CCBC Faculty Member Selected as Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert for Third Consecutive Year

Monaca, PA – For the third year in a row, Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) Professor of Office Technology Mary Jo Slater has been chosen to join more than 6,000 educators worldwide as part of the Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Expert program.

Each year, Microsoft selects innovative educators who are self-driven, passionate about their work, have true collaborative spirit and strive to inspire students with outside-the-box thinking on technology in education.

MIE experts build their capacity for using technology in both the classroom and curriculum to improve student learning, advise other Microsoft and educational institutions on how to integrate technology into teaching, and advocate training for how Microsoft technology can improve learning at conferences and events.

“I am very proud of this recognition, and have worked very hard to receive this honor from Microsoft again this year,” said Slater. “I now have the opportunity to attend online meetings and to collaborate, learn, and train with other MIE Experts from around the world in order to help students use the technology skills they are learning on our campuses to problem solve and think creatively.”

Slater, who is also a Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Master and Authorized IC3 Instructor, said she is always learning and enjoys sharing that knowledge with her students and researching future technologies.

Recently, she created a Microsoft Publisher/Microsoft OneNote course to serve the students and community better, as few colleges teach a specific course on this platform. Additionally, she incorporates Office 366 as a learning objective in every Office Technology course offered, noting that 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies are on the Microsoft Cloud, leveraging Office Productivity Tools to collaborate effectively with colleagues, Microsoft Office is number four on the list of the most in-demand job skills.

“Holding an MOS certification can earn an entry-level business employee as much as $16,000 more in annual salary than their uncertified peers,” stated Slater. “In the past year alone, I had a student in the class who had previously earned his MBA. While on job interviews, he was continuously being asked about his Microsoft Excel skills and was not hired. He then came to CCBC, enrolled in my Microsoft Excel course, received his Microsoft Certification-Excel 2016, and went on to receive a job offer within 30 days of passing the exam.”

Learning applicable, in-demand and technology-based office skills no matter their chosen career path, many of the students enrolled in Slater’s Office Technology programs are updating their abilities or have been laid-off and need to retrain completely. CCBC’s Office Technology program offerings, which include the Medical Administrative Assistant Certificate, the Medical Administrative Professional Degree, the Administrative Professional Degree, and the Microsoft Office Specialist Certificate, are ideal for adult learners and continuing education students because they offer flexible online formats and evening and weekend course scheduling options.

“Nothing makes my job more rewarding than when students graduate and earn a job utilizing the Microsoft Office skills I have taught them,” Slater said.

In addition, Slater has received international recognition as a Microsoft Global Hero of Education. Read the full interview here at daily edventures, a 365-day blog featuring stories about global heroes in education.

Educators interested in the MIE Expert program can learn more by visiting microsoft.com/en-us/education. Interested individuals can also join the Microsoft Educator Community for professional development opportunities and to make connections globally.

To learn more about CCBC’s Office Technology programs, visit ccbc.edu/business.