Adult School Programs

I have always been, and always will be a learner. I found myself faced with having to be creative with my education when my parents had the difficult conversation with me that my acceptance to Northeastern University was not something they could afford, even with the $3,000 a semester scholarship. A well respected and accomplished student all throughout my childhood education and suddenly I was faced with having to create my own method of continuing my growth as an adult. Little did I realize at the time - this was a good position for someone like me to be in.

I was fortunate to get a contracted job with full benefits at the University of New Hampshire right out of high school Fall of 2001. It is the University System of New Hampshire I have to thank for my education – both professionally and academically. While working full-time at UNH, I attended classes part-time, receiving a free class each semester as long as I kept my GPA up. Some semesters I took on multiple classes; a couple I even attended full-time while continuing to work full-time as well. It took five years, but I was able to receive my Associate of Applied Science in Community Leadership at the Thompson School without any debt whatsoever. This degree focused a lot on non-profit management and leadership development. It literally opened my eyes to options for a career I had never considered before. I began to research local non profits and seek out leadership positions. This search successfully led me to working for Strafford County Nursing Home as an Activity Aide, which then turned into the positions I have held since, working with elderly and in non-profit agencies.

For my bachelor's degree I was referred to Granite State College as my professor and advisor thought the self-design program was right for me. She was certainly correct in thinking so! The self-design program at GSC, along with their supportive staff assisted me to create a meaningful and fulfilling curriculum that I use today in my statewide job. Granite State College is a school that works alongside with you, and that is why I love it so much.

I am now working on my master's degree in Leadership at GSC so I can truly complete the journey I have started for myself through the University System of NH. I currently oversee a federal, statewide program for NH call the Senior Companion Program. We have 80 volunteers who visit with over 400 frail and homebound elders and adults with disabilities in their homes. We partner with 27 fellow senior care and non profit agencies in our program. To have a master's degree of this aptitude I will be able to continue to expand my leadership role within the program and beyond. I have aspirations to be the Director of Elder Services for my agency one day. My current director is looking at retirement in the near future and I would love to take on the challenge. If not with the current agency I am in, I am now also considering working for a federal or state program with a high level of responsibility. I have always said since realizing I loved working with seniors, I would like to one day be an administrator who oversees a community living facility for seniors or even work with the Attorney General’s Office.

- Nicole

Oh, do I remember my first day of college. It was a day in Nashville, Tennessee when I started my education, and a scary one at that.  I remember calling to schedule an appointment with an advisor. I remember walking through her door, the smile on her face, and her warm welcome.  I was still scared to death as a grown adult and mom of four children. I was going back to school to fulfill a dream.  I started my first class two weeks after that first meeting. As I walked through the classroom door, I noticed I was the oldest one in the classroom and that it didn't matter  - all ages of people wanted to learn, just like me.  We had a bond, we all wanted an education.  The professor asked us all why we wanted to come back to school? Everyone in the room had their own unique story and need for an education.  Whether it be for financial reasons, personal achievement goals or just the desire to do something worthwhile, one story was no better story or reason than the next. But, we all knew, we were going to do this together.

Classes started January 5th at Granite State College. If you are reading this and have not signed up yet, consider going to see an advisor and checking out a great school.  When I moved from Tennessee to the wonderful state of New Hampshire, I found GSC through my advisor in Tennessee. They took my credits with very little hesitation, took their prerequisites, and I followed their program until I graduated in 2009.  The faculty at Granite State College will help you in every way they can - they want you to succeed as much as you do!

You can run, but you can’t hide—in online.

If you have never taken an online course, or have free floating anxiety about logging into a classroom, please read on. Some of the potential students I meet in information sessions, graduate school fairs, or speak with on the phone, have a huge block of fear when it comes to learning this way. At Granite State College (GSC), we offer two master’s degree programs: an M.S. in Leadership and M.S. in Project Management. We do offer a few graduate courses in Concord, Portsmouth, and Manchester - however, the majority of the Master of Science classes are often online.

