T H E S T U D E N T A N D A L U M N I J O U R N A L O F S T R A Y E R U N I V E R S I T Y

VOLUME 11, NUMBER 1 Winter 2008

Regina Leigh (MBA ’05)

Businessby Design

Strayer UniversityAppoints New President

Wachovia Brings NewFlexibility to theWorkplace

Entrepreneurship Issue

One of the most common mistakes new businesses makeis trying to be all things to all people. If you’ve ever beenconfused by a sign proclaiming “Chinese Food and ToyStore” or a magazine designed for “men and womenbetween the ages of 18 and 81,” you know that an overlybroad target market is a setup for disaster.

It’s only natural for aninexperienced entrepre-

neur to want to do business with as manytypes of customers as possible. In practice,though, a company with a narrowly definedtarget market will be far better at buildingnew and repeat business.

The key to defining your market andunderstanding your customer is research,research and more research. Investigate yourcompetitors’ products, marketing strategiesand business processes—within the boundariesof good business ethics, of course. Even if yourproduct or service is entirely new, yourprospective customer already exists and isbuying something from someone. Find outwhat, how and from whom.

Bookstores, libraries and the Internet offera wealth of resources for researching existingbusinesses and industries. Many state, countyand municipal economic development officesoffer free demographic and market researchthat can help you determine the growthindustries in your area.

Once you know who your prospectivecustomer is, it’s time to start thinking aboutwho you need your customer to be. In orderto be successful as a business, do your clientsneed to be people who buy affordable productsoften or expensive products occasionally?Should they be individuals who buy across anentire product line or ones who will be inter-ested in periodically upgrading? Identify asmany realistic “needed” traits as possible soyou can organize your business to keep thosecustomers coming back.

The Strayer University student body isheavily populated by current and future entre-preneurs, which is why our undergraduate andgraduate business courses cover every aspectof launching and running a successful company.Learning to conduct that initial market andcustomer research is key to the health of yourbusiness—and to your sanity. Once you haveopened your doors for business, the customerwill always be right. So first make sure thatyour customer is right for you. o

Due DiligenceBy Dr. Suk J. Lee, Regional Academic Dean

Strayer University

Dr. Suk J. Lee is the regionalacademic dean for Strayer

University’s Global Region. Aformer entrepreneur and

certified public accountant,Dr. Lee ran an accountingand consulting firm for 10

years. He holds a bachelor’sdegree in accounting from the

University of Baltimore, amaster of business adminis-tration degree from Loyola

College and a doctoral degreein organization and manage-

ment from Capella University.

P E R S P E C T I V E

Photo: Lawrence Jackson/Jackson Images

1Scholar WINTER 2008

2 6 16

FEATURES | 2 Leap of Faith.Alumni make the transitionfrom employee to business owner. 3 Get In the Know.Resources for small-business owners. 4Winging It.A StrayerUniversity student shares her recipe for success. 6Accountingfor Small Business.An alumna makes the numbers work forher new company. 7Man on aMission.A frequent-flyingentrepreneur finds his balance. 12 Next Generation.Wachovia launches a new era of workplace flexibility.

UNIVERSITY NEWS14 Strayer University Appoints

New President16 Innovative Campus Structures Meet

Students’ Needs16 New Campuses Opened in

North Carolina

ScholarPublisher

Sonya G.Udler

Publications DirectorHannah M.Durocher

Contributors

Angela AlbertiniConstance Arter

Jha-gnessa AudenaShaune GokeyDana HaydockJames HettingerDr. Suk J. LeeMichelleWest

Leslie QuanderWooldridge

Scholar magazine connects the StrayerUniversity community, reaching more than60,000 students, alumni, faculty and staff.The quarterly magazine provides studentsand alumni information on University news,programs, activities and feature articleswith a focus on academic and career issues.

Most articles and illustrative materials arerequested by the editor, but unsolicitedsubmissions and photographs are wel-comed. Strayer University reserves the rightto edit all materials submitted to the editor.

If you no longer wish to receive Scholar, orif youwould like to be added to themailinglist, please e-mail scholar@strayer.edu.

Scholar is designed by Groff Creative, Inc.Copyright © 2008 Strayer University

Scholar is now printed on forest-friendly paper, resulting in31.16 trees preserved for the future

89.98 lbs of waterborne waste not created13,236 gallons of wastewater flow saved1,465 lbs of solid waste not generated

2,884 lbs of net greenhouse gases prevented22 million BTUs of energy not consumed

1

contents

8ONTHE COVER | When Regina Leigh (MBA ’05)

relocated to rural Virginia and couldn’t find high-level

work in her field, she set her sights on a business of her

own. Leigh teamed up with the Norwalk Furniture Corp.

to open a 5,000-square-foot furniture showroom that caters

to her area’s affluent clientele. Now the Strayer University

alumna has designs on an even greater achievement—

profitability in her second year in business. Photographed

by John T. Consoli

2 Strayer University Illustration components: Imagezoo/Imagescom

By Michelle West, Writer

Many people dream about leaving their jobsto become their own bosses, but businessownership is not for everyone. As someentrepreneurial Strayer University studentscan attest, business ownership is only forthose willing to sacrifice—and risk—nearlyeverything.

