MODULE 6 NEWSLETTER - BUSINESS
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The document is the June 2016 edition of the Independence University Journalism Club newsletter. It contains 6 articles on various topics, including graduation tips, a reflection on graphic design collaboration, facts about the summer solstice, and getting involved to support homeless veterans. It also includes a table of contents listing the article titles and authors.
MODULE 6 NEWSLETTER - BUSINESS
- 1. Mod 6 Issue 6 2016 INDEPENDENCE UNIVERSITY JOURNALISM CLUB PROUDLY PRESENTS THE EDITION OF OUR
- 2. Mod 6 Issue 6 2016 Article Title Author Page’s TABLE OF CONTENTS The Dos & Don’ts of Graduation Summer Sizzle and Celebrate Summer Graphic Reflection Through Time Summer Solstice 2016 Getting Involed by Supporting Our Homeless Veterans - June 2016 The Advantage and Disadvantage of a Medical Coding Career Chelsea Hicks Independence University Dianna L. James Billy Hager Dianna L. James Brandi Selph 3-4 4 5-6 7-8 9-11 13-14 Health Care
- 3. Mod 6 Issue 6 2016 3 The time is fast approaching! Our graduation ceremony for those who have graduated or will graduate between June 2015 and August 2016 is on June 25th . If you are eligible to walk, you would have received several emails in reference to this. Now, in preparation for this exciting and momentous occasion, I have a few tips that will help make it a day to remember! Tips for Grads: Dress appropriately. Although most of your outfit will not be seen under your gown during the ceremony, it is likely you will be removing it at some point during the day. Therefore, it is best to wear professional dress, as well as comfortable shoes (however, leave the flip-flops and tennis shoes at home). Leave your personal belongings with your family. You will be doing a lot of walking around and changing seats during the rehearsal and the graduation ceremony. There is no guarantee you will find your purse again if you leave it under your chair. It is suggested you leave your personal belongings with a trusted family member or friend. If you have something you must keep with you, wear clothing with at least one pocket to hold these items. Eat before you arrive. While there will be some snacks available to graduates, there will be three hours between when you arrive and when the ceremony begins. Then the ceremony is another almost two hours. If you don’t eat right before you get to the graduation venue, you will be very hungry, and likely irritable, by the time your name is called. Tips for Guests: Arrive early. The doors will open promptly at noon. We suggest you have your friends and family arrive as early as possible to ensure they find a good place to sit and are all settled by the time the ceremony begins. Be aware of your surroundings. Everyone wants the best shot of their graduate; however please ask your guests to be respectful and courteous to those around them. They should be careful not to stand in anyone’s way. We will have both a professional photographer and several freelance photographers in attendance. There will be no shortage of great pictures of each graduate! Keep the loud noises to a minimum. Graduation is an exciting time! When your family hears your name, they will want to scream and shout! That is totally acceptable. However, the screaming and shouting will need to stop in time for the next name to be read so that all of the graduates’ names are audible. The graduation ceremony for Independence University is always a fun and exciting event. However, following these few guidelines will help everyone have a positive experience! The Dos and Don’ts of Graduation By ~ Chelsea Hicks ~ Associate Director of Student Services
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- 5. Mod 6 Issue 6 2016 5 The journey started in November 2014 with writing articles, and editing. It was March 2015 that preflight came into the picture. Training began with another student in the graphic design program and we used different programs because business students do not have access to the same programs as graphic design students utilize, however, the layout process was similar. In the beginning there was only one newsletter that was assigned for me to layout in Microsoft Publisher. That April my mother had passed away and I had to drive to Wisconsin for her funeral. The person helping me was more involved in the newsletter that he/ she was doing than to help me with the layout. I ask Kim to come to assist with the process, most of all with graphics, because she too is a graphic design student. When I returned from Wisconsin I discovered that all four newsletters were assigned to me. I really needed Kim then and ask if she would continue the process and she accepted. Therefore, the one-time collaboration on Skype turned into a month after month preflight and great friendship. Kim would create the graphics and I did layout and she would offer suggestions with the layout. This is a graphic memory of our process of all the laughs, frustration and most of all fun that Kim and I had during our time doing preflight. Graphic Reflection Through Time By ~ Dianna L. James ~ MBA Continued on next page
- 6. Mod 6 Issue 6 2016 6 Then we come to the April edition of the newsletter, and the fun continued. Kim continued to amaze me with more of her talented graphic designs. The March issue of the newsletter was a lot of fun with all the great graphics that Kim turned out. Addition- ally, we discovered that I do have a vivid imagination.
