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!!!!!!
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 had such a nice Sunday afternoon. I was invited to an old friend's house for a farewell party for both her young adults; they are leaving the state. One is moving to Seattle, Washington and other to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She had never had them so far from her before and unlike me, with mine all over the US, she is going to be so sad. It is always an adjustment to see them go and do their own things but it is part of growing up and living. Her son is going back to school at the university of Alabama. Her daughter is going back to Seattle to live and work. Both of them have turned out to be such nice young adults that have already gotten their Bachelor's and Masters degrees....something any parent would be proud of. I watched these kids grow up and have known them for years; they are like my own.
I just encouraged them to be happy, keep learning, keep going to school and dream. I may sound funny to say, Dream, but some dreams are small and some are big. My dream was to get a college education and I got that from Granite State College. My next dream is to get my Masters Degree and I will be heading right back to Granite State College for that. Why? Because it works for me. Online adult education classes give me the ability to get my education and still work my full time job.
Focus: HOPE has established a memorial fund to honor the organization’s co-founder Eleanor Josaitis, who passed away today at the age of 79. This women was such a pillar in the community, helping rebuild Detroit after the riots years ago and carrying on a dream that we all are worth something, each life is valuable.
Her famous words, "Let your light shine and make the world a better place" What wise words!! Yes, she was a wise woman. She was the woman that stepped in after the Detroit riots to educate people on equality amongst the races. She was also the co-founder of Focus Hope which helped feed, educate young Americans and mainsteamed them into society. She was given many awards throughout her lifetime, including the 1999 “Distinguished Warrior” by the Detroit Urban League and the Ford Employees African-Ancestry Network's 2002 Heritage Award and the National Caring Award from the Caring Institute in Washington D.C, just to name a few. She will be missed as she passed away this morning. She inspired young people to keep learning throughout their lives, embrace life and as she used to say, "let your light shine to make the world a better place." Going to school, learning is just a way of life.
Granite State College is a good place to start that dream, vision. Give them a call, make an appointment, work in those adult college classes in the evening or weekend. It can be done, it is never too late.
Yep, it was a great weekend. It started out with a golf outing and learned how to set my golf ball when teeing off to use my driver...it worked and I have never seen my ball go so far!! After that on Friday night, I enjoyed a day at the Detroit Dream Cruise. We went down Mustang Alley as we reminisced about the old Stangs as well as the new upcoming ones. The power they have is remarkable and the old relics brought back some fond memories of cruising days.
We first stared in Royal Oak then went through Birmingham where we were hit by a sudden storm. The rain came down so fast and furious that big branches of trees ripped off and tents were flipping. Some of the cars took off early as they were calling for hale and Collectors do not want hale damage to their beautiful vintage cars.
It has been over 30 years since I've been to Birmingham. The last time I was there my son was in a baby buggy being pushed down the main street. He is now 31 and everything has changed in Birmingham. Speaking of change, life has its' way of changing for all of us. Some times in our life everything is good and other times it is low and depressing. School is a great avenue to get a fresh start on life. It gives you a goal, a plan and plans seem to help one focus on the Now and Present. Granite State College can work with you to get the goal heading in the right direction. Either on site classes or on line adult education classes,this could just be the right plan for you. Don't wait another minute, get a plan and follow through with it, one class at a time.
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.
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.
Well, all my fans and friends, I am in my new home in Dearborn, Michigan. It has been twenty-three years since I left and some things have changed and some remain the same.
I thought about blogging this morning as I was on Facebook and saw a picture that brought back many memories of great times in Dearborn. One at Camp Dearborn where everyone would end up on the weekends. You went to school with your friends during the week and on the weekend, the picnic baskets were packed, swimsuits bundled with towels and it was off to Milford, where you played with those same friends, on the weekends. Fun, lots of fun and fond memories. Then I came upon another picture of the Ford Rotunda which sat way back off the road on Rotunda Drive. I was very young when it burned to the ground but I can remember my grandfather taking me there to sit on Santa's lap. That was a long, long time ago.
Many memories are coming to mind with this move back to Dearborn.
Good memories of Granite State College, where I earned my adult education degree, roll through my mind as well. Memories are good no matter what they may be about because memories make who we are and the experiences we embark upon through our life. Going to college and earning my adult college degree was one of my finest memories. It is where I gained confidence in myself and grew as a person. It actually got me my job in Dearborn, which brought me home!!
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."
Another move is underway. Boxes are everywhere to be seen!!
The day started early at 6am when the truck arrived to load up my belongings and head to my new adventure/destination. I have a new address, actually an old address, as I am moving back to the same city I was raised in. I am sad to leave my newly-built dream home, but I am also happy to be back in Michigan and close to my dad who will be 90 this year.
