Catawba College offers three new graduate programs in response to COVID-19

SALISBURY — Catawba College has launched three new graduate programs for the fall semester in business management, sport management, and clinical mental health counseling, in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges and barriers over the last two months — not just for our world, but for our own Catawba College community,” said Jared Tice, senior vice president for the college experience and dean of students. “However, challenges and barriers also present opportunities for creativity, collaboration, and acceleration of new curricular and co-curricular endeavors. By engaging in these graduate programs, Catawba is actively answering its call to serve and lead in critical ways at a critical time in our history.”

Tice said that although the programs were many years in the making, the college accelerated them over the last month, with a coordinated effort led by Dr. Constance Rogers-Lowery, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs; Jim Hand, dean of the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance; and Eric Hake, dean of the Ralph W. Ketner School of Business, in concert with faculty program directors, the office of admissions, marketing/public relations, and the department of athletics.

The graduate programs include:

• Master of business administration degree in general management. The Ketner MBA offers a 33-hour fully online curriculum in a student cohort model allowing full-time students to complete the program of study in a calendar year.
• Master of sport management. This 36-hour curriculum face-to-face, student cohort model will be delivered over 21 months and allows graduate students to actively engage in premier sports properties and venues throughout the region and country.
• Master of health science in clinical mental health counseling. This is a 60-credit hour fully online curriculum allowing graduates, upon passing the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Exam, the ability to apply to the North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors and become Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associates.

Students may apply to one or more of the graduate programs at www.catawba.edu/gradapp.

The tuition cost for all three programs is $599 per credit hour throughout the program. Please address admissions questions to Alycia Parsons, assistant director of admissions for transfer and non-traditional student populations, at aparsons19@catawba.edu.

The Ketner MBA, the master in sport management, and the master in health science in clinical mental health counseling are all pending approval from the U.S. Department of Education while the CMHC program is also awaiting approval from SACSCOC.

RCCC’s R3 career services stepping up amid pandemic

SALISBURY — During a stressful time when COVID-19 coronavirus restrictions have resulted in job losses for many local workers, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College’s R3 (ReFocus, ReTrain, ReEmploy) career services are available online or by phone to assist people with career planning.

The college’s R3 career coaches have served more than 140 people as businesses have closed or significantly cut staff in response to local recommendations and statewide stay at home orders. Team members have assisted with job coaching, career planning, job preparation programs, scholarship opportunities for workplace certifications, resumé building, career skill certification and more. Services are open to those who have experienced temporary or permanent job loss, as well as those considering a new career path.

“COVID-19 has brought a wave of unemployment unlike any other layoff we have experienced,” R3 Director Keri Allman said. “Rowan-Cabarrus’s R3 services have been available to the community since the closing of Pillowtex in 2003 and for area layoffs since that time, and we are here now. We have career coaches ready to assist you by phone or online, right from your home.”

In addition to general career planning services, specific job preparation options are available, including the certified production technician course offered through the N.C. Manufacturing Institute and the college’s new certified logistics technician course that certifies candidates to work in logistics facilities for local companies such as Chewy, ALDI or Dillard’s.

With the uncertainty that accompanies the COVID-19 orders, the college’s services are more relevant than ever for those who wish to use their time at home to hone their current skills, build new ones or even plan for a different career once restrictions are lifted.

The college is offering a special menu of workshops designed to help people explore new career options, build job skills and learn effective strategies to search for employment.

Topics include resumé building, navigating online meetings and training, mastering virtual interviews, certifying current work skills, boosting computer skills from home, using LinkedIn, introduction to real estate careers, exploring healthcare careers, and ideas for new career choices during and after COVID-19. Special training also is available for people with criminal backgrounds who are searching for employment.

“We are all navigating uncharted territory right now, but Rowan-Cabarrus is here, as always, adjusting and reacting to current needs so that we can be available and ready to assist the communities we serve,” said Carol Spalding, president of Rowan-Cabarrus.

Anyone interested in R3 career services may call 704-216-7201 or email r3@rccc.edu. To learn more about special workshops, visit www.rccc.edu/r3/courses-workshops. For more information about Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, go to www.rccc.edu or call 704-216-RCCC (7222).