There are many ways to update skills or learn new skills. If you are unsure how to proceed, ask yourself: What do I need, or want, to learn; how much time am I able to invest; and how much money will I need to spend? If you have multiple needs or interests, determine which are most pressing and which are long-term educational goals. Then, consider how you can effectively meet your needs, in terms of educational requirements, and the time and money you can afford to invest. You might sharpen some of your skills with a little time and/or money.

One of my roles as the College of Online Education’s Student Writing Support Specialist is to help students understand what academic writing means, and how they can accomplish it.

Academic writing is an essential skill and one that involves clarity and power of expression. Writing specific and detail-oriented text, incorporating relevant sources, and maintaining a clear sense of audience, purpose, and genre are key elements to writing at a higher level.

I know this sounds a bit complicated, so let’s break it down! Here are eight things to keep in mind when writing:

Today, if you walked a mile in Mark Brewington’s shoes, you’d likely end up with your toes in the Pacific Ocean. The double Johnson & Wales University alum, ’11, ’18 MBA ­– Hospitality, (triple alum if you count his '08 associate degree in culinary arts) lives within a few blocks of the beach and keeps his horses on a horse farm outside of San Diego.

This summer I took my first ever online class at Johnson & Wales. I am currently a full-time student at the Johnson & Wales University Providence Campus but wanted to continue my education and earn some extra credits over the summer. I was accepted to an internship program based in Jerusalem and chose to take an additional class while I was away. While looking through the online options, I stumbled upon a free elective called “Culture and Food” and figured that there was no better class to take while I was exploring abroad.

When Stephanie Decker ‘16, ‘18 MBA decided to return to school after working for 20 years in the food industry, she knew she needed a flexible option that would allow her to continue to raise her family, work, and remain active in all of the things that were important to her.

At some point over the next 8 to 11 weeks, you’ll have to decide whether to read The Global Public Relations Handbook: Theory, Research, and Practice for your course or 5-Minute Disney Princess Stories to your daughter.

It sounds like an easy choice, but it’s not.

Pursuing an online undergraduate degree or online graduate degree takes determination, self-discipline, and hard work … and a reliable Wi-Fi connection. The reach is surprising — just ask Julia M. J. Abbiss ‘15, ‘17 MS – Nonprofit Management, who discovered during a study-abroad experience that she could complete her coursework from just about anywhere, even halfway around the world in Nepal.

You just completed a job interview and might be wondering, do I really need to send a thank-you email, a handwritten note, or anything at all?

The answer is YES!

What do the most successful people throughout time and history know about leadership? We’ve identified their most useful advice — and are passing it on to you.