In order to get one step closer to my undergraduate psychology degree I recently took the Intro to Ethics course online, and man, what an excellent course! I originally took it because I am a very passionate and opinionated person and thought I would do well in the course. Little did I know I was going to walk away from the class with an even broader span of understanding of humanity. The things I learned throughout the course were not only interesting, but relatable to real life events. To see politics in a different light and to see why other people think the way they do. The instructor was super nice and very effective at teaching. He really took a different approach, and that is what I love most about Granite State College. They do not hire instructors who “preach” to you. That say read chapters so and so and take a test. They really get you to think, to associate your life with the materials. You become more of an educated person intellect and character becomes more three dimensional. I think the most eye opening resource you can look at is the Horace Miner’s “Body Ritual among the Nacirema Tribe” here- http://www.ohio.edu/people/thompsoc/Body.html. While you read the story, keep in the forethought of your mind all of the judgment’s you may be passing on this tribe’s people and their rituals. If you find this interesting, then you should really check out the intro to ethics course! And this course is not just limited to fullfilling requirements for just the Bachelor of Science in Psychology, but also in many other degree programs here as well, both online and in class! Take a look at the most recent course offerings and I promise you, you will not be disappointed!!
I am teaching a Foundations in Early Childhood Education course online at Granite State College this semester. It is a course that I have not taught before. Many of the people in the class are involved in the early childhood field, but need the coursework for their certification. Their first assignment was to introduce themselves and tell a little about their interest in the field of early childhood. It amazes me how many of the students talked about how much they love what they are doing. Almost every person in the class mentioned how much they love their job. Early Childhood education is not a high paying career field. It is also not an easy job, but it is one of the best jobs on the planet. Imagine working with young children who are excited about things such as butterflies in a garden, or clouds in the sky. Adults are usually too busy to notice the little things, but young children spend their time noticing these things. It is great to see so many people working in a field that they love and taking the time to improve their understanding of the field through online undergraduate education courses at Granite State that may lead them to an Associate Degree or a Bachelor's degree in early childhood, or even special education teacher certification.
Today I am sitting at an educational conference for paraeducators. I am writing as I await their next break and my next opportunity to help someone learn how teaching certification can be within reach. With Granite State College's new undergraduate teaching certifications, as well as the Post Baccalaureate Teacher Certifications we can now make teaching certification a reality for more individuals. Granite State College can also help Paraeducators achieve Paraeducator II Certification with the State of NH with a five class sequence or an Associate's Degree.
I am excited to be able to tell prospective students that we can now offer teaching certification with a Bachelor of Arts in Individualized Studies in Social Studies, English Language Arts and Math Studies or a B.S. in Early Childhood Education. We are offering the same teaching certifications as at the Post Baccalaureate level:
General Special Education (K-12)
General Special Ed (K-12)/ Elementary Education (K-8)
Early Childhood Special Ed. (0-age 8)/Early Childhood (N-grade 3)
ESOL (K-12)
Mathematics (5-8)
Secondary Mathematics (7-12)
By specializing in the critcal shortage areas for teachers in NH, Granite State College is able to help individuals be more "employable" upon earning teaching certification. Para educators are so excited to hear that they do not have to stop working to take classes and earn certification. Both undergrad and PBTC programs are job embedded and field based, meaning that we want you working in a school or approved program during your time with us. Classes are available online, as field based or occasionally as face to face, so you can live anywhere in NH (and surrounding states) and complete your teaching certification.
Time to go and talk with some future teachers and tell them... how easy it is to get that teaching certification... that allows you to take that teaching position... increases your ability to positively impact the future of our children and schools... and furthers your career!
I recently attended the Business NH Health Care Summit in Manchester - an event and topic that interests me greatly, thanks to my role as program director of the Granite State College Bachelors degree in Health Care Management. The New England Director of the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, Christi Hager, delivered the keynote where she discussed what has transpired since Health Care Reform was introduced and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Many businesses and agencies were represented at the conference and all are grappling with the high cost of health care benefits. Small companies tend to pay 18% more in premiums than larger corporations resulting in them being a third less likely to offer insurance. The State Based Insurance Exchange will make coverage more affordable for small businesses and is slated to be available in 2014.
