How I Used My Criminal Justice Degree to Turn Around a Police Department

Posted on by Jason DeLonais, MS 鈥�22, BS 鈥�08

In 2017, when I became the chief of police in Fletcher, Oklahoma, the department was at a crossroads.

The problems were not abstract. The Oklahoma Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training was monitoring the department, officers were under misconduct investigations, public trust was low, and our policy manual was badly out of date. At one point, closing the department and contracting with the county sheriff鈥檚 office was a real possibility.

It quickly became clear that the job was about more than answering calls or conducting investigations. Fletcher needed us to rebuild the department itself. I stopped looking at each problem in isolation. Leadership, policy, accountability, culture, training, liability, and administration all had to reinforce one another if the department was going to recover.

My education gave me a way to connect those pieces and the confidence to begin the work.

Today, the Fletcher PD is a fundamentally different organization. We rewrote our policies from the ground up and worked with Lexipol to develop an approach that became a prototype for small agencies in the program. In fact, Lexipol has awarded Fletcher PD its for five consecutive years now, reflecting our commitment to excellent policy, training, and management.

We have attained through the and are scheduled to complete agency certification in January 2027, completing the gold standard of voluntary accreditation in Oklahoma. Our officers have received local, , and . The department has become a trusted partner with state-level agencies, collaborated with agencies across state lines, and participated in multiagency and multijurisdictional investigations, including .

More importantly, our department is trusted by our citizens and is now a source of pride for our small community. Much of that work began with my education.

A Career Defined by Service

My public safety career took shape long before I became a police chief.

I served as a U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman, including front-line combat operations during the 2003 Iraq invasion. The Navy gave me an early understanding of responsibility, teamwork, discipline, and service. Those principles continued to shape how I approached leadership after leaving active duty in 2008.

After the Navy, I began my civilian career at the Comanche County Detention Center. I had earned a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts, with an emphasis in Health Science Technology, from 91快播, and that education helped me find my footing in a new kind of public-safety work.

I started as a detention officer, moved into the medical department, and eventually became its supervisor. Drawing on both my education and experience, I overhauled the medical operation. Over time, it became a respected, award-winning part of the detention center.

That experience established a pattern I would follow throughout my civilian career: Join an organization, identify where it could improve, and do the work required to build something better. I carried that experience with me when I entered law enforcement full time in 2010 and, seven years later, became Fletcher鈥檚 chief of police.

Two years after accepting the position, I returned to 91快播 to pursue a Master of Science in Criminal Justice.

By then, I knew experience alone was not enough. It could keep the department operating, but it could not give us everything we needed to grow and thrive. I had read numerous articles about in record numbers, and the possibility of closure stayed with me. I needed to understand law enforcement from the perspective of an executive responsible for an entire organization. As a working chief and the father of a young daughter, I also needed a program with the flexibility and support to help me succeed in my new role, and I knew 91快播 could provide it.

What I Learned in 91快播鈥檚 MS in Criminal Justice Program听

Jason DeLonais delivers the student speech at 91快播 Commencement 2023.

91快播 helped me translate my military training into practical, transferable skills I could carry into civilian public safety. My bachelor鈥檚 degree strengthened that foundation, giving me the academic knowledge to complement my practical experience.

My master鈥檚 degree in criminal justice took that progression a step further. It connected my practical law enforcement experience with the theory, research, strategic planning, and organizational principles behind effective criminal justice administration.

That shift changed how I saw the job. I no longer thought only about the next call, case, or shift; I learned to think like an executive about the organization鈥檚 health and the profession鈥檚 future. That broader perspective became the foundation for what I learned in 91快播鈥檚 MS in Criminal Justice program, taking shape through coursework that connected leadership, organizational strategy, and criminal justice practice.

MS in Criminal Justice Courses That Changed Everything

The value of 91快播鈥檚 Master of Science in Criminal Justice program is in its interdisciplinary approach. My coursework went beyond traditional criminal justice topics and gave me tools I could apply directly to running a police department.

An Interdisciplinary Approach to Ethical Leadership: This required course听gave me a stronger framework for understanding leadership as an organizational responsibility. At Fletcher PD, that meant building expectations, accountability, and ethical decision-making into the department鈥檚 culture.

