Stacey Head knows about a college degree the Bachelor of Applied Science that can help graduates of technical schools get ahead in the job market.

Head, a Georgia native and graduate of Griffin Tech, is a senior in the Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) Administrative Management major at Clayton College & State University. Currently employed by the Henry County Board of Commissioners, Head says the Saturday, Oct. 3, Career Forum at CCSU can be a stepping stone to a better job for technical school graduates.

"The BAS is a great way for someone who is in a technical program to earn a bachelor's degree without having to play catch-up, without stopping their technical track and going back to get an associate's degree," she said. "You really can't get a good paying job without a bachelor's degree."

The Oct. 3 Career Forum will specifically give non-traditional students (those individuals who graduated from high more than five years ago) a chance to improve their career options. The forum will run from 9 a.m. to noon in the Harry S. Downs Center for Continuing Education on the CCSU main campus in Morrow and will concentrate on the university's four Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) majors and the Integrative Studies (IS) program.

The BAS degree is only offered by four Georgia institutions and is unique in the southeastern United States. The BAS enables graduates of technical institutes and colleges in selected fields to apply credits toward a bachelor's degree in Technology Management, Administrative Management, Allied Health Administration, and Dental Hygiene Practice and Administration.

Students pursuing the Integrative Studies degree majors work closely with a faculty advisor to create an individualized program of career-oriented study that can draw on courses offered by any of the 19 colleges and universities of the Atlanta Regional Consortium for Higher Education, including Emory, Georgia Tech, University of Georgia, Atlanta College of Art, Spelman College, and Clark Atlanta University.

"The BAS degree is especially relevant to working students," said Dr. Jane Thompson, vice president and dean of Student and Enrollment Services at Clayton State. "Both the BAS and the IS programs provide students with flexible, specific and experiential learning opportunities that not only provide them with current knowledge, but also contain a significant professional development component."

"I want to go into a management position," said Head. "Through the BAS and Henry County Commissioners letting me do an internship here, I have some real life experience. I was able to get some hands-on experience as well as classroom learning."

"CCSU's unique IS program allowed me to design an interdisciplinary program that met my career and academic goals," said Melanie Hill, an Integrative Studies major from Fayetteville, who has worked in U.S. Rep. Mac Collins' Jonesboro office. "Because all CCSU students are provided with notebook computers, I was able to take advantage of the university's distance learning opportunities.

My demanding work schedule made this aspect of the IS program particularly appealing."

The Oct. 3 Career Forum will begin with a welcome by Dr. Richard A. Skinner, president of CCSU. Skinner's presentation will be followed by a program overview by Thompson, a career assessment activity presented by the University's Office of Career Services, and a panel discussion featuring a group of current CCSU students. The latter discussion will focus on the challenges of students attending college after a long absence from the educational system, and will feature several non-traditional CCSU students.

Following the non-traditional student panel, Dr. Elliott McElroy, CCSU vice president for Academic Affairs, will give a brief overview of the university's academic programs. Forum attendees will then split up with the opportunity to learn more about the featured academic programs, the university's admissions procedures, financial aid and career options.

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