History Of Career And Technical Education - 1519 Words

Career and Technical Education has played a large role throughout the history of the United States and Ohio specifically. The legal history of Career and Technical Education in the United States and the state of Ohio has a long history dating back to the 1800s. Career and Technical Education is also at the forefront in current legal news: a bill sitting in committee and a push for more Americans to study in Career and Technical Education-related fields. With Americans realizing that not everyone can or wants to attend college or university, Career and Technical Education is relevant and so is its long history in the United States and, more specifically, Ohio. Before 1862, there was really no legal history for Career and Technical Education. However, Congressman Justin S. Morrill of Vermont proposed a bill in 1857 to have federal support in agricultural and industrial education. President Buchanan did not support the legislation, so there was no action on the bill. In 1861 however, Mo rrill reintroduced his bill to the House of Representatives. President Lincoln later signed it in summer of 1862. This act gave public lands to build colleges for agriculture and mechanical arts in each state. Each state, within five years, had to provide a college or the state would be revoked of the grant. This set the stage clearly for the rest of the legislation in what is now known as Career and Technical Education (â€Å"Independent Action† 38). The first major legislation in Ohio for CareerShow MoreRelatedHistory Of Career Technical Education Essay2289 Words   |  10 Pagesprovide the history of career technical education in the United States and relevance of legislative actions, laws, acts and policies beginning as early as the 18th century and continuing through current-day society. Chronologically documented, the primary focus is on the Carl D. Perkins Career Technical Education 2006, its origin, issues and effects of each amendment that led to important federal g overnment legislations. For an understanding of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education 2006 ActRead MoreCareer And Technical Education Program1499 Words   |  6 PagesInterest in Career and Technical Education programs as well as Career and Technical Student Organizations has heightened over the past ten years (Wood, 2006; 2012). When I was a high school sophomore, I sat in an Introductory Accounting course taught by a gruff teacher named Edward Key. While everyone else complained and fussed at learning the Accounting Equation of Assets = Liabilities + Owner’s Equity, I hung on every debit and credit and soon discovered that my love of numbers and financialRead MoreGraduation Speech And Technical Education872 Words   |  4 Pagesbe successful in the work force? Many Americans ask this question and do not understand that Career and Technical Education (CTE), once called Vocational Education, do exactly that (Estacion, Deluca, Plank 346). They believe that al l that schools teach are how to write, solve math problems, use the scientific method, and absorb the information discussed in history courses. Career and Technical Education uses experimental learning that gives students skills and motivation to graduate high school andRead MoreHistory And Evolution Of Vocational Education846 Words   |  4 Pagespublication journal, and the presidential address addressing vocational education research. This book describes vocational education in America, updating key trends based on available data and focusing on selected issues relevant to current policy discussions. The history of vocational education was shaped by major events in American history. This book provides an overview and analysis of the history and evolution of vocational education in the United States. The social, economic, political and educationalRead MoreThe Value Of Education Today s Society Essay1483 Words   |  6 Pagesof Education in Today’s Society Introduction Education in a broad sense is an important part of intellectual freedom. Probably one of the main benefits of education in general is helping the student to have greater role in living and participating in the world. Many people view education as a social event and thus helps to encourage students to share ideas experiences and this can help students become better leaders in their community by teaching community responsibility. Plus, education in generalRead MoreWest Georgia Technical College System831 Words   |  4 Pages West Georgia Technical College is located in Waco, Georgia and is the state s third-largest technical college. As part of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), West Georgia Technical College (WGTC) is a rural two year public technical institution located in the west Georgia area with campuses in Douglasville, Murphy, Waco, Carrollton, Lagrange, and Newnan. Additionally, the college is principally a commuter campus. The college was formed on Septe mber 4, 2008 from a merger of West CentralRead MoreThe Association For Library Collections Technical Services779 Words   |  3 PagesThe Association For Library Collections Technical Services – Review Evaluation The Association For Library Collections Technical Services (ALCTS) is an organization that is dedicated to education, cooperation and information sharing of matters relating to the technical services field of library and information science. They produced and published a quarterly publication, Library Resources Technical Services. ALCTS also provides web course, webinars, and online discussion for both membersRead MoreUniversity s Center On Education And The Workforce Estimates875 Words   |  4 PagesGeorgetown University s Center on Education and the Workforce estimates that by 2020, nearly two-thirds of all jobs will require some postsecondary education or training beyond a high school diploma. The premise of this article is that the traditional college prep curriculum at most high schools is not favoring a sizable percentage of American teenagers. Some people consider technical or vocational high schools a valid choice for students who choose not to pursue a customary educatio nal path. HighlightedRead More College Education vs. Technical Training Essay1331 Words   |  6 PagesCollege Education vs. Technical Training A few years ago, the DeVry technical institute released a commercial that compared two brothers in their educational pursuits. The younger brother started school at DeVry and graduated in two years. The older brother had chosen college and was still stuck in his dorm room studying history while his younger brother worked on the future. The question this commercial presented was obvious, why waste all that time in a university learning trivial facts whichRead MoreInterdisciplinary Studies Reflection1217 Words   |  5 PagesMarian, I would have not had the same understanding as I do when I read it today. Wikipedia defines Interdisciplinary studies as an education about choice. Interdisciplinary combines interests that allow students to make discoveries and connections rarely possible in the narrower confines of a single-subject major. Interdisciplinary as the term is most often used in education when two or more disciplines bring together information. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InterdisciplinaryIn an unpredictable and