- 7. Mod 6 Issue 6 2016 7 You may be wondering “What is this guy talking about?” or “What is a solstice?” and that is perfectly okay. If you haven’t already, please take a moment to grab that cool beverage and get comfy before I turn up the heat and shine some light on this subject… We know that the Earth orbits our nearest star, the Sun, in an elliptical orbit. While doing so, the Earth rotates on its axis also, which is not 90 degrees straight up and down but tilted to one side by 23 ½ degrees. With Earth orbiting around the Sun, we get our four seasons, and I don’t mean basketball, baseball, construction, and football. Now that we have that out of the way, here is another twist: The Earth also wobbles on its axis while rotating. This “wobble” is called “precession” and it is vital to life on Earth. If Earth did not have a precession, one of the hemispheres would be forever colder due to less or no light and/or heat energy from the Sun. Here is just a little recap: Earth orbits the Sun, spins on its axis, which is 23 ½ degrees off vertical, and wobbles. This is why and how our solstices happen. A solstice happens only twice a year, in June (summer) and in December (winter). In June, the solstice is the longest amount of time the Sun is in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere (people north of the equator) while the December solstice is the shortest amount of time the Sun is in the sky. Also on these dates, due to the Earth’s tilt, the Sun appears directly overhead, at noon, at 23 degrees 30 seconds North latitude (Tropic of Cancer) and 23 degrees 30 seconds South latitude (Tropic of Capricorn). Remember, lines of latitude are parallel to the equator and are imaginary lines. In the Southern Hemisphere, or people south of the equator, these solstice dates would be opposite, as in, summer occurs in December and winter in June. Now that you are probably scratching your head and wondering how this is important, let’s dive into a bit of history and lore about solstices. One of the most famous man-made monuments is devoted partially to the solstices, and that would be Stonehenge, in England. There is a popular theory that the builders of Stonehenge used the markers to adjust their calendars so they could plan their crops for the year. This would go hand in hand with other ancient cultures that knew of astronomical events and calendars also. The Chinese and the Gauls celebrated the summer solstice, as it was a sign for fertility. “In North America, some Native American tribes held ritual dances to honor the Sun” (Traditions and Holidays Around the June Solstice, 2016). So as you can see, from adjusting calendars to planting crops to worship, solstices have played a key role throughout history. Summer Solstice 2016 By ~ Billy Hager ~ Computer Science Continued on next page
- 8. Mod 6 Issue 6 2016 8 Here are some facts about the summer solstice from TimeandDate.com: “It’s both a summer and winter solstice” (summer in the northern hemisphere and winter in the southern hemisphere) “It’s the first of the year” by calendar date of course. “The Sun seems to stand still” The sun doesn’t stand still actually but it does stop climbing higher in the sky for that moment, then begins sinking lower in the sky until the winter solstice where it pauses for that moment and begins climbing back up again…it’s an elevation thing. “It occurs at the same time” It is true that no matter where you are in the world, the solstices happen directly at noon on the day that the Sun reaches its maximum or minimum elevation in the sky (Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn respectively) “It can be June 20, 21, or 22” This all has to do with time. How far off our calendar is to the solar calendar and leap years and the whole ball of wax that will be discussed in a later paper. “The Arctic Circle has 24 hours of sunlight” Since the Sun is at its highest elevation north, it appears above the horizon for that period of time. Now there are a few days before summer solstice where “Polar Light” is visible but that is due to refraction of light rays, again, another topic for another paper. References Traditions and Holidays Around the June Solstice. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.timeanddate.com/ calendar/june-solstice-customs.html Pictures provided by www.scijinks.jpl.nasa.gov/solstice
