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.
Well, I am on the road again, visiting more of New Hampshire's SAUs. I am meeting with Superintendents, Special Education Directors, HR specialists, Principals and anyone else who might be connected with the teachers (or future teachers) within the school districts. I think I am up to 28 SAU visits since September and the state has somewhere around 90...so I will be on the road often, since it is my goal to visit all of them!
Today's trip takes me to southern NH, to spread the word about Granite State College's Post Baccalureate Teacher Certification Programs and Advanced Endorsements for already certified teachers. Making sure that school administrators are familiar with Granite State College Teacher Preparation Programs www.granite.edu/academics/teachers/educators.php
helps teachers to continue learning and make a difference in their schools.
Travelling New Hampshire's highways and backroads in search of each district's schools provides for an interesting and fun day. I always loved fall and "back to school" time. The happy sounds of teachers' and children's voices in the schools and on the playgrounds reminds me of the excitement of learning, socializing and playing together.
While this is my first year out of the classroom and not teaching, my visits to the different SAUs throughout the state are a lot of fun and very interesting. I especially enjoy talking with prospective teachers about the programs that Granite State College offers. The excitement of going back to college, taking adult online classes and becoming a teacher is contagious. It is a little bit like visiting those schools and playgrounds...it makes you feel so excited about learning and going back to school!
Today's trip takes me to southern NH, to spread the word about Granite State College's Post Baccalureate Teacher Certification Programs and Advanced Endorsements for already certified teachers. Making sure that school administrators are familiar with Granite State College Teacher Preparation Programs www.granite.edu/academics/teachers/educators.php
helps teachers to continue learning and make a difference in their schools.
Travelling New Hampshire's highways and backroads in search of each district's schools provides for an interesting and fun day. I always loved fall and "back to school" time. The happy sounds of teachers' and children's voices in the schools and on the playgrounds reminds me of the excitement of learning, socializing and playing together.
While this is my first year out of the classroom and not teaching, my visits to the different SAUs throughout the state are a lot of fun and very interesting. I especially enjoy talking with prospective teachers about the programs that Granite State College offers. The excitement of going back to college, taking adult online classes and becoming a teacher is contagious. It is a little bit like visiting those schools and playgrounds...it makes you feel so excited about learning and going back to school!
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.
The "Public Good" of higher education can only truly be achieved when it is accessible to the masses. As tuition increases across the country continue to outpace inflation and public funding (including financial aid) decreases, higher education begins to become unobtainable for more and more Americans. In fact, the U.S. has slipped dramatically relative to higher education trends around the globe and it is only logical that this will ultimately translate into a loss in comparative advantage and competitiveness. However, non-traditional pathways do exist that strive to keep tuition affordable and access to a quality education achievable for students who are able to find them. As a public institution with the University System of New Hampshire, it is important that Granite State College provide affordable access to the residents of New Hampshire and the region.
Granite State College was recently identified as a "Best Buy" through GetEducated.com for having the lowest bachelor tuition rate in New Hampshire and one of the twenty lowest accredited bachelor tuition rates in the nation. Granite State accomplishes this efficiency by focusing on teaching and learning rather than research or a residential experience. Our classes are taught largely by practicing professionals who can put theory to practice, and more than half our students attend classes online for adults. By offering every program online, including our graduate program, we minimize infrastructure costs and reach more students.
Granite State also maximizes affordability by being transfer friendly and by having a sophisticated system of prior learning assessment. In addition, accessing what financial aid is available is paramount to the ability of many students to attend. Granite State College is unique in our scheduling and calendar in that it is possible for a student to take one course at a time (using our 6-week hybrid model) and be eligible for full-time financial aid! Students may also be eligible for full-time financial aid in any one of our Fast Track programs.
So while the cost of higher education continues to outpace the ability of many students to pay, it is important that colleges such as Granite State College, remain committed to access to quality higher education through diligent cost containment; delivery and schedule innovation; online technology; and by focusing on our core mission of teaching and learning.
Granite State College was recently identified as a "Best Buy" through GetEducated.com for having the lowest bachelor tuition rate in New Hampshire and one of the twenty lowest accredited bachelor tuition rates in the nation. Granite State accomplishes this efficiency by focusing on teaching and learning rather than research or a residential experience. Our classes are taught largely by practicing professionals who can put theory to practice, and more than half our students attend classes online for adults. By offering every program online, including our graduate program, we minimize infrastructure costs and reach more students.
Granite State also maximizes affordability by being transfer friendly and by having a sophisticated system of prior learning assessment. In addition, accessing what financial aid is available is paramount to the ability of many students to attend. Granite State College is unique in our scheduling and calendar in that it is possible for a student to take one course at a time (using our 6-week hybrid model) and be eligible for full-time financial aid! Students may also be eligible for full-time financial aid in any one of our Fast Track programs.
So while the cost of higher education continues to outpace the ability of many students to pay, it is important that colleges such as Granite State College, remain committed to access to quality higher education through diligent cost containment; delivery and schedule innovation; online technology; and by focusing on our core mission of teaching and learning.
Good Morning fans and friends,
I just woke up and saw that Westland is going to be selling Rain Barrels with some of the proceeds going to the cancer foundation. My mum died of cancer so whenever I can give, help promote research, I am in for it. But, it is not just for the cancer research fund, it is for the rain barrel. I have always wanted one to water my flowers, garden and save the water that comes from the sky and recycle it. I think it is a good thing for our earth as well as a good example of conservation. My grandparents had two of them at their cottage in Canada and I can remember at a young age, putting a dipper in and getting out a bucket full of water. The Cottage didn't have running water, so we used it to wash our hair, water the garden and yes, even flush the toilet. I know I won't use mine for all those reasons but I do think it is a good way to reuse our water that comes from the sky.
I have to research it and see where the best down spout to put it under. But, that is no different than researching a subject for school. Learning again is what I am talking about, learning about something new, exciting, is all part of life. I just found out that Granite State College is offering a Masters of Science Degree in Project Management. I am so excited and want to get signed up as soon as I learn my new job better. I want to be proficient in this new position before I put other information in my brain. Taking these classes is a great education and career advancement opportunity. I am so excited about this new class, I have told other colleagues about the program and who knows, maybe a few of us will go to Granite State College and take these accelerated adult studies classes.
OK, I am off to get my rain barrel. I hope you all have a great weekend!!