When Thomas Melton (BSCN ’01, MBAcandidate) left his job as an information tech-nology consultant to start his own businesshe knew he was taking a chance. With fouryoung children at home the stability of asteady paycheck definitely had its advantages,but Melton yearned for something more.

Tired of feeling like just a number at thelarge corporation where he worked, Meltonand his colleague-turned-business-partnerdeveloped a plan to launch a company oftheir own.

“We had the mentality that we weregoing to succeed no matter what it took,”Melton says.

Confidence and determination are com-mon attributes among entrepreneurs, but ittakes more than a positive attitude and

strong work ethic to succeed. According tothe U.S. Small Business Administration, one-third of new businesses fail within the firsttwo years of operation, and more than halfdo not make it to their fifth year.

A solid business plan significantly boostsa venture’s chances for success. Melton andhis partner spent four months developingtheirs, and in October 2006, COMSECTechnology LLC was born. The companyhelps small- and medium-sized businessesutilize mobile technology to streamline theiroperations. Melton continued his full-timejob for seven months, nurturing his newcompany by developing his client base andimplementing the business plan he and hispartner had so painstakingly prepared. Itwasn’t easy. While making the transition,Melton also returned to Strayer Universityfor a master’s degree.

Entrepreneurship authorities agree thatbeing able to balance many responsibilitiesis critical for small business owners. “Youhave to be able to multitask” and plan ade-quately for your business’ future, says Ned

Leapf Faith

3Scholar WINTER 2008Photo: John Foxx

Meyer, a spokesman for SCORE, Counselors to America’sSmall Business. “One of the biggest difficulties smallbusinesses face in their early years is cash flow. A lot ofpeople don’t account for the amount of money it is goingto take to operate. It all points back to planning. Financingshould be addressed as part of the business plan.”

Strayer University MBA student Deborah Williamsagrees. In business for three years now, the co-owner of 4Success Realty LLC says maintaining a positive cash flowis a day-to-day challenge.

“The biggest mistake a lot of people make is thinkingthey can just walk out of their full-time job and beginimmediately making a profit as a business owner,” saysWilliams, who started planning her business a full yearbefore quitting her job in banking. “Most of the time, youare just breaking even. You have to do your research andproperly plan financially.”

But even the best-laid plans won’t succeed if thebusiness is not a good fit for the business owner. “Youneed to be a good planner and be well-organized, but itis also important to have an outgoing personality,” advisesSCORE’s Meyer. “You have to be able to inspire confi-dence and sell what you are doing in a sincere manner.”

Meyer points out that this is not the profession forprocrastinators. “You have to be an able decision-maker,”he says, “and understand that you will work longer hoursfor less money than you did at your full-time job.”

Despite the challenges involved in owning a business,Melton has no regrets. He says, “It’s a great feeling toshow up for work every day knowing that I am in chargeof my own destiny.” o

“The biggest mistakepeople make is thinkingthey can begin immedi-ately making a profit asa business owner.”

Get In theKnowPlanning a start-up can be overwhelming. Thereare a million decisions to make. Should you forma sole proprietorship or take on a partner? Arethere advantages to a C-corporation over a limitedliability corporation? What kind of insurance willyou need? What are your financing options?

Fortunately, advice is easy to come by, andmuch of it is free. The Internet is a great launch-ing pad to begin your research. Some of the mostcomprehensive Web sites include those of theU.S. Small Business Administration (SBA),www.sba.gov, and SCORE, Counselors toAmerica’s Small Business, www.score.org.

SCORE is a national nonprofit association thatworks in partnership with the SBA and utilizesworking and retired business executives andowners as volunteer business counselors.

When Strayer University student ChakulaWoods (BBA candidate) decided to open a para-legal services business, she gathered basic infor-mation from the Internet, and then followed upwith visits to her local SBA and SCORE offices.

“They reinforced what I had already discov-ered on the Internet and helped guide methrough the process,” says Woods. Both theSBA and SCORE also directed Woods to otherresources in her community, including a localbusiness association that provided her withindustry-specific guidance. o

—Michelle West, Writer

4 Strayer University

Winging ItBy James Hettinger, Writer

n the third grade, Beverles “BJ” Jenkins-Edwards(BSAC ’05, MSAC and MBA candidate) drew apicture of an “Anything Machine.” It had lots of

hands coming out of it, she recalls, and it could do, well,anything. It won first prize in an art contest and nettedJenkins-Edwards the tidy sum of $25.