- 9. Mod 6 Issue 6 2016 9 This is a growing issue in the United States and everyone needs to help reduce this issue. I have met many veterans that are homeless at the VA in Memphis, Tennessee. It is sad, there is only home veterans home for the homeless in the Eastern part of the Tennessee and it is located in Memphis. So as you read this see if there is an event in your location coming up and if not contact someone on the list and see if they have someone you can contact to get involved with sponsoring an event in your area. Our veterans need you! Homeless Veterans Upcoming Events Conferences The events below are directly related to homelessness, Veterans' issues or have specific tracks or sessions exploring these topics. Please contact event organizers directly for more information or to register to attend. Stand Downs Stand Downs are typically one-to three-day events providing supplies and services to homeless Veterans, such as food, shelter, clothing, health screenings and VA Social Security benefits counseling. Veterans can also receive referrals to other assistance such as health care, housing solutions, employment, substance use treatment and mental health counseling. They are collaborative events, coordinated between local VA Medical Centers, other government agencies and community-based homeless service providers. Below are the scheduled stand downs for 2016. This list is updated often so check back regularly (http:// www.va.gov/homeless/events.asp). To volunteer for or participate in an upcoming stand down in your area, contact the Point of Contact (POC). Dates Event Name Location June 1 – 3, 2016 National Coali- tion for Homeless Veterans: 2016 HCHV Annual Conference Washington, DC June 12 – 14, 2016 Council for Af- fordable and Ru- ral Housing 2016 Annual Meeting & Legislative Conference Arlington, VA June 24 – 25, 2016 USCM Work- force Develop- ment Council (WDC) Indianapolis, IN June 25 – 28, 2016 2016 Volunteers of America Na- tional Conference Rosemont, IL July 26 – 28, 2016 2016 National Conference on Ending Home- lessness Washington, DC Getting Involved by Supporting Our Homeless Veterans for June 2016 Contributed by Dianna L. James ~ MBA Continued on next page
- 10. Mod 6 Issue 6 2016 10 Dates Location VA Primary POC Alternate POC June 4, 2016 Goshen, IN Steven Prater | (260) 426-5431, x72620 Daniel Reed | (574) 295-0105, x218 Steven.Prater2@va.gov Dreed@gotoworkone.com June 7, 2016 Traverse City, MI Amanda Briggs | (989) 497-2500, x15711 Julie Garver | (989) 497-2500, x15732 Amanda.Briggs@va.gov Julie.Garver@va.gov June 9, 2016 Shiawassee County, MI Travis Vanderlist | (989) 497-2500, x11966 Cheryl Lucas | (989) 497-2500, x11686 Travis.Vanderlist@va.gov Cheryl.Lucas@va.gov June 10 - 11, 2016 Chicago, IL Jeanne Douglas | (708) 457-8805 Don Donahue | (708) 202-8387, x24952 Jean.Douglas@va.gov Donald.Donahue@va.gov June 10, 2016 Cincinnati, OH Christie Watson | (513) 977-6823 Emily Hunt | (513) 977-6811 Christie.Watson@va.gov Emily.Hunt2@va.gov June 10, 2016 Grand Rapids, MI Meghan Fugitt | (616) 356-1746 Kim Arne | (616) 356-1746 Meghan.Fugitt@va.gov Kimberly.Arne@va.gov June 10, 2016 Kalispell, MT Shad Barrows | (406) 874-5617 Carolyn Collins | (406) 253-7156 Shad.Barrows@va.gov mustangkarowin@yahoo.com June 10, 2016 Tucson, AZ T.J. Rizzuti | (520) 792-1450, x4164 Jodi Frederick | (520) 792-1450, x6586 Anthony.Rizzuti@va.gov Diana.Frederick@va.gov June 17, 2016 Flint, MI Melton Harvey | (989) 497-2500, x11685 Cheryl Lucas | (989) 497-2500, x11686 Melton.Harvey@va.gov Cheryl.Lucas@va.gov June 17 - 18, 2016 Klamath Falls, OR Heather Jenard | (541) 826-2111, x3924 Tammi Deforrest | (541) 331-9975 Heather.Jenard@va.gov tdeforrest@veteransenrichmentcenter.org June 17, 2016 Worcester, MA Kate Nye | (413) 584-4040 Jim Seney | (413) 584-4040 Kate.Nye@va.gov James.Seney@va.gov June 18, 2016 Los Angeles, CA Michael Johnson | (310) 478-3711, x42537 Lauren Trosclair Duncan | (310) 445-9945 Michael.Johnson33fc51@va.gov lauren.trosclairdunc@redcross.org Continues on next page
- 11. Mod 6 Issue 6 2016 11 Source: Va.gov. (2015). Homeless Veterans. Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/homeless/events.asp Dates Location VA Primary POC Alternate POC June 23, 2016 Los Angeles, CA Michael Johnson | (310) 478-3711, x42537 Lance Asamura | (310) 781-0606 Michael.Johnson33fc51@va.gov LAsamura@dmh.lacounty.gov June 24, 2016 Bend, OR Tasha Sloan | (971) 200-0351 Tory Flory | (541) 383-2793 Tasha.Sloan1@va.gov tory.flory@covo-us.org June 29, 2016 Buffalo, NY Sean Lindstrom | (716) 862-8885 Alicia Sholtz | (716) 862-8885 Sean.Lindstrom@va.gov Alicia.Sholtz@va.gov