I just woke up and saw that Westland is going to be selling Rain Barrels with some of the proceeds going to the cancer foundation. My mum died of cancer so whenever I can give, help promote research, I am in for it. But, it is not just for the cancer research fund, it is for the rain barrel. I have always wanted one to water my flowers, garden and save the water that comes from the sky and recycle it. I think it is a good thing for our earth as well as a good example of conservation. My grandparents had two of them at their cottage in Canada and I can remember at a young age, putting a dipper in and getting out a bucket full of water. The Cottage didn't have running water, so we used it to wash our hair, water the garden and yes, even flush the toilet. I know I won't use mine for all those reasons but I do think it is a good way to reuse our water that comes from the sky.
I have to research it and see where the best down spout to put it under. But, that is no different than researching a subject for school. Learning again is what I am talking about, learning about something new, exciting, is all part of life. I just found out that Granite State College is offering a Masters of Science Degree in Project Management. I am so excited and want to get signed up as soon as I learn my new job better. I want to be proficient in this new position before I put other information in my brain. Taking these classes is a great education and career advancement opportunity. I am so excited about this new class, I have told other colleagues about the program and who knows, maybe a few of us will go to Granite State College and take these accelerated adult studies classes.
OK, I am off to get my rain barrel. I hope you all have a great weekend!!
The Concord Monitor recently ran a story entitled "Changing the way we Educate" that profiled Granite State College and the unique ways in which we serve undergraduate and graduate students. The focus of the article was largely on how Granite State College balances business and academics, and how we are addressing a 48% cut in state appropriations (the largest cut ever made to the USNH appropriations). While the cut certainly impacts us, Granite State College has been very innovative this past year, launching a new BS in Health Care Management and developing our first masters degree (an MS in Project Management). We also streamlined our admissions processes, eliminated some fees, and adopted a "student-centered" approach that led to schedule improvements and the creation of student success teams.
Granite State College's innovations are leading to record enrollment levels for the college in spite of budgetary cuts. It is our ability to be responsive to student and employer needs that is becoming the college's hallmark. GSC has long been a leader in online education and today every degree the College offers is available entirely online, including our new MS in Project Management. For GSC, having our degrees available online is not enough, we have gone beyond that by building a top instructional design team that includes a media-rich specialist and adding greater support for online students through services such as online tutoring. We also provide our faculty with more tools than just the learning management system, one of the latest tools available to faculty allows them to create animated simulations.
Even with this expansion of online offerings and support, GSC has also continued to invest in technology and innovation at our state-wide campus centers. Our recent campus centers in Rochester, Manchester, and Littleton all offer an array of classroom technology, including wireless connectivity. More importantly, our innovations around curriculum are making higher education more accessible to adults and working professionals. We are launching fast-track programs this year that offer an accelerated and streamlined path to completing a bachelor degree.
State appropriations are certainly key to our ability to offer the best higher education value possible, but equally important is our ability to innovate. While appropriations may be down, innovation at GSC has never been higher.
Granite State College's innovations are leading to record enrollment levels for the college in spite of budgetary cuts. It is our ability to be responsive to student and employer needs that is becoming the college's hallmark. GSC has long been a leader in online education and today every degree the College offers is available entirely online, including our new MS in Project Management. For GSC, having our degrees available online is not enough, we have gone beyond that by building a top instructional design team that includes a media-rich specialist and adding greater support for online students through services such as online tutoring. We also provide our faculty with more tools than just the learning management system, one of the latest tools available to faculty allows them to create animated simulations.
Even with this expansion of online offerings and support, GSC has also continued to invest in technology and innovation at our state-wide campus centers. Our recent campus centers in Rochester, Manchester, and Littleton all offer an array of classroom technology, including wireless connectivity. More importantly, our innovations around curriculum are making higher education more accessible to adults and working professionals. We are launching fast-track programs this year that offer an accelerated and streamlined path to completing a bachelor degree.
State appropriations are certainly key to our ability to offer the best higher education value possible, but equally important is our ability to innovate. While appropriations may be down, innovation at GSC has never been higher.
I have always believed it important to not only talk the talk, but to walk the walk, when it came to teaching my children. I have tried to accomplish this throughout the past 23 years of motherhood. It is not always what we did do but often, what we did not do, that our children pay attention to.
My daughter was very proud of me when I graduated with my adult college degree last year. It got her thinking of going back to school herself but although she talked about it she never took any action towards this stated goal. The very same week my promotion at work was announced, my 23-year-old-daughter enrolled as a full-time student at a local New Hampshire State College.
As soon as my daughter realized the opportunity offered to me as a direct result of my academic accomplishments she realized there was no reason she had to wait until her mid-life for the same opportunities.
No matter what your age, an adult college degree will open doors, present opportunities and offer new and exciting challenges. I will not be surprised to find myself working for my daughter in 5-10 years!
To my daughter Brittany; you have always been bright, beautiful, ambitious and highly capable. Now that you have decided to begin your adult college program, the world is yours for the taking.
You continue to make me proud of the young woman you are today and will undoubtedly become. I am grateful you have made different life decisions than I, you will thrive in your academic pursuits and enjoy the benefits of your education for a lifetime.
You go girl!
My daughter was very proud of me when I graduated with my adult college degree last year. It got her thinking of going back to school herself but although she talked about it she never took any action towards this stated goal. The very same week my promotion at work was announced, my 23-year-old-daughter enrolled as a full-time student at a local New Hampshire State College.
As soon as my daughter realized the opportunity offered to me as a direct result of my academic accomplishments she realized there was no reason she had to wait until her mid-life for the same opportunities.
No matter what your age, an adult college degree will open doors, present opportunities and offer new and exciting challenges. I will not be surprised to find myself working for my daughter in 5-10 years!
To my daughter Brittany; you have always been bright, beautiful, ambitious and highly capable. Now that you have decided to begin your adult college program, the world is yours for the taking.
You continue to make me proud of the young woman you are today and will undoubtedly become. I am grateful you have made different life decisions than I, you will thrive in your academic pursuits and enjoy the benefits of your education for a lifetime.
You go girl!
It is Sunday and a week after my trip to Tennessee to visit my grandson. If you are not a grandmother or grandfather yet, I pray you get to enjoy that life experience some time in the future. His eyes just light up when his Grammy comes to visit. He seems to know that in his short life of four years, that Grammy gives him all the attention, love, fun and special moments he so enjoys. We talk about everything and he is very inquisitive at this young age. His voice yells out, "But Grammy, why?" so many times throughout the day. 