We learned that New Hampshire has one of the highest quality health care delivery systems in the country and has the highest rate of private insurance coverage at 72%.
A panel consisting of HR representatives from a large corporation and a small business, a physician, the president of NH Hospital Association, a representative from AARP, and someone from Harvard Pilgrim N.E. answered questions and discussed emerging trends. Health care costs have lead to a trend in companies and insurance agencies to promote wellness among their employees. These initiatives range from discounts on health club memberships, sport teams, onsite health professionals, onsite fitness centers, regular safety assessments, smoke-free workplaces, walking clubs, and preventative care, to free health coach consultations from insurance providers. The bottom line is that to control health care costs, companies need to embrace wellness programs.
How do you get started?
- Get connected with your HR department
- Form a wellness committee
- Connect with other business – find out what they’ve done and set benchmarks
- Create the infrastructure to support the initiative and promote cultural transformation
- Develop an action plan – get data- build collaboration
- Get to know your co-workers/employees
- Investigate what support your insurer may provide
- Develop partnership with local pharmacist to assist with education in the workplace
- Go to: http://healthaffairs.org/
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.
"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."
What if I were to tell you that many of the people who come to classes at Granite State College are a lot like you? They are adults interested in adult education courses. They may have found a program they are interested in but most are not going to school full time. They are taking part time classes or even online adult education classes to further their education. That is pretty ambitious because they are working during the day and coming to class at night.
But classes only meet one night a week. So, just think, one night a week you could come over after work to a campus in Portsmouth, or Rochester, or Concord, or Manchester, or Berlin or Littleton and take a class instead of crashing in front of TV.
Right now I am teaching a child development course. Two people are taking the course for their Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood, one is taking it for a degree in Behavioral Science, another for an associates degree, and one person is taking it because he thought it would be interesting to know about the theories of child development.
There are so many reasons to come to Granite State College. I hope you will find a reason and I will see you in a class next semester.
She was extremely frustrated from attempting to get into art school as an adult student. Most of the art schools she contacted were very discouraging. They told her she needed a portfolio and letters of recommendation. "I'm a mom!" She said. "I have been home raising my children. Why do I need a portfolio to show I know how to do something that I am looking to learn?" "Don't they understand that if you aren't coming straight from high school, you might not have these things? Who am I going to ask for a letter of recommendation? My kids? My neighbor? "Isn't there an adult college program for people who want to get an art-related degree?"
We made an appointment for a phone meeting. When we spoke she told me that she was just about to give up on college when she did a Google search for "non traditional students" and found my blog. She said that after she read it, she decided to speak with me to see if Granite State College could help her to achieve her goal.
Happily, I know a thing or two about art schools, in addition to knowing Granite State College. I suggested that she look into coming to GSC for an associate's degree. She could pursue a General Studies degree, filling up her program with all of the art classes that we offer. Although we do not offer enough art classes to create a major, we do offer entry level drawing, painting, sculpture, etc...
By pursing this path, she could start school without having to jump through the hoops that were frustrating her, and through taking our art classes she could begin to create a portfolio. Because this type of studio class is always offered in a live format, she would have instructors that she could ask to write her a recommendation. She would also be able to get her general education classes out of the way. At the end of the General Studies degree she would have 64 college credits to potentially transfer to the art school of her choice.
When I pointed out to her that we were offering an Intro to Drawing class at the Currier Museum in Manchester this winter, She was extremely excited. When I finished explaining how easy it is to apply to Granite State College - she was sold. Her plan is to become a student at the beautiful new Manchester Granite State College campus.
I love helping people to start on the path toward their dreams!
But have you thought about online education classes? Maybe you knew that Granite State College had online college english classes and online classes for criminal justice. But did you know that many of the classes for Early Childhood Education are also online? Just think, you could come home from work, have your supper, get your kids to bed, put on your pjs, climb into bed and go to school.
Wow! Wouldn't that be great. Just think, you can take online classes at Granite State College in so many areas. You could get your whole Associate's Degree without ever leaving your room. Or maybe you just need a course or two. Check it out. The online courses at Granite State are designed for working professionals just like you.