Laura was an adult Granite State College student for several years, furiously working towards completing her baccalaureate degree while taking part time classes. She was a professional HR director, and GSC helped her get to where she wanted to be. She loved taking courses at GSC, and had taken them in all delivery methods - hybrid, weekend, evening, and online courses. I was delighted to meet Laura at a conference recently - her enthusiasm for lifelong learning was infectious. I thought she would be a great master's candidate for either the Project Management or Leadership program.

As she was nearing the end of her undergraduate career, the last course she needed to complete was Interpersonal Communication. It was a course offered online and she had every intention of taking it, even with its ironic online delivery. While telling me her story, I flashed back to my undergraduate days. I took Interpersonal Communication in a decade when online learning was not available. I quickly assumed it could only be a classroom course, learning the art and science of successful communication. I paused in my thoughts and was preparing for the worst. How could a college create this online? I prepared for a sympathetic reply.

As she continued her enthusiasm for (what I thought) was a pedagogical mish mash of course delivery gone wrong, I started to listen closer. Her family and friends thought she was making an error in judgment.  "Don’t do it," they said. "You’re crazy." She took the course successfully and told me it was the best course she ever took. The posts were lively, deep, and thoughtful. She made friends with a number of people in the virtual classroom. “You can’t hide in an online learning platform. Students who are shy in a classroom can’t hide in online learning. You can also think about your posts, edit, and get your point across clearly.” Her sales pitch was right on queue. And, I know she is correct.

This brief encounter with Laura gives me more fuel and intelligence for the GSC graduate programs. I have chatted with potential students who feel the same way Laura’s friends and family did. The anxiety about getting a graduate degree online can be eradicated when you listen to Laura's story. She preferred her online courses. It was her time. She’d get up at 5:00 a.m. and start her coursework before the day got away from her. Laura is now applying to Master of Science in Leadership, and is very excited about the incredibly flexible, affordable, and relevant program. “It’s time to do it. And, I love that I can take it online.”

 

 

This morning, instead of heading to Granite State College, GSC’s President paid a visit to a different kind of education institution:  Bow Elementary School!

Dr. Todd Leach, along with fellow college and university presidents across New Hampshire, joined young children in classrooms around the state for Jumpstart’s Read for the Record, a world-record-breaking campaign in which adults and children nationwide will read the same book on the same day to establish the largest group of people ever to collectively read the same story on a single date.

This year Jumpstart’s featured book is the New York Times bestselling children’s book, Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad by David Soman and Jacky Davis.  

The purpose of this event is to shine a national spotlight on America's early education achievement gap and to highlight Jumpstart's programs as a way to address this crisis. It’s a goal that GSC certainly understands.

In our School of Education, the teacher preparation programs focus in on the critical shortage areas that exist in education, which includes our early childhood education major.

GSC is proud to support Jumpstart’s mission through Read for the Record and proud to contribute by empowering future educators in our undergraduate degree programs and post-baccalaureate programs for teacher education.

On a personal note...

As a Jumpstart alumni, I was excited to learn that the New Hampshire College and University Presidents were going to participate in 2012's Read for the Record and it was a pleasure to help coordinate on behalf of GSC! I did three terms of service while I was earning my bachelor's degree and even have some photos to prove it (note the "vintage" Jumpstart blue from 7 years ago!). 

-Jacqui Lantagne
Marketing Specialist, Granite State College
Jumpstart Corps Member and Team Leader, 2004-2007
 

According to the US Census Bureau, 30% of adults over 25 years old hold a baccalaureate degree and almost 11% hold a graduate degree. These numbers increased about 25% from 10 years ago.  

The benefits of earning a degree outweigh the negatives when it comes to job performance and skills. A graduate degree will give the recipient excellent analytical skills, an additional network of fellow students who are in the workforce, and it may get their resume to the top of the pile.

At Granite State College we have two graduate degrees that fit easily into a busy lifestyle and cover curriculums that cross many industry lines. This makes them pragmatic and practical, and one of the most affordable options in the region.

The GSC Graduate program in Leadership offers interesting courses, like Ethical Decision Making (hmm..maybe I can recruit at the political conventions), Foundations of Organizational Communication (talking to chairs may not be covered), and Emergence of a Strategic Leader (very timely).

