Colgate began offering free and unlimited access to Lynda.com for all students, staff and faculty in November 2012. Lynda.com is an award-winning online learning company that offers video tutorials of business, software and design skills intended to help its users achieve their professional and personal goals. The site offers over 2,400 courses and new and up-to-date videos are added every week with no additional cost.

“Our ITS staff and many of our student workers were already using Lynda.com and started promoting its use to others,” Director of Technology Support Services Jen Servedio said. “We expanded its availability to the whole campus because we were getting a lot of requests.”

The course subject matter ranges from software programs like Photoshop or GarageBand to more conceptual lessons such as “Business Writing Fundamentals” or “Time Management.” The video library is searchable by software, subject or author, and includes start, stop and pause functions as needed.

The usage statistics provided by Lynda.com, which combine all Colgate students, staff and faculty, state that since February 2013, there have been 1,324 individual accounts created on the site. Still, it seems that a large portion of the student body is unaware that this useful service is being provided for them.

“I’ve never heard of this website, to tell you the truth, but it looks like a useful resource for someone trying to get a job or internship,” senior Chris Greco said.

The Center for Career Services echoes that sentiment.

“Lynda provides excellent opportunities for students to fill in key skills that employers are looking for that students may not receive in their academic curriculum,” Associate Vice-President for Institutional Advancement and Director of Career Services Michael Sciola said.

Sciola commented that a command of these practical skills could significantly bolster a resume. In particular, Mr. Sciola stressed the value of mastering Microsoft Excel.

“If our students could pick one skill to make them immediately employable, I would encourage them to get fluent in Excel. Lynda can help students achieve this, and at their own speed,” Sciola said.

Students can access Lynda.com through the portal by using their Colgate usernames and passwords, or through www.lynda.com/portal/colgate.

Servedio remarked that the number of users on campus has continued to grow, and she encouraged students who may be unfamiliar with website to get familiar.

“Sign in and explore! You’ll be amazed at what is out there,” Servedio said.

Contact Colin Sheridan at [email protected].