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THE COMMON THREAD 2012 CONNECTING WITH THE WORLD IS IN OUR DNA artinstitutes.edu argosy.edu brownmackie.edu southuniversity.edu wsulaw.edu THE COMMON THREAD At Education Management Corporation (EDMC), the uniqueness of each of our schools is a hallmark of the individuality that exists in each of the communities we serve. After all, it’s the singular abilities, perspectives and passions of our faculty, staff and students that set us apart, yet make us one in the spirit of giving. No matter how different we may be, how varied our talents and interests, there is one universal tie that binds us together: our desire to connect with the world around us by reaching out to those in need, sharing our time and our resources, and touching lives in ways that make a difference. For 50 years, we have served communities across North America, providing a quality education to hundreds of thousands of students. Every year, we commit to doing what we can to help build “community” — devoting energy and compassion to help others in need. At our more than 100 schools, giving back is the common thread that creates the fabric of who we are, what we stand for and what we will be — as individuals, as a higher education provider and as a community. It’s in our DNA. Our school systems include: The Art Institutes, Argosy University, Brown Mackie College and South University. We provide rigorous academic programs offered in supportive environments with measured practical outcomes that enhance our students’ lives. Connecting With The World Is In Our DNA. During the campaign, Brown Mackie College — Brown Mackie College — Akron Practical Akron Practical Nursing Diploma students saw Nursing instructor who led the volunteer project 60 students. “The students had a lot of fun, and on behalf of the college. “This experience was even more importantly, they had the opportunity one of the best practices of learning for student to interact with the community and work face- nurses. This led to a very benefi cial project.” to-face with patients,” said Michelle Simmons, A PERFECT MATCH Brown Mackie College — Akron’s Practical The church held the bone marrow drive to Nursing Diploma students were called to raise public awareness in the African-American action on Nov. 5, 2011, by the Mount Calvary’s community concerning the great need that the Baptist Church Nurse Ministry, which asked the city of Akron, as well as many other cities across school to volunteer for a lifesaving project that the nation, has for bone marrow donors. is part of the “Be the Match” campaign of the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). The Brown Mackie College — Akron students were NMDP is one of the nation’s leading nonprofi t asked to meet with potential donors and explain organizations, specializing in providing lifesaving the process of becoming a bone marrow donor. bone marrow transplants to patients in need. The students then obtained DNA samples Thousands of people each year depend on by explaining and conducting a mouth swab the “Be the Match” registry to assist their fi ght procedure. After the mouth swab was complete, against blood cancer diseases such as leukemia, the students initiated the very important steps lymphoma and sickle cell anemia. Often times, of processing the clarifi cation brochure that family members are not a match for the patient; assured the sample was from the correct donor. therefore, the NMDP spans its network across the nation to locate positive matches. Connecting With The World Is In Our DNA. veterans will use to help them with computers.” Tony Villasenor, a Brown Mackie their schoolwork.” College — Albuquerque IT instructor, took on the responsibility of ensuring the computers Joe Sawvel, another Associate of Applied were as good as new and fully operational for Science in Information Technology student the VA veterans. “Our students received real said, “I am still in my general education hands-on hardware and software experience classes, but the Saturday IT workshop has and the entire community benefi tted from this allowed me to start learning how to work on endeavor,” said Villasenor. GIVING COMPUTERS — AND VETERANS — A FRESH START Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center and of service to get more computers ready for the Brown Mackie College — Albuquerque teamed veterans. Brown Mackie College — Albuquerque up to assist our military veterans in pursuing Information Technology (IT) Program Director their educational goals. The VA’s Zia Assistive Mike Carlyle and Richard Johannes, a Z-ACT Computerized Technology Program (Z-ACT) was assistant, met several times and discussed designed to provide quality patient care using how the school could assist in servicing the technology services for veterans who have computers. IT students were soon up to their exhausted other funding sources. This program elbows in troubleshooting, replacing parts and loans donated technical equipment to veterans installing software. once they have completed the Z-ACT Program but, fi rst, the computers must be serviced, “I loved it! These computers are a godsend,” which included installing hard drives, operating said