Today, Jenkins-Edwards has combined the inventivespirit of the Anything Machine with her love of cookingto create a barbecue and catering business. Hot Wings onthe Run caters parties and events, and features a line ofgourmet barbecue and hot sauces. The products are soldonline at www.hotwingsontherun.com and in selectstores, including Dean & DeLuca, Whole Foods and BestCellars. She also markets her products at cooking expos,craft shows and other food-related events.

The barbecue business has brought the Manassas, Va.,resident local fame. ABC 7 television in Washington, D.C.,featured her in June on a “Working Women” segment.And Jenkins-Edwards has been invited to participate infood shows featuring Food Network celebrity chefs. Shehas met Guy Fieri of “Guy’s Big Bite” fame and otherwell-known television chefs. Paula Dean, star of “Paula’sHome Cooking,” recently stopped by Jenkins-Edwards’booth at a Morristown, N.J., event and declared her“love” for the Hot Wings sauces.

Despite its success, the seven-year-old business remainsa sideline for Jenkins-Edwards, who holds a full-time jobas an accounting controller and senior financial analystfor a government contractor. She has also continued as aStrayer University student, completing enough credits fora master’s degree in accounting in September and subse-

quently entering the master of business administrationprogram. She is currently awaiting the results of hercertified public accountant exam.

The native Washingtonian decided to market hersauces after years of hearing friends rave about them. “Iwould serve them at dinner parties and everybody keptsaying, ‘You really ought to be selling these,’” she recalls.

She experienced typical new-entrepreneur jittersbefore her first cooking expo at the Sugarloaf CraftFestival in Timonium, Md., in October 2000. “I’m makingthis sauce and thinking, ‘Suppose nobody buys it?’”Jenkins-Edwards recalls.

Her fears were unjustified—all the sauces she broughtwith her quickly sold out. “That really kick-started myconfidence,” she says.

Ingredients for LifeIn addition to her responsibilities for work, school andthe business, Jenkins-Edwards and her husband, Kenneth,are raising their family of six children. It’s a balancing act,but the Strayer University student says the recipe for suc-cess in business is simple:

“Start with faith,” she says. “Add belief in yourself.Dilute with a sense of humor. Mix in a good productand finish it off with great customer service.”

Jenkins-Edwards’ gourmet sauces are produced at alicensed commercial kitchen. She uses fresh ingredientsfrom farmers’ markets and imported peppers for, shesays, greater health benefits.

“I want the product to be tasty, but I want it to behealthy, too,” she notes.

I

5Scholar WINTER 2008Illustration components: Imagezoo/Imagescom

Premium ingredients come at a premiumprice, of course. A 16-ounce jar of barbecueor buffalo wing sauce sells for $10 plus ship-ping and handling on the Hot Wings on theRun Web site. Some customers at local craftshows initially balked at the price, but thebusiness owner defends her decision to stickwith quality ingredients.

“If I cheapen my product, then it won’thave the same taste,” she points out. “You’vegot to be sure that the product you’re sellingis something you can be proud of.” Jenkins-Edwards is so confident about her sauces thatshe offers customers a money-back guarantee that theywill finish a sauce before the expiration date arrives. Sofar, no one has ever taken her up on the offer.

Word of mouth from satisfied customers is a keycomponent of Hot Wings’ marketing strategy. Thecompany also benefits from online sales and in-personsales at cooking events.

Growing a successful business is an uphill battle, andJenkins-Edwards advises would-be entrepreneurs to havefaith in themselves, even when no one else does.

“When you start a business, let’s face it, you’re goingto do a whole lot of things wrong,” she notes. “I think atevery show I forget to bring something. But if you can staypositive and find creative solutions to the challenges thatarise, you will be three steps ahead of everyone else.” o

Beverles Jenkins-Edwards with

chef Aaron Song, a contestant

from Fox network’s “Hell’s Kitchen,”

at the Atlantic City Food and

Beverage Show in New Jersey

“You’ve got to be surethat the product you’reselling is something youcan be proud of.”

6 Strayer University Photo: Ray Black III

She remembers working odd jobs shucking clams,washing dishes and busing tables while studyingfor a bachelor’s degree. Her hard work paid offwith a job at Global Knowledge in Cary, N.C.,where she first worked in accounts receivableand was ultimately promoted to staff accountant.

Despite her rigorous schedule, Obange neverlost sight of her belief in giving back to her com-munity. Through her volunteer work with thenonprofit organization Lengo—a Swahili wordmeaning “purpose”—she has worked to supportothers in the Kenyan immigrant community. Inpursuit of her own life purpose, she also resolvedto return to school for a master’s degree.

“I already had my bachelor’s degree inaccounting and I wanted to start my ownaccounting firm, so I needed to learn about themanagement aspects of business,” says Obange,winner of Strayer University’s 2007 OutstandingGraduate Student Award.

Last year, Obange achieved her dream of owning herown business when she founded Jackson and AssociatesTax and Accounting Services in Raleigh, N.C., with a fel-low Strayer University graduate. Obange says the first bigchallenge when starting a new company is finding initialcapital to purchase essential equipment and furniture,and to pay for up-front business expenses such as rentand utilities.

