We dream of our perfect career that we will land once we finish your degree and maybe we should be thinking about the type of degree we get, employable degrees. Employable, what a concept to think about what will get us a job instead of following our passions for fields we have dreamed about for years. But the truth is, you go to school to get a good job, make a good salary, so you can get by and be independent; a well adjusted citizen in the community.
My daughter has a degree that is really in one of the most unemployable fields. She recognizes that and is going to go back to school. School/knowledge are the key to getting employed and also experience. When you are young, you really don't have the experiences to go back too, you just have your degree. But, when you are an older learner, a more mature learner, you have so much experience and so much knowledge of life. You go to classes eager to learn and to express yourself.
If you are close in proximity to Granite State College, well go there. If you are in another state, it is all possible too. Granite State College has on-line classes for adults. I have done both. I lived in Merrimack for a short time and that is when I was introduced to the college. Then, I was relocated and got very familiar with on-line learning. I actually got my Associates Degree in General Studies on-line and received my BS in Mgmt on-line.
Now is the time...just do it!!
If I was to appreciate one thing it would be my very striking journey from my homeland and those who gave me refuge in their countries. I left my country due to the civil war that had put the country into huge turmoil. I have been to Ethiopia for four years, Kenya for nearly ten years and finally to the United State from August 23rd 2001 to the present.
I have never been to school in my country and neither have my parents or any other family members. I remember going to grade one in Ethiopia before we were driven out by the regime change in 1991. It had been long treking and painful for me and colleagues during those times.
In August 2001, I landed here with the idea of becoming the first ever person in the family who should reach the goal of achieving the break through in education. However, I was affected by the homesickness that overwhelmed me because of the long time that I had spent with no parents. So I decided to go back home in 2006 and get married to a girl that I knew back in Kenya.
In 2007, I came back and started to take some online adult education classes while doing a follow up on my wife's process to come here. It had not been easier and I personally learned a lot from that. Finally, my wife came here in 2008 and gave me a sense of relieve mentally. I am now a Granite State College student pursuing my BS in Business Management. It is my true pleasure to be a GSC student and I look forward to graduating next year if possible. To my fellow students, there is no hesitation to better living and there is no struggle with no reward. Remember that whatever you do has an outcome/end result.
Name: James Alier
Class of: 2012
Location: Manchester/Online
Degree: BS in Business Management
I have never been to school in my country and neither have my parents or any other family members. I remember going to grade one in Ethiopia before we were driven out by the regime change in 1991. It had been long treking and painful for me and colleagues during those times.
In August 2001, I landed here with the idea of becoming the first ever person in the family who should reach the goal of achieving the break through in education. However, I was affected by the homesickness that overwhelmed me because of the long time that I had spent with no parents. So I decided to go back home in 2006 and get married to a girl that I knew back in Kenya.
In 2007, I came back and started to take some online adult education classes while doing a follow up on my wife's process to come here. It had not been easier and I personally learned a lot from that. Finally, my wife came here in 2008 and gave me a sense of relieve mentally. I am now a Granite State College student pursuing my BS in Business Management. It is my true pleasure to be a GSC student and I look forward to graduating next year if possible. To my fellow students, there is no hesitation to better living and there is no struggle with no reward. Remember that whatever you do has an outcome/end result.
Name: James Alier
Class of: 2012
Location: Manchester/Online
Degree: BS in Business Management
It's Christmastime, the decorations are out, the carolers are warming up, the shopping season is in full swing, and it's time to reflect on the challenges and accomplishments of the past year. If I were making a list, the first item in both the Challenges column and the Accomplishments column would be the pursuit of a Masters Degree in Project Management.
The challenge lies in the fact that I haven't been a college student in, oh, let's just say, a very long time. Not only am I enrolled in the very first graduate degree program offered at Granite State College, I am in the very first cohort scheduled to graduate in 2013. I am so proud and excited to be part of such an illustrious group of bright, dedicated and funny people...I really like this thing called adult higher education!
In the accomplishment column I proudly include the completion of the first of ten terms in the project management masters program. This term was made up of two six-week classes - PM 804 Project Management Seminar and PM 804 Leading Teams; both were excellent courses. My preferred delivery method for instruction is face to face, on the ground at our Manchester NH campus. Of course, for those of you who would rather operate completely in the digital world, you always have the option of taking any of our adult college courses online.