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- 13. Mod 6 Issue 6 2016 13 At some point in every person’s life, finding a job becomes essential. When looking to start a new career it is always a good idea to first look into the requirements for that career and then into the advantages and disadvantages for that particular career. Medical coding is one career that is in very high demand, and it can be a lucrative one with a starting hourly wage of about $15.00 to a high end wage of about $26.00 an hour (Payscale.com, 2016). Medical coding is the translation of a patient’s diagnosis, procedures performed, medical services rendered, and equipment and supplies used into an international medical alphanumeric code that is used to properly bill the patient and/or their insurance carrier, and is also used as further documentation of the patient’s health status. However, as with any career, it has both advantages and disadvantages and making it the career for you will all depend on your attitude about it. Some advantages of a medical coding career are that it is a growing field, there is an opportunity to work from home, you can specialize in one area and there is room for advancement (Medicalcodingcareerguide.com, 2012). With this list of advantages, it is hard to see any type of down side to this career. The medical coding market is expected to gain about 40,000 jobs within the next six to seven years, that is about a 21% increase in jobs for this field by 2020 (Medicalbillingandcoding.org, 2016). There is also an opportunity to work from home, so stay-at-home parents can continue to be there for their families and people with disabilities can work in the comfort of their own environments. However, not all employers will allow this, so if this is an option that you are looking for, you might have to do research before starting your job search. You can choose to specialize in the area of health care that you find most interesting, this may help to keep your job fresh and exciting (Medicalcodingcareerguide.com, 2012). There are also advancement opportunities for medical coders, especially for those who obtain a college degree. One could expect to be able to move into a management position if the opportunity presented itself and your skills are up to par. As good as this sounds, just like any other job medical coding does have disadvantages. Though it is a relatively short list there is one thing that is hard to ignore, breaking into the medical coding industry can be quite difficult to do and it can take time as well as patience. Most employers want medical coders who have experience so getting a college education can help some in this department. Also, getting an entry-level job to start with and moving your way up can help you to gain experience as well as the extra knowledge that it may take to land the job that you are seeking (Medicalcodingcareerguide.com, 2012). Another disadvantage (or advantage, depending on how you look at it) is that you may have to relocate if you have trouble finding a medical coding position close to your hometown. This could happen is you live in a rural part of your state but on the up side there are medical coding all over the country so if there is a town or city that you really love, now would be the time to looking into living there. The Advantages and Disadvantages of a Medical Coding Career By ~ Brandi Selph ~ Medical Specialties Continued on next page. 6 19
- 14. Mod 6 Issue 6 2016 14 To become a medical coder, one does not have to be certified but most employers do prefer it. Having and education is also not a requirement but is again preferred, not only by the employer but by the certification agencies as well. You can gain your certification through several agencies. However, there are two agencies that are used more often, the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) and American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) (Medicalbillingandcoding.org, 2016). There are recommendations and requirements that both organizations make to obtain your certification, and one drawback to becoming certified medical coder is the initial up front cost which can range from about $299 to about $350. Nevertheless, this is a relatively small price to pay to have such a rewarding job. References Medical Billing and Coding Certification. (2016). Working in the industry. Retrieved from http:// www.medicalbillingandcoding.org/working-in-mbac/ Medical Coding Career Guide. (2012). Advantages to medical coding chapter 2. Retrieved from http:// www.medicalcodingcareerguide.com/chaptertwo/ Medical Coding Career Guide. (2012). Disadvantages to medical coding chapter 2. Retrieved from http:// www.medicalcodingcareerguide.com/chaptertwo/disadvantages.html PayScale. (2016). Certified professional coder (CPC) in Atlanta, Georgia salary. Retrieved from http:// www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Certified_Professional_Coder_(CPC)/Hourly_Rate/14109d31/ Atlanta-GA My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me. Jim Valvano
- 15. Mod 6 Issue 6 2016 15 Sir Fin School Mascot contributed by Kim Curry. Cover Page Background—Kim Curry Edition Title: Clipping Mask—Kim Curry Special Thanks to Kim Curry for the creation of the miscellaneous graphics within. Special Thanks Advisor/Editor: Whitney King Preflight Team: Dianna L. James Kim Curry Memorial Day Retrieved from: http://www.imgion.com/