How to Set Goals - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1762 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/10/10 Did you like this example? Leadership styles can affect the performance of each employee in an organization. An effective leader is the one that ensures that they use the desired manner for them to achieve the desired goals that have been set by the team. Different leadership styles will effectively affect the performance of the organization in one way or the other. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "How to Set Goals" essay for you Create order Leaders are people that can adapt to different situations by using the necessary elements and solving the various problems that arise in an organization in a different perspective that will bring an impact to the performance of the team. As a leader, one is responsible for making sure that they maintain the communication with the other employees in the organization. This is because they will encourage the development of the team and this will be effective through innovation and motivate all the staff. There will be the generation of new ideas making the organization achieve all the set goals and objectives. Leadership styles The autocratic leader is the leader that always has total power over the entire subordinate whereby he carefully observes all the work that they do and is always strict and keeps in touch with them. The team members are not involved in the process of making decisions for only the leader is entitled to this particular role. The members are as well not in the position where they can suggest or make any suggestion about the improvement of any activity that is carried out in the organization. The employees are only told what to do, when to do it and how they do, and this is exactly what they should adhere to for they are the instructions given to them by their seniors. When they follow all these instructions, it is sure that they will achieve the goals that have been set for the organization. The new ideas that have been implemented will all be executed if they follow the instructions given. This style of leadership is instrumental since all the decision that is made is swift and jobs ar e efficiently delivered. This particular approach is resistance and unstable when it comes to the side of the employees. This is commonly used when the decisions to be made are needed urgently. Secondly, there is the transactional leadership style. This is the leadership style that focuses more on trades that are conducted between the leader and the follower. For this particular case, the member is compensated for the specific goal or the performance that they meet or the performance criteria. The transactional leader has the responsibility of validating the relationship between the performance and the reward that is to be given and then they can go about with the exchange so that to get the response that will encourage the subordinate to improve their performance. This type of leadership plays a role between the managers and the subordinates. The style can be said to be an exchange of the reward and the target by the management for the achievement of the set goals and the objectives. Communication skills Communication skills are necessary for the aid to practical innovation for the organization. Many of the organizations have the belief that when there is a communication skill in their organization, they will increase their organizations ability to innovate. Innovation is very critical when it comes to knowledge economy for it encourages growth, new products in the market and various new methods that are used in delivering value to the customers. The managers of an organization are in a position where they can manage all the risks that may come across a company. They are people that can experiment the new ideas that may come along them. They can quickly analyze the risk and the amount of risk that the company can come across. The managers can quickly come up or develop a way in which they will minimize the risk and identify the place where it is needed most. The managers can quickly seize an opportunity. The leaders are proactive, and they are fast at taking the initiative and owners hip for success. They anticipate the potential obstacles before they decide on taking any action and they are quick at avoiding over-analysis. They are people who push for personal performance, and they often work independently for long periods of a minimal support. These leaders that have this particular skill are in the position to take advantage of a new idea that comes along or any opportunity that will have an impact on the organization. Describe the communication strategies you would use to introduce the proposed changes to your work team. Communication strategies are the ways that can be used for exchanging information. There are various ways for passing or exchanging information in the organization. For this project, it would be effective for the manager to share the information that he or she has by using the following strategies. To begin with is the verbal communication strategy. The verbal communication strategy can be broken into two forms which are written or oral. The manager can consider the written policy, where he can send the proposed project via the email, text or by chat. Doing it orally can also be effective for this includes the use of phone calls, video chat or a face to face conversation where the employees and the manager can discuss the proposed project. Also, there is the nonverbal and visual communication