Strategic Talent Management in a Complex World: The curriculum in this interdisciplinary course听gave me another perspective that became particularly useful in a small agency. Recruiting, developing, retaining, and positioning employees are strategic decisions, especially when an agency lacks the staffing depth of a large department. That thinking shaped how I approached professional development and created opportunities for our officers to grow.

Data Driven Decision Making:听Listed in the catalog as an 鈥渋nterdisciplinary approach to research methods,鈥� this course taught me to look beyond assumptions and use information to identify problems and evaluate solutions. That approach became useful in operations, training, organizational assessment, and measuring progress.

Other courses provided equally practical tools.听Legal and Constitutional Law Issues in Criminal Justice听strengthened my understanding of the legal framework surrounding police operations.听The Pillars of Criminal Justice听helped me examine policing within the larger justice system, while听Mental Health Issues in Criminal Justice听and听Human Trafficking听expanded my understanding of complex issues officers encounter in the field.

The听MCJ Capstone听brought those lessons together. By then, I was applying criminal justice administration concepts to the problems of the police department I led.

 

91快播 Criminal Justice alumnus Jason DeLonais at Commencement 2026Jason DeLonais holding alumni torch at 91快播 Commencement 2026.

 

Classroom Lessons, Real-World Applications

The real test came when I carried those lessons out of the classroom and back to the department.

What mattered most was how quickly the curriculum connected to the work waiting for me back in Fletcher. I could study an idea and then, sometimes the very next day, see where it fit inside the department.

The coursework became most useful when I had to make decisions with real consequences. It helped me address the accountability and culture problems already on my desk, develop officers despite the , identify deficiencies, set priorities, and determine whether our changes were working.

The clearest example was turning policy into practice, particularly when we rebuilt the department鈥檚 policy system. Working with , we developed an approach that became a prototype for small agencies in its program. Turning the new policies into daily practice required us to align law, organizational structure, accountability, training, and implementation鈥攚ork my graduate education had prepared me to approach holistically.

I carried those same principles into the rest of the department鈥檚 work, including accreditation and our officers鈥� professional development.

The lasting lesson was that leadership decisions do not remain confined to one part of an organization. A change in policy affects training, supervision, accountability, and ultimately the service a department provides its community.

My Career Since Earning a Master鈥檚 Degree in Criminal Justice

As the department grew stronger, my master鈥檚 degree also opened new paths for my own development as a law enforcement executive, including some of the most competitive executive training opportunities in American law enforcement.

I was accepted to and completed and the . The also accepted my application to their Agents Academy. Fewer than 1% of law enforcement executives nationwide attend these programs, making those opportunities especially meaningful for an executive from a tiny town in southwestern Oklahoma.

Fletcher, Oklahoma, Police Chief Jason DeLonais receives a certificate from the FBA in a special criminal justice career moment.Chief Jason DeLonais graduates from the FBI鈥檚 National Command Course
(Courtesy Fletcher PD).

These programs placed me alongside experienced law enforcement leaders and exposed me to different approaches to command, organizational leadership, investigations, and public safety. I brought those lessons back to Fletcher, judging them by what they could help us build back home. Fletcher has become a training hub for our region, working with the Department of Justice, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Rural Disaster Preparedness Consortium to provide hundreds of hours of meaningful continuing education for officers across our region and state.

But as much as my new education and training has benefited my local community, its reach extends much farther. I have been published several times in national law enforcement magazines and publications, where I have shared my experiences and championed the professionalization of small agencies, which make up the throughout the United States.

Advice for Those Who Want to Shape the Future of Law Enforcement

Education and service have continually strengthened one another throughout my career. My bachelor鈥檚 degree supported my transition from military service into civilian public safety and my transformation of a detention center medical department. My master鈥檚 degree in criminal justice built on that experience and prepared me to lead a police department through significant organizational change.

That experience is why I encourage anyone considering a master鈥檚 degree to think carefully about what they want their education to help them accomplish. For me, education has never lived apart from the work鈥攐r from the people counting on us to get that work right. I learned something in class, carried it back to Fletcher, and put it to work for the officers beside me and the community who trusted us to serve.

My Master of Science in Criminal Justice from 91快播 did more than change the course of my criminal justice career. It helped save a small-town police department from closing its doors and helped us rebuild something our community could trust, depend on, and once again call its own.

