I was so delighted when I went to my Dad's harmonica group gathering. He has played the harmonica for years; I think he said, that he "has played since he was around ten years old." He still has the first one he ever played. He taught me how to play at a young age also. I can remember driving to Florida when I was just a child and my dad would have the holder strapped around his neck and would playing songs throughout the long drive. Since we really didn't listen to the radio, we had better learn how to play the harmonica or the spoons. My choice was the harmonica with the first song being You Are My Sunshine. It was a good night with all his friends. These are all older folks as my dad just turned 90 on Sunday and his friend is 92, who calls my dad young!!
Life is good being back in Michigan. I think dad enjoys me being around and sharing some time with him. Time is all we have; time to grow, learn, enjoy and have fun. I had so much fun going to the Manchester NH college campus and meeting new friends at Granite State College. We would laugh about our classes at times, about your essays about each other really, we were all on the same boat, we wanted our degrees and we were going forward to get it.
Those days in New Hampshire were happy days and happy memories, same as days with my dad. So if you are thinking school and getting an adult education degree is all work, think again and just do it!!
The "Public Good" of higher education can only truly be achieved when it is accessible to the masses. As tuition increases across the country continue to outpace inflation and public funding (including financial aid) decreases, higher education begins to become unobtainable for more and more Americans. In fact, the U.S. has slipped dramatically relative to higher education trends around the globe and it is only logical that this will ultimately translate into a loss in comparative advantage and competitiveness. However, non-traditional pathways do exist that strive to keep tuition affordable and access to a quality education achievable for students who are able to find them. As a public institution with the University System of New Hampshire, it is important that Granite State College provide affordable access to the residents of New Hampshire and the region.
Granite State College was recently identified as a "Best Buy" through GetEducated.com for having the lowest bachelor tuition rate in New Hampshire and one of the twenty lowest accredited bachelor tuition rates in the nation. Granite State accomplishes this efficiency by focusing on teaching and learning rather than research or a residential experience. Our classes are taught largely by practicing professionals who can put theory to practice, and more than half our students attend classes online for adults. By offering every program online, including our graduate program, we minimize infrastructure costs and reach more students.
Granite State also maximizes affordability by being transfer friendly and by having a sophisticated system of prior learning assessment. In addition, accessing what
financial aid is available is paramount to the ability of many students to attend. Granite State College is unique in our scheduling and calendar in that it is possible for a student to take one course at a time (using our 6-week hybrid model) and be eligible for full-time financial aid! Students may also be eligible for full-time financial aid in any one of our
Fast Track programs.
So while the cost of higher education continues to outpace the ability of many students to pay, it is important that colleges such as Granite State College, remain committed to access to quality higher education through diligent cost containment; delivery and schedule innovation; online technology; and by focusing on our core mission of teaching and learning.
Hello! Let me start with a bit about me. My name is Nicole Horne and I currently advise students out of our new Littleton NH college campus. My job here is to guide students in identifying and achieving their academic and career goals. My background in higher education includes academic counseling, mentoring, and teaching.
I grew up in North Haverhill, NH, and completed my undergraduate degree in English from the University of New Hampshire and my Master's of Education degree from Plymouth State University. As a native of northern NH, I enjoy working with the students in the northern pockets of our state. For many of our students (65% to be exact!), they are the first ever in their family to attend college. I take tremendous pride in watching those students reach their goal of a college degree, knowing they have made a positive impact not only in their own lives, but also in the lives of their children.
When I'm not at Granite State College, I can be found cheering on my two children in one of their many activities, chasing down one of our six animals or working on the small "hobby" farm I share with my husband.
Do you wonder what moodling is? Well so did I until just a couple of months ago. It is a new host for online courses at Granite State College in New Hampshire. Tomorrow when classes start, many of the Granite State course offerings will be posted through Moodle. It is a whole new format for online courses. Up until this semester all online courses were offered in Blackboard, but now its Moodle.
It was an interesting process to take the Moodle training this summer. I had to take the course while creating my own course, and there were things I didn't really understand. Now I have a handle on the process and the course is officially open. I have already started responding to questions and forums and students are responding to one another. And it all seems very easy.
If you are from anywhere, no longer just New Hampshire, and you are looking for a course in Child Development, join us in moodling as we learn about each other, and about children. It isn't as hard as it looks to take an online course, and you can do it whenever your schedule allows. Hope to meet you in Moodle.
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!