strategy. Describe the organizational culture and its readiness for team creativity and innovation. Change is inevitable in most of the organizations. Organizational cultural issues are getting significant as well as them becoming a strategic competitive advantage. Corporate culture leads to competition for there are several dramatic changes in strategy that are required. Creativity and innovation play a role in making change for the organization. A team culture should be one that is interpretive. A manager should be able to describe all the steps that they took and the change that has been impacted to the organization from the time when they came into the team. For a team to be or remain innovative, then it requires the leaders to foster and develop a system that will be innovative among their followers. The actions that are to be taken by the managers should be related to the creativity that the organization will produce in the later years. With the in-depth leadership training, accountability and the daily communication that goes on about the leadership responsibilities and the ability to foster trust and creativity, the managers can quickly rise to the standards that are necessary to inspire innovation and growth of the next generation and innovative leaders. Explain the causes of resistance to the changes and the similar tactics you would use to address each cause. Causes of resistance to change In an organization, a manager will come across one or two employees that are against change. Change is constant in every organization, and the employees are the first opponent to change. Some of the causes of resistance to change include the bad management of change in the workplace.   A bad management of change can make most of the employees to hate change in the department that they are working. The managers and the advisors are the people responsible for implementing the change in the organization, and this is the place where it becomes a challenge. When the managers are the only ones that will pass the information about an individual product in the organization they will not possess the training and knowledge that is necessary for them to be competent for them to be agents of change in the organization. This is the reason that leads to poor communication in the organization between the C-suite and the general employees.   It happens that most of the employees will not respond to change that has been the case in the group with happiness. The company has to understand that there will be resistance. Some of the causes include: job loss is the primary reason as to why most of the employees are likely to resist change in the organization. When a company comes to change most of the employees are worried for there is a time when the agency will be required to downsize some of the employees or create new jobs. This causes the fear of job loss.   Also, there is poor communication and engagement. Again there is the lack of trust and poor timing that is among the employees and the management. How to overcome resistance and implement the change The company should be in a position where they can overcome the opposition. Despite how the company can manage change, they will be faced with resistance often. The companies should come with a strategy where they can quickly engage the people that are against the modification. By doing this, they will be able to see their concern, and they will be able to alleviate the problem by time.   The second way to overcome resistance is by ensuring that they effectively engage the employees where they can listen to what the employees have to say about change. There is the implementation of change in various stages and communicating the change effectively. These are the several ways in which the organization can overcome resistance to prevent the consequences. Describe the manner in which the changes will be implemented, applying the 8-Step Process for Leading Change The first step for the manager to implement change is by creating urgency. The manager should be in a position where they can develop a sense of urgency to improving the organization this is important for the company will be able to get things moving. Forming a powerful coalition can also help for the manager will be having people that will be supporting him in emphasizing the necessity of change in an organization. There is the creation of a vision for change. When a person starts thinking about change, many things and ideas float around. One can determine the necessary values and create a strategy that can be bringing out the change effectively. Conclusion Change in many organizations has a high impact on the organization itself and the people that are involved in the entire process. The group as a whole should be included in this particular step or process for the team as a whole to be able to achieve the goals and objectives that have been set. They will be able to innovate more for different people that are in the organization will be able to come up with various new ideas that can be implemented by the company.

A New Fertilizer Product for Vegetables Free Essays

First, a stimulant component of fertilizer is obtained. This should not be very pricey, because we need an invention that can be used by every category of people. The merchandise must be sufficient to supply good victuals to plants for their vigorous and long life. We will write a custom essay sample on A New Fertilizer Product for Vegetables or any similar topic only for you Order Now Another motive which has supported this research in demeanor is to reduce the quandary of blazing of tropical plants. Research Questions: The study for manufacturing most modern fertilizers for the augmentation of vegetables is founded on the subsequent research questions:- What is the course of action for manufacturing fertilizers?   Which nourishment is less costly? Which fertilizers can be used commercially and which ones can be used by common   Ã‚  public. Also, whether these fertilizers convene to the expected needs of clients or not. Hypothesis for the Experiment: Macrobiotic fertilizer is less expensive and will be used socially, while on the other hand, tropical plant fertilizer will be more expensive and commercially used. Subjects: To obtain low priced fertilizers, assigned to a financial group. Quality check assigned to the department of health. Macrobiotic Fertilizer: Object: To produce a stimulant that can be prepared in simple steps and can be extensively used for supporting the growth of plants. Elements used in the Manufacturing of Macrobiotic Fertilizer: For obtaining this fertilizer, we require a variety of limes, seed feast, gypsum, fillet and kelp feast. Procedure: Mix the all 4 components of seed meals with  ¼ regular limes; now add  ¼ of gypsum piece in the combination. Lastly, add  ½ of the dolomitic lime. To obtain the finest result, a small amount of bone feast should also be added. Result: By the application of macrobiotic fertilizer on crops, it is concluded that the crop growth is much healthier and faster than before.   The experiment shows that when the elements were bought in bulk, the cost was not very high, and this product is expected to be in more demand because of its lower prices (Aubrey Vaughn, April 4, 2007). How to cite A New Fertilizer Product for Vegetables, Papers

