by sean@higheredcareercoach.com | Aug 25, 2010 | Monday Morning Quarterback, Tuesday Time-Out
DJ Coffman, the comic artist who sketched this logo, just released his first e-book.
I guess if you’re reading this far, you must have some interest in finding out why I decided to take a break from our usual topic and what on earth I could be writing about. So thanks for checking out the post anyway. Please read along.
If you read this site regularly, you’ve seen some of the awesome spot art by D.J. Coffman. He’s the guy who did the “Monday Morning Quarterback” and “Tuesday TimeOut” logos, and hopefully we’ll have some more of his stuff featured here soon. D.J. is a talented and friendly guy I met through the Third Tribe membership site (aff. link) and a respected comic artist.
His work has been published in newspapers and publications around the globe and seen on HBO, MTV, Vh1, Late Night With Conan O’ Brien and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. In 2006, he won the first annual Comic Book Challenge with his project Hero By Night which is now in development as a live action TV show.
On Third Tribe, he’s one of those people who I enjoy connecting with the most, because he’s just a real guy, doing what he loves and has always loved, trying to balance his passions with time for his family. And he’s clearly the kind of person who likes connecting with people, helping them out and learning from them. I joined Third Tribe for an opportunity to learn from people like Chris Brogan. I stay because of people like D.J. Coffman. (No offense to Chris, though, he’s the real deal, too. But then again, everyone who knows social media and marketing already kinda knows that already.)
So this break from the usual topic comes to you with the simple goal of telling you about someone who pursuing a purposeful life, and some of the amazing things he’s doing. And indirectly, to give you a glimpse of who I am and the things I care about, like doing, etc. To let the cat out of the bag, I have always loved comic books, and I have a nice collection. I spent more time in high school with comic books than with girls. I used to incessantly draw superheroes everywhere, all the time. And I would give my left arm (hey, I draw with my right) to have the chops this guy has.
Yes, I am a certified geek. And I have always done my best to support others who are, especially if they are putting themselves out there in ways that help others. D.J.’s new e-book does just that. It’s called “Cash for Cartoonists” and it’s a guide to making money as a comic artist. I know that is kind of off the beaten path, and that you probably didn’t expect to read a post on this blog about something like this.
But look at it this way… in higher ed, we talk a lot about trying to “challenge and support” our students. The biggest challenge people face in life is to be their true selves. And support (whether it be from friends, colleagues, mentors, faculty or staff) is hugely important.
I like D.J., and I want to support his art and his business. So when he announced the launch of this product, I signed up to be an affiliate right away. I don’t know how many of my higher ed colleagues out there aspire to illustrate web comics for a living, but I bet a lot of you know people who might. And if you don’t, at least you know something interesting about the spot art on this site, and the guy who does it.
We now return to our regular topic. Thanks for reading!
by sean@higheredcareercoach.com | Aug 4, 2010 | Monday Morning Quarterback, Podcast, Who-Dos
Jamie Nacht Farrell contributed this week’s edition of Monday Morning Quarterback on HigherEdCareerCoach.Com, arguing that public and non-profit institutions could learn a thing or two from for-profit institutions. She’ll be one of our featured guests. We’ll also pick her brain about Senator Tom Harkins’ hearings on admissions fraud at for-profit institutions, and the recent GAO study mentioned in this Washington Post Article. We’ll also talk to Ed Cabellon, our choice for Higher Ed Who-Do of the Month for July 2010. Cabellon, Director of the Rondileau Student Union at Bridgewater State University, has been leading an online crusade to get more student affairs/higher ed professionals involved in social media through his blog, On the Go with Ed Cabellon. We have also asked Senator Harkin’s office for comment on the recent hearings, and requested a statement or guest from that office appear on the show. Why not, right?
Listen to internet radio with Sean Cook on Blog Talk Radio
by sean@higheredcareercoach.com | Aug 3, 2010 | Tuesday Time-Out, Who-Dos
The Results are in…
Thanks to everyone who gave their input on who should be recognized as the Higher Ed “Who-Do?” of the month for July. After considering suggestions, I posted a poll last week with four nominees: Ed Cabellon, Eric Stoller, Rey Junco and Women in Housing. 41 people participated in the poll. The results are included below.
All the nominees were extremely worthy, and have made great contributions to higher ed, so Ed Cabellon, our “Who-Do” of the month for July 2010, was in great company. Ed will receive a lovely certificate (suitable for framing) and will receive consideration for this year’s “Who-Do Highsman” award, which will be announced in late May or early June 2011. The other nominees are still eligible for future consideration, so please send along your suggestions to me at sean@higheredcareercoach.com or @hiedcareercoach on Twitter.