“It is extremely hard to find lenders who are willingto give loans for a business before it starts generatingincome,” she notes. “But it is possible if you can providecollateral to borrow against, such as a certificate ofdeposit.”

Once they had found funding and set up their offices,Jackson and Associates faced the challenge of getting theword out to potential clients. “Of course more capital isneeded to advertise,” Obange notes. “But you can alsomake your own flyers, pass out your business cards andlook for innovative ways to spread your brand. The key isto handle rejection without taking it personally and neverlose sight of your goals.” o

Accountingfor Small Business

Betha Obange (MBA ’07) moved to the U.S. in 1991 withdreams of one day owning her own small business.

7Scholar WINTER 2008

Noah Leask (BSCN ’04, MSIS candi-date) manages a remarkable schedule.The Strayer University student runs asmall business, travels weekly fromhis Charleston, S.C., home to theWashington, D.C., area, raises threedaughters with his wife, Lisa, and vol-unteers as a soccer coach on weekends.

Leask is used to keeping busy and traveling often. He joinedthe U.S. Navy as a young man and pursued his educationthroughout numerous deployments. He transferred fromschool to school as his military assignments changed andtook night classes for more than eight years.

When his decade-long career as a Navy cryptologist endedin 2002, Leask enrolled at Strayer University. He graduatedin 2004 and became a business owner shortly thereafter,starting Ishpi Information Technologies Inc. in 2006.

As a government contracting company, Ishpi benefitsfrom Leask’s status as an American Indian from the SaultSte. Marie (pronounced soo-saint-marie) tribe of ChippewaIndians and as a wartime service–disabled veteran. Because acertain number of federal contracts are awarded each year tominority- and veteran-owned businesses, both designationshelp Ishpi achieve visibility and profitability.

Leask embodies the name of his business, which means“to move forward” in the Anishinaabe, or Chippewa, language.And, with his company providing system engineering andtechnical assistance to clients including the U.S. Navy andthe intelligence community, Leask helps fulfill their missionswhile working on his own.

The Strayer University student recently won the 2007South Carolina Athletics Program Branch Parent of the YearAward from the South Carolina Recreation and ParksAssociation for his work as a Special Olympics soccer coach.Leask, whose middle daughter has autism, says he has beenblessed through volunteering with his children and theirteammates.

“You have got to find some balance in life,” he says, not-ing that he meets his clients’ goals but also tries to limit hisworkweek to four days in order to spend more time athome. “It was a family decision to have me travel so often.My company is not about me, it’s about the future I cancreate for my children.” o

—Leslie Quander Wooldridge, Writer

Manon a

Mission

Photo: Paula Illingworth

8 Strayer University Photo: John T. Consoli

Scholar WINTER 2008 9

mong business owners, there arethe people who have inherited acompany or bought an existing

business, and others who have parlayedtheir professional experiences or personalhobbies into entrepreneurial endeavors.And then there are those who, like ReginaLeigh (MBA ’05), specifically set out toown a business, with the details beingworked out later.

Leigh appears so comfortable in her 5,000-square-footshowroom filled with sumptuous, customizable furniturethat it is difficult to imagine she was not born into thebusiness. But the former semi-professional dancer hadonly dabbled in interior design before she bought intothe Norwalk Furniture franchise in 2006.

She spent the bulk of her professional years in anotherindustry altogether—securities. After working in theaccounting field and rising to a senior management posi-tion in the financial arena, the New York native relocatedto Williamsburg, Va., in 1994.

Building MaterialsPicturesque and rural Williamsburg was not, as Leighnotes, a financial hub; indeed, it was almost impossible tofind a high-level position in her field. After many yearsof telecommuting, underemployment and a year ofunemployment, Leigh decided the only way she wasgoing to get back into an executive position withoutleaving Williamsburg was to create her own business.

But there was one catch—Leigh’s educational creden-tials were lacking. Having graduated from a performingarts high school and earned an undergraduate degree indance from the State University of New York atBrockport, she felt her paper credentials would notinspire confidence in lending institutions.

Leigh knew she needed a business degree if she wasever going to get a company off the ground. She searchedfor a university that could accommodate her busy lifestyleand eventually enrolled in Strayer University’s master ofbusiness administration program.

Graduating in 2005 gave her “an incredible sense ofaccomplishment,” Leigh recalls. “I had a really great expe-rience at Strayer and felt like I was finally on my way towhere I wanted to go in life.”

After graduation, the real work began. Now that Leighhad the knowledge and credentials to impress lenders,she needed to choose what type of business to start.

Businessby D E S I G N

ByHannahM. Durocher,

Publications

Director

10 Strayer University Photo: John T. Consoli

“I was interested in purchasing a franchise because Iwanted lending institutions to know that I had a successfulbusiness model to follow,” notes Leigh, whose years inbanking and finance had given her a realistic understand-ing of the complexities involved in gaining a business loan.

