By Michaiah Varnes\/\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hood College hosted its annual Graduate School open house virtually on Sept. 30, allowing prospective students to explore academic programs, learn about admissions and connect with faculty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The event was led by April Bolton, dean of the graduate school, and featured presentations from Tanith Fowler Corsi, director of graduate admissions; Nick Masucci, assistant director of graduate admissions and data management; and Christian Villarosa, assistant director of graduate admissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Students heard about admissions requirements, funding opportunities and the Pilot-a-Program initiative, which allows prospective students to attend a live graduate class or program-related event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe majority of our programs are offering this experience, and students from past pilot experiences tell us that this was really a defining moment for them,\u201d Bolton said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Programs highlighted in the initiative included biomedical science and cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A major focus of the event was Hood\u2019s new Skill Accelerator Program, a collection of short, stackable courses designed to support career advancement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The program is aimed at professionals who want to build specific skills without committing to a full master\u2019s degree. \u201cIt\u2019s geared toward people who are interested in upskilling, reskilling or just putting their toe in the water,\u201d said Marcy Taylor, Skill Accelerator Program coordinator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The courses, which can be completed by earning a grade of 80% or higher, provide digital badges that can be shared on LinkedIn, r\u00e9sum\u00e9s and online portfolios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The program is open to anyone with a bachelor\u2019s degree and a minimum 2.5 GPA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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