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About three years ago, I first learned about Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). The private, nonprofit school has been celebrated as not only one of the most innovative colleges in the America … but one of the most innovative organizations in the world. They are able to serve over 3,000 residential students on their campus in Manchester, while enrolling over 135,000 online learners worldwide. All while touting affordable tuition. I’ve been impressed by how SNHU designed themselves to serve those two different student groups: (1) The more traditional student who wants an on-campus, coming-of-age experience … and (2) the adult learner who wants convenience, credentials, and speedy completion times. I blogged about SNHU in 2018. Just recently, I have considered taking a few a la carte classes in screenwriting at SNHU, which would round out my master’s degree and give me enough graduate-level credits if I ever wanted to teach English. Their online program would meet my needs as an adult learner. So I was very much interested to hear what Dr. Paul LeBlanc, SNHU’s visionary president, had to say during this Future Trends Forum (Feb. 25, 2021), available to watch on YouTube. I must give a shout-out to writer/host/futurist… Continue Reading What can we learn from one of the most innovative schools in higher ed? (Plus: *Your* professional development ideas)Read More
This is going to sound way more boring than it was, but here goes: Over the summer, in an effort to better understand my role in the grants office, I read books including “Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager” and “Meeting Design.” In those books, I learned some valuable tips, like this one: The most important job of the project manager is to make sure the team is clear on ROLES and GOALS. The rhyme makes it easy to remember. And this one: We can roll our eyes at the thought of another staff meeting, but what if we approached our routine meetings as opportunities to build better relationships — a way to change the culture and model the value of lifelong learning? Too boring? OK, maybe. But here’s the twist: One of the best books I read about project management was really a book about … Hollywood. In high school, I dreamed of becoming a film director … without a true understanding of what this meant. I’ve always been fascinated by their process, even more so after I’ve worked in organizations full of creative people with their own ideas. How do these leaders galvanize so many talented people… Continue Reading Sunny? Cloudy with a chance of rainbows? You have the power to make the weatherRead More
Hello, and welcome to the Virginia Western Game of Trivia, which is really a quiz, but GOT is the only acronym that makes any sense. (Cue the laugh track) The game is a quick way to relay important data points and random bits of trivia about our college … and also an excellent excuse for our game host to learn how to use Google Forms. (Ba-dum-tisssss!) But first … do yourself a favor and play this background YouTube music to get the full quiz show experience! Can you hear those happy horns? OK, much better. Our first question was sent in by the amazing (and brave) Natasha Lee, our Student Activities Coordinator. Thanks for all you do, Natasha! (Please clap!) So let’s get to today’s one and only question … (and be sure to click “View score” after you answer) … Loading… Did I hear someone ask about a prize? Ahhhhh, yes. We all win a valuable prize pack full of … knowledge! And hopefully some laughter. 🙂 Thanks again to Natasha for sharing these knowledge nuggets for our very first (deep, dramatic voice): GAME OF TRIVIAAAAHHH (echo, echo, echo). GOT some fascinating trivia? GOT data points we should share… Continue Reading Time to play the Virginia Western Game of Trivia!Read More
About Shelley
Shelley Lyons is glad to be back on campus as she is a Virginia Western alum, and has served as the Administrative Officer for Grants Administration at Virginia Western since early 2022. Prior to VWCC, her career focus was within the Human Services and Arts fields. She wrote her first grant in 1996 on a whim and has continued to plan and learn since that time. She most enjoys seeing a well-planned project come to fruition, where funder, project manager and beneficiaries can all feel success and see impact.
Recent Posts
- Are we planning for success or seeking to fit into grant requirements? May 26, 2026
- Federal Funding, where are we, and where might we be headed? October 27, 2025
- Innovation, and the LOI. August 25, 2025
- Some 24/25 Highlights July 16, 2025
- Have you heard? October 28, 2024