Employee Center

Congratulations to Jeffrey Diehl!
As the Redding Campus EMT Program Director since July, 2012, Jeff has improved the overall quality of instruction for our EMT students while ensuring IOT Redding’s EMT program compliance with California Title XXII.  Jeff has also provided assistance to other campuses by auditing their EMT programs, conducting new instructor interviews and helping them to implement compliance changes.  Jeff is currently in the process of becoming the Program Director for all IOT EMT programs, which, under his direction, will add consistency throughout our EMT programs.   Additionally, Jeff has been instrumental in creating a menu of Continuing Education Units for medical first responders that once approved by ACCSC, will provide additional revenue opportunities at each of our CERM campuses.
Recently this past February, Jeff was returning to the CERM satellite campus when he heard the screams of a young mother in the parking lot.  She was holding her toddler child in her arms, pounding him on the back.  The child was limp and lifeless and apparently choking.  While approximately 15 other people stood by and watched, Jeff took the child from his mother and performed the Heimlich maneuver, dislodging a piece of hard candy and restoring normal breathing.  Jeff turned over the situation to the 9-1-1 responders and went back to his classroom to finish his day.  Although several people have retold this story, which is on its way to 1000 “Likes” on the Redding IOT Facebook page, Jeff just sees it as doing the right thing when the right thing is needed.
“We appreciate the great work Jeff does for all IOT EMT programs and we are fortunate to have him on our team here in Redding.” stated Jim Herberger, Redding Campus President.   For commitment to our programs and his real-life heroic action, we are proud to name Jeffrey Diehl as the BSEG March 2013 Employee of the Month.  Congratulations on a job well done Jeff!
William Hillard
President/CEO
The BrightStar Employee Recognition Programs highlight the achievements of all employees. The program recognizes valued employees - employees who were on the job day in and day out, adding the extra effort that helps BrightStar Education Group provide the needed services for our students and employees. We also recognize employees as individuals or as groups as they go about their daily responsibilities in an outstanding manner. In addition to the Employee of the Month award, each recipient will receive a $50 gift certificate.  The program’s goal is the recognition of excellence wherever it occurs. Excellence in what we do, Passion for what we do and Profitability is our way of life. Direct your nominations to cdeandrea@brightstared.com

Congratulations to Heather Hixon!
How often do you hear people say, “I can’t wait until Algebra class!”?  Most of the population has rarely heard or made that statement.  Math in general, and Algebra in specific, brings back memories of classes and teachers that people prefer to forget. It is so refreshing to have an Algebra instructor who teaches more information than is expected, demands excellence from her class and is very well liked by her students.  Heather Hixon joined our team in November of 2011 with a BS in Mathematics as well as an MBA and a background in Business Finance and Marketing.
“In all my years in education, I have never witnessed a more effective Algebra Instructor- she is amazing in her approach and in her rapport with her students.”, stated  Richard Melella, BSEG National Director of Education and interim Campus President for IOT Clovis.
In the year and a half Heather Hixon has been with IOT-Clovis, she has greatly improved  the Algebra program, increased the amount of material students are able to understand, and continues to score 100% on her Student Surveys.  She works tirelessly to make sure her students understand the material.
Her success is not only with the Algebra program, but she is also a shining star in the General Education Development (GED) arena.  Heather has written GED curriculum for the campus, established procedures, and continues to teach the GED Prep classes on campus.   The Learn to Earn program, sponsored by the Fresno City Mayor, has told us that the students, with Heather as a teacher, have a better passage rate on the GED tests than students attending other adult school GED Prep classes.
For her outstanding commitment to our IOT students, her passion for their education, and her well-deserved respect from her colleagues and students, Heather Hixon is the BSEG employee of the month for February 2013.  Congratulations on a job well done Heather!

William Hillard
President/CEO

Since early December 2012, Richard has been providing operational leadership of the IOT Clovis Campus – in addition to his other responsibilities to the campus and our company.

Through his leadership, the on-site inspection conducted by the California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) in mid-January went exceptionally well. There were no findings from the BPPE Enforcement Inspection Analyst. The BPPE Analyst was very impressed with the results of the student satisfaction surveys noting a 98% student satisfaction with instructors and a 99% student satisfaction with the IOT Clovis LRC and Library.

Although these fantastic results were a team effort – and all of the associates at the Clovis Campus are to be commended - Richard provided the guidance and leadership for the team.

Richard also plays a critical role for our schools and company in developing new program applications for BPPE and ACCSC.

In late January, he conducted a very successful three-day DOE In-Service Workshop. Working closely with the Directors of Education of all campuses, Richard provided leadership for such important topics as changes in clock to credit hour conversions, monitoring and managing homework hours and independent study hours, monitoring and managing externships, programs reviews, faculty qualifications, Teacher Effectiveness Training workshops, and establishing articulation agreements.

For going above and beyond the call of duty in his role as National Director of Education for BSEG in the month of January, we are proud to award Richard Melella as the January 2013 Employee of the Month.

One of the most difficult duties of a President is to announce the closing of a campus to faculty, staff, students, and the community. For many, the campus is not only their place of enrollment or employment but their “home”. Their fellow students or employees are their family.

Over the course of a week, Dr. Andersen met with all students and employees of the Stockton campus to inform them of the teach-out of all programs. Visiting every class, he assured students that their entire program will be offered at the Stockton campus and that all services would continue to be available to them until the campus closed.

The results of the late November end-of-mod instructor/classroom COMPASS survey indicated that an overall instructor rating of 98%, the highest ever for the Stockton campus. Many students commented on how professional and timely the campus handled the communication of the closure to all students. Many faculty and staff have similarly commended the President for the timely and “personal” nature of how the campus closure was announced.

It is challenging enough for a President to develop and implement a plan to scale-down and eventually close a campus. It is even more so when you have been the one who actually started the campus up in the first place back in August 2010. As Dr. Andersen has stated on numerous occasions, he regards the Stockton campus has one of his “kids” and the faculty and staff his family.

Dr. Roger Andersen has done an outstanding job leading our school and continues to provide strong, positive, focused leadership during this difficult transition. Dr. Roger C. Andersen is the BSEG Employee of the Month for November 2012.

Mitch Purvis started with IOT—Salem in June of 2011 as an instructor and Student Success Coach. Mitch has since become one of the students’ main go-to instructors as he now also serves as Student Success Leader for the Salem campus.

He has grabbed ahold of the Pacific Institute initiative and serves as lead instructor and coach for those instructors who have been given the serious responsibility of Strategies for Success instructor over the first term students. Mitch always demonstrates a remarkably temperate and calming attitude in arduous situations as he grapples with ARC committee challenges and as he deals with difficult situations where positive student outcomes are in the balance.

Mitch is an avid golfer and gardener, and boasts a graduate degree in education, which makes him even more of a valuable asset to the campus. He is one of those rare individuals who never complains and rather, will always provide serious alternatives to difficult challenges.

Our school, students and community is fortunate to have Mitch Purvis serving as one of BSEG’s student-centered employees.

Sheryl Martini began her service with BrightStar as a Career Services Advisor in December, 2009.  She came from a long career in both medical office practice as well as medical marketing in Shasta County.  She later took on the role of Externship Coordinator as the first PMA students enrolled at the new IOT Redding campus approached externship. She successfully developed over 150 externship sites in a community of less than 95,000 residents, primarily due to her undeniable ability to connect with people and build much needed bridges throughout the Redding area and beyond.