Initially, I was able to pay for college out of my own pocket, but as time went on and the job market became tougher and tougher, I applied for financial aid to help me with the costs of going to school. I have student loans now, but I won't need to start paying them until after I graduate. Other students are able to qualify and receive Pell Grants and other types of grants. These grants are for education and never need to be paid back.
What I am trying to say is that being unemployed is a tough spot to be in, but it doesn't mean that I can't continue my education. With Granite State College's flexible schedules of evening, weekend, and online classes, I can look for a job during the day and accept a job when one comes up, without affecting my continuing education or possible employment. Granite State College also has a Financial Aid office that has helped me with applying for financial aid and any questions that I've had along the way.
Going back to school was the best thing I ever did and being unemployed didn't need to interfere with my ambitions. Perhaps there's an opportunity for you as well. Speaking with someone in financial aid about more information to continue your studies at Granite State College may end up being one of the best decisions you've ever made. You won't know unless you try! I'm so glad I did.
I was most concerned about the possibility of GSC turning into one of the many distance learning universities; offering only online courses leaving those who require the availability of evening college classes, part time classes and weekend college classes without the flexibility and convenience of an affordable bachelor degree throughout New Hampshire. My concerns were quickly addressed. Growth and innovation are certainly at the top of President Leach’s strategy, but reducing or eliminating the availability of live course schedules throughout New Hampshire is not included in his plan.
I am excited and extremely hopeful at where Dr. Leach will lead GSC in the coming months and years. I am grateful to have the opportunity to come along for the ride.
From left to right: Barbara Grant, Kathy Moulis, Dawn Corriveau, Ruth Tappin, Deidre Romeo, President Leach, Carrie Landry, Dee McClave, Steve Cotter
www.granite.edu/alumni-and-friends/alaboard.aspx
(L-R: Theresa & Heathers Mills)
A view of Gosport Harbor from the porch of the Oceanic on Star Island:
Highlighted in the article are that GSC does the following:
- Gives ACE credits for military training and experience
- Accepts credit for CLEP and DSST testing
- VA approved and a recipient of Post-9/11 GI Bill financing
- Has flexibility in scheduling - evening college classes, weekend college classes, and GSC is a college with online classes and degree programs.
- Is supported by Service members Opportunity Colleges Consortium member (SOC)
- Has Baccalaureate degree programs in cooperation with Air University associates degree
In the article, Derek Blumke, president of Student Veterans of America summarizes it best, "The Military Friendly Schools list is the gold standard in letting veterans know which schools will offer them the greatest opportunity, flexibility and overall experience."
I am very proud the Granite State College is part of the list of Military Friendly Schools. It is one way that we can give back to the brave men and women that serve this great country.
Granite State College may be just what you are looking for. Did you see the September 2010 issue of "U.S. News and World Report?" It compared the best colleges in the country. One of the criteria was class size. Another was availability of the faculty. Affordability and the availability of grants and loans was another criteria. Granite State College has a low student to faculty ratio. Many courses only have 10 to 15 students in them. This allows you to really get to know your professors. The professors have a chance to get to know you as well. And, what you may not know, most Granite State professors are working in the field that they teach in. This means that what you are learning is current and what you need for your career. Granite State also has a wide range of available student financial aid.
As you consider your career plans, whether you are right out of high school, or an adult interested in adult education programs, consider Granite State College.
Ugh… yard work. Well, I suppose I shouldn’t complain considering I haven’t given it much effort at all this summer. Heat waves or no heat waves… the lawn and weeds just seem to appear out of nowhere and grow exponentially. Perhaps some of you can relate. This past weekend I had a few too many thoughts going on in my head and very little frustrates me more than not being able to see clear solutions. What is a woman to do? I weed-whacked. Ahhhh, weed whacking… right up there with shredding paper in a shredding machine. Something about doing those two things seems to help me relax a bit. …but I digress. Anyhow… I actually got quite a bit done around the patio and walkways. It looks pretty good really. Once I had gotten the patio done, I had such great results, that I moved on to the walkway and then to another. The progress I made and the results that I saw motivated me to continue. I’ll probably finish up the other walkway today, because of the good feelings that I have had so far.
