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Carol Platt was caught in the middle of the economic downturn with no backup plan. Searching for a stable job in an unstable economy proved to be difficult without a college degree. Her work history and past successes were overlooked. It had always been a dream of hers to complete her degree; after a failed first attempt, she was unsure of her ability to follow through. She began researching online education options and felt that Kaplan University stood out; she decided to complete her college degree online. Carol enrolled in Kaplan University’s School of Business and Management and earned her bachelor’s degree online, focusing on business with an emphasis in human resources. The adult continuing education program at Kaplan University is designed for working professionals who seek to further their career or, like Carol, want to earn their university degree online.* Students can complete assignments on a schedule that fits their lives. It’s this type of flexibility that helps prepare Kaplan University online students for success. Even if you already have an established career, it’s never too late to consider online business school to further your knowledge and update your skills. Increase your marketability with one of Kaplan University’s online bachelor degree programs without taking time off of work to attend class. * Kaplan University's programs are designed to prepare graduates to pursue employment in their field of study, or in related fields. However, the University does not guarantee that graduates will be placed in any particular job, eligible for job advancement opportunities, or employed at all. Additional training or certification may be required. “I grew up in Graham, North Carolina. My parents both worked for the textile mills, both had fourth grade educations and my mom always wanted me to get an education. When I graduated from high school it was my dream to go to college. I failed the first class of my life which was my chemistry class. I was just overwhelmed so I left after about a year and half, got a job and kept trying to go back to school. For me it was personally devastating. It really bothered me. I felt like I was failing. I had one shot and I blew it. When Jenna left for boarding school I couldn’t even open the door and go in the room and I was almost 52. All of that coincided with the downturn of the market. I had almost $6 million dollars in contracts waiting to close and they all fell through—every single one of them. I thought, ‘now what? I don’t have a degree, there are no jobs.’ It doesn’t matter what I had done or how much success I had, the requirements are to have a degree. Not only that, I had to walk back in the door competing with people half my age and many of them had MBAs. It was just a matter of figuring out how to do it—so that’s when I started to check into what were the institutions, what was the cost, how were they respected. Kaplan [University] had a degree in business with a specialty in human resources. As I started narrowing the options down, it made it into about the final three. I took those three finalists to my traditional education friends and I said, ‘I want to know what the most respected online degree would be if someone was coming into your office looking for a job.’ The IT Dean, the Computer Science Dean, felt like Kaplan [University] had the best online delivery program that was out there. The Academic Dean’s advice was that this is a respected degree that you’re not going to have people questioning whether you were competent when you came out. Everything that you take there will be accepted if you go on to a master’s [program] anywhere so that was a very good recommendation. When I sat down at graduation, 31 years later, and I’m looking up at the podium and it says, ‘Kaplan University: a Different School of Thought’ that was probably more me because I do think a little differently. I’m willing to work on things that innovate and I think that’s more of an opportunity for me and many students like me.~N

Bayer Healthcare, the makers of Coppertone®, kicked off an exciting multi-year deal with U.S. Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League to encourage the use of sun protection on and off the field and help soccer fans across the country enjoy every minute of the game. Christen Press, star forward for the U.S. Women’s National Team, will be joined by fellow soccer stars Graham Zusi, Kelley O’Hara, and Matt Besler as brand ambassadors for Coppertone. “I’m so excited to be a Coppertone brand ambassador because as an athlete, taking care of my body is a huge part of my job and sunscreen is a vital part of that,” said Press. “Whether I’m running up and down the field or running errands, I make it a point to ensure that my skin is protected. Everyone, especially athletes and fans everywhere, need to make sunscreen and sun protection a priority.” To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7325851-bayer-coppertone-women-s-soccer-sun/

ThrillerFest, CraftFest and Pitchfest are designed to give writers an opportunity to learn from and network with some of the best in the genre! John Lescroart will be our 2016 Silver Bullet Award recipient. He will join 2016 ThrillerMaster Heather Graham and our Spotlight guests—C.J. Box, Gillian Flynn, and Walter Mosley—at the conference July 5-9. Find out more at http://thrillerfest.com/ Thriller