could not quite reach.

By Jen Taborski, student in the Master's of Criminal Justice Program

Only three weeks until the semester is over. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! (Well, until January, that is.) Bring on that last semester! Graduation here I come. YAY! But, I am getting ahead of myself, because within these next three weeks, I must write a 15-page paper, complete 9 research labs, and take a final exam. If that wasn't enough, I am still expected to show up at work for 40 hours a week and then come home to tend to my children, husband, and house.

Life gets extremely crazy and stressful at times. Sleep is a precious commodity these days; however, I would not have it any other way. Earning my master's degree is important to me. UW-Platteville has allowed me to work toward my degree at my own pace instead of needing to worry about getting to class on time on pre-determined days of the week. The online Criminal Justice Program allows me to complete my course work on my schedule, as well as meet my other obligations in everyday life. The flexibility that the program offers was a great selling point for me -- not to mention that I was already a UWP alumni, having earned my undergraduate degree there. My experience has been very positive. The professors have been first class all the way, and the coursework has been relevant toward my current profession as a probation officer.

by Dan Chlebos, Alumnus of the Criminal Justice Masters Program

I'm terrible at predicting the future. Frankly, if I were good at it I would be lounging on some beach right now. So the question becomes what can do we do about the future? Some may choose to ride it out, while others plan for it. When planning for the future, a person's education should be of paramount concern.

The truth of the matter is we live in a time of history where education is important and not just rhetoric. Decades ago, one could walk into most any employment setting with just a high school diploma and with minimal qualifications, be hired. Such is not the case today. Employers are looking for people that have taken the initiative to better themselves. They want people who are self-motivated and willing to show they have what it takes to move forward and not be satisfied with the status quo.

Another thing to consider is what the employment market is like today. Unemployment is escalating and the job pool of qualified people is increasing along with it. If you were an employer, who would you want on your team?

One thing that will help better your chances of landing a job or promotion is your level of education. This may be a stretch but look at the fast food chain of McDonald's. What they have done to enhance their market share is excite their customer; other similar fast food stores have only satisfied their customers. The difference is McDonald's gives their customers more than they expect. They brought playgrounds inside for the youngsters, placed toys in kid's meals and to top it off have a well-known clown. Others simply provided what was expected; in turn their customers are merely satisfied and not excited.

Moral to the story is excite your employer or potential employer. Give them what others don't have—an education from a school (UWP) with a known reputation for excellence.

At one time I was under the impression my credentials would open doors. Truthfully, some doors did open, but here are some doors, that without my UWP masters degree, would have never opened: adjunct professor at a university, promotion and several pay raises at my full time job, enhanced credentials and respect within the criminal justice community and most importantly, self satisfaction and enrichment.

Lock the future in with a degree from UWP. This should be our message to others as alumnae.

By Toni McCutchin, Student Advisory Board

I have been enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration program at UW-Platteville for quite some time. I started out the first four years taking print-based courses. I would normally enroll in two to three courses a year. My two sons were very young when I began, so I did not have a lot of free time to work on course work. After four years of taking print-based courses, my advisor at UW-Platteville suggested that I try taking an online course.

With the online courses, you must have a lot more discipline than with print-based courses because you must meet the course deadlines for all assignments and exams. A great benefit of the online courses is the interaction with other students they offer. I also have found it much easier to take exams because I can take them any time day or night within the exam window. There have been times when I have taken exams at 10:30 at night after everyone in the house has gone to bed.

I have found that most of the UW-Platteville online course instructors communicate very often and return responses in a timely manner. Most of the online instructors realize that students enrolled in their distance learning courses are adults who have families and a job, so they are flexible to a point.

You have a lot more flexibility than if you were to take a course in a classroom environment when taking courses at a distance. You do need to have some discipline to stay focused on completing your degree and meeting the course deadline.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel with my degree goal. I expect to graduate in one year.

By Vic Baez, Alumni Advisory Board

As the summer is getting underway and I am enjoying once again planning fun activities, I am also reflecting on the last two summers and my lack of free time while finishing my Master of Engineering degree. While I was working on my degree, I learned some valuable lessons to ease the way.

If you are uncertain about the scope of an online assignment, don't hesitate to contact the professor AND other classmates. They are usually more than happy to assist. Otherwise you will waste precious time going overboard or in the wrong direction.

When working on group projects, remain vigilant in insisting your fellow group members follow the assignment and adhere to proper rules of citation. Be clear and assertive about the importance of this.

Once you have your textbook, take the time to get familiar with the CD or publisher's web site for useful information. There are many insightful directions, answers, and solutions.