I am moving into a much smaller home, eight hundred and one square feet to be exact. I have been running to the dump and goodwill the past few days; pitching stuff I don't need, don't have space for or just tired of moving it from one state to the next. I figure if I haven't opened the box from my NH days, which was 4 1/2 years ago, I didn't need it. I was surprised the boxes that came in that category. We all tend to save things for sentimental reasons and yet, someday someone else will pitch them for us when we are dead and gone.
There is one thing no one can pitch though, and that is an adult college education from Granite State College. The value in an education is so great and the good example of continuous learning will be passed on for generations. Whether a grandson says someday, "Grandma went back to school," how cool is that? I hope I have been a good example for my family and I pray they keep going to school all of their lives. An adult college degree is priceless, kind of like the commercials on TV about Master Card. There are just some things that don't have a price on them and a dult college education doploma is one of them.
I was sitting at the coffee shop this morning, listening to the news on TV and heard that college educations are not worth getting. It aggravated me so much as I disagree. Yes, maybe our economy is rough, there are lots of people who get degrees and can't get jobs. But, if you don't have a degree, do you have the knowledge or credentials to get a job if one were to come up? No. Getting an adult education degree is so valuable, I don't care what the economy is like. It grows your mind, your soul, your personality and knowledge is power. It always has been and always will be.
Accelerated degrees are so available at Granite State College. With weekend intensive classes as well as online classes for adults, college is possible for anyone. I hope the young adults don't stop dreaming and stop learning. I hope that people who are ready for a change in life job choice, grasp the concept of going back to school. Going back to school for me was the best decision I ever made and I will always be in the learning mode.
I have been thinking about the value of a dollar recently. I remember when I was younger I thought I was rich when I had $100 to my name. I was king of the world and I could buy anything I wanted. Well those days are completely gone (I just got my first cable bill and it was $200!?).
I may not be able to make $100 go as far as I use to, but I am happy with the money I have been putting into my Bachelor’s of Science degree from Granite State College. After a lot of research, I learned that Granite State College offers the least expensive Bachelor’s degree in the entire state of New Hampshire!
That coupled with the small class sizes and more individualized attention that I receive from staff and instructors (staff at the campuses know most of their students names!!!), I am very happy with my choice to return to school to pursue my adult college degree.
Did you know that most of the Instructors here teach as a second job? That means that they actually LOVE to do what they do here. Why else would you take on another job? Instructors here actually take the time to know you as an individual, not just another student in their class. I remember taking a Psychology class at one of the local community colleges and I was one of 35 people in the class. The instructor did not know who I was and did not know I was even a part of his class when I raised my hand.
Here, at Granite State College, I am Danielle Dodd, a student, a worker and a mother. My instructors take the time to ask me about my day, about my son, and to make sure that I understand the work. They take the time out of their busy schedules so that if I am having an issue understanding something, they can meet with me at a time that is convenient for ME, not just offer a time that is convenient for them. Not only that, but the instructors here have full time jobs in their field of study. We have management instructors who are entrepreneurs, Early Childhood Education instructors who have child care centers. We have other instructors who are lawyers and have their doctorates! We are learning from people who not only have the book smarts, but have firsthand knowledge of how the field that we want to enter works! Honestly, I couldn’t ask for a better adult college education.
It’s exactly like those credit card commercials that always play:
School books: $100.
School supplies: $40.
The unique education and opportunities received: Priceless
After many, many trips with Realtors, I found a home. I new place to hang my hat and call home. It will be so nice to get settled into it and paint, decorate and enjoy my new surroundings. I went to church this morning and learned of a needlework group that meets once a month, so I am excited about that as I have always wanted to learn how to make socks. I have an old friend who I met up with for coffee this morning, that was nice also. It is funny how things just come together the way they do. Sometimes the things we worry about most, just never happen or it all seems to just work out, some way, some how. School was like that for me, it just happened when I found Granite State College. It was there when I needed an adult college education and when I wanted to transfer my credit from Tennessee. They all worked with me and helped me to put a workable schedule together.
This house is a lot smaller than the house I left in South Carolina, but I am excited about it and excited to get it just the way I want it. A new beginning again, new experiences and new friends. Life is good in Michigan!! I also am here with my dad who will be 90 this year, I am happy to be here to enjoy him and help him in his aging years.
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!"
It has been a last couple of weeks. Between interviews, job offers, moving, leaving the home I had built to my liking and my oldest daughter's wedding last Saturday, can I breath now? I am driving up to Michigan where I will reside and call home for a few years. I am hoping to get south again someday and retire where it is warm most of the time, but for now, I am Michigan-bound. I grew up in Michigan so it is like going home to me. I made so many good friends in South Carolina just like I did in New Hampshire when I lived there and attended Granite State College. Not only college pals, I had my work pals too, they were great times and as I prepared for Amber's wedding, I though of where I was in my life because of my adult college education with my new job just days before me. Ten days later:
I am in Dearborn Michigan and have had three days at my new job. I love my new team and I will learn the job in time, it is a learning curve. Learning has always been part of my life and my days ahead will be even more of a challenge as I learn how to perform my new job. I enjoy learning new things, functions and embrace new experiences. I miss my daughter who reside in SC with her new husband but they have their life now, and I want to retire someday in a nice manner. This new job will give me dream to do just that. I believe I will move back down south when I retire as I don't think I could stand the snow too long but one never knows what the future holds for us. I may go back to school and get my Masters degree...