Landcare Revegetation Essay Example For Students

Landcare Revegetation Essay Word Count: 1329Rehabilitation is the process of reclaiming land for economical orconservation purposes. This process usually involvesre-vegetation. The main aim in rehabilitation is to either return theland to a self-sustaining ecosystem or prepare the land for humanuse, i.e. crops, pastures and plantations. Rehabilitation should takeplace at a rate that is significantly higher than natural succession. Several principles are implemented for successful rehabilitation. Ofthese principles includes the need for preventing disasters andanticipating problems before they arise, if this is taken toconsideration then rehabilitation will be less costly and troublefree. When rehabilitating a site, all the components making up theecosystem need to be looked at individually. They include soil,climate, vegetation, time and animals. These components need tointeract at certain rates in order for the desired effect to beachieved and so might need to be altered. There are otherprinciples of rehabilitation, which will be discussed, in greaterdetail. There are many methods and strategies involved in rehabilitationwhich, are specific to a site. In this case, surface mine reclamationand farmland will be looked at. A step by step illustration of theprocesses involved will be covered. When rehabilitating mine land,it is important to first prepare a plan before mining takes place. Researching and obtaining data on the floral and faunal elementsof the ecosystem by conducting surveys of the upper, mid andunder-story species present. If the aim is to restore the land to itsoriginal ecological balance and to conserve the species present,then further studies should be conducted on the ecology of thenative species, i.e. seed biology of all species. Propagationtechniques and the order of re-establishing species should bestudied. When rehabilitation work was conducted on the bauxitemines in the southwest of W.A., special research was conductedon the germination requirements of sown seed. The aim in this case was to re-establish a self-sustaining forest,which maintains water, timber and all the valued qualities of forest. The timing component was carefully considered when removingtopsoil in summer to ensure maximum seed store this was achievedwhen the forest was cleared after seed set took place. Handseeding was done soon after ripping in order to ensured that theseeds other propagules were well established before germination. When conducting mining operations it is generally desirable thatrehabilitation work takes place at the same rate as mining occurs. The soil component in this case needs to be removed in layers(topsoil and overburden) and stock piled during the miningprocess. The topsoil is very important because is contains most ofthe seed, propagules and micro-organisms which are needed forsuccessful revegetation. Topsoil is often treated with fertiliser afterbeing reapplied as it is already nutrient poor and would not be ableto support new plant growth. A major purpose for rehabilitation isto reduce of soil erosion. This also a problem that occurs duringthe early stage of revegetation. Young seedlings cannot provideenough protection for the soil as wind and rain move soil particles. It would also be unwise to plant too many small shrubs, i.e. legumes to help combat the problem as they will compete withother seedlings. Before replacing soil it is important to ensure thatthe land is reshaped so to resemble the original landscape. Adequate drainage is necessary and can be achieved by deepripping the soil. This also ensures that the soil is not compacted,well aerated and root penetration is better achieved. Beforereturning soil to a site, it should be thoroughly tested for toxicity. .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934 , .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934 .postImageUrl , .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934 , .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934:hover , .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934:visited , .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934:active { border:0!important; } .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934:active , .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934 .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8ccc825600b13df7b02320f5e3ba0934:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Lacrosse EssayIt is extremely important to treat affected soil overburden before itis returned. When the aim of a rehabilitation project is to return theland to a self-sustaining ecosystem, then a sound understandingof the nutrient cycle is required. The least abundant and most limiting nutrients in Australian soilsare phosphorus and nitrogen. Nitrogen is mostly present inorganic matter and is accumulated in the roots of nitrogen fixingplants i.e. legumes. Most phosphorus can be added as fertiliser. This will aid the initial growth of vegetation but will not sustain theecosystems needs. The addition of mycorrhizal fungi in this casewould be most appropriate. Mine site rehabilitation is probably the most involved of all thetypes. Before any rehabilitation or research is conducted, it isnecessary that the post-mined land use be agreed upon. It wouldbe at the best interest of the mining company to reduce costs. Asignificant cost reduction strategy is rehabilitating an area in a waythat it would require minimum post-mining management. Thismeans that the area will

4 Tips for Duke Essays That Will Get You Accepted