Make sure you communicate with your advisor so you take courses in the best order for comprehension of material. It matters.

Hang tough. Even though you may give up some summer events, know that soon you will be back to leisurely evenings sipping cold drinks!

By Gary Apperson, UWP Online Criminal Justice Instructor

My Quest

I see the distance learning quest similar to the heroic literary tales that culminate in a search for knowledge or enlightenment. While the quests have a common goal, the pathways are different for the various seekers. My particular knowledge quest started like many other quests -- at a young age and at a local university.

Because I was Interested in a law enforcement career, I had chosen the criminal justice path. Two and a half years into my quest, the career of a lifetime with the Anchorage Police Department interrupted my educational quest for 25 years. Initially, I tried to take one class per semester for the next few years, but my career and life continued to intensify. There were airplanes to fly, cabins to build, and other social considerations to attend. I simply did not have the time to continue my education quest. Although my career was everything I could have asked, at some level, the ember of my knowledge quest continued to glow.

After retirement, I went back to school and completed my undergraduate degree. I really had no particular plan of what I would do with my degree at this point. After reacquiring my bearings, I soon found myself in the UWP distance ed graduate Criminal Justice Program. It was time to take the quest into uncharted territory. The tide had turned; the previously unreachable, unconsidered, yet coveted master’s degree was now the current quest! And why not? After all, I was now in the company with allies of the likes of Dr. Banachowski-Fuller and Dr. Hilal.

My quest had the advantage of career retirement, which I exploited by taking two classes per semester. One of the tricky parts for me was learning again how to write in active format. To say the least, 25 years of writing passive police report narratives was a challenge to overcome. Fortune smiled upon me as a very patient Dr. Hilal helped me shift gears to active writing. As the course topics came alive with renewed relevance and importance, my writing improved. Things were looking up as occasionally, a teacher’s feedback would mention the phrase “grad level writing” in the same sentence with my name. A gold nugget of information I picked up early on was to identify the best writers in each class and learn from them. Many students bring real-world experiences that link to course material, and some are very good writers. Teachers provide useful feedback, however, learning from fellow students is far too valuable to leave on the table. In a very real sense, the synergy gained from interacting with other students imparts an additional component of learning that is not necessarily found in traditional classrooms.

Another positive aspect of my distance ed quest is that I was able to work on the program from my home. While I was involved in my graduate program, my wife Deb was also completing her quest with a local campus for an undergraduate degree in business administration with a minor in art. For a couple of years, our house was essentially a small satellite campus. Between our social commitments, we studied in our respective programs, read and edited each other’s assignments, and ate meals in our dining room turned campus cafeteria.

Typically, I would read the text assignments during the day in a room we set up as a library that was complete with an easy chair. After dinner and watching our favorite TV shows, I would adjourn to my computer room and lurk in the online research databases while I crafted assignments. One night, the distance concept proved particularly humorous. While reading some feedback comments from an assignment, I noticed the instructor had given me accolades for my diligence in working on my assignment so late into the night. It seems that uploading an assignment at midnight, Alaska time, would log in the UWP drop box at 3 a.m., thus causing my instructor to think I had been burning the candle into the wee hours.

Another distance ed nugget I would share is that in hindsight, I should have upgraded my computer set-up prior to beginning the program. Once I had started classes, I did not want to change my set-up during the program. My older Mac desktop computer and dial-up modem proved to be a couple of speed bumps. The dial-up modem was painfully slow, especially when reading posts in the larger classes. This problem was worse during the cold, dry stretches of the Alaskan winter, which caused static electricity to invade the phone lines and caused dropped connections during assignment uploads to the drop box. I was often not sure if my assignments made it to the UWP drop box, as a result, I uploaded many duplicate assignments. The other computer related glitch was during statistical component of my research writing methods class. The RSM class required the use of a SPSS statistical software CD. The problem was that SPSS was Windows-based and I had a Mac system. I found a work-around by installing Soft PC in my Mac, and then installed Windows XP Pro into Soft PC. Finally, I installed SPSS into Windows. It was clunky, but it worked, and I was able to work through the RSM labs.

By the time the seminar paper capstone course rolled around, I was ready for the challenge. I would recommend taking on the capstone with confidence. I say this because there are inevitable set backs and humbling moments involved with the process, but it is the overriding confidence in your skills that gets one through. Traveling to the UWP campus for graduation was the highlight of the entire program – I highly recommend it. Meeting my teachers and fellow students was defining moment and an indescribable gift with smiles all around.