Through extensive local market and demographic

research, the Strayer University alumna identified sixpossible franchises that she believed would be successfulin Williamsburg. Armed and confident in her data, shewas surprised to learn how difficult it was to gain theinterest of franchising organizations.

“Corporate headquarters often have hard-and-fastformulas for opening a new location based on researchthat differs from your own,” she explains. “It can be quitefrustrating.”

Other organizations were interested in Leigh’s locationbut not in verifying her personal qualifications, whichshe felt boded poorly for the chains’ long-term success.

Her experiences with the Norwalk Furniture Corp.were refreshingly different. “They were incredibly consci-entious about making sure I would be a good fit for thebusiness,” she says, adding, “I was very proud to be ableto say that I had an MBA.”

A Space of Her OwnLeigh ultimately chose Norwalk inlarge part because of its supportiveenvironment, which she believedwould help her meet her businessgoals. “The success of a franchisedepends largely on the overall qualityand consistency of the products andservices from one location to the next,”Leigh notes. “So the outlook of thecompany and the other business own-ers was extremely important to me.”

While some franchise operationsoffer little more than an opportunityto license their brand, Norwalk offereda proven business model and logisticalsupport in many aspects of operations.The Williamsburg location takesadvantage of the company’s customiz-able advertising and collateral materialsand gets support from corporate head-quarters in the areas of product selec-

tion, hiring and training.Norwalk offers guidance, not strict guidelines, so that

the business owner maintains control. This is an importantdistinction. “After all, you don’t start a business becauseyou want someone else telling you what to do,” Leighpoints out.

However, she warns prospective business owners to beprepared to get down in the trenches when needed.“Whether it’s washing windows or filing papers, every-thing you expect your staff to do, you have to be willingto do yourself,” she says. “Your employees will take theircues from you.”

If Leigh’s staff members are taking their cues fromtheir leader, the business will certainly be a success. Herdetermination and drive have already helped build thestore’s name recognition in Williamsburg, and she hasmany plans for the future. She is working to capitalizeon the area’s residential growth by furnishing modelhomes, and this year plans to expand her marketingportfolio to include television placements.

“What’s important in business, as in life, is always mov-ing forward with a plan,” Leigh says. “If you don’t set goals,how will you know when you’ve achieved success?” o

“The success of a franchise depends largely on theoverall quality and consistency of the productsand services from one location to the next.”

11Scholar WINTER 2008Dress Shop Photo: Siri Stafford; Fortune Cookie Photo: Photodisc; Men with Tree Photo:Michael Blann

The Changing Face ofEntrepreneurshipWomen- and minority-owned businesses aretaking off. According to the U.S. Census Bureau,African-Americans are starting businesses atmore than four times the national average rate.Hispanic-owned and female-owned ventures arealso launching well above the national numbers.

The start-up rates are promising, but survivalrates are another story. Minority- and women-owned businesses fail at a slightly higher ratethan other businesses, according to the U.S. SmallBusiness Office for Advocacy and The NationalCenter for Women and Information Technology.The Northwest Women’s Business Center reportsthat women-owned businesses typically failbecause of a lack of business planning. GreaterDiversity.com, an online, diversity-oriented businessresource, names inadequate marketing as the numberone reason black-owned enterprises do not survive.

Fortunately, there are many organizations and indi-viduals working to reverse these trends. From minoritychambers of commerce to networking groups that targetwomen, there are countless resources available to meetthe specific needs of minority and women entrepreneurs.

Making a Difference, OneCompany at a TimeApply a brand-new buzzword to awell-worn concept and suddenlywhat’s old is new again. Socialentrepreneurship is the latestexample. The concept of findingan entrepreneurial solution to asocial problem has become a hottopic in business and nonprofit cir-cles, but the idea is far from new.Susan B. Anthony, FlorenceNightingale and John Muir couldall be classified as social entrepre-neurs. As individuals, businesses and communities con-sider issues of sustainability, the concept of social entre-preneurship is gaining traction. Increasing awareness ofthe divide between the haves and have-nots has led tosome unlikely heroes. Prospective business owners whowant to change the world may consider ways to make adifference while making a living.

No Free LunchThere is a common miscon-

ception among buddingentrepreneurs that thefederal government offersgrant money to fund

business start-ups, according to SCORE, America’sCounselors for Small Business. Sadly, this is not the case.Although some grant money may be available throughprivate organizations, these options are very limited, andrequirements are often so specific to an industry or projectthat very few businesses qualify, SCORE says. While anInternet search yields hundreds of sites selling guides forfinding “free money” for small businesses, savvy entrepre-neurs should proceed with the knowledge that they willneed to pursue traditional forms of financing.