4 Tips for Duke Essays That Will Get You Accepted SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Do you want to be a Blue Devil? If so, you’ll need to submit strong Duke essays as part of your application. Duke requires its applicants to answer two to four essay and short answer questions when they apply. In this article, we’ll break down each of those questions and explain exactly what you need to do to write amazing Duke supplement essay. What Is the Duke Supplement Essay? Duke requires that you submit two to four writing samples as part of your application. You’re required to answer one longer essay prompt and one short answer question. You also have the option of answering up to two more short answer questions. Duke requires the Duke supplement essay questions as part of its application process for a couple of reasons. First of all, written essays are a great way to assess your preparedness for college. Duke wants to see that you can write clearly and concisely and can follow all of the necessary grammar conventions. Duke also wants to get to know you more as a student and possible member of its campus. Essays are a great way to learn more about who you really are beyond your test scores and other credentials. Finally, your Duke essays are a great place to demonstrate your affinity for Duke itself. Why do you want to go there? Your essays can highlight your passion for the university. It’s extremely important to put time and effort into each one of the Duke supplement essay prompts so that you’re able to meet all of these needs. Duke Supplement Essay Prompts You’ll have to answer at least two and as many as four Duke supplement essay prompts for your Duke application. All students are required to write one longer essay. The essay you write will be determined by whether you’re submitting the Common Application or the Coalition Application (Duke accepts both). You’re also required to answer at least one short answer question. There are two more short answer questions that are optional for all applicants. If you apply to Duke via the Coalition Application, you’ll select one essay prompts to answer. For more information on how to ace your Coalition Application essay and an analysis of each prompt, check out our in-depth guide. If you apply to Duke via the Common Application, you’ll need to select one essay. For more information on how to craft an amazing Common Application essay and in-depth look at each prompt, check out our blog post dedicated to that very topic. 2018-19 Required Duke Essays All Duke students are required to answer one short answer question for their Duke admissions essay. The short answer question you respond to is determined by which school within Duke you’re applying to. If you are applying to the Pratt School of Engineering as either a first-year or transfer applicant, please discuss why you want to study engineering and why you would like to study at Duke. (150 words maximum) If you are applying to the Trinity College of Arts Sciences as either a first-year or transfer applicant, please discuss why you consider Duke a good match for you. Is there something particular about Duke that attracts you? (150 words maximum) 2018-19 Optional Duke Essays You also have the option of responding to two optional Duke essays. Duke makes it clear that these Duke admissions essay prompts are completely optional. You won’t be penalized if you don’t answer them. Duke University seeks a talented, engaged student body that embodies the wide range of human experience; we believe that the diversity of our students makes our community stronger. If you'd like to share a perspective you bring or experiences you've had to help us understand you better- perhaps related to a community you belong to or your family or cultural background- we encourage you to do so. Real people are reading your application, and we want to do our best to understand and appreciate the real people applying to Duke. (250 words maximum) Duke’s commitment to diversity and inclusion includes gender identity and sexual orientation. If you would like to share with us more about either, and have not done so elsewhere in the application, we invite you to do so here. (250 words maximum) Required Duke Essays, Analyzed If you are applying to the Pratt School of Engineering as either a first-year or transfer applicant, please discuss why you want to study engineering and why you would like to study at Duke. (150 words maximum) 150 words isn’t a lot of words to describe your love for Duke and your passion for engineering! You’ll need to be clear, succinct, and honest in order for your Duke admissions essay to stand out. Because the word limit is so constrained, it’s better to focus on one or two specific ideas, rather than trying to cram as many thoughts as possible into your short essay. While you may be enamored of Duke’s entire engineering faculty, choose one specific professor whose work you admire and expand on that. Any depth you can achieve in this small space will go a long way. Be sure to answer both parts of this question: you need to explain why you want to study engineering and why you want to study engineering at Duke. While the two answers might be intertwined, both should be clearly present in your response. When discussing why you want to study at Duke, pick things that are unique to Duke’s program. Don’t just say you want a great engineering education - you can get that at dozens of universities. Instead, specify what makes Duke’s engineering program different than all of the others. If you’re stuck, try perusing their course catalogue and looking at the program’s website and any recent publications. Chances are, you’ll catch something that stands out. If you are applying to the Trinity College of Arts Sciences as either a first-year or transfer applicant, please discuss why you consider Duke a good match for you. Is there something particular about Duke that attracts you? (150 words maximum) This Duke admissions essay question is also constrained in word count and focuses more on Duke’s merits than the engineering question. You’re not required to have any particular major in mind here, but it may be helpful to consider your academic course of study as you’re looking for reasons why Duke stands out to you. Duke is asking this question because they want their admitted applicants to enroll, so you need to demonstrate why your passion for this university would result in your attendance next fall. Convince the admissions