Education Guide 7.26.26 - Flipbook - Page 10
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| Sunday, July 26, 2026
T
hree local schools are among
the biggest frontrunners in data
management problem solving,
workplace-ready technology
and AI-related skills. If you look carefully, you can discover that a simple
name change for a major field of study,
or a tweak in curriculum can add that
aura of high-tech, while also making the
experience seem magical. And a little
extra attention to wording can go a long
way, if you market it right.
For example, Loyola University of
Maryland expanded its computer sciences and data information department
to include information systems, data
analytics and artificial intelligence for
business. School officials say this addition reflects the scope of the department and its impact on business technology.
Despite the seemingly small modification in a major course of study, the
addition of AI to the department identification will add credibility and will take
Loyola into the future. The modification
was an endeavor for the school. Any
changes in departments or curriculum
require approval from the board of
directors as well as other AI sources,
explains Paul Tallon, Ph.D., and professor of information technology at Loyola.
“The project requires administrative
oversight, coming up with the courses,
and push through the approval process.
Then you cross your fingers.
“Academia does not move at the
same pace as regular business,”
Tallon quips. “It could be 12 months in
approvals, because the committees are
sequential.” Meanwhile, those holding
down the fort with fingers crossed are
updating any materials and keeping
up with the industry. AI courses are
required for anyone declaring an information systems, data analytics or AI
major.
Since the new department name
reflects the opportunities opened by
the addition of AI, all support materials
do require revision, Tallon says. “AI will
give us the resources we can actually use. Updated material encourages
instructors to be strong and enthusiastic about their topic.”
At McDaniel College, the opportunity
to create a specialty school resulted in
the launch of a new school of business
and technology. It will house existing
Students Gain Solid Footing
in Workplace Technology
Flexible majors and strategic packaging
of courses give students an edge
By Lisa Baldino, Contributing Writer
Loyola University recently expanded its computer sciences and data information department.
Students from McDaniel College’s entrepreneurship course presented their entrepreneurial ideas to a panel of experts.
disciplines of computer science, economics, entrepreneurship, international
business, marketing and management.
Julia Jasken, president of McDaniel
College, says in the school’s media
release, “Business-related programs
are already among McDaniel’s most
popular offerings, and the integration of
technology presents an opportunity for
stronger alignment.”
McDaniel named Leonard Arvi,
Ph.D., the inaugural dean of the new
school of business and technology,
effective Aug. 1. According to Jasken,
“He will play an instrumental role in
moving forward with new school development, including building and executing a clear vision and establishing relationships that will shape the school’s
strategic direction.”
Arvi comes from a 20-plus year
career at Salisbury University, and he
is an expert in real estate and finance,
with a passion for financial literacy.
Another new position that will be
part of McDaniel’s new school of business and technology is the endowed
professor of computer science and
technology innovation. The program is
funded by a $2 million grant from the
Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative Fund
(MEIF), administered by the Maryland
Department of Commerce and matched
in part by the largest gift in the college’s
history, a $15 million gift from the late
Jonas Eshelman, an alumnus of the
Class of 1950.
At the University of Maryland School
of Nursing (UMSON), the Master of
Science in nursing program’s nursing
informatics (NI) specialty continues to
distinguish itself through rigorous, forward-looking academic offerings, seeking to be leaders as health care and
technology merge. UMSON has also
recently received approval for a completely revamped online nursing informatics certificate program, launching
this fall.
According to Cheryl A. Fisher, Ed.D.,
M.S.N., R.N., associate professor and
co-director of both nursing informatics
programs, the two programs are distinct
pathways designed for different learners. They both are student-centered
and integrate AI technology. “These
programs are designed for nurses who
have an interest in technology or who
want to use technology to improve