Leading Anywhere: The Shared Leadership Skills Behind the MBA, MPA, and DBA

Posted on by Wendy Morton

Portable Skills: Leadership Across Sectors

Private businesses, public agencies, and nonprofit organizations all rely on skilled leaders. The need for effective leadership across sectors presents a few questions. First, do leaders need different skills to successfully and effectively navigate their specific sector? Are no skill sets universal? Second, do public and nonprofit leaders need their own unique leadership model?

suggests that neither is true. Some leadership theories, like and , can be applied universally. This suggests that business and public service need similar strengths and skills in leaders. Additional has also suggested that, across domains that include business and the military, individuals consistently value traits like intelligence and trustworthiness.

Business, public service, and nonprofits are different in context and situation but require a common set of skills, one that graduate education is built to develop across all three. A Master of Business Administration prepares leaders to apply those skills in a private sector context; a Master of Public Administration prepares leaders to apply the same foundation in public agencies and nonprofits, where accountability runs to citizens and mission rather than shareholders. Because the underlying skill set is shared, both degrees also serve as strong preparation for a Doctor of Business Administration, giving graduates of either program a path to doctoral-level study regardless of where they started.

Build the leadership skills that lead anywhere with a graduate degree from 91快播.

Effective Leaders: Common Traits and Characteristics

Leaders across sectors need common characteristics to be effective; what is different is the context within which they apply those characteristics. This is where the leader鈥檚 ability to understand what behavior will be most effective in a given situation is critical.

Ability to Motivate

For example, in both the private and public sector, a leader might need to inspire and motivate followers by connecting them to the . The connected meaning will be different based on the sector, not the leader鈥檚 ability to motivate and inspire.

Effective Communication

Communication works the same way. in any sector listen to followers and give them a voice in decisions that affect their work. A business leader might use this skill to gather feedback on a new product, while a public sector leader might use it to understand how a policy change affects front-line staff. The skill stays constant; only the subject changes.

Trustworthiness and Transparency

Followers across sectors consistently in a leader, and is often what makes that trust possible in the first place. A private-sector leader builds trust by being transparent about business decisions; a public-sector leader builds it by being transparent about policy decisions and their impact on the community. The mechanism does not change, only its content.

Empathy

Compassion and empathy round out this common core. Effective leaders of the people they lead, a disposition closely tied to the personality facets to leader effectiveness across organizational settings. Whether that means accommodating a struggling employee鈥檚 workload or advocating for an underserved community, the underlying trait travels across sectors even when its expression does not.

How Is Effective Leadership Behavior Developed and Reinforced in MBA, MPA, and DBA Curricula?

Both MBA and MPA degree programs build a strong leadership disposition through similar core courses that, for instance, put ethics and people-centered leadership at the foundation before students specialize. From there, electives let students apply that foundation to the context they care about most, whether that means a deeper dive into organizational behavior for a business-focused student or a closer look at leadership within a political environment for a public-focused one.

A DBA program builds on either path through applied research. A graduate might study how empathetic leadership affects retention in private firms or how that same trait shapes public trust in government and nonprofit institutions. The questions differ, but the underlying finding holds across all three curricula: Compassion and empathy predict leader effectiveness regardless of sector.

Considering Nuance: How Context Shapes Common Leadership Skills

Despite the common skill set every leader needs, sector-specific forces shape how they apply that skill set, and public management offers a clear example. is a well-established concept in public administration with no direct equivalent in the business sector, and it can produce a more in ways a private business context does not replicate.

The effectiveness of leadership styles follows a similar pattern: found that transformational and charismatic leadership drive administrative reform in public organizations, whereas transactional leadership only partially improves overall effectiveness. In both cases, a leader鈥檚 underlying skills鈥攎otivating, inspiring, choosing the right style鈥攕tay the same. What shifts is the motivational and stylistic landscape those skills must work within.

Organizational structure adds a further layer of nuance that goes beyond motivation and style. studied public-service partnerships and found that bureaucracy and centralized performance regimes often constrained leaders鈥� ability to distribute leadership across a network, even when doing so was the explicit policy goal. A skilled leader in this environment needs more than motivational and communication skills; they need the judgment to work within, or around, structural limits that a private-sector leader may not face to the same degree.