committee that Duke is the one school for you. You can do this by researching specific facts about the university and its community. Because this question doesn’t ask you about your course of study, you don’t need to limit yourself to academics. If there’s something about Duke’s campus or culture that really stands out to you, now is the time to talk about it. Better to be honest and true to yourself than spew a bunch of platitudes that you think the admissions committee wants to hear. Optional Duke Admission Essay Prompts, Analyzed Duke University seeks a talented, engaged student body that embodies the wide range of human experience; we believe that the diversity of our students makes our community stronger. If you'd like to share a perspective you bring or experiences you've had to help us understand you better- perhaps related to a community you belong to or your family or cultural background- we encourage you to do so. Real people are reading your application, and we want to do our best to understand and appreciate the real people applying to Duke. (250 words maximum) Treat this question as an opportunity to share more about yourself. If you have something real and important to write about, do so. But don’t try to invent an experience that doesn’t actually belong to you - it’ll come across as fake and insincere. Unless you really have nothing to say, I’d suggest including something. If you choose to answer this question, lean into authenticity. Don’t be scared to be vulnerable or honest. While the question talks about Duke’s commitment to diversity, don’t feel like you have to invent diverse experiences just to fit in. Share about your unique perspective. Be sure to indicate why this point-of-view belongs to you, and you alone. Your perspective is made up by your experiences and interactions, so you can highlight how these have affected you. Duke’s commitment to diversity and inclusion includes gender identity and sexual orientation. If you would like to share with us more about either, and have not done so elsewhere in the application, we invite you to do so here. Don’t answer this optional essay unless you have something real to say. Don’t feel intimidated or scared that ignoring this question will reflect badly on you. It won’t. You should really only address this prompt if you’re a member of the LGBTQ community. What will reflect badly on you is making something up that comes across as insincere, or worse, ignorant. Speak truthfully and from the heart. Similarly, if you do have reflections on gender identity and sexual orientation, don’t feel like you have to share them. Remember, this essay is optional. It’s completely fine if you’re not quite comfortable enough or ready to talk publicly about these topics. If you choose to answer this question, only speak about real experiences that happened to you. It’s better to keep them personal. This essay isn’t the place to reflect on the overall political climate surrounding LGBTQ+ rights, especially if those issues don’t relate to you. It is, however, the space to talk about your specific identity and journey. How to Write Great Duke Essays If you want your Duke essays to stand out and help you get admitted, follow these tips! #1: Use Your Own Voice The point of a college essay is for the admissions committee to have the chance to get to know you beyond your test scores, grades, and honors. Your admissions essays are your opportunity to make yourself come alive for the essay readers and to present yourself as a fully fleshed out person. You should, then, make sure that the person you’re presenting in your college essays is yourself. Don’t try to emulate what you think the committee wants to hear or try to act like someone you’re not. If you lie or exaggerate, your essay will come across as insincere, which will diminish its effectiveness. Stick to telling real stories about the person you really are, not who you think Duke wants you to be. #2: Avoid Cliched or Overused Phrases When writing your Duke essays, try to avoid using cliches or overused quotes or phrases. These include quotations that have been quoted to death and phrases or idioms that are overused in daily life. The college admissions committee has probably seen numerous essays that state, â€Å"Be the change you want to see in the world.† Strive for originality. Similarly, avoid using cliches, which take away from the strength and sincerity of your work. Don’t speak in platitudes about how the struggle for gay and lesbian rights has affected you†¦ unless it actually has! #3: Check Your Work It should almost go without saying, but you want to make sure your Duke essays are the strongest example of your work possible. Before you turn in your Duke application, make sure to edit and proofread your essays. Your work should be free of spelling and grammar errors. Make sure to run your essays through a spelling and grammar check before you submit. It’s a good idea to have someone else read your Duke essays, too. You can seek a second opinion on your work from a parent, teacher, or friend. Ask them whether your work represents you as a student and person. Have them check and make sure you haven’t missed any small writing errors. Having a second opinion will help your work be the best it possibly can be. That being said, make sure you don’t rely on them for ideas or rewrites. Your essays need to be your work. #4: Only Answer What You’re Comfortable With Remember, Duke’s optional essays are just that - optional. It can be tempting to respond to everything on the application and if you have an important story to tell, you definitely should. However, if you have nothing to say, don’t feel like you need to make something up. You’re better off answering less, honestly, then you are answering more, dishonestly. What’s Next? Have you taken the ACT or SAT yet? Not sure which one you’ll do best on? Read our guide to choose the test that’s right for you. If you've taken the SAT and want to improve your score, check out our guides to improving your Reading, Writing, and Math scores. Not sure what you want to major in?Don't worry! With our advice, you'll figure out what you should study as an undergrad. Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:

Battle of Talas River - Background