12 Strayer University

s one of the most dynamic employers-of-choice in the job market today, Wachovia

Corp. constantly seeks new ways toattract and maintain top talent. Like many companies,the Charlotte, N.C.-based bank faces the double workforce challenges presented by the aging baby boomersand the under-35 millennial generation. At Wachovia,approximately 30% of the work force will be eligible forretirement within four years. At the other end of thespectrum, almost 60% of the company’s new hires in2007 were under the age of 34.

For the fourth-largest bank in North America, this posestwo problems: how to retain talent among retirement-eligible employees who no longer want to work 40-plushours per week and manage huge portfolios, whileattracting the millennial generation and creating anenvironment that meets the needs of these younger andless experienced workers.

“The commonality here is the need for a more flexi-ble workplace to attract and retain talent,” says ShannonMcFayden, head of human resources and corporate rela-tions for Wachovia.

To appeal to the needs of today’s professionals,Wachovia has gone several steps beyond other companies

that offer part-time assignments and flexible schedules.Indeed, the company is redefining the workplace itselfthrough the use of technology and the implementation ofnew policies and programs.

MoreWays toWorkWachovia has long offered employees flexible workoptions, such as reduced work schedules, compressedfour-day workweeks, telecommuting and job sharing.Lately, the company also has been enhancing policies andcreating new programs to make flexibility more accessi-ble to employees.

“We’re creating strategies around retention, usingpart-time contract projects in different types of jobs,”McFayden notes.

A new program called NextPlace, launched this year,helps employees ease into retirement or transition backto the company if desired. Through NextPlace, employ-ees can return to work for the company through contractassignments on a part-time basis.

“So often we hear from retirees that they love theirretirement status, but at the same time miss the profes-sional and personal satisfaction of work,” says McFayden.“NextPlace provides a great opportunity for our retirees

NextGenerationWachovia Launches a New Eraof Workplace Flexibility

A

Scholar WINTER 2008Photo: Courtesy of Perry Lang andWachovia Corp. 13

and other alumni to make a shift away from traditional,full-time employment, yet still do meaningful work withmore flexibility.”

“We’re also working toward making our work envi-ronment more flexible for the millennial generation,”McFayden adds, “because what we hear from them is thatflexibility is their top priority.”

Programs designed to appeal to younger workersinclude the use of temporary and contract assignments toallow new employees to explore different areas of thecompany before accepting a permanent position. Perhapsmost important, the company recently introduced gener-ous new paid-time-off policies to give employees greaterflexibility in caring for themselves and their families.Now workers have access to 10 paid days off each yearsolely to care for family members, among other benefits.

Going Deep forWachoviaFor Wachovia employee Perry Lang, the company’s flexi-ble workplace has made all the difference. As a computernetwork specialist who joined Wachovia’s Charlotteheadquarters in 2000, Lang’s family life was turnedupside down when his brother in Florida was diagnosedwith cancer. As his 78-year-old mother struggled to care

for her ailing son, Lang realized he could make hisemployer’s flexibility work in his family’s favor.

“I was able to start working from home because manyof the network configuration changes I do are done afterhours and from home,” Lang recalls of his telecommutingorigins. In 2005, he relocated with his wife to Inverness,Fla., to be closer to his extended family.

“Telecommuting and flexible hours have made a hugedifference to me,” Lang says. “It’s been great to be here, tohelp care for my brother and enjoy the wonderful qualityof life made possible by Wachovia’s policies.”

Being in Florida and having flexibility in his job alsomake it easier for Lang to enjoy his passion for diving.Whether he is doing underwater explorations in thewaters off Florida, Alabama or other Gulf Coast states,the diving enthusiast always takes a sign with him pro-moting the slogan “Are You With Wachovia?”

“I get a lot of questions about it from divers,” Langsays. “I tell them how working for Wachovia has madesuch a huge difference in my life.” o

Strayer University partners with Wachovia Corp. to educateWachovia employees.

Wachovia employee Perry Lang

takes theWachovia brand to the

waters of the Gulf of Mexico

U N I V E R S I T Y N E W S

14 Strayer University

Last fall, Dr. SondraStallard joined StrayerUniversity as its 13thpresident in 116 years.Growing up in a WestVirginia coal miningcommunity, Dr. Stallardwas the first person in herfamily to attend college.The former dean of theSchool of ContinuingEducation at theUniversity of Virginiain Charlottesville ispassionate abouteducational access andis dedicated to servingnontraditional students.

What effect do you think earning a degree has on agraduate’s family members?Educational achievement among adults inspires andmotivates their families, neighbors and coworkers, andsets a new standard in the communities where they live.That is one of the reasons why I believe it is so importantto serve nontraditional students.

How did academic achievement change the communitywhere you grew up?In the blue-collar area where I was raised, opportunitiesfor higher education were relatively limited. But by thetime I graduated from high school in the 1960s, thingswere changing. Many students were going on to college,and the impact on our small coal mining community wastransformational.