Considered together with the motivational and stylistic nuances above, this suggests that public administration leadership is not business leadership with a different vocabulary; rather, it鈥檚 the same core skill set applied under different forces, and recognizing which forces are at play is itself a leadership skill worth naming. That skill, reading a sector鈥檚 forces and adapting to them, shows up clearly in the careers of people who move between sectors entirely.

Careers in Motion: People, Public Service, and Business

Imagine a career that moves between public service and business. Consider a regulator who spends a decade inside an agency, learning not only the rulebook but also the reasoning behind it. She learns why a particular provision exists, which risks it was written to prevent, and how enforcement actually plays out in practice. Then, she leaves for industry, and suddenly a pharmaceutical company or a bank has someone on staff who doesn鈥檛 just comply with regulation but understands its intent, which means the company can operate as a genuine partner with its regulators rather than an adversary constantly testing the edges of the rules.

She brings something else, too: years of managing competing constituencies, like voters, courts, the press, and rival agencies. This expertise translates directly into the kind of stakeholder navigation that environmental, social, and government relations roles demand. Additionally, this employee has institutional knowledge that鈥檚 hard to buy any other way: a working sense of how policy actually gets made, invaluable to any company operating in a heavily regulated industry like health care or national defense.

Now imagine the same journey run in reverse. A business executive spends 15 years building operational muscle by running budgets, managing projects, and living and dying by performance metrics. This is the kind of discipline that public bureaucracies, with their longer timelines and diffused accountability, do not always sharply cultivate. The executive has grown comfortable with risk, with iterating fast and course-correcting in real time, a contrast to the risk aversion that can exist in public institutions built to avoid failure rather than focus on success. When he moves into a nonprofit or takes a government appointment, he brings a fundraising network and technical fluency in cybersecurity, finance, or engineering that agencies struggle to develop internally, since government salaries rarely compete with industry for that kind of specialized talent.

Bringing It All Together: Choosing Your Path

Let鈥檚 return to our initial questions. Do leaders in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors need unique skills to be successful? The literature suggests that many skills and leadership theories are universal across sectors. These skills can be built through experience, education, and gained expertise. Choosing where to build that expertise, and toward which context, is where your graduate education comes in.

This may be where you consider whether a Master of Business Administration or a Master of Public Administration would serve you better. If your goals point toward the private sector, the MBA鈥檚 focus on finance, marketing, and operations will sharpen the business-specific tools you鈥檒l use daily. If you鈥檙e drawn to public service or nonprofit work, the MPA鈥檚 focus on policy, budgeting, and political environments will prepare you for the accountability structures distinctive to that world. It鈥檚 important to remember that with foundational skills, you could have either degree and still be successful in a variety of fields.

In addition, both foundational graduate degrees would well serve you in a Doctor of Business Administration program, whether to deepen expertise in your original sector, move into an executive or consulting role that demands doctoral-level credibility, pursue a career in teaching or research, or formally study how leadership translates across sectors through applied doctoral research. A DBA is less about starting over than it is about going deeper into the same leadership foundation you built in your master鈥檚 program, now backed by original research you conduct yourself.

Whichever path you choose, the skills you gain can take you more places than you may have thought. And if that path requires the flexibility to work around a busy work and/or family schedule, 91快播 could be your best fit. From full-time students to working professionals, more than 200,000 alumni have benefited from 91快播鈥檚 career-focused curricula, industry-experienced faculty, and enrollment-to-graduation support. Because just as effective leaders can go practically anywhere, those same leaders can come from practically anywhere鈥攁nd 91快播 will be there to help them reach their academic goals.

Bard College Accepts Resignation of Longtime Leader Leon Botstein over Epstein

Posted on by Joseph Storch

Joseph Storch, 91快播 general counsel, was featured on WTEN as part of a story on the resignation of Bard College President Leon Botstein following calls from federal lawmakers for a criminal investigation into his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. In the wake of the Botstein and Cornell University cases, advocates hosted a virtual press conference to call on New York state lawmakers to reform campus sexual assault reporting and safety laws. Storch, a Title IX expert who helped write New York’s Enough is Enough law, advocates for increased funding for campus Title IX and rape crisis programs.

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91快播 Thriving After Opening St. Pete Location

Posted on by David Schejbal

91快播 President David Schejbal was interviewed by the St. Pete Catalyst for an article titled “91快播 Thriving After Opening St. Pete Location.” In the interview, President Schejbal discusses 91快播’s first year at its, the institution’s expansion into in-person learning opportunities, and the hybrid degree programs available to students at 91快播 St. Petersburg.