It is interesting now that I am immersed in the world of project management...all that we do in life is a project in one way or another. I see it all around me. The applications, tools and techniques of project management can be applied to everything from planning a holiday party to putting a man on the moon.
Now there's a thought...how might I apply what I've learned so far in my project management classes to make my holiday season just a little less stressful and a bit more organized?
Project Scope: Just what do I want to accomplish this holiday season? I certainly don't want to bite off more than I can chew so I had better define exactly what I will and can commit to this year.
Project Team: My family...who is responsible for what and can we accomplish everything we have identified in our project scope?
Project Planning: Creating a task list (work breakdown structure in project management speak) that includes all of the typical activities (cards, gifts, parties, decorations, food, etc.) around the holiday would be helpful.
Project Risk: Have you ever had your heart set on a particular gift for someone only to find the gift is not available, or that the cost exceeds your budget? Contingency plans are always a good idea.
Project Close: The holidays are over; now is the time to assess what worked and what didn't...lessons learned are a very valuable tool at the close of any project, but only if you use them.
So as you think about everything you have to do for the holidays, remember these four easy steps to help you along: plan, execute, manage and close. Wishing you a very merry and stress free holiday season!
GSC Factoid: Granite State College offers the most affordable continuing education in the state and is the University System's leading online provider.
My daughter is 14. She started high school this year and is experiencing a whole new world. On her first day of classes, one of her teachers had her list her goals for her future. I'm not sure she's ever even thought in these terms before. Here's what she wrote:
I want to get straight A's.
I want to be on the honor roll.
I want to take AP (advanced placement) classes.
I want to be valedictorian.
I want to go to a really great college.
I want to get a college diploma.
Then they asked who her role model was. She wrote:
My mom.
I'm the first person in my immediate family who has a college degree. Granite State College's adult and continuing education program made that possible when it seemed impossible.
My daughter wants to be the second.
I want to get straight A's.
I want to be on the honor roll.
I want to take AP (advanced placement) classes.
I want to be valedictorian.
I want to go to a really great college.
I want to get a college diploma.
Then they asked who her role model was. She wrote:
My mom.
I'm the first person in my immediate family who has a college degree. Granite State College's adult and continuing education program made that possible when it seemed impossible.
My daughter wants to be the second.
Just because November is over, doesn't mean I shouldn't still be able to state what I'm thankful for, right?
The great thing about this Granite State College blog is that it reminds me to really stop and consider what the school has meant in my life, how my life might have gone without the opportunities it offered me, and how much richer my life has become because of my experience there. It also reminds me how grateful I am to many of the college folks I've met along the way.
So...
Thank you to Allie Kaplan, my first advisor when the college was known as the College for Lifelong Learning. You were supportive, helpful, and put me at ease, making the process of enrollment as easy as possible. I honestly wouldn't have perservered if it hadn't been for your guidance.
Thank you to the college librarian (I'm sorry I don't remember your name). You were so easily accessible and rescued me multiple times during research paper nightmares.
Thank you to instructors like Barbara Benham, Claude Caswell, Peter Conklin, Steve Gage, Chris Zerillo, Judy Jones, Jeff Haight and countless others for your excellence in teaching GSC's adult college courses. You fed my mind, challenged me to think, and connected unused synapses.
Thank you to all the administrative staff for always answering my questions, showing me how to utilize the computer labs, directing me to classes, tracking down information, loaning me pens, and preventing me from breaking the copy machine.
Thank you to the college staff who organized the two commencement ceremonies I
attended for my Associates degree and later my Bachelors degree. You made those days even more special by creating events that were meaningful and inspiring. You reminded me that I have much to be proud of.
The great thing about this Granite State College blog is that it reminds me to really stop and consider what the school has meant in my life, how my life might have gone without the opportunities it offered me, and how much richer my life has become because of my experience there. It also reminds me how grateful I am to many of the college folks I've met along the way.
So...
Thank you to Allie Kaplan, my first advisor when the college was known as the College for Lifelong Learning. You were supportive, helpful, and put me at ease, making the process of enrollment as easy as possible. I honestly wouldn't have perservered if it hadn't been for your guidance.
Thank you to the college librarian (I'm sorry I don't remember your name). You were so easily accessible and rescued me multiple times during research paper nightmares.
