In This Issue:

• CALL Unveils New Website
• Take the Fast-Track to a Degree at NSU
• BPCC Wins Technology Award
• Newsletter Subscribers Will Get an Early Peek at New CALL Programs

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CALL Unveils New Website

ALEXANDRIA – In case you have not visited the http://www.yourCALLla.org website in some time, the Center for Adult Learning in Louisiana has revealed a new design for the New Year. CALL aims to connect adults with just the right information they need to access and their new educational goals. With a new Letter to Adult Students, adults can receive direct advice from the Executive Director of CALL on the critical first steps to take in pursing an online degree. The new and improved menu system provides easier access to pertinent information such as “Paying for College” and opportunities to earn credit through “Prior Learning Assessment.” “We hope that this new design can more effectively and efficiently lead students through the process of returning to learning,” said Luke Dowden, Executive Director of CALL. “The website contains updated information and a new look to appeal to adult students. We are trying to keep them informed as much as possible.” Social networking has been made more prominent as well, as the site hopes to connect adult students from across the state of Louisiana. Make sure you follow us on Twitter and Facebook or join our group on LinkedIN. Please find all of the new info, the new look, and even some of update student testimonials: http://www.yourcallla.org/student_testimonials

For more information on CALL, go to http://www.yourcallla.org.

Take the Fast-Track to a Degree at NSU

NATCHITOCHES – Neither Sharon Veal nor Richard Scott took a conventional path toward a college education, but each persevered to reach a personal goal by receiving degrees from Northwestern State University this fall. Veal and Scott were among 41 graduates who earned degrees through the CALL (Center for Adult Learning in Louisiana) Program at NSU. The Center for Adult Learning in Louisiana, or CALL, is a joint initiative between the Louisiana Board of Regents, the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), and the Consortium for Education, Research and Technology of North Louisiana aimed at making it easier for Louisiana adults without a college degree to enroll at a Louisiana public college or university and earn a degree or other college credential. CALL features online degree programs designed for working adults. Students can receive credit for prior learning experience and take part in a fast track program that can speed them toward a college degree. “I started at Northwestern in 1987 but didn’t finish,” said Scott, a graduate in general studies from Monroe. “Taking classes online was the only way for me to complete my degree since I have a family and work 60 hours a week. It was important for me to receive my degree from Northwestern. I started here and it meant more to me to get my degree here.” Scott, the print operations manager at the Bastrop Enterprise, was confident he could complete his degree once he got back in college. “I knew I could do the work. The ability to do it electronically made all the difference in the world,” he said. “It didn’t take me long to get back into the swing. Taking classes as an adult was easier than when I was 18 because I was disciplined and knew what I had to do.” Veal completed an associate degree after being out of classes for more than a decade then enrolled at Northwestern. “It was a long road for me, but I was determined to do it,” said Veal, a general studies graduate from Pineville. “I enrolled and did well. That inspired me to keep going.” Veal credited staff members in the CALL Program with helping her as she worked toward a degree. “The advisors made it easier for me,” she said. “Someone was always available to answer questions and help me take the classes that were the best fit for me.” Veal owns a day care center and plans to expand by opening day care centers around the state. “I wanted to expand around the state and now that I have my degree I can concentrate on doing that,” she said. “I encourage others who have not completed a degree to look into the CALL Program.” For more information on the CALL Program at Northwestern, go to http://www.nsula.edu/ece/CALL.

For more information on CALL, go to http://www.yourcallla.org.

BPCC Wins Technology Award

BOSSIER CITY – Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) has been selected among a national group of nominees to receive the ITC Award for Outstanding Student Services from the Instructional Technology Council (ITC). "Congratulations to Bossier Parish Community College's Educational Technology Division. The Educational Technology Division received the ITC Award for Outstanding Student Services." Kathleen Gay, Dean of Educational Technology, said. "My staff and I are truly humbled by this honor, and we have worked hard to build a solid reputation for outstanding services to our students - on campus and off-campus. We are excited to receive this award." Every year, ITC asks its members to nominate an organizational unit that has built a solid reputation for outstanding service for their online students -- on-campus and off-campus. The application must discuss how this unit's efforts are replicable and innovative. The ITC Awards for Excellence in eLearning will be presented at a special recognition luncheon on Monday, Feb. 22, 2010 from 12:45pm to 2:00pm at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas. Since becoming a member of CALL, BPCC has expanded its online student services including an academic degree audit, online bookstore, and an online orientation for online students. This fall, BPCC will offer 5 accelerated, online degree programs through CALL. Log onto http://www.bpcc.edu/callstudents for more information. More information about eLearning 2010 is available at http://www.itcnetwork.org.

For more information on CALL, go to http://www.yourcallla.org.

Newsletter Subscribers Will Get an Early Peek at New CALL Programs

LOUISIANA – CALL’s ongoing goal is expanding opportunities for Louisiana’s adult learners. In 2006, CALL started with 3 programs. By 2008, that total had increased to 8 programs across 6 Louisiana institutions. In the fall of 2010, CALL will be expanding again, with 8 new programs spread across 10 Louisiana colleges and universities. If CALL did not have what you were looking for before, maybe it is time to look again. Visit http://www.yourCALLla.org at the beginning of March 2010 to learn about the new programs coming in Fall 2010. In these difficult economic times, it is crucial that adults realize they can return to college. With the right mix of technology, intuition, and service, Louisiana colleges are more systematically addressing the needs for adults. With 8 new and varied programs, CALL is broadening the learning opportunities that are available to adults. As a newsletter subscriber, be the first to hear about these new programs in our March edition. Keep an eye out, as this could be an opportunity for you or someone close to you. We thank you for your continued support, and if you have not entered school because we did not have exactly what you wanted, keep your eyes peeled, the right program could be headed your way.

For more information on CALL, go to http://www.yourcallla.org.