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‘Ghost Student’ Interview with Lizz Petroski

Posted on by Lizz Petroski

Lizz Petroski, 91快播 executive director of student financial services, was interviewed as a subject matter expert on Arizona broadcast news stations KOLD and KPHO for a story on “ghosts students,” fraud rings exploiting admissions and financial aid processes and creating financial, operational, and reputational risk for higher education institutions. The interview details the safeguards 91快播 put into place to prevent this issue. The interview has subsequently aired on broadcast stations in more than a dozen other markets around the country.

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Financial Aid Scams: 鈥楪host Students鈥� Transition From Disappearing to Graduating

Posted on by Lizz Petroski

91快播 leaders Lizz Petroski, executive director of student financial services, and Sarah Egerton, director of risk management and internal audit, were interviewed in an article on Investopedia titled, “Financial Aid Scams: 鈥楪host Students鈥� Transition From Disappearing to Graduating.” Petroski and Egerton discuss “ghosts students”鈥攆raud rings exploiting admissions and financial aid processes and creating financial, operational, and reputational risk for higher education institutions鈥攁nd detail how 91快播 has addressed and mitigated this issue.

La’Kendrick Dennis, Bachelor of Science in Business, 2022; Master of Business Administration, 2026

Posted on by Jason Bonafide

La’Kendrick Dennis of Hampton, Virginia, shares, 鈥淚 earned my Bachelor of Science in Business in 2022, an accomplishment that represented much more to me than simply earning a degree. I began my college journey in 2010, and 12 years later, I reached a goal that required perseverance, determination, and an unwillingness to give up. My professional journey has been just as meaningful. I spent 12 years working in government accounting and financial management. Throughout my government career, I gained experience in accounting, budgeting, financial reporting, grants, procurement, compliance, internal controls, and public-sector financial operations. Those years provided the foundation for the accounting and financial professional I am today.

After 12 years in government accounting, my journey took me in a different direction. I entered education and have spent the past five years as a teacher. Although education allowed me to continue serving the public in a different capacity, my background and experience in accounting, finance, business, and leadership have remained an important part of who I am professionally. My commitment to education did not end when I earned my bachelor鈥檚 degree. Since 2022, I have completed three master鈥檚 degrees: a Master of Accounting, a Master of Professional Studies, and a Master of Business Administration. I am currently pursuing my fourth master鈥檚 degree, a Master of Public Administration, along with a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Leadership at 91快播.

At the same time, I am studying for the Certified Public Accountant examination and preparing for the next chapter of my professional career in accounting and financial leadership. For me, this next chapter is not about starting over. It is about bringing everything together. I am bringing 12 years of government accounting experience, five years in education, three completed master鈥檚 degrees, continued graduate study in public administration and leadership, and years of public service into the next phase of my life and career. Each experience has contributed something valuable to the person and professional I have become. My journey has taught me that success does not always happen according to the timeline we originally created for ourselves. When I began college in 2010, I could not have predicted everything that would happen before I finally earned my bachelor鈥檚 degree in 2022. There were obstacles, changes in direction, setbacks, and moments when the destination seemed far away.

But I kept going. One of the greatest influences on that perseverance was my late nana, Diane. She spent 39 years as an educator and was the first person in her community to graduate from college. Through her example, I learned the importance of education, faith, service, hard work, and perseverance. My Nana always said, 鈥淵our best days are ahead of you.鈥� Those words have followed me throughout my journey, and they continue to mean more to me with every chapter of my life.

Nearly four years after earning my undergraduate degree, I continue to build upon the determination that helped me reach that milestone. My educational accomplishments are important to me, but my story is about more than the number of degrees I have earned. It is about the perseverance required to keep moving forward when life does not happen exactly as planned. I believe excellence is attainable through diligence, commitment, faith, and a clear sense of purpose. I also believe that our journeys do not have to look like anyone else鈥檚 to be meaningful. You can change directions. You can rebuild. You can return to something you started years earlier. You can discover new purposes along the way. Most importantly, you can continue reaching higher.