Thank you to instructors like Barbara Benham, Claude Caswell, Peter Conklin, Steve Gage, Chris Zerillo, Judy Jones, Jeff Haight and countless others for your excellence in teaching GSC's adult college courses. You fed my mind, challenged me to think, and connected unused synapses.
Thank you to all the administrative staff for always answering my questions, showing me how to utilize the computer labs, directing me to classes, tracking down information, loaning me pens, and preventing me from breaking the copy machine.
Thank you to the college staff who organized the two commencement ceremonies I
attended for my Associates degree and later my Bachelors degree. You made those days even more special by creating events that were meaningful and inspiring. You reminded me that I have much to be proud of.
It is a beautiful morning in Michigan. I peered out my little kitchen window and was delightfully surprised to see a blanket of white snow. Yes, I am not used to the snow as I had lived in the south for about twenty-three years, but the sight of it was refreshing and brought back great memories. Playing in the snow as a youngster, was great. Snowballs, snowmen, castles made out of snow and lets not forget the snow angels; lots of fun. I will have to wake up a little earlier from now on just to clean off the drive or the car before I head to work. I am sure I will get in the grove and adjust to my new morning chores, just like I adjusted to the many hours of homework, going to Granite State College after work and study sessions with my adult learning friends. Adjusting a lifestyle can be a challenge but the benefits that come from being an open minded, well adjusted person are priceless. The benefits of Granite State College and their flexible school schedule, are points to mention. From after work schedules, on-line learning classes, weekend intensive classed, it is all possible for just about anyone. The college makes it possible to fulfill that dream of having a degree. Enjoy your day and remember, YOU CAN ADJUST!!What a long strange trip it’s been… Jerry Garcia
I’d like to take the journey metaphor a bit further with regard to the paths that lead you to Granite State College and pursuing an adult education degree at this point in your life. How many times have you found yourself in the right place at the right time? Feels great when it happens and you have the presence of mind to recognize the moment and act accordingly… those times when you are clearly in the driver’s seat and the GPS is spot on.
Other times we find ourselves in the passenger seat –restrained, observing the scenery and letting others take charge. Then there are the events that leave one stranded on the side of the road or that car you thought was your trusted friend, (you even named it) that won't start and betrays you on the morning when you can least afford to be late. These are the situations that test our ability to think critically, explore options, and identify opportunities.
Returning to or beginning college is a turning point for anyone. It’s exciting, daunting, exhilarating and a leg of the journey to finding out things about the world and yourself that will change you. Savor every moment, fill the tank and step on it!
What’s in your trunk?
I happened to be up late last night flipping through the channels, when I cam
e across the movie "Mona Lisa Smile" with Julia Roberts, Julia Stiles, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kirsten Dunst-- a great cast! It's one of those movies I'd always wanted to see but just kept getting pushed further and further down my Netflix queue. So, I grabbed a bag of pretzel twists and some mini Hershey bars left over from Halloween (one pretzel + one square of chocolate in your mouth at the same time = the best chocolate-covered pretzels ever) and I burrowed into some covers to watch the movie. It was so incredibly good! I had no idea it would make that much of an impact on me. By the time it was over I was simultaneously crying and laughing from my mixed feelings of righteous anger and inspiring hope.
The movie is about women. It's set at Wellesley College in the 1950s and focuses on a strong, "subversive," female art history teacher (played by Julia Roberts) and her female students. The movie portrays the messages that were prevalent at that time about the roles of women, their long-inherited expectations of what they were "born to do" with their lives (basically have babies and serve their husbands), and the misguided and unfortunate beliefs that their value was merely rooted in their looks, their ironing skills, and their ability to have dinner on the table by 5:00. In the end, the art history teacher's commitment to empowering her female students changed the courses of their lives in ways they'd never could've dreamed without her.
It got me all worked up and angry. It made me think of all the messages in today's society that continue to perpetuate women inequality and objectification. It vividly reminded me of a couple of evening college classes I took at Granite State College some years before. And more importantly, it reminded me of a teacher that changed my life-- Professor Judy Jones. She was for me what Julia Roberts' character was for her students.
I hadn't thought about her for years and we'd lost touch, but she taught two Women's Studies classes, the first I'd ever taken, and she was responsible for opening up a powerful arena of study for me that fundamentally changed me. She helped me recognize the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways that women are raised to accept a less than equal footing in the world. She helped me become an even more empowered woman through her Women's Studies courses. And by extension, she helped me offer the tools my daughter needs to recognize the same messages, at a much earlier age than I could have.
