NBC ‘Apprentice’ star Bill Rancic to announce Bellevue University Career Makeover winner

BELLEVUE, Neb. – Bill Rancic, winner of the first “Apprentice” reality TV show on NBC and still a frequent guest on the show, will appear at Bellevue University May 25 to announce the winner of this year’s Best Degree of You Career Makeover, a contest that awards a full-tuition scholarship and new car to the finalist who receives the most votes online from the public.

There are five finalists, and the public has until midnight May 20 to vote for the winner at www.careermakeover.info

The winner announcement event begins at 7 p.m., May 25, in Criss Auditorium inside the Hitchcock Humanities Center. Rancic will make a short speech before announcing the winner of this year’s Best Degree of You Career Makeover. He will be available after the announcement to meet audience members, sign autographs and pose for pictures. The event is free.

Like the five contest finalists, Rancic understands the challenges faced by working adult students. Rancic helped paid his way through school at Loyola University with money earned through his own boat wash and wax business. He also understands the power of education, as his father was a school superintendent and college professor and his mother worked as a school principal and now is as an adjunct professor. After his father passed away in 1999, Rancic and his sisters established a scholarship fund in his name that benefits students in need who wish to become educators.

After he graduated from college in 1994, Rancic went on to found www.cigarsaroundtheworld.com, which is now a thriving multi-million dollar operation that’s part of a publicly traded company.

In 2004, Rancic rose to national prominence by winning “The Apprentice,” Donald Trump’s hit reality TV show. He has since written two best-selling books about succeeding in business and continues to manage his own business ventures while making frequent speaking engagements around the country.

Since they were announced May 1, the Career Makeover finalists have been busy “campaigning” for votes, both through promotional events such as a radio remote broadcast from Beardmore Chevrolet and a working-professional fashion show at Oakview Mall to be held May 20, and through media appearances on Q98.5 FM and KPTM-TV. The finalists also have been handing out business cards and wearing t-shirts that urge people to go online and vote for them at www.careermakeover.info

So I’m working away yesterday when I receive the following email from my sister. You be the judge.

——————-
From: Katie Townley
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 1:31 PM
To: Wendy Townley
Subject: Hmmm…?

I swear, people do not pay attention to the things they design. I’m going through this huge PDF this morning about transportation and come across this graphic. What does this look like to you???

Confession: Now that I have DVR with my digital cable, I’m taping shows I haven’t watched in years, such as “The OC” on Fox.

Confession: While watching “The OC,” there are moments I miss my sister so much I almost can’t breath. {For those who don’t know, my sister is an Orange County resident sans the anorexia, promiscuity and heroine addictions such as those belonging to the main characters.}

From “The Book of Questions” by Gregory Stock:

No. 37: What was your best experience with drugs or alcohol?

She is so very lovely, indeed! Thanks for your beauty, Ms. Hepburn.

For you Mac users in search of a little hardware/software TLC, try The Mac Nurse.

This won’t hurt a bit; I promise.

Here’s a photo taken Saturday morning at the start of the 2006 Omaha Farmers Market. I represented the company I work for, because we’re a sponsor this year.

I’m standing next to Omaha City Councilman Jim Vokal. The guy in the sunglasses is Mayor Mike Fahey. The woman is an executive for a local bank.

I love how the three of us are holding cups of coffee — and how I look like a college student who wandered into this little event at the last minute. (Chuck Taylors and messenger bags, anyone?)

About two weeks ago, I returned home after my weekly adoration to find a massive branch had fallen from the tree in my backyard, crashing to the ground. The branch was probably 8 feet in length and, I discovered, extremely heavy.

I pulled the branch onto my back patio that windy Monday night.

And there, the branch sat.

On Sunday, I went outside (it was a lovely day weather-wise) and began breaking apart the branch, piece by piece. I don’t own a saw or any type of tool that would assist me breaking down the branch, save my two hands.

And as I pulled, snapped and broke down the branches, I realized that, as in life, large tasks must be tackled one branch at a time.

It takes time to do anything right, and you may get a few scratches along the way. My injured hands are certainly proof of that.

However, these scratches will heal and the broken branches were hauled away, leaving behind a clean slate to begin anew.

“If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we are not really living. Growth demands a temporary surrender of security.”

— Gail Sheehy

{Thank you, Sue Moon, for today’s quote.}

As of this morning, I weigh 115 pounds. Not too shabby for someone 5′ 6-1/2″.

However, during a recent health fair at work, I had my cholesterol checked. My results were mailed to me last weekend, and I nearly lost my lunch when I saw my cholesterol reading: 234.

Yowza.

According to the chart sent with my results, a desirable cholesterol score is less than 200. Borderline high is 200 to 239.

I’m told high cholesterol is sometimes genetic, and this is the case with me. My dad apparently also suffers from high cholesterol.

So what’s a girl to do? Talk to my doctor, which I will on Friday.

(However, if I have high cholesterol, doesn’t that mean I should weigh more than 115 pounds? Maybe not.)