Our Project Management degree course listing includes Risk Management, Project Planning and Scheduling, and Project Quality Management.

Interestingly enough, when I look at these course listings I see how they can fit in most jobs and many career paths. You will be better organized, a highly skill full thinker and thoughtful decision maker. I know in my own job of a graduate school recruiter and marketer how these skills help me on a daily basis.

And with that, I will close. I've got to hop a flight to Charlotte.

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.

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!

In 2010 I earned my adult college degree from Granite State College in Business Management.  My 23 year old daughter is now in the Business Administration program at White Mountains Community College.  She chose this school because she is living in Berlin, NH for the next two years.  She knew that once she received her Associates degree from this New Hampshire Community College she would be able to seamlessly transfer all of her credits to GSC to pursue her Bachelor's degree through the CCSNH Transfer program.

My daughter is worlds brighter than I but she loves to be able to come to me and ask for my assistance with any questions she may have regarding her assigned course work.  To date, I have been able to help her with everything she has presented to me!  I have had to pull out some of my own books and notes from the similar business classes I completed at GSC, but I have succeeded in helping her every time either through finding the correct answer or offering my personal insights.  What a great feeling it is to know that earning my adult college degree not only improved my own life but it is helping my daughter in her life as well.

Unfortunately my business degree was of little consequence to me when it came to helping my younger daughter in her course work.  Business and creative hairstyling have little in common.  Below is my daughter on the right with her model from the Avante Garde hair styling fashion show she participated in for her studies in cosmetology.  Thank goodness she did not ask for my advice in this undertaking!

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.

My 23 year old daughter started her adult college program this week.  She not only asked me to attend her orientation day at White Mountains Community College in the North Country but asked me to accompany her shopping for her back-to-school supplies.  I was able to help Brittany choose her courses and class schedule because she trusted my knowledge and advice in this new challenging era of her adult life.


Brittany chose a community college because she could not find full-time work in the north country so she decided to attend school full-time instead.  She only expects to be living in Berlin for the next two years so she knows once she receives her Associates degree from WMCC she can easily transfer all of her credits to Granite State College to earn her B.S. degree as GSC has pre-approved transfer degree programs with all NH Community Colleges.

Receiving my adult college degree has earned me respect from many people.  The respect it has earned me from my own daughter is really the only one that matters.

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 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!

    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.

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."

Attending school as a non-traditional adult student is not always easy.  Family and professional commitments can often be unexpected and take priority weekly adult college classes.  Granite State College offers flexible class schedules such as adult college classes, online classes for adults and weekend college classes.

I had the incredible opportunity to vacation in Kauai,  Hawaii this past May and was able to commit to the week last year with little concern of it interfering with my adult college program due to the availability of flexible class schedules.  I earned an "A" in my spring marketing class as it was a weekend intensive course which allowed me the flexibility to accomplish the coursework on my own schedule while taking a week to enjoy the sun, scenery and hospitality offered on the island of Kauai.



If you want to learn more about the flexible class schedules available at GSC or about the amazing adventures and beauty awaiting on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, ask me.  I am happy to share my experiences with you.

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!"

Michigan is where I find myself these days after twenty-three years of being moved around, from TN, NH, FL and SC, I am back home. Michigan is where I was raised and even though the town has changed, it still feels good to me.  I miss my kids so much but they are scattered all over the US and there are flights to each town where they reside. I certainly have lots of places to visit.  I will end up in the south, I think but for now, I am so happy to be in Michigan. 

My cat is staying with my old friend until I find a home.  I miss her so much, she is part of my life now the that the kids are all grown. So looking for a new home is the first thing on the agenda. 

Work is going well. I am sure it was my adult college degree that got me the promotion to my new job.  I am so glad I made that commitment to go to school at Granite State College, even though I was older when I started an adult college program. It is still the best thing I have ever done for myself. It was proven with this job promotion that all that studying has paid off!

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. 

AH SPRING IS HERE! Although, those snowflakes the size of golf balls was weird way of welcoming us to spring. 

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.