Enhancing Microsoft Certification Data Management

Microsoft Certified Associate badgeIn the fall of 2023, OIT partnered with the Cox School of Business to onboard 500 new students, aiming to help them achieve Microsoft Certification for the 2023-2024 academic year. This effort was part of the Business Leaders Institute (BLI) course for first-year students. In response, IT Training & Communications expanded its certification offerings by adding ten additional class sections, totaling 564 certifications, on top of its existing commitment of 43 class sections. These sections cover certifications in Microsoft Office programs, which are widely utilized across most schools on campus, with Excel and Excel Expert required for Cox students and PowerPoint and Word for students in Meadows’ Corporate Communications and Public Affairs.

Recognizing that managing 500 additional students presented significant resource challenges, the team reviewed strategies to meet the increased demand. They extended testing times and added proctor resources to assist with physical resource limitations. Additionally, they examined the efficiency of data handling and grade reporting processes. Continue reading Enhancing Microsoft Certification Data Management

Seven Years of Certification: Then & Now with Cox Alumnus Jacob Becker

Microsoft Certified Associate badgeThis summer, I had the opportunity to attend the CERTIFIED Educator Conference, which is designed to help educators around the world as they introduce and enforce the need for certification to accompany traditional learning models. During one of the sessions I attended, I was challenged to find an alum or two who had gone through our certification experience and hear their story of how certification impacted them. Continue reading Seven Years of Certification: Then & Now with Cox Alumnus Jacob Becker

2023: Championing Excellence Through Certification

Certiport MOS Top 10 awardIn 2019, the Office of Information Technology added the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification as an official service offering. Over the years, we have continued expanding and growing participation in these industry-leading assessments. In 2023, we have several milestones to celebrate. Not only did SMU students, staff, and faculty successfully complete over 5,000 Microsoft certifications since launching the pilot program, but we also added several new faculty to the roster requiring certification for their courses. Most of all, one of our SMU undergraduate students received the top score for the state of Texas. Continue reading 2023: Championing Excellence Through Certification

SMU’s MOS Certification Program Reaches 5,000 Certifications

Amanda MarusterThis Spring, OIT celebrates another significant milestone with our Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification program. We are pleased to announce the 5,000 certification holder—Amanda Maruster.  Amanda is a sophomore majoring in Accounting with a minor in Statistics and Psychology. She completed both her Excel Associate and Excel Expert Certification alongside 310 students assigned one or more exams for ITOM 2308. Continue reading SMU’s MOS Certification Program Reaches 5,000 Certifications