What about in your own family?Whether I was the inspiration in my family is difficult tosay. I was the first person to attend college, and subse-quently my younger brother and sister earned undergrad-uate and graduate degrees. But the story that is the mostcompelling to me is my mother’s story. Both of my parentsdropped out of high school and earned GEDs duringWorld War II. In 1971, my mother was 45 years old andworking as a nurse when the local college created a regis-tered nurse degree program. She decided to go back toschool while working full-time, and it was one of theproudest days of my life when I took my grandmother tosee my mother graduate.

Do you have any advice for parents who want to encour-age their children’s interest in learning?I always tried to expose my son [now age 24] to as manyeducational experiences as possible through art, literatureand travel, and through contact with other families thatvalued education. Even without a lot of resources, there

Strayer University Appoints

New President

are things parents can do to broaden their children’shorizons. My family had very little money, but myfather dragged us to every Civil War battlefield in WestVirginia to teach us history, and he encouraged us toread as much as possible.

What compelled you to leave the University of Virginiaafter 32 years?I’ve always enjoyed being part of a growing enterprise,so when I heard about this opportunity at StrayerUniversity, I was intrigued. This University’s emphasison academic quality, commitment to educational accessand focus on nontraditional students resonated with myown educational philosophy.

What is your top priority as president?Recruiting and retaining the most outstanding facultyand academic leaders that we can find and develop.Fortunately, we already have an amazing group ofknowledgeable and dedicated faculty and staff whohelp us deliver the highest quality academic programsand student academic support services.

What values do you bring to your new position?Strayer University already has an excellent missionstatement and set of core values. To these I would addmy personal motto: RISE—respect, integrity, serviceand excellence. These are the principles that drive meand that will guide my decisions as president.

What do you expect to be your greatest challenge atStrayer University?Finding new ways to maintain the sense of communityin our University, which is spread over so many statesand growing. We always want our students and facultyto know they are part of something bigger than just onecampus—they are part of our growing University system.

Your greatest reward?Every time I stand at commencement and watch thosestudents walk across the stage and see the joy on thefaces of their families—that is my greatest reward.

What changes do you foresee for Strayer University inthe next five years?We will continue to update and improve our curriculato ensure students are kept on the cutting edge of theirfields. And we will likely expand our academic offer-ings in areas with high projected demand for graduates.

What areas do you expect to remain unchanged in thenext five—or 50—years?Our commitment to maintaining academic excellenceand delivering the highest quality education to ourstudents. o

15Scholar WINTER 2008Photo: Peter Howard

“Educational achieve-ment among adultsinspires and motivatestheir families, neighborsand coworkers, and setsa new standard in thecommunities wherethey live.”

16Campus Photo: Courtesy of the Regional Learning

Alliance of Cranberry Woods; Charlotte Photo: Jill LangStrayer University

Innovative CampusStructures MeetStudents’ Needs

Strayer University is proud of its customized approach to educa-tion for working adults. The one-size-doesn’t-fit-all philosophy isbuilt into the University’s curricula, academic support programs,financial aid and other student services. It also extends to thedesign of new campus locations, as seen in the opening in recentyears of two very different nontraditional campuses that serve theunique needs of students in each area.The Cranberry Woods Campus north of Pittsburgh takes

advantage of a bold new concept in adult higher learning—theeducational mall. The campus is contained within the RegionalLearning Alliance, which houses 14 educational partners, state-of-the-art classrooms, a wireless mobile computer lab andan Internet café. The facility recently won a design award from American School and College magazine, which called thelearning center the “harbinger of a new model in higher education.”

The learning center encourages collaboration among higher education providers in the area, including Penn StateUniversity and Robert Morris University. Strayer University students have access to a range of services and solutionsunder one roof.The Willingboro Campus in southern New Jersey offers a first-of-its-kind location directly on the grounds of

Burlington County Community College’s (BCC) Willingboro campus. This unique setup facilitates a seamless transitionfrom the college’s two-year degree programs into Strayer University’s four-year undergraduate programs. The campusalso offers courses to non-BCC students in the neighborhood.

Despite the success of its nontraditional campus locations, the University’s standard campus model will continue tobe self-contained sites with their own computer labs and learning resource centers, according to Kristin Jones, vice pres-ident of new campus openings.

“We will always be open to unique campus structures that fit the needs of students in particular areas,” Jones says,“but we are confident that our proven campus model best serves students in most locations.”

U N I V E R S I T Y N E W S

New Campuses Openedin North CarolinaAs part of its ongoing efforts to bring high-quality, accessibleeducation to working adults in North Carolina, Strayer Universityhas opened two new campuses in the state.The HuntersvilleCampus in Charlotte and the Garner Campus in Raleigh beganoffering courses this quarter. Strayer University now has threecampuses in Raleigh and three in Charlotte.The addition ofthese sites brings Strayer University’s growing network ofcampuses to 53 locations. Pending regulatory approvals, theUniversity plans to open an additional seven campuses this year.