That's the amazing thing about the quality adult college education that Granite State College offers. Almost every class I took not only got me one step closer to a degree, but also made a significant difference in my personal evolution as a well-rounded, thoughtful, critically-thinking, impassioned, engaged member of society. I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to take those remarkable classes and be impacted by such a remarkable teacher.
e across the movie "Mona Lisa Smile" with Julia Roberts, Julia Stiles, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kirsten Dunst-- a great cast! It's one of those movies I'd always wanted to see but just kept getting pushed further and further down my Netflix queue. So, I grabbed a bag of pretzel twists and some mini Hershey bars left over from Halloween (one pretzel + one square of chocolate in your mouth at the same time = the best chocolate-covered pretzels ever) and I burrowed into some covers to watch the movie. It was so incredibly good! I had no idea it would make that much of an impact on me. By the time it was over I was simultaneously crying and laughing from my mixed feelings of righteous anger and inspiring hope. The movie is about women. It's set at Wellesley College in the 1950s and focuses on a strong, "subversive," female art history teacher (played by Julia Roberts) and her female students. The movie portrays the messages that were prevalent at that time about the roles of women, their long-inherited expectations of what they were "born to do" with their lives (basically have babies and serve their husbands), and the misguided and unfortunate beliefs that their value was merely rooted in their looks, their ironing skills, and their ability to have dinner on the table by 5:00. In the end, the art history teacher's commitment to empowering her female students changed the courses of their lives in ways they'd never could've dreamed without her.
It got me all worked up and angry. It made me think of all the messages in today's society that continue to perpetuate women inequality and objectification. It vividly reminded me of a couple of evening college classes I took at Granite State College some years before. And more importantly, it reminded me of a teacher that changed my life-- Professor Judy Jones. She was for me what Julia Roberts' character was for her students.
I hadn't thought about her for years and we'd lost touch, but she taught two Women's Studies classes, the first I'd ever taken, and she was responsible for opening up a powerful arena of study for me that fundamentally changed me. She helped me recognize the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways that women are raised to accept a less than equal footing in the world. She helped me become an even more empowered woman through her Women's Studies courses. And by extension, she helped me offer the tools my daughter needs to recognize the same messages, at a much earlier age than I could have.
That's the amazing thing about the quality adult college education that Granite State College offers. Almost every class I took not only got me one step closer to a degree, but also made a significant difference in my personal evolution as a well-rounded, thoughtful, critically-thinking, impassioned, engaged member of society. I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to take those remarkable classes and be impacted by such a remarkable teacher.
In 2010 I earned my adult college degree from Granite State College in Business Management. My 23 year old daughter is now in the Business Administration program at White Mountains Community College. She chose this school because she is living in Berlin, NH for the next two years. She knew that once she received her Associates degree from this New Hampshire Community College she would be able to seamlessly transfer all of her credits to GSC to pursue her Bachelor's degree through the CCSNH Transfer program.
My daughter is worlds brighter than I but she loves to be able to come to me and ask for my assistance with any questions she may have regarding her assigned course work. To date, I have been able to help her with everything she has presented to me! I have had to pull out some of my own books and notes from the similar business classes I completed at GSC, but I have succeeded in helping her every time either through finding the correct answer or offering my personal insights. What a great feeling it is to know that earning my adult college degree not only improved my own life but it is helping my daughter in her life as well.
Unfortunately my business degree was of little consequence to me when it came to helping my younger daughter in her course work. Business and creative hairstyling have little in common. Below is my daughter on the right with her model from the Avante Garde hair styling fashion show she participated in for her studies in cosmetology. Thank goodness she did not ask for my advice in this undertaking!
My daughter is worlds brighter than I but she loves to be able to come to me and ask for my assistance with any questions she may have regarding her assigned course work. To date, I have been able to help her with everything she has presented to me! I have had to pull out some of my own books and notes from the similar business classes I completed at GSC, but I have succeeded in helping her every time either through finding the correct answer or offering my personal insights. What a great feeling it is to know that earning my adult college degree not only improved my own life but it is helping my daughter in her life as well.
Unfortunately my business degree was of little consequence to me when it came to helping my younger daughter in her course work. Business and creative hairstyling have little in common. Below is my daughter on the right with her model from the Avante Garde hair styling fashion show she participated in for her studies in cosmetology. Thank goodness she did not ask for my advice in this undertaking!