Do you know what it means to be a lifelong learner? Hopefully you are one. Maybe you graduated from high school 40 years ago, or maybe you are just about to graduate. Does that mean your learning is over? Do you stop learning just because you are no longer a student? A lifelong learner is one who is interested in knowing more about the things in their world. A lifelong learner is one who is excited by the many things they come in contact with each day and they want to know more.
Granite State College has so many programs for lifelong learners - after all, it's a lifelong learning college. Whether you are someone who just wants to take a course, maybe in environmental or behavioral science because that interests you, or you are someone who is thinking about finishing a degree in Early Childhood Education or taking Foster Parent Classes or online college English classes, you are a lifelong learner.
Granite State College has campuses around New Hampshire that can offer the lifelong learner opportunities for growth and understanding. You can take online college classes, or come to one of the campuses for a face to face experience. Either way, being a lifelong learner is what life after high school is all about.
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
What a lovely Easter Sunday as I attended the church I grew up in. It brought back lots of fond memories and the hymns that were sung, just reassured me that, nothing has really changed. Twenty-three years later, I sat and enjoyed coffee with old friends and made a few new friends. It was a beautiful day. It was not as warm as I have known my Easters in the past, but it was nice. The daffodils were blooming in Michigan and I heard from three of my children. I even met a lady who has a knitting class on Monday nights that just caught my attention as I have always wanted to learn to knit. I think I will join this group and learn all about it. I wish my friend from Granite State College could come with me as we both have grandchildren to knit for. But, she is up in the great state of New Hampshire enjoying all the great things the state has to offer. I will tell her all about it once I start my new knitting class and will probably send her something at some point.
I hope you all had a great Easter and enjoy your family and friends. Friends and Family is what it is all about. I have made so many friends throughout my life. One of my best friends I made when I enrolled in Granite State College to get my adult education degree. We are still friends today and will always remain close friends even thought there are hundreds of miles between us.
Since December 2010 when I graduated from Granite State College, I have been considering the possibilities of what I might do next. As a result of achieving my Bachelor's Degree in Language Arts, I have gotten involved in a writing project that is very important to me.
As a way to learn more about the book-writing process, I attended a Writer's Workshop at the University of Southern New Hampshire that was facilitated by Mary Carroll Moore, a published author.
Since the termination of my adults college classes at the Rochester NH and Portsmouth NH college campuses, I have missed the collaboration with my peers very much. I am transitioning to the next level of my educational journey. During my weekend workshop I once again felt the connection of being with like-minded individuals who were sharing my path. I think this is an important issue to address sooner than later, once the initial cessation of college classes sets in.
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...
Wedding are such happy times!!!
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.
Granite State College recently underwent a review of its teacher certification programs by the New Hampshire Department of Education Council for Teacher Education as a part of the process for gaining approval for several new certification programs the college has seeking to offer. The review process is an intensive one in which a review team spends a few days at the college reviewing all aspects of the certification programs.
The Education Programs team at Granite State is highly focussed on quality and innovation and I was particularly pleased to read several commendations in the review teams site visit report. Some excerpts from the report truly highlight the great work being done at Granite State College:
"Granite State College Post Baccalaureate Teacher Certification program is to be commended for outstanding course and program design, which embodies the development and application of a standards-based, best practices curriculum."
"Granite State College Post Baccalaureate Teacher Certification program is to be commended for its extensive systematic process of assessment and evaluation of programs, teacher candidates, and faculty advisors."
In fact, there were five commendations in all and each speaks to the commitment to quality our education team has. I congratulated the Education Programs team on this recognition from the visiting team.
Tonight, in my child development class at Granite State College's Portsmouth NH college campus, we were talking about cognitive development of high school students. We discussed how during the high school years, children are transitioning to adulthood, not only in their size, but also in their thinking. Students in high school begin to analyze things from a variety of perspectives. They start to think of themselves as part of a larger world and they start to make moral judgments based on an understanding of right and wrong. You might not think that education classes at Granite State College would touch on world issues, but as we discussed thinking and reasoning, we also talked about issues facing not only today's teens, but also issues facing our country and our world. Should we be concerned about the fate of people half way around the world in Japan? Should we care about how the United States is responding to the crisis in Libya? There are many classes at Granite State College that will allow you to think more deeply about world issues. Think about registering for online classes or face to face classes. These might be behavioral science classes or critical thinking or an online class for criminal justice. Try registering for an adult education class. Many of the classes will encourage you to think and offer you a chance to discuss your ideas with other people who are also interested in world issues.
