Back-to-School: Setting the Stage for Success
At Cengage Group, fall is one of our favorite times of year. It's a season filled with new energy, new students, new dreams and new opportunities. Each year, our employees eagerly embrace the "new" with anticipation and hope for what the school year represents for students and instructors.
Despite the hectic nature of this time of year, our teams find joy in being on campus, connecting with students and educators and witnessing the direct impact of our work. Barbara E., VP and Head of Adoption Sales, expressed, "Across every team, the collaboration, support and commitment to our customers and each other are evident and inspiring."
Account Executives Mandi G., Christian L., and Hollis P., as well as Senior Sales Growth Specialist, Ben Q, recently demonstrated this commitment as they shared their inspiration for working in edtech and provided a behind-the-scenes look as they traveled to campuses across the United States, setting up students and instructors for success.
Navigating Challenges and Inspiring Success
Mandi has been working at Cengage Group for over nine years. She shared that the educators and faculty she collaborates with continue to motivate and inspire her to bring her best self to work every day. Mandi has a genuine passion for helping people, and she finds the most rewarding aspect of her job to be assisting instructors as they navigate through challenges. She stated, "I want to ensure that they get the most out of their experience with us. Building relationships with individuals who are striving towards the same goal is an incredibly fulfilling feeling."
Mandi also shared one of her most memorable experiences, which involved helping a student whose confidence and aspirations to attend college had been impacted by a severe learning disability. She explained, "This student's professor decided to implement our MindTap platform, utilizing various media components, to enhance the student's engagement and learning experience. Witnessing the impact it had on this individual's confidence and reigniting their joy for learning was truly remarkable!"
Be sure to watch the video below, where Mandi and David M., Senior District Manager, provide a glimpse into their day visiting Tennessee State University.
Building Relationships and Empowering Instructors
Christian joined our team just over a year ago, inspired by his parents' careers in education. His father, a Professor and Director of Institutional Research at SUNY Brockport, and his mother, a high school English teacher, instilled in him a deep admiration and respect for teachers' dedication to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Christian also enjoys building relationships and meeting new people, making EdTech Sales the perfect blend of his passions.
For Christian, the most rewarding aspect of his role is helping instructors optimize our platforms to achieve their teaching goals in the classroom. “I love working with new adopters of Cengage products and getting a chance to learn about how they envision teaching their courses and helping bring that to life. It’s a ton of fun to be on campus every day and have the opportunity to connect with faculty, staff and students.”
Among the many memorable experiences Christian has had on the job, his visit to the University of Akron stands out. There, he assisted with a Nutrition Fundamentals course that posed challenges for students due to the extensive amount of information covered. Students were becoming frustrated as their hard work was resulting in low grades. Christian explained, “The department implemented MindTap and our Nutrition Now title. By utilizing MindTap's activities and the Diet & Wellness Plus labs, students were able to apply what they learned in the book and lectures to assignments. This approach allowed them to tackle chapters gradually rather than attempting to grasp everything at once for big unit exams. As a result, students achieved higher grades, and instructors felt more confident in the students' comprehension of the course's materials.”
Check out Christian’s video where he shares about his day at Youngstown State University.
Enhancing Access and Minimizing Expenses
Hollis has been an Account Executive for two and a half years. She has spent her whole career working in technology and was inspired to work here when she learned about Cengage Unlimited (CU). “I was hooked when I realized how the digital classroom could revolutionize the student experience and make it more affordable! During my college years, I paid my own way and could only take as many classes as I could afford. I vividly remember dropping classes one semester because I couldn't pay for the required textbooks. It feels incredibly rewarding to be part of the solution for students who face similar challenges."
In addition to her dedication to helping students, Hollis shared her love for working with a diverse range of subject-matter experts. She explained, "What job could be cooler than learning what ignites the passion of an economics professor, and then, in the very next meeting, collaborating with an automotive tech instructor who is seeking content to enhance employability skills for their students?"
One of Hollis' most memorable work experiences involved collaborating with an economics professor post-pandemic. The professor had students who were struggling with learning loss, particularly in terms of foundational knowledge from their Principles course. Hollis described the situation, stating, "The professor discovered that students lacked the necessary foundational knowledge, leading to excessive class time spent on reviewing instead of progressing through the curriculum. We leveraged the power of CU by integrating the Principles textbook into the Learning Management System (LMS), allowing students to reference it independently when needed. As a result, the class got back on schedule, and students appreciated the ability to access additional reference materials so much that we have continued to provide access to introductory materials in intermediate courses as a refresher opportunity ever since!"
Watch the video to learn more about Hollis’ day-to-day activities as she visits Missouri State alongside Cengage Student Ambassador, Kathryn W.
Uncovering Needs and Building Confidence
Ben has been a valued member of our company for eighteen years. “I've been fortunate to be along for the growth and evolution of Cengage Group from a print-only publisher to a world-class education and technology leader.” Ben shared that his affinity for technology has always been a driving force behind his career in edtech. "As an early adopter of new technology within my own role, it was only natural for me to assist educators as their roles evolved, requiring greater utilization of educational technology like MindTap and WebAssign." Ben finds great joy in connecting with instructors and students, and he thrives on uncovering their underlying needs, which keeps him motivated day after day.
With his extensive tenure at the company, Ben has numerous memorable stories that highlight the firsthand impact our platforms have on students. However, one particular story about a student based in Mississippi stood out to him. He recounted, "The instructor informed me that this student was on the verge of dropping out because traditional reading and lecture-based classes didn't resonate with him. However, after a semester using MindTap, this student began to make meaningful connections in their coursework and gained the confidence to continue their educational journey until graduation."
Watch the video to learn more about how Ben virtually assists students and instructors, making sure that that start strong each semester.
Learn More:
To learn more about how our teams support educators and students during the back-to-school season, check out this blog featuring members of our digital content team. They are responsible for curating the content that drives learners' success on our diverse range of learning platforms.