Is my quest finished? No. I have learned that the knowledge quest never ends. Since graduation, I have become involved in a couple quests that are "retirement jobs." My first post-grad quest came in the form of being offered an adjunct teaching position in the Criminal Justice program of my former undergraduate school, the Anchorage Campus of Wayland Baptist University. The second came when my mentor PhD, Dr. Hilial, called me one day out of the blue, and asked if I would like to develop and teach a criminal justice course for the UWP distance education program. This is an excellent opportunity. Even more proof of the distance education synergy came from some unexpected but appreciated sources. Two of my fellow student colleagues, Teresa Panek Ives and Dan Avenarius, jumped to my aid with editing help and assistance with course materials that helped to get my first course developed and off the ground. Did I mention that distance education students are the best? Trust me, they are.

In addition to teaching undergrad courses, I have since developed five undergraduate criminal justice courses, with more courses on the schedule. In my most recent quest, I have accepted Dawn Drake’s offer for a position on the UWP Alumni Advisory Board. So far, the Alumni Advisory Board has proven to be even more distance education synergy. I like the idea of contributing to UWP’s distance education mission from my "far point station" in Alaska. The quest continues.

We continue to invite our distance learning students to contribute writings that describe what their life as a distance learner is like.

Today's contribution is from Artem Veremey, a student in UW-Platteville’s online Master of Engineering program.

A Week in the Life of a Distance Learner - Part 1
By Artem Veremey

My weekend of March 16, 17, and 18 was full of events. I attended Neal Whitten's seminar on Friday and the Project Management Institute (PMI) Region 7 Leadership Summit on Saturday and Sunday. Both the seminar and the leadership summit were hosted by the PMI Los Padres chapter. As a member of the Board of Directors of the Los Padres chapter, I had my hands full helping out with organizational issues for both of these events.

Whitten is a great speaker! If you have a chance to attend any of his seminars, you should. The subject of his seminar was "No-Nonsense Advice for Successful Projects." Whitten shared the practical knowledge that he gained throughout his 35-year-long career in project management.

The study of almost any trade can be divided into three branches: (1) normative or solution-based (i.e., standards), (2) rational or method-based (i.e., analytical approaches), and (3) heuristic or experience-based (i.e., lessons learned). In the course ENGRG 7840, Systems Engineering Management, offered through the Master of Science in Engineering program at UW-Platteville, you can study in detail normative, rational, and heuristic branches of systems engineering and architecture. As for project management, the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK) establishes normative or solutions-based approach. Whitten's seminar focused on project management heuristic.

Whitten started the seminar by asking, "What do you think is the most important asset of your company?" Attendees suggested people, customers, and shareholder value. Whitten's response to this question was "leadership." A company may have excellent employees (not to mention that companies downsize all the time), devoted customers, and great shareholder value, but still fail due to lack of leadership. Indeed, leadership is what brings employees together to deliver results, builds customer base, and grows shareholder value making a company ultimately successful. Whitten encouraged everyone to work relentlessly on the leadership skills, because he believes that leadership is the most important characteristic of a project manager. Whitten suggested starting every project by establishing a domain of responsibility and guiding all project efforts to devise and implement the best (not just a consensus) solution. In Whitten's view, benevolent dictatorship is the most effective leadership style.

Throughout the seminar, Whitten brought up numerous points about practical project management, but let me focus on particular two that I found especially interesting.

First, in Whitten's opinion, the most effective way to manage project tasks is to focus on the top three priorities and work on them daily until completion. Every project manager should be able to name his top three priorities for each project at any point in time or risk loosing his credibility. The rule of top three priorities equally applies to studies at UW-Platteville. My top three for the week were completing the second exam for the Statistics course, writing the mid-term exam for the Design for Manufacturability course, and working on the Life-Cycle Assessment project for the Optimization course. I tried to work on these priorities every day, if only for a short period of time.

Second, Whitten believes that the rolling-wave planning [.pdf] is the most effective scheduling technique for generic projects. One of the required course in the Master of Science in Engineering program's curriculum at UW-Platteville -- PM 7010, Project Management Techniques I -- includes an overview of the most commonly used scheduling techniques such as the Critical Path Method (CPM), Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT), and Critical Chain method (CCPM). I recommend taking PM 7010 as early in your program as you can.

Rolling-wave model is only discussed briefly in the textbooks, as it is by far the most simplistic. Simple, however, does not mean ineffective. Practitioners keep rolling-wave planning in their active arsenal of techniques. For example, Professor Jerry Perone, who taught the PM 7010 class I took, made a special note about the rolling-wave planning in one of the class assignments.