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.
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.
I recently attended the 2011 College Access Showcase sponsored by Campus Compact for NH and NHCUC. One of the workshops I attended was with John T. Kirkpatrick, Associate Dean, College of Liberal Arts, UNH. A dynamic and engaging speaker, John spoke about his experience as Dean and the challenges that new college students encounter. While his focus was on the traditional aged student in the New Hampshire university system, he made some great points that are appropriate for all of us.
The purpose of higher education is more than just filling students with information. It should not only develop the intellect but also the heart, character, integrity and judgment and how to use all of this wisely. We want students to become productive and useful citizens contributing to society in a meaningful way. Intellect needs to be balanced with innovation and creativity.
Look at any job search website and you will find lists of qualities that employees are looking for. Apart from skills in the profession, employers want people who have reasoning skills and the ability to problem solve. Communication skills, both written and oral, are crucial. Understanding of human behavior is important to be able to work well with others. Having an historical consciousness to have that understanding of how we got where we are today.
As I listened to John talk I realized this makes a good argument to the complaint "Do I have to take these gen eds?" Yes, you do! Those classes help to develop skills apart from those specific to your field of study. They help you to learn about yourself, others and the world around you.
Granite State College offers a great variety of general education electives that I encourage students to take advantage of. Whether students are looking for online classes for adults or evening college classes there are plenty of classes to choose from that will help develop their creativity, intellect, and compassion.
There's nothing more frustrating and nerve-wracking then your computer Internet connections giving you problems when you are trying to make a deadline for your online adult education classes. It can never be the days when you know you have a few days to submit an assignment: no, no... it's always on Sunday starting at 6pm, and it's the end of the module (which means nothing can be submitted after Sunday midnight), and you can spend HOURS trying to get your computer working and when it does, it is now Monday morning.
So what can you do about this? Fortunately, everyone in the Granite State College system are very understanding, and will help you in any way they can. Whether that means going to the college and using their computers, or working with your teacher(s) explaining the situation. My experience has shown me time and time again that the teachers don't want to see you fail: they genuinely want you to do your best and pass the class. And for those who participate and put in the effort, they will help you in any way they can.
In some respect, high school was harder than college.
I recently had some *very* annoying Internet issues, and I was very touched at how the faculty helped me. Which got me thinking about other technical issues I have had in the past. Any time I had a question about a form that adult Financial Aid sent me, or any letter about my schooling, I can call them up, or stop over at my home base (the Concord NH college campus), and they will take the time to answer any questions that I have. They are there to help make this process easier for us; including helping us with forms and/or submitting grant requests, etc. It's a true example of adult education services.
Everyone needs help at one time or another, and I will never forget all of the hands that have been and are reaching out to help. As corny as it sounds: Granite State College is a family. No one is excluded. Everyone knows your name, and it has that true feeling of "home" away from home.
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.
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.
I thought I would share a few of my favorite adult education courses and classes with you. I have had so much fun in many of the classes I have taken at Granite State College, which is an adult education school focused on delivering flexible and affordable education.
I have taken so many writing classes with many different instructors and enjoyed them all, some more than others. Creative fiction was my favorite. Of course the class I took on the Isle of Shoals was awesome. Writing outside on the porch of an old hotel on an island in the middle of the ocean - what could be better!
I also really enjoyed the Astronomy class I took at the Pomfret observatory, it was a little cold that spring, but we still enjoyed it. The Sustainable Gardening class I have mentioned many times, but it bears repeating, was amazing, and we were outside for almost every class and the field trips were amazing.
I took a photography class during one amazing summer and I saw and learned so much - it was my first visit to St, Gauden's and I took some really great pictures there. I have an album that tells the story of that class. One of the best things about it is how it got me to be more observant; everywhere I went that summer I was looking for a new and interesting subject to photograph.
Another really good class was the History of New England which taught me a lot about the ecology of New England and introduced me to several excellent nature writers.
I just thought I would mention some of these because I have seen a few of them listed in the spring catalog. They are offered in different locations. Another class that sounds really good is the Field Botany of the White Mountains - which mentions field trips, I would guess that this will be a fantastic class with many really enjoyable hikes in Northern New England. You might want to check it out!
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. 
You went to school with your friends during the week and on the weekend, the picnic baskets were packed, swimsuits bundled with towels and it was off to Milford, where you played with those same friends, on the weekends. Fun, lots of fun and fond memories. Then I came upon another picture of the Ford Rotunda which sat way back off the road on Rotunda Drive. I was very young when it burned to the ground but I can remember my grandfather taking me there to sit on Santa's lap. That was a long, long time ago. 
"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.
Powered by Compendium