One of the most valuable things I got out of attending classes at Granite State College was from my fellow class mates. They ranged widely in age and background from me and each other. At both my night college classes and my weekend college classes, I was surrounded by a plethora of experience, knowledge, and unique perspectives in addition to what the instructor also offered.
I was able to give peer feedback to a lively, aspiring writer in his 60's who extended his own constructive feedback to me with grace, compassion, and wisdom attained from his life's journey as a middle school teacher, father, husband, and grandfather. I was given the opportunity to support a recent high school graduate majoring in Psychology who was even more scared and unsure about college life than I was. And I found support, myself, from others like me-- tired, single moms working hard all day long before attending part time evening college classes.
I remember sitting in the classrooms and looking around me and being very grateful for this exposure to people from all these different walks of life. And these people were still basically aiming for the same goal I was-- a quality education to fulfill my love for lifelong learning and the golden bonus of a continuing education degree at the end of it all as a New Hampshire graduate. Even though we were vastly different from each other we also had at least that one fundamental dream in common. And I stopped regretting not being able to go to college straight out of high school as I once envisioned, because I wouldn't have been able to experience all of those wonderful voices, young and old, that were only available to me through adult education courses at Granite State College.
I was able to give peer feedback to a lively, aspiring writer in his 60's who extended his own constructive feedback to me with grace, compassion, and wisdom attained from his life's journey as a middle school teacher, father, husband, and grandfather. I was given the opportunity to support a recent high school graduate majoring in Psychology who was even more scared and unsure about college life than I was. And I found support, myself, from others like me-- tired, single moms working hard all day long before attending part time evening college classes.
I remember sitting in the classrooms and looking around me and being very grateful for this exposure to people from all these different walks of life. And these people were still basically aiming for the same goal I was-- a quality education to fulfill my love for lifelong learning and the golden bonus of a continuing education degree at the end of it all as a New Hampshire graduate. Even though we were vastly different from each other we also had at least that one fundamental dream in common. And I stopped regretting not being able to go to college straight out of high school as I once envisioned, because I wouldn't have been able to experience all of those wonderful voices, young and old, that were only available to me through adult education courses at Granite State College.
I am thankful for the health and happiness of my family...
I am thankful for my home...
I am thankful for my job...
I am thankful to those that serve for our country...
I am thankful for my education...
What are you thankful for?
Five years ago before I began my adult college education I was not sure either of my daughters were even going to graduate from high school. Today my oldest is a full time adult college student striving to make the honor roll in her freshman year, my youngest has just graduated from Cosmetology school and I am working on my MBA degree.
It took me 25 years after high school to return and earn my adult college degree. It took my oldest daughter 5 years to return to school and my youngest two years. We are all ready at different times in our lives. When you are ready to continue your education, Granite State College will be ready to lead you along your journey.
I am thankful for the guidance, support and opportunities GSC offered me in my adult college program. I am thankful I have in turn been able to offer my children guidance, support and opportunities in their academic pursuits.
I am thankful for my home...
I am thankful for my job...
I am thankful to those that serve for our country...
I am thankful for my education...
What are you thankful for?
Five years ago before I began my adult college education I was not sure either of my daughters were even going to graduate from high school. Today my oldest is a full time adult college student striving to make the honor roll in her freshman year, my youngest has just graduated from Cosmetology school and I am working on my MBA degree.
It took me 25 years after high school to return and earn my adult college degree. It took my oldest daughter 5 years to return to school and my youngest two years. We are all ready at different times in our lives. When you are ready to continue your education, Granite State College will be ready to lead you along your journey.
I am thankful for the guidance, support and opportunities GSC offered me in my adult college program. I am thankful I have in turn been able to offer my children guidance, support and opportunities in their academic pursuits.
Yes, I am a Grammy once again. A little girl entered the world at 7:46pm weighing in at seven pounds even. She was embraced by her daddy and mommy at time of arrival. Oh what a joy, oh what a delight and blessing from above. My young son and his wife wanted to be surprised and never found out the sex of their baby. I have always thought it is the one thing in life that should be a surprise. After all, you don't put in an order for a Boy or Girl, you get what you are suppose to have and really folks, we are not sending them back!! I am glad they waited and I know that surprise was wonderful and one they will never forget.