So what does this have to do with my education and Granite State College? How long did I put off continuing my education? Too long. Of course, the reasons were many… not enough time, how much out of my day will this take, how much studying will I need to do. It’s no wonder that I took so long to pursue my degree, but once I started, taking just one step at a time, rather than living too much into the future, I saw the progress unfolding. Originally, when I was pursuing an associate’s degree, I thought “two years?! It will take forever!” No, not forever… two years is two years and and the benefits that I got out of learning from others and pursuing an area that I enjoyed made those two years just fly by. Just a few classes at a time gave me such good feelings to continue. Two years (or four years) are going to pass by no matter what. The question that I had to ask myself was whether after two years, did I want to be talking about my completed degree or did I want to still be talking about how long it would take to do it? Either way, two years was going to pass by. How was I going to choose to spend it? I’m so glad I chose to pursue my degree!
I found the level of instruction and interaction more fulfilling than before in my face to face classes. It was exciting to not only be back in school but using new tools and techniques to achieve my goals. The on-line college opportunity that GSC was providing me was really making a difference. I began to rack up the credits and get closer to my goals, feeling like I was on an accelerated undergraduate degree path. I knew I was going to seal the deal this time!
One resource that I tapped with GSC was the ability to do CLEP and DANTES test-outs. These college level aptitude tests evaluate whether you possess college level knowledge in a number of subject matter. Although I did study to prepare for each test, you can really take advantage of prior learning with this adult education service the college provides. In one summer I was able to CLEP out of three subjects, which gave me 12 credits towards my degree. This also saved me 9 months and about $3,000 bucks too! This is a perfect way for adults learners to qualify the knowledge and skill they already possess and really race towards a college degree.
Well after 18 short months from my second go-round, the impossible became the possible and I walked with the class of 2009 receiving my Associates degree in Business. This was a great feeling, well worth the wait, and a milestone that no one can take away from me. I described it as a half way victory because getting that degree let me know, I had what it took to go all the way. I was going to continue on for my Bachelors in Criminal Justice Administration. Now I knew, getting a degree wouldn't be a matter of if I could do it, but WHEN!
Next up: More classes and a trip to Validation Nation!
My daughter and I are so much alike, yet so very different. We are both the kind of women that go all in on whatever we do. For twenty plus years I went all in when it came to raising my children, now my focus is on my adult education courses. Brittany gave her school work everything she had in high school and has since that time given all of her attention to her job. Throughout high school and after she was also heavily committed to refereeing soccer. She has traveled through the Northeast in her capacity as a professional soccer referee and has been honored as the young female referee for the state of NH. This past year she became eligible for tuition reimbursement from her employer. I was so happy for her and had hoped she would take advantage of this opportunity to get her adult college degree in her twenties instead of waiting until her forties as I did.
Brittany found a new passion this past year, Roller Derby. Needless to say I was horrified! My beautiful, classy young daughter is now a bruiser. She walks around with abrasions, black eyes and bruises all over her arms and legs. I have always supported my children in their extracurricular activities of softball, soccer, basketball, drama, etc. but this was beyond my apprehension. I love sports, I instilled the love of sports in my daughters but is roller derby actually a sport? My daughter had never been on roller skates in her life, I figured she would try it out and decide this was not for her. Boy did I ever underestimate my daughter. She started skating in October and has already become one of the better skaters in NH. She currently skates for “Skate Free or Die,” a NH roller derby organization that has just recently been accepted into the international derby association of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). 
Although I did not want to attend the bouts (games) I have because I believe in supporting my family in whatever it is they are passionate about. I have become an actual fan. This is a sport and I actually understand the game and have even come to enjoy it. It is not as brutal as I imagined although I have witnessed teammates of my daughter breaking collar bones and teeth during bouts. The physical endurance these athletes have is nothing to take for granted. They train harder than you can imagine. My daughter practices 4 times a week for up to four hours at a time. Although she has always been active in playing sports she has never transformed her body like she has by her derby training.
My daughter is only 22 years old and is loving life and her accomplishments. I had hoped she would attend college directly after high school but she chose a different path. She has succeeded in this path so I am very happy for her. Her company offered her tuition reimbursement so I had hoped she would immediately take advantage of this, but once again she has chosen a different path. Her path will lead her to become the woman she will become, to date she has made wise decisions and has done well for herself. We are so very different and have taken very different paths in our lives but we are so very similar in the fact that we chose our individual paths which will fulfill us and lead us to become the women we aspire to be.