In the rolling-wave model, you identify major project milestones and estimate the time required to complete all of them, but commit only to the first milestone. After the fist milestone has been reached, you re-evaluate the timeline based on current project performance and commit to the next milestone. You repeat this process until the last milestone has bee reached. Surprisingly enough, this simple process has been known to produce superior results.

The rolling-wave planning can also be applied to your studies. Start working on your assignments ahead of time and just work them through step-by-step. Remember, procrastination is the worst enemy of a project manager and a student. Revisit your assignment several times on different days to make your self-evaluations more thorough and objective.

If you want to learn more about project management heuristics, please consider reading Whitten's book.

A Year in the Life of a Distance Learner - Part 3
By Francie Tuescher

Sometimes I think about what it would be like to be an on-campus student. If my daughter were ill, I would miss class. If my daughter were ill, I would not be able to study. If my daughter were ill, I would miss my exam. You get the picture.

The online program is the only way that I could juggle work, family, education, and a life. I'm quite proud of my accomplishments, as I hope all of you online learners are.

In conclusion, if it were not for the online Master of Science in Project Management program offered through UW-Platteville, I would never have made my dream come true.

A Week in the Life of a Distance Learner - Part 3
By Ken Wiegman

It is surprising how fast time can go by. You find yourself eight weeks into the semester and begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel. After each week, you feel satisfaction from the last paper or group project you completed; however, you have an end-of-term research paper deadline that is rapidly approaching along with the end of the semester. Although you have all this to do -- and there are still more readings, discussions, and short assignments -- you still need to take a break. I like to spend some time with the family, or watch some TV, which was one of my favorite past-times before working on the degree. It is just nice to let it all go for a while and relax.

Before you know it, the semester is over, and after the first week of being done, you sit back and wonder how you got it all done! For me, this has continued for almost two years now. At the end of this semester, it will be over for me: Graduation, the final objective in achieving my Master's degree! I have already began thinking about all the things I will do with my time when it is over: mowing, laundry, dishes, cleaning up after the children, cleaning out the garage.

Maybe I should think about getting a Ph.D.?

A Week in the Life of a Distance Learner - Part 2
By Ken Wiegman

After spending some time last night reading up on my research topic, I started thinking back to the beginning of my enrollment, when I did not know all the little nuances of using the library search capabilities. If there is one thing that can save you a lot of time, it is figuring out where the best sources are for your field of study. A 15-page research paper might take 6 to 8 hours to type, but the research itself can take much longer if you do not know how to use the tools correctly.

The UW-P Karrmann Library has several subscriptions to multi-discipline search sites. As a new student, I highly recommend getting familiar with the library resources. Do not be afraid to ask the instructor or other students for help. There is a link on the main library page to e-mail questions to "Ask a Librarian."

Knowing where and how to look for appropriate sources will save you hours of frustration.

This week we have invited our distance learning students to contribute writings that describe what their life as a distance learner is like.

Our second contribution is from Ken Wiegman, a student in UW-Platteville’s online Master of Science in Criminal Justice program.

A Week in the Life of a Distance Learner - Part 1
By Ken Wiegman

I have been asked to write about a week in the life of an online student, so I would like to start with a little background. I am a full-time student this semester enrolled in Crisis Intervention, as well as working on my seminar paper. Aside from school, I work full-time at UW-Platteville and am a member of the Wisconsin National Guard. My wife Ellen and I have three children: Alethiea, Andrea, and Erica. Week-to-week, there is always a lot going on.

The online program fits my life quite well, as it is more loosely structured than a normal classroom setting, giving me some flexibility to work around family, work, and everything else.

This week is spring break at UW-Platteville and I am off from work but, unfortunately, I am not vacationing. What I am doing is making up some missed time in the Guards. I will be in Madison all week working with the Guards, which brings up another good point about the online program: I can participate in classes from anywhere as long as I have internet access.

We have a built in spring break for Crisis Intervention, so I plan to spend a lot of time this week focusing on my research paper. However, as you will find out, the week may hold other surprises and a change of plans is always anticipated.

A Year in the Life of a Distance Learner - Part 2
By Francie Tuescher

As promised, Year Two: Something's gotta give!

Okay, the first six months or so bring about a lot of change. I've found that what's important is how you adapt to those changes. Following are some strategies that worked for me:

A well-functioning computer is crucial. Make sure you run a system check periodically and that you can depend on your computer and your Internet. It was worth it to me to buy a new one. No, I'm not telling everyone to go out and buy a new computer; just make sure you can depend on the one you have.