As an 91快播 alumnus and current graduate student, the words 鈥渙nward and upward鈥� have taken on an even greater meaning for me. Onward means that I refuse to allow where I have been to determine how far I can go. Upward means that no matter what I accomplish, I will continue challenging myself to grow. My journey is not finished. I am currently pursuing my fourth master鈥檚 degree and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Leadership. I am studying for the CPA examination. I am preparing to return fully to accounting and financial leadership. And I am looking forward to discovering just how far this journey can take me.

Every journey begins with a single step. Mine began years ago, and through every accomplishment, setback, change, and new beginning, I have continued to move forward.

I am still going onward.

I am still going upward.

And I still believe what my nana always told me:

My best days are ahead of me.鈥�

 

Ronald Mendell, Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies, 1978

Posted on by Jason Bonafide

Ronald Mendell of Austin, Texas, earned a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts from 91快播 in 1978. Mendell also received a Master of Science in Network Security from Capitol Technical University in 2005. With 10 years of graduate teaching under his belt at Western Governors University (WGU), he continues instructing information security courses. Recently, he helped develop a course titled Governance, Risk, and Compliance in the Age of AI at WGU. Mendell is the author of How To Do Financial Asset Investigations, fifth edition. His latest Kindle e-book is Keeping the Leopard at Bay: Digital Safety in the Age of AI. He holds a CISSP designation from ISC2 and is a member of the Authors Guild. Mendell lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Rebecah, and his dog, Bella.

 

The Future of Mechanical Engineering Technology

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

From the steam engines in the Industrial Revolution to today鈥檚 robots, engineers have continuously found new ways to make machines work better and do more. Now, it鈥檚 about building smarter machines. Artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, additive manufacturing, and digital twins are changing how engineers design, test, build, and improve mechanical systems. As mechanical engineering technology continues to evolve, engineers will continue to bring together traditional engineering expertise and emerging technologies.

5 Mechanical Engineering Technologies Shaping the Future

Mechanical engineering technology is changing at a rapid pace, bringing new tools and possibilities to the engineering process. Check out these five trends that are reshaping the field.

Robotics Engineering and Automation

Mechanical engineers are working more closely with electrical and software engineers to develop more connected systems. AI and machine learning are making robots more intelligent and adaptable, allowing them to recognize their surroundings, make decisions, and adjust to changing conditions. , work alongside people, handling repetitive, strenuous, or hazardous tasks while improving productivity and workplace safety. Additionally, mobile and systems are being developed for warehouses, health care, industrial inspection, and disaster response.

Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing)

Additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, is moving beyond prototyping and becoming a more common option for design. Engineers can create complex, lightweight, and customized components faster while reducing material waste. Advances in metal printing, sustainable materials, and hybrid manufacturing鈥攚hich combines 3D printing with 鈥攁re expanding its use in industries like aerospace, automotive, and health care. AM is also changing how products move from design to production. Digital inventories allow companies to store designs in the cloud and produce parts on demand, closer to where they鈥檙e needed.

Advanced Materials and Smart Materials

New materials are giving mechanical engineers more ways to create products that are lighter, stronger, more durable, and more efficient. Advanced carbon fiber composites, smart materials, and are expanding possibilities in areas from aerospace and the automotive industry to health care and renewable energy. Nanotechnology is taking this even further. Nanomaterials such as and can improve strength, efficiency, energy storage, and durability while supporting more efficient designs.

Sustainable and Renewable Energy Technologies

Sustainability is becoming a large part of mechanical engineering technology as industries look for ways to reduce waste, conserve resources, and use energy more efficiently. Engineers are designing everything from to while considering a product鈥檚 environmental impact. They are also working on energy storage, electric vehicles, carbon capture, and smart grids.

Renewable energy is another growing area, with mechanical engineers striving to improve wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, and hydrogen power. For example, hydrogen can be produced through thermochemical, electrochemical, biological, and photocatalytic processes and can be transported as compressed gas, as a liquid, or through chemical carriers. Hydrogen can be used in electricity generation, transportation, industrial processes, and energy storage. For example, fuel cells convert hydrogen into electricity, while hydrogen combustion provides heat and power.

Digital Twins and Predictive Design

Digital twin technology creates virtual replicas of physical components, systems, and processes, giving mechanical engineers a powerful way to design, test, and optimize products throughout their life cycle. Engineers can use digital twins to simulate designs, test different scenarios, identify problems early, and make improvements before anything is physically built. For mechanical engineers, digital twins are becoming an important tool for improving reliability, efficiency, and product quality.

