As a Health Care Management major in Immaculata’s online program, Merk was awarded a $1,000 scholarship to be applied toward tuition expenses for the 2013-2014 academic year.

Currently, Merk is a human resources manager for BJ’s Wholesale Club and lives in Northeast Philadelphia.

“Kristin is an excellent student and wants to use her education to make a difference in the work-a-day world of employee/management relations,” stated Dean Julian, Ed.D., director of Online Programs at Immaculata University.

Immaculata University is a Catholic, comprehensive, coeducational institution of higher education, located on the Main Line between Malvern and Exton, 20 miles west of Philadelphia.

To accommodate adult undergraduates’ needs, Immaculata offers flexible accelerated and online degree programs as well as courses delivered online, on-campus, or in a blended format. Professionals can earn degrees in fields such as financial management, nursing, health care management, information technology, communication, and emergency planning and management, completing their coursework in a convenient schedule that fits with their work and family responsibilities.

To RSVP for the Open House or to get more information about programs for adult students, contact Lynn Giltinan at 610-647-4400, ext. 3245 or lgiltinan@immaculata.edu.

In the course of assessing the need for an emergency management program, Immaculata University discovered that potential students and industry professionals have a substantial interest in earning a bachelor’s degree in this emerging discipline. While an increasing number of master’s degrees are available, few emergency management programs offer bachelor’s degrees. Because the field is relatively new and still developing, there is a need for up-to-date training that addresses rapidly changing theory and practice involved in handling emergencies.

“Immaculata is pleased to offer this new degree to fulfill a vital need for more professionals in this exciting, growing field. The program will equip students with the principles and methodologies they need to safeguard their clients, limit damage and help organizations resume normal operations quickly,” commented Agnes Timothy, Ph.D.  

The new degree program will also be offered totally online to reach a wider audience beyond Immaculata’s classroom sites located on the main campus and throughout the Delaware Valley. Dean Julian, Ed.D., director of IUOnline programs, knows that there will be a high demand for the totally online version of the program. “I have been in contact with leaders in the field, and they all agree that this program will not only serve the needs of local, state, and federal governments, but governments around the world,” he commented.

Courses will cover topics such as emergency management systems; risk analysis; public relations; crisis communications; and the ethical, legal, political, organizational, and financial aspects of emergency management. A capstone course will require students to draw on their knowledge of the principles of the field to develop a comprehensive emergency management plan that meets state and federal standards.

For more information about the new program, the locations where it will be offered, or the online version, contact Dr. Timothy at 610-647-4400 ext. 3440 or atimothy@immaculata.edu or contact Dr. Julian at 610-647-4400 ext. 3243 or djulian@immaculata.edu.