Battle of Talas River - Background Few people today have even heard of the Battle of Talas River.  Yet this little-known skirmish between the army of Imperial Tang China and the Abbasid Arabs had important consequences, not just for China and Central Asia, but for the entire world. Eighth century Asia was an ever-shifting mosaic of different tribal and regional powers, fighting for trade rights, political power and/or religious hegemony. The era was characterized by a dizzying array of battles, alliances, double-crosses and betrayals. At the time, nobody could have known that one particular battle, which took place on the banks of the Talas River in present-day Kyrgyzstan, would halt the Arab and Chinese advances in Central Asia and fix the boundary between Buddhist/Confucianist Asia and Muslim Asia. None of the combatants could have predicted that this battle would be instrumental in transmitting a key invention from China to the western world: the art of paper-making, a technology that would alter world history forever. Background to the Battle For some time, the powerful Tang Empire (618-906) and its predecessors had been expanding Chinese influence in Central Asia. China used soft power for the most part, relying upon a series of trade agreements and nominal protectorates rather than military conquest to control Central Asia. The most troublesome foe faced by the Tang from 640 forward was the powerful Tibetan Empire, established by Songtsan Gampo. Control of what is now Xinjiang, Western China, and neighboring provinces went back and forth between China and Tibet throughout the seventh and eighth centuries. China also faced challenges from the Turkic Uighurs in the northwest, the Indo-European Turfans, and the Lao/Thai tribes on Chinas southern borders. The Rise of the Arabs While the Tang were occupied with all these adversaries, a new superpower rose in the Middle East. The Prophet Muhammad died in 632, and the Muslim faithful under the Umayyad Dynasty (661-750) soon brought vast areas under their sway. From Spain and Portugal in the west, across North Africa and the Middle East, and on to the oasis cities of Merv, Tashkent, and Samarkand in the east, the Arab conquest spread with astonishing speed. Chinas interests in Central Asia went back at least to 97 B.C., when the Han Dynasty general Ban Chao led an army of 70,000 as far as Merv (in what is now Turkmenistan), in pursuit of bandit tribes that preyed on early Silk Road caravans. China also had long courted trade relations with the Sassanid Empire in Persia, as well as their predecessors the Parthians. The Persians and Chinese had collaborated to quell rising Turkic powers, playing different tribal leaders off of one another. In addition, the Chinese had a long history of contacts with the Sogdian Empire, centered in modern-day Uzbekistan. Early Chinese/Arab Conflicts Inevitably, the lightning-quick expansion by the Arabs would clash with Chinas established interests in Central Asia. In 651, the Umayyads captured the Sassanian capital at Merv and executed the king, Yazdegerd III. From this base, they would go on to conquer Bukhara, the Ferghana Valley, and as far east as Kashgar (on the Chinese/Kyrgyz border today). News of Yazdegards fate was carried to the Chinese capital of Changan (Xian) by his son Firuz, who fled to China after the fall of Merv. Firuz later became a general of one of Chinas armies, and then governor of a region centered at modern-day Zaranj, Afghanistan. In 715, the first armed clash between the two powers occurred in the Ferghana Valley of Afghanistan. The Arabs and Tibetans deposed King Ikhshid and installed a man named Alutar in his place. Ikhshid asked China to intervene on his behalf, and the Tang sent an army of 10,000 to overthrow Alutar and reinstate Ikhshid. Two years later, an Arab/Tibetan army besieged two cities in the Aksu region of what is now Xinjiang, western China. The Chinese sent an army of Qarluq mercenaries, who defeated the Arabs and Tibetans and lifted the siege. In 750 the Umayyad Caliphate fell, overthrown by the more aggressive Abbasid Dynasty. The Abbasids From their first capital at Harran, Turkey, the Abbasid Caliphate set out to consolidate power over the sprawling Arab Empire built by the Umayyads. One area of concern was the eastern borderlands - the Ferghana Valley and beyond. The Arab forces in eastern Central Asia with their Tibetan and Uighur allies were led by the brilliant tactician, General Ziyad ibn Salih. Chinas western army was headed by Governor-General Kao Hsien-chih (Go Seong-ji), an ethnic-Korean commander. It was not unusual at that time for foreign or minority officers to command Chinese armies because the military was considered an undesirable career path for ethnic Chinese noblemen. Appropriately enough, the decisive clash at Talas River was precipitated by another dispute in Ferghana. In 750, the king of Ferghana had a border dispute with the ruler of neighboring Chach. He appealed to the Chinese, who sent General Kao to assist Ferghanas troops. Kao besieged Chach, offered the Chachan king safe passage out of his capital, then reneged and beheaded him. In a mirror-image parallel to what had happened during the Arab conquest of Merv in 651, the Chachan kings son escaped and reported the incident to Abbasid Arab governor Abu Muslim at Khorasan. Abu Muslim rallied his troops at Merv and marched to join Ziyad ibn Salihs army further east.  The Arabs were determined to teach General Kao a lesson... and incidentally, to assert Abbasid power in the region. The Battle of Talas River In July of 751, the armies of these two great empires met at Talas, near the modern-day Kyrgyz/Kazakh border. Chinese records state that the Tang army was 30,000 strong, while Arab accounts put the number of Chinese at 100,000. The total number of Arab, Tibetan and Uighur warriors is not recorded, but theirs was the larger of the two forces. For five days, the mighty armies clashed. When the Qarluq Turks came in on the Arab side several days into the fighting, the Tang armys doom was sealed. Chinese sources imply that the Qarluqs had been fighting for them, but treacherously switched sides midway through the battle. Arab records, on the other hand, indicate that the Qarluqs were already allied with the Abbasids prior to the conflict. The Arab account seems more likely since the Qarluqs suddenly mounted a surprise attack on the Tang formation from the rear. (If the Chinese accounts are correct, wouldnt the Qarluqs have been in the middle of the action, rather than riding up from behind? And would the surprise have been as complete, if the Qarluqs had been fighting there all