I remember one surprise I got when I received an A on a Business Statistic test I took while attending Granite State College when I was attempting to get my adult education degree. It was such a nice surprise though as that class kicked my butt everyday I was in it. It was one of my hardest classes throughout my education but I did it, I made it through and live to tell about it.
So whether it be babies or grades, surprises are a nice part of life. I am seriously thinking about going back to school and getting my Master of Science Project Management degree. At work I see how project management is a huge part of big businesses these days and I enjoyed school so much, this just may be my next goal. My children will be surprised again if Mom goes back to school. Oh well, surprises are good!!
I remember one surprise I got when I received an A on a Business Statistic test I took while attending Granite State College when I was attempting to get my adult education degree. It was such a nice surprise though as that class kicked my butt everyday I was in it. It was one of my hardest classes throughout my education but I did it, I made it through and live to tell about it.
So whether it be babies or grades, surprises are a nice part of life. I am seriously thinking about going back to school and getting my Master of Science Project Management degree. At work I see how project management is a huge part of big businesses these days and I enjoyed school so much, this just may be my next goal. My children will be surprised again if Mom goes back to school. Oh well, surprises are good!!
I was so delighted when I went to my Dad's harmonica group gathering. He has played the harmonica for years; I think he said, that he "has played since he was around ten years old." He still has the first one he ever played. He taught me how to play at a young age also. I can remember driving to Florida when I was just a child and my dad would have the holder strapped around his neck and would playing songs throughout the long drive. Since we really didn't listen to the radio, we had better learn how to play the harmonica or the spoons. My choice was the harmonica with the first song being You Are My Sunshine. It was a good night with all his friends. These are all older folks as my dad just turned 90 on Sunday and his friend is 92, who calls my dad young!!
Life is good being back in Michigan. I think dad enjoys me being around and sharing some time with him. Time is all we have; time to grow, learn, enjoy and have fun. I had so much fun going to the Manchester NH college campus and meeting new friends at Granite State College. We would laugh about our classes at times, about your essays about each other really, we were all on the same boat, we wanted our degrees and we were going forward to get it.
Those days in New Hampshire were happy days and happy memories, same as days with my dad. So if you are thinking school and getting an adult education degree is all work, think again and just do it!!
Life is good being back in Michigan. I think dad enjoys me being around and sharing some time with him. Time is all we have; time to grow, learn, enjoy and have fun. I had so much fun going to the Manchester NH college campus and meeting new friends at Granite State College. We would laugh about our classes at times, about your essays about each other really, we were all on the same boat, we wanted our degrees and we were going forward to get it.
Those days in New Hampshire were happy days and happy memories, same as days with my dad. So if you are thinking school and getting an adult education degree is all work, think again and just do it!!
Are you 30+, 40+, 50+? Do you believe your age diminishes your value in the workplace? In the world place? Well I am here to tell you it does not, it adds to your value in all spaces. With my new adult college degree from Granite State College and my new title from my recent promotion I am receiving numerous unsolicited job offers from the worldwide marketplace.
Below is a picture of the 7 year old dog I adopted from a rescue this week. The last thing I needed was a puppy, similar to a recent 22 year old college graduate!
I am a seasoned and informed consumer. When I started looking to add to my family I knew I did not want to start with an impressionable, undisciplined, unreliable and inexperienced dog. I went for a dog that may not be the cutest but is certainly reliable and intelligent. She knows the way of the world. She understands that I will return everyday and take her out so she can relieve her bladder, therefore she does not feel it is necessary to relieve herself on my hardwood floors!
Her life has not been an easy one. She was used to breed in a puppy mill and her health and well being was neglected. As a result she has lost all but 3 of her teeth. Because of the lack of teeth her tongue often falls out of the side of her mouth as a result of there being no teeth to hold it in! She is not the youngest, the cutest or the best breed animal available for me to invite into my family but she was the right choice.
The same can be said for us seasoned, adult learners. We are not he prettiest but we may be the brightest and most valuable in today's workforce. Are you contemplating the idea of starting your adult college program? Stop thinking about it and pick up the phone and speak to one of the informed, compassionate and real advisers at Granite State College.
Below is a picture of the 7 year old dog I adopted from a rescue this week. The last thing I needed was a puppy, similar to a recent 22 year old college graduate!