Why this, why that? Isn't it great to want to learn, want to discover, want to experience everything that is right in front of you every day?! In this picture to the right, we were at a park with a megaphone, where one talks in one end and at the other end of the park. Grammy is talking back. He kept saying, "Grammy are you there?" When I talked to him, he would look inside with wonder with curiosity and confusion, wondering where the heck was I.
So cute, so memorable.
Just as he learns, we all learn. We all have that desire to learn and grown. Sometimes I think we get in a rut and forget to grow our minds. Our minds are muscles and need to be worked. It is known fact that when we get older we need to read, do puzzles, play Scrabble, etc. It just shows that learning is a life-long process. Granite State College gave me that avenue to learn and grown. Whether it be working towards an Adult Education Degree or just working on Adult Continuing Education Programs, they all involve learning.
So if you are reading this, thinking about what I wrote about learning, get started and contact an adviser. They are so helpful and can get you started to learning, growing and working that brain of yours. Until next time, have a great day!!
Why this, why that? Isn't it great to want to learn, want to discover, want to experience everything that is right in front of you every day?! In this picture to the right, we were at a park with a megaphone, where one talks in one end and at the other end of the park. Grammy is talking back. He kept saying, "Grammy are you there?" When I talked to him, he would look inside with wonder with curiosity and confusion, wondering where the heck was I.
So cute, so memorable.
Just as he learns, we all learn. We all have that desire to learn and grown. Sometimes I think we get in a rut and forget to grow our minds. Our minds are muscles and need to be worked. It is known fact that when we get older we need to read, do puzzles, play Scrabble, etc. It just shows that learning is a life-long process. Granite State College gave me that avenue to learn and grown. Whether it be working towards an Adult Education Degree or just working on Adult Continuing Education Programs, they all involve learning.
So if you are reading this, thinking about what I wrote about learning, get started and contact an adviser. They are so helpful and can get you started to learning, growing and working that brain of yours. Until next time, have a great day!!
At all of our Granite State College campuses, we have recently implemented a new model for serving students on their path to degree completion. We have formed Student Success Teams at each of our campuses. I am very excited about this because it provides students with even more support than they have previously enjoyed.
At the Conway NH college campus where I work, everyone is coming together to support our learners. We have so many new options to make college learning easier! We are offering a series of workshops, including writing and math labs, workshops on time management, organization....lots of different kinds of information to help students be more successful. These workshops are offered in a small group format, which allows us to support more students while fostering networking and relationship building.
Another exciting direction we are moving in is offering Career Advancement Services. We have always offered one-on-one career counseling, but we are expanding our programs and will soon have more to offer to students who need extensive career and life planning.
We are very unique amongst colleges with online classes in that we offer so many different kinds of learning supports. We have online 24/7 tutoring, "Smart Thinking" and online students who have access to one of our GSC Campuses, are also able to attend the live workshops.
Another exciting tool we offer is a degree auditing system called CAPP. Its available online, 24/7 and helps learners track their path toward an adult education diploma. CAPP shows students where transfer credits fit in, display grades and gpa information, and allows students to do a "What If" analysis that shows where their credits would fit in if they switch majors.
If you have a suggestion for workshops you would like to see to support your learning, please email me your suggestions at jan.hodges@granite.edu.
At the Conway NH college campus where I work, everyone is coming together to support our learners. We have so many new options to make college learning easier! We are offering a series of workshops, including writing and math labs, workshops on time management, organization....lots of different kinds of information to help students be more successful. These workshops are offered in a small group format, which allows us to support more students while fostering networking and relationship building.
Another exciting direction we are moving in is offering Career Advancement Services. We have always offered one-on-one career counseling, but we are expanding our programs and will soon have more to offer to students who need extensive career and life planning.
We are very unique amongst colleges with online classes in that we offer so many different kinds of learning supports. We have online 24/7 tutoring, "Smart Thinking" and online students who have access to one of our GSC Campuses, are also able to attend the live workshops.
Another exciting tool we offer is a degree auditing system called CAPP. Its available online, 24/7 and helps learners track their path toward an adult education diploma. CAPP shows students where transfer credits fit in, display grades and gpa information, and allows students to do a "What If" analysis that shows where their credits would fit in if they switch majors.
If you have a suggestion for workshops you would like to see to support your learning, please email me your suggestions at jan.hodges@granite.edu.
The inspiring story below is that of John, another ALA Scholarship Recpient for 2011. John is just one more example of the unique and diverse student population you will find within the classrooms or on the blackboards of Granite State College.
My educational journey has encompassed self-learning for most of my life after high-school. My father passed away when I was in seventh-grade and I was a C+ student in a Catholic High School in Lawrence, MA. I began college in Maine intending to study Marine Biology but being a mediocre student I needed student loans to cover all of my expected expenses. I dropped out several weeks after the start for fear of mounting student loan debt. At eighteen I entered the workforce as a high-school graduate, married my wife in 1981 and began a family in 1983. As expected my job choices were very limited but I held a desire to enter the technology field. After much research I chose Sylvania Technical School and entered the Telecommunications Electronics program using student loans once again, but these were limited and controllable. Our first daughter, Bethany, was born with a heart defect and passed away after heart surgery at 7-days old. Our second daughter, Noelle, was born just over a year later in 1984 but was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy at 1-year. Her care was a significant part of our existence and it took a huge effort on my part to attend Sylvania Tech three days per week at night after my job to attend classes in addition to sacrificing that time away from my family, but it was for their benefit that I was educating myself to better position me for employment that provided a living wage and benefits that we so dearly needed for Noelle’s care. Just before I graduated in 1988 with a diploma I interviewed for an Information Technology position at Raytheon and because of the reputation of Sylvania Tech and my grades I was hired as a Data Communications Field Tech.
Wentworth Institute of Technology purchased Sylvania Technical School before I completed my program so my diploma bore the Wentworth name. Because of this relationship Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston offered graduates of Sylvania/Wentworth Tech advance standing entry into an A.A.S. in Electronic Technology degree program. Raytheon’s tuition reimbursement benefits were significant enough to allow me to attend one course per semester at their Boston campus and continue my career college training. It took me five years from 1992 till 1997 to complete my associate degree. Five years of time and travel into Boston and precious time away from my family. Nights and weekends I worked at our kitchen table on study and research while my family patiently gave me the time I needed for my studies. My wife supported my endeavor by taking on additional care responsibilities for our daughter. I wanted to complete my associate degree so that I could advance my career, become a better provider, and show my growing daughter that education is important and is a lifelong endeavor. Noelle passed away on the second-to-last day of a wish trip to Disney on May 19, 1996. My life was shaken for months after that event. I did not attend the spring or summer semesters that year but eventually wanted to complete that degree for my daughter. Two more semesters and I was finally able to dedicate my degree to Noelle during graduation on May 18, 1997, one day short of the first anniversary of her death.