along?) Some modern Chinese writings about the battle still exhibit a sense of outrage at this perceived betrayal by one of the Tang Empires minority peoples. Whatever the case, the Qarluq attack signaled the beginning of the end for Kao Hsien-chihs army. Of the tens of thousands the Tang sent into battle, only a small percentage survived. Kao Hsien-chih himself was one of the few who escaped the slaughter; he would live just five years more, before being put on trial and executed for corruption. In addition to the tens of thousands of Chinese killed, a number were captured and taken back to Samarkand (in modern-day Uzbekistan) as prisoners of war. The Abbassids could have pressed their advantage, marching into China proper. However, their supply lines were already stretched to the breaking point, and sending such a huge force over the eastern Hindu Kush mountains and into the deserts of western China was beyond their capacity. Despite the crushing defeat of Kaos Tang forces, the Battle of Talas was a tactical draw. The Arabs eastward advance was halted, and the troubled Tang Empire turned its attention from Central Asia to rebellions on its northern and southern borders. Consequences of the Battle of Talas At the time of the Battle of Talas, its significance was not clear. Chinese accounts mention the battle as part of the beginning of the end for the Tang Dynasty. That same year, the Khitan tribe in Manchuria (northern China) defeated the imperial forces in that region, and Thai/Lao peoples in what is now Yunnan province in the south revolted as well. The An Shi Revolt of 755-763, which was more of a civil war than a simple revolt, further weakened the empire. By 763, the Tibetans were able to seize the Chinese capital at Changan (now Xian). With so much turmoil at home, the Chinese had neither the will nor the power to exert much influence past the Tarim Basin after 751. For the Arabs, too, this battle marked an unnoticed turning point. The victors are supposed to write history, but in this case, (despite the totality of their victory), they did not have much to say for some time after the event. Barry Hoberman points out that the ninth-century Muslim historian al-Tabari (839-923) never even mentions the Battle of Talas River. Its not until half a millennium after the skirmish that Arab historians take note of Talas, in the writings of Ibn al-Athir (1160-1233) and al-Dhahabi (1274-1348). Nevertheless, the Battle of Talas had important consequences. The weakened Chinese Empire was no longer in any position to interfere in Central Asia, so the influence of the Abbassid Arabs grew. Some scholars quibble that too much emphasis is placed on the role of Talas in the Islamification of Central Asia. It is certainly true that the Turkic and Persian tribes of Central Asia did not all immediately convert to Islam in August of 751. Such a feat of mass communication across the deserts, mountains, and steppes would have been utterly impossible before modern mass communications, even if the Central Asian peoples were uniformly receptive to Islam. Nonetheless, the absence of any counterweight to the Arab presence allowed Abbassid influence to spread gradually throughout the region. Within the next 250 years, most of the formerly Buddhist, Hindu, Zoroastrian, and Nestorian Christian tribes of Central Asia had become Muslim. Most significant of all, among the prisoners of war captured by the Abbassids after the Battle of Talas River, were a number of skilled Chinese artisans, including Tou Houan. Through them, first the Arab world and then the rest of Europe learned the art of paper-making. (At that time, the Arabs controlled Spain and Portugal, as well as North Africa, the Middle East, and large swaths of Central Asia.) Soon, paper-making factories sprang up in Samarkand, Baghdad, Damascus, Cairo, Delhi... and in 1120 the first European paper mill was established in Xativa, Spain (now called Valencia). From these Arab-dominated cities, the technology spread to Italy, Germany, and across Europe. The advent of paper technology, along with woodcut printing and later movable-type printing, fueled the advances in science, theology, and history of Europes High Middle Ages, which ended only with the coming of the Black Death in the 1340s. Sources: The Battle of Talas, Barry Hoberman. Saudi Aramco World, pp. 26-31 (Sept/Oct 1982). A Chinese Expedition across the Pamirs and Hindukush, A.D. 747, Aurel Stein. The Geographic Journal, 59:2, pp. 112-131 (Feb. 1922). Gernet, Jacque, J. R. Foster (trans.), Charles Hartman (trans.). A History of Chinese Civilization, (1996). Oresman, Matthew. Beyond the Battle of Talas: Chinas Re-emergence in Central Asia. Ch. 19 of In the tracks of Tamerlane: Central Asias path to the 21st Century, Daniel L. Burghart and Theresa Sabonis-Helf, eds. (2004). Titchett, Dennis C. (ed.). The Cambridge History of China: Volume 3, Sui and Tang China, 589-906 AD, Part One, (1979).

Information and System Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Information and System Security - Essay Example Information security is concerned with the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data regardless of the form the data may take: electronic, print, or other forms. The field of information security has grown and evolved significantly in recent years. As a career choice there are many ways of gaining entry into the field. It offers many areas for specialization including Information Systems Auditing, Business Continuity Planning. Information security is the ongoing process of exercising due care and due diligence to protect information, and information systems, from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, destruction, modification, or disruption. The never ending process of information security involves ongoing training, assessment, protection, monitoring & detection, incident response & repair, documentation, and review. In recent years identity management has become increasingly important, especially in the financial services, healthcare and government industries. Why identity management has emerged as a growing business and IT priority is no mystery. Obvious drivers include the need to protect one's intellectual property, data brand value and customer loyalty from the potential damage wrought by electronically-based fraud and theft; the desire to cut technical support costs, increase productivity through self-service and enable integration across disparate platforms.