I am a seasoned and informed consumer. When I started looking to add to my family I knew I did not want to start with an impressionable, undisciplined, unreliable and inexperienced dog. I went for a dog that may not be the cutest but is certainly reliable and intelligent. She knows the way of the world. She understands that I will return everyday and take her out so she can relieve her bladder, therefore she does not feel it is necessary to relieve herself on my hardwood floors!
Her life has not been an easy one. She was used to breed in a puppy mill and her health and well being was neglected. As a result she has lost all but 3 of her teeth. Because of the lack of teeth her tongue often falls out of the side of her mouth as a result of there being no teeth to hold it in! She is not the youngest, the cutest or the best breed animal available for me to invite into my family but she was the right choice.
The same can be said for us seasoned, adult learners. We are not he prettiest but we may be the brightest and most valuable in today's workforce. Are you contemplating the idea of starting your adult college program? Stop thinking about it and pick up the phone and speak to one of the informed, compassionate and real advisers at Granite State College.
In a recent class for the early childhood education major at GSC's Rochester NH college campus, we were talking about family strengths. One of those strengths revolved around encouragement and setting a good example. If parents are not only telling children that they care about how they do in school, but are also demonstrating the importance of school by taking a course they might need for work, or starting a new degree in an area that you have always been interested in is the prime way to set the example and encourage your children to value education. Consider taking courses in early childhood for your Early Childhood Certification, or maybe courses in project management, towards a Masters Degree in Project Management, or special education teacher certification. Try showing how much you value education, by getting involved yourself in either online adult education classes or face-to-face courses. Your children will learn from your example.
I woke up this morning with just the cutest little picture I could ever imagine on my cell phone. It was from my daughter-in-law and it was my grandson smile. There he was, sitting at a desk and learning how to write his name. Of course it is something we all had to learn when we were growing up; it is a milestone in every ones life. But for my son and his wife to see Owen try to make an O, it was amazing. They were thrilled and excited to see him learn and grow.
He sits and glares at the pencil or crayon with wonder. I wonder what is going on in his little head as everyone stands around him cheering him on. I can embrace that "cheering on thing." I had many, many friends cheering me on as I went to Granite State College to pursue my adult education diploma. I would cart my books to work in my backpack only to study on breaks and at lunch. They all thought I was so brave to be going back to school at 50 years old. All I could think about was my goal: to get that degree. My grandson maybe is thinking about making that big O as he sits there at his wee desk.
Learning is so good for your brain, so good for your soul and such a good example to your family. As you all know, I have four. Not all of mine have their degrees yet but I am hoping they will continue their education someday as well. I am hoping, that knowing Mom did it, they can do it too.
If you are at that point where you really want to do it, really want to get that adult college degree, just pick yourself up off the couch and do it. I am a firm believer that one can do anything they want to as long as they want to do it bad enough. I am living proof and very proud and happy I did.
I can't wait to see Owen make his big O all by himself.
He sits and glares at the pencil or crayon with wonder. I wonder what is going on in his little head as everyone stands around him cheering him on. I can embrace that "cheering on thing." I had many, many friends cheering me on as I went to Granite State College to pursue my adult education diploma. I would cart my books to work in my backpack only to study on breaks and at lunch. They all thought I was so brave to be going back to school at 50 years old. All I could think about was my goal: to get that degree. My grandson maybe is thinking about making that big O as he sits there at his wee desk. Learning is so good for your brain, so good for your soul and such a good example to your family. As you all know, I have four. Not all of mine have their degrees yet but I am hoping they will continue their education someday as well. I am hoping, that knowing Mom did it, they can do it too.
If you are at that point where you really want to do it, really want to get that adult college degree, just pick yourself up off the couch and do it. I am a firm believer that one can do anything they want to as long as they want to do it bad enough. I am living proof and very proud and happy I did.
I can't wait to see Owen make his big O all by himself.
Hi Everyone!
I graduated from Granite State College in June of 2010 with a BS in Applied Studies with an option in management. This degree has opened the door for me to attend graduate school. I began my MFA Interior Design with a focus in sustainability in fall of 2010 and will graduate this May 2012. My planis to teach full-time college level Interior Design. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate Granite State College.
I was never motivated in High School and as an adult, I wasn't too sure I could do it, but Granite State Ccollege helped me every step of the way and my confidence grew. Now, who knows? A PhD?