Afterward I honestly didn’t have the drive to continue my education at Wentworth. Like many parents who have lost children I grieved by immersing myself in my work. I continued to attend annual technical training to hone my information technology skill-sets which made me a more valuable employee but every year that passed I still thought about completing my degree. After graduating Wentworth I worked with a recruiter from Boston in a job search. He informed me that he would not be able to even get me into some corporate doors for interviews without having at least a bachelor’s degree. Fortunately after interviewing at Lahey Clinic Medical Center they valued my technical skills more than my education and hired me as a Data Communications Engineer. Each year that followed I have given consideration to completing my adult college degree but talked myself out of it. Each year I thought, “if I had only begun last year I would almost be done”. Well after a close scrutiny and self-assessment a couple of years ago about my past, present, and future life and career I decided to take that first step to completing my B.S. I realized that as I grow older I am handicapped from further career growth without completing an adult college degree, B.S. After almost twenty-five years working in technical positions in the field of information technology I find myself desiring to move into a leadership/management position within my current field of healthcare IT.
I began the next iteration of my education journey in the spring of 2009 with Granite State College. I discovered that the program for Applied Studies: Allied Health Services was tailor made to my career. I have almost twenty-five years of technical experience but I needed to round out my business skills that are so valued in industry. This B.S. will give me the necessary business skills with a slant toward the healthcare field that I currently work in, providing a targeted learning environment for me. I began this degree program intending to provide myself and my wife “career insurance” to update and round out my skills, make me a more valuable employee and insure my future ability to provide a home and life for the both of us. That goal has morphed over the course of the past two years, sparking my interest in pursuing an advanced degree after I complete my B.S. this spring at GSC. Plymouth State offers a M.B.A. in Healthcare Administration, an ideal advanced degree for my career plans to remain in healthcare.
After spending over a decade caring for our daughter, Noelle, at home and in Boston Children’s Hospital I would never have imagined that I would be working in the healthcare field yet here I am. My education has been a struggle of work/life/family/financial balance yet we have accomplished much with the time we have had together. I dedicated my A.A.S. to my daughter, Noelle. I plan to dedicate my pending B.S. to my loving wife, Kathy, for her patient support during these past two years and God willing I will dedicate my future M.B.A. to everyone who has supported me and my family. We have a great deal of loving family and friends in our lives, some have been treated at Lahey Clinic, my employer, and at least one had his life saved at Lahey with a liver/kidney transplant. I am proud to dedicate my career to such an institution and hope that my continued education will allow me opportunities to serve in greater capacities. I plan to achieve my B.S. before I am fifty-years old. I still have between fifteen and twenty career years in front of me; I plan to contribute further to the success of Lahey Clinic’s service to our community, friends, and family. I may have started as a mediocre high-school student but I believe with time and continued commitment to the goals I set and achieve for my benefit and also for my wife I am gaining back the opportunities I missed in my youth. Two more semesters and I will have achieved this next goal while I plan yet further!
Please visit John's website to learn more about his personal accomplishments.
My educational journey has encompassed self-learning for most of my life after high-school. My father passed away when I was in seventh-grade and I was a C+ student in a Catholic High School in Lawrence, MA. I began college in Maine intending to study Marine Biology but being a mediocre student I needed student loans to cover all of my expected expenses. I dropped out several weeks after the start for fear of mounting student loan debt. At eighteen I entered the workforce as a high-school graduate, married my wife in 1981 and began a family in 1983. As expected my job choices were very limited but I held a desire to enter the technology field. After much research I chose Sylvania Technical School and entered the Telecommunications Electronics program using student loans once again, but these were limited and controllable. Our first daughter, Bethany, was born with a heart defect and passed away after heart surgery at 7-days old. Our second daughter, Noelle, was born just over a year later in 1984 but was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy at 1-year. Her care was a significant part of our existence and it took a huge effort on my part to attend Sylvania Tech three days per week at night after my job to attend classes in addition to sacrificing that time away from my family, but it was for their benefit that I was educating myself to better position me for employment that provided a living wage and benefits that we so dearly needed for Noelle’s care. Just before I graduated in 1988 with a diploma I interviewed for an Information Technology position at Raytheon and because of the reputation of Sylvania Tech and my grades I was hired as a Data Communications Field Tech. Wentworth Institute of Technology purchased Sylvania Technical School before I completed my program so my diploma bore the Wentworth name. Because of this relationship Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston offered graduates of Sylvania/Wentworth Tech advance standing entry into an A.A.S. in Electronic Technology degree program. Raytheon’s tuition reimbursement benefits were significant enough to allow me to attend one course per semester at their Boston campus and continue my career college training. It took me five years from 1992 till 1997 to complete my associate degree. Five years of time and travel into Boston and precious time away from my family. Nights and weekends I worked at our kitchen table on study and research while my family patiently gave me the time I needed for my studies. My wife supported my endeavor by taking on additional care responsibilities for our daughter. I wanted to complete my associate degree so that I could advance my career, become a better provider, and show my growing daughter that education is important and is a lifelong endeavor. Noelle passed away on the second-to-last day of a wish trip to Disney on May 19, 1996. My life was shaken for months after that event. I did not attend the spring or summer semesters that year but eventually wanted to complete that degree for my daughter. Two more semesters and I was finally able to dedicate my degree to Noelle during graduation on May 18, 1997, one day short of the first anniversary of her death.