Congratulations, Ed! You are doing great things to introduce new people and ideas to the higher ed community through your blog, twitter, and your live screencast interviews. Thanks for all you do, “Who-Do!”
by sean@higheredcareercoach.com | Jul 27, 2010 | Tuesday Time-Out, Who-Dos
As mentioned in earlier posts, toward the end of each month, we’ll take suggestions for people who are putting their purpose to work in higher education, by doing good things to help the field move forward in some way, to recognize as a “Who-Do.”
Who-Dos are knowledgeable, and highly regarded for their work, but they put that knowledge into action, and actively move conversations along, not just by talking about ideas (they certainly do that, as well) but by teaching others how to do what they know how to do. Unlike self-proclaimed “Gurus,” they are meeting us as equal partners in conversations about the future of higher education, the programs and services we provide, and how we prepare the next generation of professionals to meet the challenges that come with change.
All four of this month’s nominees are moving these conversations along through successful use of new media, especially blogs and Twitter. Please take a few moments to consider who has had an impact on you and the field this month, and cast an advisory vote for one of the nominees (or nominate someone else you think is deserving.) Add some thoughts in the comments section. And look out for a post after the poll closes.
- Ed Cabellon, Director of the Campus Center at Bridgewater State College, has compiled one of the most comprehensive Twitter Lists of Student Affairs Professionals, published tutorials on how to use Twitter, and hosted uStream conversations with some higher ed luminaries through his blog.
- Rey Junco, a professor at Lock Haven University, co-wrote Connecting to the Net.Generation: What Higher Education Professionals Need to Know about Today’s Students and Using Emerging Technologies to Enhance Student Engagement. He was recently featured in a video interview with Ed Cabellon and on the BreakDrink.Com/Campus Tech Connection podcast (along with Cabellon).
- Eric Stoller is an academic advisor, technology consultant and social justice advocate. He recently joined the ranks of InsideHigherEd’s technology bloggers, with his new regular blog, Challenge and Tech Support.
- Women in Housing is a hashtag chat on Twitter (#wihsg) where women working in housing can share perspectives on issues, connect with other women who work in housing, and highlight the voices of women in the field.
All of these people are deserving of recognition, as are many more. I’ve chosen 4 nominees who have been mentioned to me several times this month for their recent accomplishments or interactions. Now I’d like your input. Please take a few moments to participate in the TWTPOLL and help decide who will be recognized this month. Please be sure to add your comments, as well.
At the end of the academic year, there will be a process for choosing someone to recognize as a “Who-Do” of the year.
by sean@higheredcareercoach.com | Jun 23, 2010 | Who-Dos
Today, I am introducing a new regular feature on Higher Ed Career Coach. The “Who-Do Review” will profile people, websites and resources that are changing the way higher education works. This new feature grew from my series “How to Tell a Who-Do from a Guru,” which explores the differences between those we think of (or who call themselves) “gurus” versus those who are out there, doing the things they are passionate about, and trying to change the world.
Jeff Jackson and his regular contributors over at BreakDrink (Gary Ballinger, Julie Larsen, and Adrianne Dahms, among others) epitomize the groundbreaking spirit of the Who-Do, and so I’m glad to feature them in my first “Who-Do” Review. I’ll take nominations from here on out and try to feature one “Who-Do” each month. At the end of each year, we’ll choose a “Who-Do” of the Year.
Yes, I am making this up as I go along. But it’s a great idea, and I’d like readers to help me find future nominees, choose people and efforts to feature, and create a process for choosing the “Who-Do” of the Year.
But before we get started with that, there is a way you can help recognize the good work people over at BreakDrink are doing. They are conducting a fundraising campaign on IndieGoGo to support their efforts to offer future conferences and to produce podcasts on various topics of interest to higher ed professionals.
Please visit their campaign by clicking on the widget below, and make a donation. Then, come back here, comment on why you supported the campaign, and give me some suggestions for future people to feature, and any ideas you have about how to create a process for choosing the “Who-Do” of the Year.
In our era of budget cuts, travel freezes and furloughs, it’s challenging to innovate, create new programs, keep our departments adequately staffed, and offer professional development funding opportunities, like conferences and training. Innovation is key to survival, not only in individual careers, but in our field as a whole. On this Friday’s edition of the Higher Ed Career Coach Show, I’ll be talking with Jeff Jackson and others about BreakDrink.Com. We’ll talk about BreakDrink’s upcoming conferences, their expanding lineup of podcasts, and their IndieGoGo Fundraising Campaign. We’ll also be taking calls on this topic, BreakDrink, and suggestions for future people and programs to profile as a part of the “Who-Do” Review series.