Name: Shelby/Hicks
Graduated: 2010 Concord
Location:
Email:
Degree:
I graduated from Granite State College in June of 2010 with a BS in Applied Studies with an option in management. This degree has opened the door for me to attend graduate school. I began my MFA Interior Design with a focus in sustainability in fall of 2010 and will graduate this May 2012. My planis to teach full-time college level Interior Design. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate Granite State College.
I was never motivated in High School and as an adult, I wasn't too sure I could do it, but Granite State Ccollege helped me every step of the way and my confidence grew. Now, who knows? A PhD?
Name: Shelby/Hicks
Graduated: 2010 Concord
Location:
Email:
Degree:
As I woke up yesterday, I found myself thinking about how our world is today, as I know it. It is a different world, ten years after the 9/11 attack. We think differently about our safety. We are not as free moving as we used to be and we get searched and scanned at the airports. To go over the Ambassador bridge, you need a passport and you can not ride your bike over the bridge any longer. That is crazy as I used to ride over the bridge at least once a month to visit my grandmother who lived in Windsor.
Yes, our world has changed. I watched the TV yesterday and saw all the memorials that were going on in NY, PA and at the Pentagon. Many tears were flowing again after ten years and we all recalled the images in our own heads; where we were when those planes hit the World Trade Center. After awhile I had to turn it off and do something fun. I had to get back in the saddle, so to say, and live. So I went out on my bike and road for awhile and thought about how thankful I was for everything in my life.
Being a Granite State College graduate, with my adult college degree in hand, was one of my happy thoughts on my ride.
Yes, our world has changed. I watched the TV yesterday and saw all the memorials that were going on in NY, PA and at the Pentagon. Many tears were flowing again after ten years and we all recalled the images in our own heads; where we were when those planes hit the World Trade Center. After awhile I had to turn it off and do something fun. I had to get back in the saddle, so to say, and live. So I went out on my bike and road for awhile and thought about how thankful I was for everything in my life.
Being a Granite State College graduate, with my adult college degree in hand, was one of my happy thoughts on my ride.
Arts/Eats and Beats is going on in Royal Oak, Michigan. It is a party with an outdoor venue, featuring artists and musicians from all over the US. Local restaurants opened their doors with a wide variety of foods to enjoy along the streets. There were carnival rides for the little ones and beer for the adults. All in all, it is a good place to go this weekend. We walked the streets and then went to the stages to hear the music. A young band that is up-and-coming was there. Maybe you have heard of the Dale Earnhardt Jr.Jr....I learned how they started out and got permission to use the real Dale Earnhardt's name for their band. They are pretty good and had a wide selection of music.
As I learned about their band, I learned also about this great event that happens every year in in the Detroit metro area. It was fun.
It is the holiday weekend, lets all be safe. If you are in school at Granite State College, enjoy the break and relax. If you are thinking about starting back to get your adult education degree, then it is the weekend to enjoy and not worry about homework, because that will come. Have a great weekend and be safe!!!!!!
As I learned about their band, I learned also about this great event that happens every year in in the Detroit metro area. It was fun.
It is the holiday weekend, lets all be safe. If you are in school at Granite State College, enjoy the break and relax. If you are thinking about starting back to get your adult education degree, then it is the weekend to enjoy and not worry about homework, because that will come. Have a great weekend and be safe!!!!!!
My 23 year old daughter started her adult college program this week. She not only asked me to attend her orientation day at White Mountains Community College in the North Country but asked me to accompany her shopping for her back-to-school supplies. I was able to help Brittany choose her courses and class schedule because she trusted my knowledge and advice in this new challenging era of her adult life.
Brittany chose a community college because she could not find full-time work in the north country so she decided to attend school full-time instead. She only expects to be living in Berlin for the next two years so she knows once she receives her Associates degree from WMCC she can easily transfer all of her credits to Granite State College to earn her B.S. degree as GSC has pre-approved transfer degree programs with all NH Community Colleges.
Receiving my adult college degree has earned me respect from many people. The respect it has earned me from my own daughter is really the only one that matters.
Brittany chose a community college because she could not find full-time work in the north country so she decided to attend school full-time instead. She only expects to be living in Berlin for the next two years so she knows once she receives her Associates degree from WMCC she can easily transfer all of her credits to Granite State College to earn her B.S. degree as GSC has pre-approved transfer degree programs with all NH Community Colleges.
Receiving my adult college degree has earned me respect from many people. The respect it has earned me from my own daughter is really the only one that matters.
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