Register and get your textbooks early, so you can get the course you want and look over the textbook before class begins. Make sure that you have the right book, the right edition, and all of the pages!

Download the course information from the Internet for off-line use. Course preview week is a great time to do this. That way when your Internet is down, you aren't. Organize! It will pay off!

Create your own study area, whatever and wherever that is. Make it inviting. Add a comfortable chair, candle, music, the sports channel -- whatever works for you.

Use the course preview week and the first week of coursework to work ahead to avoid worrying when work/family and all of life's other demands take priority.

Probably the most important strategy is to engage help! In my case, it meant "Grandma" time once every weekend and "Big Sister" time when exams were nearing. It meant asking my spouse for half an hour of study time each night. Get the support of your friends and family.

I don't cram for eight hours at a time. Simple goals like reading five pages a night or writing two pages per evening works for me.

Think about taking your textbooks or study materials with you to doctor's appointments or anytime you anticipate a wait. Every fifteen minutes helps.

Plan ahead for meals. Make big batches and freeze leftovers. Shop for ingredients that can easily be combined to make a meal.

Check in on your group assignments once a day or every other day pending what stage of completion you're at. You don't need to be logging in six times a day!

Another biggie is to participate in the discussion areas and get to know other students and the instructor. Ask the class for some guidance when you need it. I remember the first time that I wrote, "I give up. Can someone just lead me in the right direction?" It worked! Next time, it's your turn to step up to the plate for another student.

Lastly, reward yourself!

There you have it. That's what works for me. Find what works for you.

This week we have invited our distance learning students to contribute writings that describe what their life as a distance learner is like.

Our first contribution is from Francie Tuescher, a student in UW-Platteville’s online Master of Science in Project Management program.

A Year in the Life of a Distance Learner - Part 1
By Francie Tuescher

Greetings!

Full disclosure: I'm a 44-year-old mother with one daughter who is graduating from preschool and one daughter who recently graduated from college. I'm married, employed full-time, have a dial-up Internet connection and a laptop that chooses to shut down at whim. In my spare time, I help my husband with the livestock and crops. It has been 23 years since my head was buried in a textbook, and I'm preparing to graduate from UW-Platteville’s online Master of Science in Project Management program.

Turn the clock back to year one in the program. I know I need to develop a routine and find some strategies that work for me. I move the computer to the kitchen counter. I make the kitchen table my desk. I transform my dining room into a within-sight playroom, and ask my teenaged daughter to “sign up” for computer time.

After time, I begin to develop a routine. I turn on the computer. While it's dialing up, I start supper on the stove. While I'm waiting to log into D2L, I throw in a load of laundry, stir the pasta, and pick up a few toys. Now I'm ready to go.

Not quite yet!

My husband walks in -- and quickly walks out -- as he sees the computer booted up and a certain tenseness in the air. The pasta boils over. I actually progress to about half-way through an assignment, but break to spend time with my toddler. I neglect to save my work and my computer chooses to shut down. I check in on my group assignments about six times a day and wonder why everyone else is not as prompt at replying.

My work demands that I travel three days this week. I stay late two evenings preparing budget revisions due yesterday, and pick up pizza on the way home (again). I wish everyone shared my love of pizza! It's 10:00 p.m., and I anxiously log in to see if my first grade in the program has been posted. Yes! I did it, and I’m re-energized for the next assignment. I can do this!

Stay tuned for year two: Something's Gotta Give!

Our new web site includes information in each degree program for student profiles. Working adults often need more information so they can make an informed decision on whether or not to enroll in an online or distance education program. Personal feedback is more important than ever, and the best vantage point comes from the real-life stories of working adults who are currently enrolled in our distance education programs. There is nothing more powerful than the personal message derived from experience.

Current students help us build and extend the value of our brand. The distance education marketing team at UWP understands how important it is to determine the most important decision-making factors that influence adult learners. Further, we know that what the team may think is important and what the prospective student thinks is valuable are often two different things.

Adult consumers are tired of big, fancy, complicated marketing messages and are seeking small, simple, and straightforward information. Human interest stories do help others make an educated decision. Are you interested in sharing your own real-life story so that prospective students can learn the benefits of the program and what to expect? Prospective students need to see themselves in your shoes to truly understand that they can balance the demands of working and going to school.

Our students don’t want sales gimmicks; rather, they just want the honest facts. If you would like to be a resource by offering your story, please contact distmarket@uwplatt.edu and we will contact you for an interview! The incredible power of word of mouth is a win-win for everyone! Here’s your chance to make a lasting impression. Your peers will appreciate the integrity of your story. Contact us today!