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Cynthia V. Marcello, BA, MBA
School of Information Technology
One of the challenges that Cynthia Marcello encountered early in her career as an instructor was a student with a "cannot do" attitude. "I had a student who refused to believe he could learn the course material. That experience was an epiphany for me, because that student played a large role in the development of my educational philosophy. Some students create artificial barriers for themselves that can prevent them from reaching their full potential, both educationally and professionally. One of my goals as an instructor is to tear those barriers down."
Helping students find their strengths, overcome their weaknesses and broaden their perspectives takes education, experience, professionalism and dedication. Cynthia Marcello brings all of the above to the courses that she facilitates through Colorado Tech Online and Stonecliffe College Online, an academic division of Colorado Technical University.
Cynthia earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Lehigh University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. She is currently working on a Doctorate degree in Management and Organizational Leadership with an emphasis on information systems. Cynthia has owned a consulting business for 12 years. She has worked in various capacities in the information technology profession, including software and web applications development, database and web design, project management, SQL database administration and programming. She has played an integral role in building information systems for companies. Cynthia is also an expert in Microsoft applications and has been involved in several training programs and workshops in corporate settings as a developer and an instructor.
Cynthia's academic and professional credentials speak volumes regarding what she can offer to students at Colorado Tech Online and Stonecliffe College Online, but her words may say it even better. "I feel that I have reached my peak in the IT profession and now I want to pass on my knowledge and experience to others. I love working with people and teaching is the most challenging and fulfilling profession that I have ever experienced. I start by engaging students in critical thinking and problem solving. I assist students in finding their strengths and motivate them through introspection and interaction. I use a tool in my courses called a SWOT analysis, one that I have used in corporate settings in which I have students identify and analyze their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats on a grid. The results of that can be empowering for students if they realize that the only thing holding them back is their own self-doubt and apprehensions. The progress that I have seen students make after overcoming their self-imposed inhibitions can be truly astonishing and very rewarding, both for me and for my students."
Cynthia feels that online learning and the Virtual Campus offered through Colorado Tech Online and Stonecliffe College Online offers a great combination of educational tools and a degree of flexibility that can reach a wide array of students. "There is a wide diversity of students enrolled in my courses in all demographics including age, professional experience, location and learning styles. I have all the tools at my disposal to reach every learning style, but most importantly, the Virtual Campus provides tools students can use to interact and learn from one another. It is a truly equitable learning environment that breaks down many barriers and allows students to broaden their perspectives and learn from each other. The interactive learning environment offered through the Virtual Campus enables students to learn from each other, and that gives me more time to assess and focus on the individuals in my courses that can benefit the most from my personal attention."
Online education also gives Cynthia more time for herself and her family. "I am a self-professed geek – and you can print that! My career has always been the top priority in my life and right now my top priority is teaching. But I have found that the flexibility of online education works just as well for me as it does for my students. I can tailor my schedule around my family responsibilities and still find time for the other things that I love in life, such as baking, cooking, computing, photography, music and even…logic games (go figure!). I have learned from experience that it is important to have balance in life, to not have all my eggs in one basket. On the other hand, my ultimate educational goal is to complete my Doctorate degree and my ultimate career goal is to achieve a tenured position at one institution, hopefully Colorado Technical University. I believe that the key to success is learning that knowledge is power, but wisdom is knowing how to use it. My advice to potential students is: set realistic, but challenging goals for yourself…and I will help you achieve your goals."
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