Associate of Applied Science in information systems and applications software. Because of technology student Michelle Burns. “I can’t the program’s popularity, there was a backlog believe that I repaired a computer that our Connecting With The World Is In Our DNA. then who better to provide this amazing Art Scene gallery in Atlanta. “It went well,” service for than local children? We decided to Carney said. “People showed up and enjoyed incorporate the two.” Thus, Little Angels themselves, and we got good reviews.” The Atlanta began. student philanthropists are now developing a mailing list and plan to reach out to colleges and Carney and Sanford worked with two nonprofi t hospitals for help and nominations. facilities in Florida — The Dolphin Research Center in Marathon and Island Dolphin Care in Classes continue for the pair, each of whom Key Largo — to offer specifi c programs, which expect to graduate in June 2012 with an enabled the students to tailor each trip to the Associate of Applied Science degree in needs of each family. Occupational Therapy Assistant. “Many times, I ONE LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE thought I couldn’t do it,” Sanford said. But never Little Angels Atlanta offers a fi ve-day giving up, she has developed pride in herself LEADS TO ANOTHER therapeutic vacation for entire families of for being able to do the work. Both Sanford children with special needs. The organization and Carney express appreciation for the close- pays for airfare, travel, accommodations knit environment of the Brown Mackie College and the swim programs. The Florida facilities — Atlanta school. “Everyone has been very offer some program scholarship money, and supportive from day one,” Carney said. Every now and again, two special people meet program. Fate converged at Brown Mackie the two students raised funds to complete and the most unlikely thing happens. Such is the College — Atlanta. each family package. The Occupational Therapy Assistant program is accredited case with Jana Sanford and Corey Carney. Even by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy crossing paths with each other seemed unlikely. “Classmates become family pretty quickly,” Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy The fi rst fundraiser took place in August 2011. Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, P.O. A few years back, Sanford was studying art Carney said. “We’re all going through the Drawing on her art background, Sanford invited Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220. ACOTE’s telephone at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New same thing and it’s easy to get close. We local artists to donate works for auction. An number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA. York City and Carney was attending Virginia depend on each other.” After sharing a few auction reception took place at Emerging State University in Petersburg, Va. Fast forward classes, Sanford and Carney discovered several to today, and the pair are co-founders of Little mutual interests. Both were determined to fi nd Angels Atlanta, a nonprofi t organization that ways to gain OTA experience while studying provides free trips to Florida for children with to enter the fi eld, and both wanted to give back special needs to participate in a life-changing to the community. swim with the dolphins program. “The Florida Keys and the therapeutic swim How did this come about? Unsettled with with the dolphins programs have always been their chosen career paths, each decided to close to my heart,” she said. “I look forward to change directions, and both enrolled in the working in pediatrics, and Carney and I decided same Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) if we were going to give back to the community, Connecting With The World Is In Our DNA. chair, and one of the participants. “The waves to support breast cancer survivors and raise of pink in all directions was unbelievable, and awareness and money for research,” she said. I know that this event not only impacted me, but was a memorable event for my 4-year- The experience of the school was best old daughter.” Even more staff and students captured by Jacqueline Robinson, a medical volunteered to hand out water to runners at the assisting student. “My mother has breast Mile 2 Station. “It was an awesome opportunity cancer that has metastasized in her breast bone, to see multiple generations come together for and the disease goes back fi ve generations in this great cause,” said volunteer captain Melisha my family,” she said. “Seeing all the people at Wilson, a Brown Mackie College — Birmingham the event was exhilarating to me. I enjoyed faculty member. “Every year, my daughter and showing school spirit while volunteering for PRETTY IN PINK her friends come with me to hand out water such a great cause.” Thousands of women die from breast cancer in Brown Mackie College — Birmingham staff the United States each year, and it’s hard to fi nd and faculty members purchased special pink anyone whose friends or family have not been shirts with a pink ribbon above the campus logo affected by this terrible disease.

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