ABOVE:The Regional

Learning Alliance in

Cranberry Woods, Pa.

RIGHT: Charlotte, N.C.

17Scholar WINTER 2008

Alumni, Student andCampus News

onthemove

NORTH CAROLINA

RTP CampusMichael Goodman (BSIT ’05) waspromoted from manager of informationsystems to assistant dean of informationtechnology for the Pratt School ofEngineering at Duke University inDurham, N.C.

William Nash (BSIT ’06) is a seniorplatform architect for Wachovia Corp.in Charlotte, N.C.

ONLINE CAMPUSMichelle Bartlett (BSAC candidate)recently opened the doors of Bartlett’sBookkeeping Service, an accountingbusiness in Adams, Mass.

Morris C. Hairell (MBA ’07) is anaccount manager for the U.S. PostalService in Dallas, Texas.

RoShelle Harris (BBA ’07) is the directorof admission and social services for RuxtonHealth at The Meadows, a nursing andassisted living facility in Goochland, Va.

Cassandra Harrison (BSCS ’02, MSIS’05) is an information systems trainingspecialist for Long and Foster Co. inPennsylvania.

Sonia Love (BSAC ’06) is a county fiscalofficer for Monroe County Commissionersin Stroudsburg, Pa. Love started as a fiscaltechnician before being promoted to thehighest ranking fiscal position in the agency.

Anna M. Miller (BBA candidate) is acompensation assistant for NorthropGrumman Corp. in Linthicum, Md.

Jeffrey Sniffen (MSIS ’04) is a seniorsoftware engineer for Paloma SystemsInc., a systems engineering and integra-tion company in Fairfax, Va.

Bryan Ziegler (MBA candidate) is ahospital sales specialist for AstraZenecaPharmaceuticals in Wilmington, Del.

PENNSYLVANIA

King of Prussia CampusAnthony Bauza (BSCN ’07) is a seniornetwork administrator for the CMSCompanies, a financial services firm inWynnewood, Pa.

Lower Bucks County CampusRichard Stutler (BBA ’07) is an accountexecutive for Supremia International’sMonmouth, N.J., branch. Supremia is asales and marketing firm.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Greenville CampusL. Ray Switzer (MBA candidate) is thedirector of facilities for SpartanburgCommunity College in Spartanburg, S.C.

TENNESSEE

Nashville CampusTed Gilbert (BBA ’07) is the associatevice president for research finance at theUniversity of Texas M.D. AndersonCancer Center in Houston, Texas.

VIRGINIA

Arlington CampusChristopher Niebels (BBA ’06) is ahuman resources manager for theU.S. Air Force.

Chesapeake CampusDonna L. Miller (BSAC ’05, MSAC ’07)is an accountant for the U.S. Coast GuardFinance Center within the Department ofHomeland Security.

Chesterfield CampusVickie Johnson-Scott (MPA ’07) is thenorthern regional director for the VirginiaDepartment of Social Services inRichmond, Va.

Charleita Richardson (MBA ’03) waspromoted from director of programs topresident and chief executive officer forPartnership for the Future, a collegepreparation and youth employmentorganization in Richmond, Va.

Janine Snader (MBA ’04) is the managerof business solutions for Goodwill ofCentral Virginia in Richmond, Va. Theorganization is part of GoodwillIndustries International Inc., which helpsindividuals gain personal and financialindependence through employment.

Fredericksburg CampusRex A. Barnes (MSBA ’99) was promotedto deputy administrator for agriculturalmarketing service poultry programs with-in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Henrico CampusTiffany D. Samuel (MSAC ’07) is a taxclerk for CarMax’s corporate offices inRichmond, Va.

Loudoun CampusJohn Tisdale (BSBA ’06) is an adminis-trator for the Loudoun Endoscopy Groupin Virginia.

Manassas CampusDennis Foster (BSBA ’94) was nameddeputy director of the ProductionManagement Directorate at TobyhannaArmy Depot in Tobyhanna, Pa.

Christal McNeil-Wright (BSBA ’98,MSAC ’07) was recently promoted todirector of the General AccountingOffice at Georgetown University inWashington, D.C.

Woodbridge CampusRochell Asbury (BSCS candidate) is amanagement analyst for the Departmentof Defense.

Julie Chatman (BBA ’04, MBA ’06) is ananalyst for the Federal Bureau ofInvestigation. Chatman also owns andoperates a small marketing firm inWoodbridge, Va., that specializes inhealth and wellness products.

Steven Friend (BSCS ’95) is the chiefinformation security officer for theFederal Law Enforcement TrainingCenter, an agency within the Departmentof Homeland Security.

WASHINGTON,D.C.

Washington CampusKoray A. Kotan (BSIB ’02) owns TheLemon Tree Mediterranean Market &Gourmet Café in Rockville, Md. Thecombination café, market and retail shophas been featured in The WashingtonPost, Washingtonian magazine and TheMontgomery Gazette.

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