Afterward I honestly didn’t have the drive to continue my education at Wentworth. Like many parents who have lost children I grieved by immersing myself in my work. I continued to attend annual technical training to hone my information technology skill-sets which made me a more valuable employee but every year that passed I still thought about completing my degree. After graduating Wentworth I worked with a recruiter from Boston in a job search. He informed me that he would not be able to even get me into some corporate doors for interviews without having at least a bachelor’s degree. Fortunately after interviewing at Lahey Clinic Medical Center they valued my technical skills more than my education and hired me as a Data Communications Engineer. Each year that followed I have given consideration to completing my adult college degree but talked myself out of it. Each year I thought, “if I had only begun last year I would almost be done”. Well after a close scrutiny and self-assessment a couple of years ago about my past, present, and future life and career I decided to take that first step to completing my B.S. I realized that as I grow older I am handicapped from further career growth without completing an adult college degree, B.S. After almost twenty-five years working in technical positions in the field of information technology I find myself desiring to move into a leadership/management position within my current field of healthcare IT.
I began the next iteration of my education journey in the spring of 2009 with Granite State College. I discovered that the program for Applied Studies: Allied Health Services was tailor made to my career. I have almost twenty-five years of technical experience but I needed to round out my business skills that are so valued in industry. This B.S. will give me the necessary business skills with a slant toward the healthcare field that I currently work in, providing a targeted learning environment for me. I began this degree program intending to provide myself and my wife “career insurance” to update and round out my skills, make me a more valuable employee and insure my future ability to provide a home and life for the both of us. That goal has morphed over the course of the past two years, sparking my interest in pursuing an advanced degree after I complete my B.S. this spring at GSC. Plymouth State offers a M.B.A. in Healthcare Administration, an ideal advanced degree for my career plans to remain in healthcare.
After spending over a decade caring for our daughter, Noelle, at home and in Boston Children’s Hospital I would never have imagined that I would be working in the healthcare field yet here I am. My education has been a struggle of work/life/family/financial balance yet we have accomplished much with the time we have had together. I dedicated my A.A.S. to my daughter, Noelle. I plan to dedicate my pending B.S. to my loving wife, Kathy, for her patient support during these past two years and God willing I will dedicate my future M.B.A. to everyone who has supported me and my family. We have a great deal of loving family and friends in our lives, some have been treated at Lahey Clinic, my employer, and at least one had his life saved at Lahey with a liver/kidney transplant. I am proud to dedicate my career to such an institution and hope that my continued education will allow me opportunities to serve in greater capacities. I plan to achieve my B.S. before I am fifty-years old. I still have between fifteen and twenty career years in front of me; I plan to contribute further to the success of Lahey Clinic’s service to our community, friends, and family. I may have started as a mediocre high-school student but I believe with time and continued commitment to the goals I set and achieve for my benefit and also for my wife I am gaining back the opportunities I missed in my youth. Two more semesters and I will have achieved this next goal while I plan yet further!
Please visit John's website to learn more about his personal accomplishments.
Have any of you moved and can't find some of your belongings at the other end? Well, that happens. It has happened to me almost every time I have moved. What is missing, is always the question and what just about drives you nuts looking for it.
That exact thing, happened this time with my move from SC to MI. An iron is lost and a couple boxes I had packed earlier are also missing in action. The movers were so great and nice, I have no clue where these items were put or delivered too. Well, the movers are coming out tomorrow to take a look in my attic to see if they can find the items. I hope they do, I hope they find everything I have lost. Hopefully it will not be too hot up in that attic in the morning.
Moving brings back my memory of my move to NH. Learning the area, finding some friends, learning a new job etc., all very exciting. I also had to find an adult college program to transfer too from Aquinas College in Nashville, TN. I found a college that took all my credits and continued my education at Granite State College. They had an adult education degree program, they had Accelerated weekend intensive classes that helped me move along to that piece of paper while raising a family and holding down a full time job. I mostly liked their evening college classes - they included other adult learners just like myself.
So, whether it is finding belongings after a move or finding a college to finish your adult college degree, stay positive and you can do it. We can do anything we want to do bad enough, I am a believer, I am proof it can happen.
That exact thing, happened this time with my move from SC to MI. An iron is lost and a couple boxes I had packed earlier are also missing in action. The movers were so great and nice, I have no clue where these items were put or delivered too. Well, the movers are coming out tomorrow to take a look in my attic to see if they can find the items. I hope they do, I hope they find everything I have lost. Hopefully it will not be too hot up in that attic in the morning.
Moving brings back my memory of my move to NH. Learning the area, finding some friends, learning a new job etc., all very exciting. I also had to find an adult college program to transfer too from Aquinas College in Nashville, TN. I found a college that took all my credits and continued my education at Granite State College. They had an adult education degree program, they had Accelerated weekend intensive classes that helped me move along to that piece of paper while raising a family and holding down a full time job. I mostly liked their evening college classes - they included other adult learners just like myself.
So, whether it is finding belongings after a move or finding a college to finish your adult college degree, stay positive and you can do it. We can do anything we want to do bad enough, I am a believer, I am proof it can happen.
Below is the story of one amazing Granite State College student that I came across when reviewing application essays for the GSC ALA Scholarship this past spring. With a student such as Lori in your classroom, you not only learn with her, but from her.
"You may have seen the ad for Dyson vacuum cleaners. James Dyson tells how he tried some 5,000 times to get the vacuum cleaner design and function he wanted, but he didn’t give up, and it culminated in the popular Dyson Ball. I am drawn to stories of people determined to reach a goal probably because I feel I can relate especially in my quest for education beyond high school.
I loved growing up on a farm in the Midwest, but the path of least resistance would have been to live and work for the rest of my life in the small town six miles down the road. I came from hard-working parents who believed higher education was good for those who knew exactly what they wanted to do and had the money to do it. At age 18, I knew this left me out on both counts, but somehow I was going to navigate my way in an unfamiliar world by myself.
I believe a curiosity about so many things and a love of learning has been wonderful, but for the last 30 years it’s also made finding my place in the working world a challenge. I have always enjoyed creating/designing, organizing spaces, history, and what makes people do what they do to name a few. If an entry level job, which has been what I’ve been qualified for, didn’t have any of the above attributes nor the potential for advancement, it didn’t hold my interest over the long term. I always felt that going back to school to tqake adult college courses could increase my options for a better job so I took courses here and there, but I allowed myself only a certificate program time commitment which proved to be too narrow in scope.
Over the years, my quest for an adult education diploma had become a common theme of hope for the future. I was accepted into an adult college program, but got married and we had to move too far away for me to attend. However, for the next eight years I pursued and finished an Associate’s Degree while working part-time and raising a family. Later, during my divorce when my kids were in middle school, survival and stability became the priorities. After a few years, I was accepted into another adult college program at a local university. As I was making plans to go to college fulltime, diagnosis of a serious illness turned my world upside down. Surgery, treatment and keeping life positive at home for my kids put education on the back burner once again.