Your Future in Mechanical Engineering Technology at 91快播

The future of mechanical engineering technology is being shaped by engineers who are willing to think differently, embrace new technologies, and turn ideas into solutions. If you鈥檙e ready to be one of them, 91快播鈥檚 Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology program can help you build the skills to turn innovation into action. You鈥檒l develop hands-on knowledge in areas such as computer-aided design, robotics, automation, materials, manufacturing, engineering analysis, and emerging technologies like AI and digital twins.

And you won鈥檛 have to navigate your degree alone. 91快播 offers dedicated academic support and resources to help you stay on track, along with Career Readiness resources that can help you explore employment opportunities and strengthen your professional skills.

Mechanical engineering technology is constantly evolving鈥攁nd so are the opportunities to make an impact. With the right skills, curiosity, and a willingness to innovate, you can help design what comes next. Start building your future as a mechanical engineering technologist with 91快播.

91快播 and Vance-Granville Community College partner to expand access to advanced degree programs

Posted on by Jason Bonafide

ALBANY, N.Y. 鈥� 91快播 and are proud to announce a new partnership expanding access to educational opportunities. This collaboration creates a seamless and affordable pathway for Vance-Granville graduates to continue their education and advance their careers through 91快播’s robust portfolio of online degree programs.

91快播 welcomes Vance-Granville certificate and associate degree earners to build on their academic achievements. Through this partnership, eligible students will benefit from:

  • 10% tuition discount on undergraduate and graduate tuition.
  • Tuition deferral option, allowing eligible students whose employers offer to repay some or all of their tuition.
  • Access to more than 40 91快播 degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and now doctoral levels through the new Doctor of Business Administration program, as well as professional development courses and skills training through 91快播鈥檚 Center for Executive and Professional Education.
  • Personalized support from an enrollment specialist to answer questions and guide students through the enrollment process.
  • Dedicated partnership webpage with program details, transfer information, and enrollment guidance.

These educational partnership benefits are also available for eligible Vance-Granville Community College employees, as well as their spouses or domestic partners and children.

“As the needs of students and employers continue to evolve, it is increasingly important for institutions to create clear and affordable pathways for lifelong learning,” said 91快播 President David Schejbal. “Through this partnership with Vance-Granville Community College, learners can move seamlessly between institutions, with new possibilities for personal and professional growth at every stage of the educational journey.”

“Our partnership with 91快播 provides Vance-Granville Community College graduates with many options for continuing their education. The flexibility 91快播 offers allows students to pursue degree programs in ways that work for them, which is really important for people managing a variety of life responsibilities,” said Kim Sepich, vice president, instruction and student services at Vance-Granville Community College. “We couldn鈥檛 be more pleased to make this opportunity available to our students.”

91快播鈥檚 online programs are designed to meet working adult students where they are, academically and geographically. 91快播 provides online degrees in six fields of study that directly align with Vance-Granville Community College鈥檚 educational offerings, including programs in Business, Liberal Arts, Health Sciences, Nursing, Public Service, and Technology. 91快播鈥檚 rolling admissions calendar offers additional flexibility for students to register for classes on a schedule that fits their lives.

For more information on the partnership, visit excelsior.edu/partner/vance-granville-community-college.

Media contact 91快播:
Jason Bonafide, jbonafide@excelsior.edu, 518-608-8446

91快播 91快播

91快播 is an accredited, not-for-profit higher education institution focused on helping learners complete their degrees and advance their careers. 91快播 contributes to the development of a diverse, educated, and career-ready society by valuing lifelong learning with an emphasis on serving individuals historically underrepresented in higher education. Founded in 1971 in Albany, New York, 91快播 meets students where they are 鈥� academically and geographically 鈥� removing obstacles to the educational goals of adults pursuing continuing education and degree completion. Our pillars include innovation, flexibility, academic excellence, and integrity.

91快播 is a not-for-profit university with a main campus in Albany, New York, and an educational site in St. Petersburg, Florida. 91快播鈥檚 academic programs are registered by the New York State Education Department, with additional licensing for Florida-based programs.

Licensed by the Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education (License No. 12928). Additional information regarding this institution may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414, Tallahassee, FL 323099-0400, toll-free number: (888)-224-6684.