When the time is right and my daughter is ready I have no doubt she will attain her adult college degree and thrive in the academic environment.
If you are looking for a night out of doing something different then come to a Skate Free or Die event at the JFK Coliseum in Manchester for a night of laughs, bruises and fun!
PS My daughter's derby persona is "Slick Tracy"
In December of 2007, I went down to the local Granite State College office and met the greatest people. From my academic advisor Nancee Caughey to the office staff, Cindy, Patti, Julie and Molly, they were all clearly pulling for me to get back in the game! They could tell that I was nervous about returning to classes after 15 years, especially the online classes for criminal justice. I wasn't the most computer savvy guy and I was more than a little intimidated. They explained the process of re-enrollment, accuplacer testing and the many new programs available to help me obtain an accelerated undergraduate degree.
The thing that caught my attention first was the huge variety of degree choices. I had choices like Associate in Science in Business, Criminal Justice or even General Studies. All of these choices were now available online too. No traveling to the Berlin NH College or to any Concord NH Classes for credit. I settled on continuing with a Business Degree, now at the Associate level, and realized I was actually more than half way there! My fear was replaced with excitement and a renewed sense of purpose. I thought, "This is really going to happen!"
Next: Online classes, test outs and the impossible becomes possible!
You wouldn't think you could form friendships from fellow students in different states but you can. I completed my associates degree on line from Granite State College as an online learner when my job took me to South Carolina. I then went on to get my BS degree in Business Management with a minor in Finance. I started noticing that some of the same people in one class the semester before where in my new classes that next semester. It was nice to see a familiar name appear on the class roster. I, right away, sent the familiar fellow students a note through blackboard e-mail and started building a relationship with them. Before I knew it, I had a friend in Portland, Oregon, another in San Antonio, Texas, not counting all my friends I had met that lived up in New Hampshire. I soon had a great friendships formed and we would help each other on occasion if need be. Even though we all were miles and miles away, we were close in many ways. There was even a way to set up a chat session on Blackboard if we wanted to study together. The tools for learning and getting a degree from a distance were all attainable though Granite State College and the Online learning classes.
Online classes for adults are great, I can not say enough about them.
Every once in awhile, I get someone at work who will ask me where I got my degree from and when I tell them it was from a New Hampshire College, they are shocked. I soon explain to them about the online adult education degrees that can be obtained through Granite State College, whether they be regular term classes or accelerated five week classes, and that they are quite doable.
Are you thinking about taking classes? Are you a little frightened because you don't know if you can achieve success but you are passionate about learning and growing? It is not always easy to take that leap of faith. Sometimes education can leave you asking more questions than when you began.
That is how it has been for me but what I have realized most recently is that I have been digging my heels in and resisting some of the challenges because flexing my own mental muscle can be difficult sometimes.
Fortunately, when I discovered a disconnect between what I was learning and what I thought I already knew I had the added benefit of tapping in to the knowledge base of the Associate Dean at Granite State College who also teaches Expository Writing because she loves it.
Make no mistake. Learning curves exercise the brain but they also have an extraordinary purpose in the educational process. There is a certain excitement when I can finally reach that "aha" moment -- that moment when I finally get it!
Today I finally get the idea and purpose of Literary Criticism, a form of writing I have been resisting for a year. Because I need to do this writing in order to complete my Language Arts Degree, I have been working very hard to understand it in this current semester. But I have been taking the criticism of my own writing personally. Have you ever found yourself taking writing criticism personally? Well, I think it is because we are caught in the trap of believing that all writing is the same but it is not.
Some writing is done from a distance. It is done after you have taken a good look at another piece of writing with the idea of disassembling it, perhaps to discover how it was originally constructed in the first place. And now that I have a better understanding of the purpose of this kind of writing, I am certain I can be more successful at completing my assignments.
At Granite State College you will be able to tap into the knowledge of many people who understand the challenges of adult education. They are excited to see us achieve success and they care about the outcomes.
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