Nearly two years ago with my kids out on their own, I made plans again to pursue a Bachelors degree. To make this work financially, I sold, donated and discarded most of my possessions. I started at Granite State College, but I needed some direction. Through introspection, good advising, and taking SDLR 550, I realized a self-design program in Gerontology was a good choice for me. At 54, accumulating educational debt when I ought to be planning for retirement seems counterintuitive, but I now have hope for my future. I want to flourish in life, not just survive it.
Gerontology, is the study of the process of aging, across the life span, whose multi-disciplinary aspects include physical, mental, social and spiritual changes in people as they age. Much of my interest comes from a deep affection and respect for the elderly which has developed over my lifetime. This has been supported by many influential experiences with elderly relatives. My dear grandmother wasn’t conventionally domestic, but we spent countless hours on a creek bank just talking and fishing. She was a young widow who didn’t drive and was dependent on people for transportation, but she was a lady with a very independent spirit.
Older persons inspire and fascinate me with their personal perspectives of historical events. I’ve enjoyed talking with people who lived through the Great Depression, served in wars, and some who survived the holocaust. The residents I’ve come to know while working at RiverWoods, a CCRC, have experienced the benefits and joys of family, higher education, and financial success. All gracefully persevere through the loss of family, friends, and health.
I can’t tell you exactly what I want for a position, but I feel that my determination toward this degree will afford me more employment options and opportunities hopefully helping the elderly flourish at whatever age they are. As independent as I tend to be, I realize the importance of interdependence and the reciprocal nature of giving and receiving. I appreciate the opportunity to apply for this scholarship as it will help me achieve my goal. I look forward to being in a position helping others achieve their goals and unlocking their own potential regardless of age."
"You may have seen the ad for Dyson vacuum cleaners. James Dyson tells how he tried some 5,000 times to get the vacuum cleaner design and function he wanted, but he didn’t give up, and it culminated in the popular Dyson Ball. I am drawn to stories of people determined to reach a goal probably because I feel I can relate especially in my quest for education beyond high school.I loved growing up on a farm in the Midwest, but the path of least resistance would have been to live and work for the rest of my life in the small town six miles down the road. I came from hard-working parents who believed higher education was good for those who knew exactly what they wanted to do and had the money to do it. At age 18, I knew this left me out on both counts, but somehow I was going to navigate my way in an unfamiliar world by myself.
I believe a curiosity about so many things and a love of learning has been wonderful, but for the last 30 years it’s also made finding my place in the working world a challenge. I have always enjoyed creating/designing, organizing spaces, history, and what makes people do what they do to name a few. If an entry level job, which has been what I’ve been qualified for, didn’t have any of the above attributes nor the potential for advancement, it didn’t hold my interest over the long term. I always felt that going back to school to tqake adult college courses could increase my options for a better job so I took courses here and there, but I allowed myself only a certificate program time commitment which proved to be too narrow in scope.
Over the years, my quest for an adult education diploma had become a common theme of hope for the future. I was accepted into an adult college program, but got married and we had to move too far away for me to attend. However, for the next eight years I pursued and finished an Associate’s Degree while working part-time and raising a family. Later, during my divorce when my kids were in middle school, survival and stability became the priorities. After a few years, I was accepted into another adult college program at a local university. As I was making plans to go to college fulltime, diagnosis of a serious illness turned my world upside down. Surgery, treatment and keeping life positive at home for my kids put education on the back burner once again.
Nearly two years ago with my kids out on their own, I made plans again to pursue a Bachelors degree. To make this work financially, I sold, donated and discarded most of my possessions. I started at Granite State College, but I needed some direction. Through introspection, good advising, and taking SDLR 550, I realized a self-design program in Gerontology was a good choice for me. At 54, accumulating educational debt when I ought to be planning for retirement seems counterintuitive, but I now have hope for my future. I want to flourish in life, not just survive it.
Gerontology, is the study of the process of aging, across the life span, whose multi-disciplinary aspects include physical, mental, social and spiritual changes in people as they age. Much of my interest comes from a deep affection and respect for the elderly which has developed over my lifetime. This has been supported by many influential experiences with elderly relatives. My dear grandmother wasn’t conventionally domestic, but we spent countless hours on a creek bank just talking and fishing. She was a young widow who didn’t drive and was dependent on people for transportation, but she was a lady with a very independent spirit.
Older persons inspire and fascinate me with their personal perspectives of historical events. I’ve enjoyed talking with people who lived through the Great Depression, served in wars, and some who survived the holocaust. The residents I’ve come to know while working at RiverWoods, a CCRC, have experienced the benefits and joys of family, higher education, and financial success. All gracefully persevere through the loss of family, friends, and health.
I can’t tell you exactly what I want for a position, but I feel that my determination toward this degree will afford me more employment options and opportunities hopefully helping the elderly flourish at whatever age they are. As independent as I tend to be, I realize the importance of interdependence and the reciprocal nature of giving and receiving. I appreciate the opportunity to apply for this scholarship as it will help me achieve my goal. I look forward to being in a position helping others achieve their goals and unlocking their own potential regardless of age."
Sometimes we don't know how special a place is until we discover how un-special another place is.
Right after I graduated from Granite State College, with wonderfully positive outcomes, I was motivated and inspired to continue further with my education. Since I had already completed my Bachelor's Degree in Language Arts I decided to apply to a Masters Program at another Adult Program in a different University system.
Almost immediately I could feel the difference in the attitudes of the people I had to deal with. There was a time during my studies at Granite State College's Rochester college campus when the Administrative Assistants were always available to answer my endless barrage of questions. Or perhaps I was confused about cumulative GPA or certain credits required for my degree. Always, always my Advisor made herself available to me. Adjunct Professors were there for the sole purpose of educating me and my classmates.
During the very first class in my Masters Program I knew immediately that I was not in Kansas anymore. The director of the program was loud and abrasive. The instructor was also the Advisor for the entire group. She knew little about explaining the computer program that we had to learn in order to succeed in the course. I was utterly confused by the end of the class.
Granite State College has managed to combine their purpose of making money in the business of education with a finely-tuned group of people who really care about people. I will be forever grateful when I think back on those wonderful days.
Right after I graduated from Granite State College, with wonderfully positive outcomes, I was motivated and inspired to continue further with my education. Since I had already completed my Bachelor's Degree in Language Arts I decided to apply to a Masters Program at another Adult Program in a different University system.
