A University should change with the job market and set the students up for success with life’s ebbs and flows. That is exactly the plan Dr. Rachelle Keck, the first female president of Grand View University, sees as the university’s 10-year plan. Times are changing and it is important for her to create an institution that expands and adapts to what is going on in the world to create the most well-rounded university.
Enrollment is down at American Universities
Enrollment is down for undergraduate programs by over a million students due to the everlasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this has negatively impacted the enrollment budget for most higher education institutions. To counteract this, Dr. Keck and Grand View University has a new plan.
Part of this plan involves thinking differently than most American University and College Presidents. The institution is a private institution so the cut in the state budget is less of a concern as they have other sources of funding. But that’s a double edge sword. The University faces a constant challenge to save money, operate lean, and provide the best education and resources as possible for the students.
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How Grand View University is evolving its tech presence
With all the negative things that have come out of COVID-19, there were some positive changes and opportunities that came out of it. According to Dr. Keck, the integration and adoption of technology into daily work has made work much more efficient and fluid. There is more of a mix of at home and at work, rather than neglecting one or the other.
Technology in the classroom has completely changed the experience students are receiving that they will experience once they graduate and enter the workforce.
Some Students Are Behind
Younger students who experienced the height of the pandemic, according to Dr. Keck, are more in the survival mode as opposed to thriving. For this reason, Grand View has put an emphasis on helping these students get caught up to the correct level so they can thrive in the higher education level.
Dr. Rachelle Keck background
Dr. Keck is currently the first female president at Grand View, setting University history. Coming to the role wasn’t the path you might expect. Previously in law, owning her own practice with a focus on real estate, she served on Wartburg College’s alumni board and its Board of Regents during the hiring process of a new President. At this time, she realized she had similar skills to some of the most qualified candidates and started taking the steps to one day become a University President.
With a strong religious background, she trusted God and worked on improving her marketable skills for the academic world. She calls it “moonwalking,” not being afraid to change career paths and take a risk.
Dr. Rachelle Keck top 2 priorities
The two most important things to Dr. Keck when it comes to the students is work on change-fluency and global fluency.
Change-fluency means students are comfortable with change and embrace it as an opportunity. They should accept it as inevitable and focus on how much they can get out of it.
Global fluency means focusing on the hard skills first within the STEM field, starting first with a love for learning, attitude, and collaboration. To be the most well-rounded employee and bring the most to the table for a company compared to other college graduates.
Learn more about Grand View University
Check out Grand View University to learn more about what they offer, and maybe it could be the right fit for you or someone you know. They even have a computer game design program!