Milligan Professor Runs in Marathon to Raise Money for Medical Research

Photo taken by the Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon

Milligan Professor Runs in Marathon to Raise Money for Medical Research

MILLIGAN COLLEGE - On Oct 17,Milligan professor Jim Dahlman was among 15,000 people that came out at 7:30 a.m. to run in the Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon in Columbus, Ohio.

Dahlman and his niece, Amanda Dahlman, a student at Wright State University in Ohio, finished the full marathon while his daughter completed the half marathon.

This was the 31st annual Columbus Marathon and it helped promote health awareness by hosting an expo during registration with more than 100 sports and fitness booths and attracts more than 30,000 people.

 Dahlman and his daughter, Rachael, a graduate from Centre College, decided to raise money for Huntington’s disease, a disease that has affected them personally through relatives.

Huntington’s disease is a hereditary disease that causes certain nerve cells in the brain to degenerate.  It is eventually fatal and has a wide array of symptoms, from psychological to loss of muscle control.

“My daughter and I decided to run this marathon and as an afterthought, we decided to raise money,” said Dahlman.

They set a goal of $2,620, or $100 per mile, and are just $570 from that goal.

Dahlman said the unique thing about Milligan is that it is a close-knit community, with fellow professors and old college friends that have donated to the cause.

This was Dahlman’s first marathon, but he had a “good time.”

“I’m hoping to do more marathons,” he said.  His time was 3:42:49 and he placed 1,133 out of 4,146 people.

The Dahlmans are still accepting donations to meet their goal at http://www.firstgiving.com/dahlman-columbus until Dec 17.

To find out more about Huntington’s disease, go to www.hdsa.org.

How Much Is a Milligan Degree Worth?

How Much is a Milligan Degree Worth?

MILLIGAN COLLEGE- The cost of a four-year Milligan degree is around $116,680, not including scholarships, versus the $64,560 you would spend at a public four-year school, according to the “Trends in College Pricing” report recently released by the College Board. But under the tight economic conditions, students may be asking themselves “is it worth it?”

Because many people have lost their jobs, older, more experienced workers are taking entry-level jobs that graduates would normally fill.  Out of 216 graduates in the spring graduating class at Milligan, 172 graduates chose to go to graduate school or complete an internship instead of diving into the job market, according to the 2010 annual survey of graduates done Center for Calling and Career Exploration.

While the job market is tough, Milligan graduates may have an advantage with some local employers.

“When I see that an applicant has a Milligan degree, that automatically scores them an interview,“ said Danny O’Quinn, principal of Elizabethton High School.

School systems are the second largest employers of Milligan graduates so education majors may have a good chance of finding a job. O’Quinn and his team that hires teachers for the high school added six Milligan grads to their payroll this past year.

“I feel that Milligan graduates know what is expected of them and have the ability to handle their position,” said O’Quinn.

 Beth Anderson, director of calling and career exploration, teaches a Calling and Career class for all sophomores that help them achieve these skills.

“Most schools don’t require a class that teaches job skills and we really try to prepare students for the working world,” said Anderson.

According to the Calling and Career records, nursing graduates have proved to be the most successful in finding jobs. Mountain States Health Alliance is the number one employer of Milligan graduates.  MSHA not only hires nurses but have many different departments such as administration, clerical, and communications.

“I would be more likely to hire a Milligan graduate because I know the reputation of the school,” said James Watson, corporate director of public relations.