Almost immediately I could feel the difference in the attitudes of the people I had to deal with. There was a time during my studies at Granite State College's Rochester college campus when the Administrative Assistants were always available to answer my endless barrage of questions. Or perhaps I was confused about cumulative GPA or certain credits required for my degree. Always, always my Advisor made herself available to me. Adjunct Professors were there for the sole purpose of educating me and my classmates.
During the very first class in my Masters Program I knew immediately that I was not in Kansas anymore. The director of the program was loud and abrasive. The instructor was also the Advisor for the entire group. She knew little about explaining the computer program that we had to learn in order to succeed in the course. I was utterly confused by the end of the class.
Granite State College has managed to combine their purpose of making money in the business of education with a finely-tuned group of people who really care about people. I will be forever grateful when I think back on those wonderful days.
Have you ever had the option of weekend college classes? There is no academic experience like it. I try to attend at least one intensive weekend college course every year. This year my weekend course included a white-knuckled drive up North due to the unexpected snow storm we experienced on April 1st! The drive was worth every tense moment for what I gained through the weekend. One of the unique advantages of attending school in an adult education program environment is the diverse and eclectic group of students sitting alongside you.
My fellow students ranged from seasoned professionals, some of whom had already earned a master's degree, to 22-year-old recent graduates yet to enter the workforce. The learning outcome in the weekend course environment is enhanced greatly by the personal, professional and academic experiences of those in attendance. This is something that is not attainable at a traditional weekday college course.
Of course the competence, enthusiasm, knowledge and experience of the faculty of any education and career advancement class is of equal importance. Most of the professors of adult college classes have spent many years working outside of the college environment in their fields of expertise. During my most recent weekend college class we had professors who are published authors, current and former business owners and valuable community leaders in attendance.
Our weekend experience ended with our professor belting out Sinatra's "I did it my way!"
My fellow students ranged from seasoned professionals, some of whom had already earned a master's degree, to 22-year-old recent graduates yet to enter the workforce. The learning outcome in the weekend course environment is enhanced greatly by the personal, professional and academic experiences of those in attendance. This is something that is not attainable at a traditional weekday college course.
Of course the competence, enthusiasm, knowledge and experience of the faculty of any education and career advancement class is of equal importance. Most of the professors of adult college classes have spent many years working outside of the college environment in their fields of expertise. During my most recent weekend college class we had professors who are published authors, current and former business owners and valuable community leaders in attendance.
Our weekend experience ended with our professor belting out Sinatra's "I did it my way!"
Classes are over! This was one of the harder terms that I have encountered here at Granite State College. New experiences and new ways of taking classes (example: 5 week online intensive class) doesn't always mean that it will make your life easier. On the flip side, taking a chance on a new way of taking classes could change the way you complete your program. I have never considered taking an English class online, however the online college English classes that are offered here are many, and the way they are set up seem to be pretty well constructed. Not to mention, I'm on my computer ALL the time so this is another excuse to take my computer everywhere :)
I am relieved to be done with this term. That means I am that much closer to finishing my teacher training education! And...behavioral science. It's a day by day, step by step, class by class, week by week (etc, etc, etc...) in finishing my degrees. Some days it feels like it will never end, and at other times it feels like time is flying. Don't get me wrong: my adult education is a ride that I don't want to have pass by me, but I can be a little impatient...
For everyone who has finished their classes, congrats! 12 weeks is an accomplishment. You should feel very proud of yourself!
I am relieved to be done with this term. That means I am that much closer to finishing my teacher training education! And...behavioral science. It's a day by day, step by step, class by class, week by week (etc, etc, etc...) in finishing my degrees. Some days it feels like it will never end, and at other times it feels like time is flying. Don't get me wrong: my adult education is a ride that I don't want to have pass by me, but I can be a little impatient...
For everyone who has finished their classes, congrats! 12 weeks is an accomplishment. You should feel very proud of yourself!
A few weeks ago, I ran into an old friend from high school. A few days after that encounter, I ran into another friend from high school. It's always amazing how you feel when you run into old friends. There are some people you get very excited to see, and others you get this feeling in the pit of your stomach and in all honesty, you may try to dodge them from seeing you. For most people that I have met (post high school) it's a time in their life they want to forget. And seeing someone from your past can bring up some uneasy feelings that you thought you had buried.
The reason I bring this up is because seeing two of these people (one from each 'category'), I began to run through in my head what high school was like for me. I tried to remember my teachers, how they taught, the environment, etc. A lot of my high school teachers were very strict about assignments and due dates and making sure they made NO exceptions, because they were trying to prepare us for the "real world" and for college.
The reason I bring this up is because seeing two of these people (one from each 'category'), I began to run through in my head what high school was like for me. I tried to remember my teachers, how they taught, the environment, etc. A lot of my high school teachers were very strict about assignments and due dates and making sure they made NO exceptions, because they were trying to prepare us for the "real world" and for college.
Because of how we were being "prepared", I didn't want to go to college anymore. Of course I had ambitions and I DID want to go to college, but I was expecting that it would not be the experience I had always dreamed it would be. Not after those experiences...
I may not be where I thought I would be when I was 16, but I'm happy to see where I am today. I'm in college, and in a short number of years I will have obtained two adult education diplomas. The exact same outcome as if I had gone off to college right after graduation.
The differences between high school and Granite State College are numerous! In high school you can become invisible. Very few people know your name, interests, etc. At this Concord, NH college campus, you walk in the front door and you are greeted by your first name! (Side note: I mention Granite State College's Concord, NH college campus because it's my "home base." I go there a great deal, even though I take classes sometimes at the Manchester, NH college campus).
In high school, no exceptions were made; here at GSC, teachers will work with you and they understand that life happens. Many students who I have taken classes with have demanding jobs and/or children.
These adult accelerated degree programs are very different from high school. Of course there are always exceptions, but my guess is that these programs work because everyone there has the same goal: to make life better for us. That includes fellow students, and it also includes the faculty. Hazing and bullying don't go on at college (or at least this one). This is the one place you will always look back on as a positive experience. It's a second chance for people (or third, or fourth...).
In many years down the road you run into someone who you went to college with, there will be no uneasy feelings; you'll finally have an educational experience you are more than happy to revisit.
The moral of this story: don't let your past experiences hold you back from really living your life. It's always the time to create some new experiences, and you know you'll be better off for it.
AH SPRING IS HERE! Although, those snowflakes the size of golf balls was weird way of welcoming us to spring.
The beginning of spring is my favorite time, especially after a long winter like this one! There's that feeling (spring fever?) that you feel when spring is on its way. There's this sense of relief and feeling like you are waiting to bust out and grab life by the horns. Storm windows are taken down, windows are opening, people are outside a lot more... It's like a cleansing, figuratively and literally from the dark and dreary winter.
Spring cleaning is here, and even though my house is a MESS from pulling out dusty boxes from the storage areas and going through them, I feel myself releasing all this negative energy from my body and home. Spring is *my* new years. It's the time where I reset my goals that I want to see accomplished; it's my starting over point.
The beginning of 2011 was not the best. I've been going through some nerve-wracking, serious stuff, and I am ready to put all that behind me. I have this really comfortable chair that I put outside in my little patio and do homework on, (or play on the computer) and I can feel how the rest of the year is going to be for me. I'm ready to reinvent myself. And one of the things that I really loved about all of these revelations, is that my adult accelerated degree program was my #1 priority. I always knew somewhere that I had a lot of pride in my schooling efforts, but this was such a great reminder.
The beginning of spring is my favorite time, especially after a long winter like this one! There's that feeling (spring fever?) that you feel when spring is on its way. There's this sense of relief and feeling like you are waiting to bust out and grab life by the horns. Storm windows are taken down, windows are opening, people are outside a lot more... It's like a cleansing, figuratively and literally from the dark and dreary winter.
Spring cleaning is here, and even though my house is a MESS from pulling out dusty boxes from the storage areas and going through them, I feel myself releasing all this negative energy from my body and home. Spring is *my* new years. It's the time where I reset my goals that I want to see accomplished; it's my starting over point.
The beginning of 2011 was not the best. I've been going through some nerve-wracking, serious stuff, and I am ready to put all that behind me. I have this really comfortable chair that I put outside in my little patio and do homework on, (or play on the computer) and I can feel how the rest of the year is going to be for me. I'm ready to reinvent myself. And one of the things that I really loved about all of these revelations, is that my adult accelerated degree program was my #1 priority. I always knew somewhere that I had a lot of pride in my schooling efforts, but this was such a great reminder.
All of you that are either going through, or are considering going through any type of adult education service should take a second and pat yourself on the back for taking control of your life. School is not easy! It's not just something that you can "do" you have to work at it! YOU are the one that is in charge of your adult financial aid, YOU are the one who goes to the adult education courses, YOU are the one that does the work, YOU are the one that gets the adult education certificate. No one else does that, but you!
So to all of you: welcome to spring! Really take the time to embrace it! Restate your goals for the year. Spring and summer are the times (for me at least) that I am more inclined to go out and do whatever it is I am focused on. Whether it's weight loss related, school related, or honestly whatever category(ies) your goals may fit in: make this spring *your* chance for a do-over. Spring clean your house, and put your best foot forward.
Hope to see you in class :)
Applications at Granite State College are up nearly 40% over last year. This is wonderful news for the college, since it indicates that we are addressing higher education needs that are in demand. It also represents the college's ability to adapt and change in ways that impact prospective students. Granite State has taken a number of steps this year to make the college more attractive to working professionals and adult students of all ages, who are juggling job and family commitments.
Over this past year Granite State has streamlined its application process, significantly upgraded our Rochester NH college campus center and opened a new center at the Littleton NH college campus. Students are also gravitating to our online classes for adults and therefore we have significantly expanded are online offerings and currently offer every one of our degree programs fully online.
The world is moving very quickly and the needs of our students are changing just as quickly. While Granite State College continues to emphasize the quality of the student experience we are also paying increasing attention to the convenience factor that is integral to access.
Over this past year Granite State has streamlined its application process, significantly upgraded our Rochester NH college campus center and opened a new center at the Littleton NH college campus. Students are also gravitating to our online classes for adults and therefore we have significantly expanded are online offerings and currently offer every one of our degree programs fully online.
The world is moving very quickly and the needs of our students are changing just as quickly. While Granite State College continues to emphasize the quality of the student experience we are also paying increasing attention to the convenience factor that is integral to access.
I just realized the other day - I am not the first generation of non-traditional learners.
I know it seems like this midlife, adult education program is brand new, but actually it isn't. I vaguely remember my mother dusting off her books and heading back to school when my youngest sister was about 6. I always thought she did it to get away from my sister, but I may be projecting! Anyway, my mother got her teaching degree beforer she married my father and after they were married they moved around quite a bit. After awhile I was born, then sister number 1 and sister number 2, and my mother became a stay-at-home mom. She may have worked a few part-time jobs over the years, but mostly she stayed home. When my youngest sister went to school, my mother went back to school, taking college evening classes and others, to renew her teaching certificate.
As I was reading the obituary of an older friend who recently passed away, I realized that she had also taken time off to raise her kids and then gone back to school to finish her degree, and then she went on to teach at the local high school. She raised successful children who went on to prestigious colleges and then highly successful careers and then she went back to teach other children how to be successful in life.
So, my point is they are the ones who paved the way for us. It wasn't as easy for them to go back to school and to pursue adult education and training as it is for us. There was less help with tuition and very few places to go and less flexible class schedules. We are so much luckier than those who went before.
I know it seems like this midlife, adult education program is brand new, but actually it isn't. I vaguely remember my mother dusting off her books and heading back to school when my youngest sister was about 6. I always thought she did it to get away from my sister, but I may be projecting! Anyway, my mother got her teaching degree beforer she married my father and after they were married they moved around quite a bit. After awhile I was born, then sister number 1 and sister number 2, and my mother became a stay-at-home mom. She may have worked a few part-time jobs over the years, but mostly she stayed home. When my youngest sister went to school, my mother went back to school, taking college evening classes and others, to renew her teaching certificate.
As I was reading the obituary of an older friend who recently passed away, I realized that she had also taken time off to raise her kids and then gone back to school to finish her degree, and then she went on to teach at the local high school. She raised successful children who went on to prestigious colleges and then highly successful careers and then she went back to teach other children how to be successful in life.
So, my point is they are the ones who paved the way for us. It wasn't as easy for them to go back to school and to pursue adult education and training as it is for us. There was less help with tuition and very few places to go and less flexible class schedules. We are so much luckier than those who went before.
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