Here it is, Saturday morning and I have been up since 6am, waiting for the Realtor to come and tell me what my house/home is worth. If any of you have moved, you know the hassle it can be. The trashing of stuff you have toted from one residence to another that you never even unpacked after four or five years. That is what I am finding to be true in my case. There are boxes that left Michigan twenty-three years ago. I trashed a few when I left Tennessee seven years ago and I have taken some of them to New Hampshire, South Carolina and now wondering if I need to take them back Michigan once again. Why? Why do we save these trinkets and trash? I even move the rocks that lined the street my grandparents cottage was on. I think it is just the sentimental part of us, or at least me. I take them as they were happy memories, the past and somewhere deep inside, I care about them and what they represent. Therefore, I have trashed some and others will get loaded on the truck and taken to Michigan and who knows where else they may travel too.
I went through my school papers and books from Granite State College while in the attic the other day. I got rid of some of the papers I had written but, some I saved. I saved them because I remember the hard work I put into my adult college classes. The research the study groups I was part of and the endless hours I spent figuring out my math problems for business statistics. So, I kept them so some day I will show them to my grand-kids what their Grammy did in life and how they can do it too. Distance learning universities are out there, Granite State College was my salvation since I moved so much. I just kept on going doing on-line classes either from home, the book store or sitting at Panara Bread having a bagel on Sunday Afternoon.
I am rambling and I really need to run the vacuum. I will let you know how it all pans out..Guess I will have to buy a shovel this next winter. YUK!!
"Change" is a word that is often overused, but in the world of higher education "substantive change" has very specific meaning. An institution that goes through substantive change is one that embarks on new directions that require review by its regional accreditor. Granite State College has undertaken such a change by moving from an institution offering only undergraduate credit to one that will now offers its first masters degree.
The Master of Science in Project Management is intended to provide students with a highly transferable set of skills and competencies that are in high demand across a number of industries. GSC's first masters degree is designed to provide students with both pragmatic content and high level learning opportunities that can prepare students to advance in management and leadership level positions. A cursory search of job postings lists many positions in which project management skills are specifically identified. In addition, managers in general can gain a competitive advantage in the job market by gaining project management competencies.
Granite State College worked closely with industry experts to develop its first masters program in order to ensure our graduates will be well prepared to compete and advance in their chosen careers. At this point, the Granite State College masters degree is the only MS in Project Management offered by a New Hampshire institution.
We are confident that our new masters degree will meet the advanced education needs of working adults and professionals across the state and beyond. The new program will be offered entirely online as well as at select Granite State College locations.
As many of you may know, Adult Financial Aid has been a hot topic in recent federal and state budget debates. These debates have left many of us wondering, “What is financial aid going to look like in the future?” I can’t speak for other schools, and I certainly do not profess to know exactly what is going to happen, but here are my thoughts and opinions on how Granite State College students may be affected.
With regard to State Financial aid, I believe we will see a cut to many of the grant and scholarship programs for New Hampshire. Governor Lynch proposed the elimination of the Post-Secondary Education Commission as a stand-alone agency. They are currently the ones administering the NH Incentive Grant. With the proposed elimination, it is unclear who, if anyone will be administering this program. There have been mentions of each state school receiving an allotment of funding to be used at the school level, but we have not received any official word as of yet.
We have been notified; however, that we will no longer have funding for the Unique Allocation Scholarship or the Unique Endowment fund. These funds will be re-directed to support public institutions of higher learning in New Hampshire.
In addition, Congress is still debating the proposed cuts to its budget as well. There have been talks of decreasing the annual Pell Grant allotment from $5550 (maximum annual award) to $4705 (maximum annual award). Senate is planning to vote on these proposed cuts this week, and if they are not passed, they will return to the drawing board until they can come to an agreement.
That being said, Granite State College is still able to fund the majority of our students using the Federal Aid Programs available to us. Because we are mainly an Adult and Continuing Education college and do not have the high costs of residential campuses, we will not be as heavily affected by these proposed cuts as some of the more traditional colleges in the area. We are confident that no matter what happens, we will have proper funding to assist our students.
There are, however, things students can do on their own to help supplement their educational expenses. Because we may have to use more Stafford loan money to cover the portion of charges typically covered by the State Grant Programs, Students should take a good, hard look at what they are borrowing. Students should keep a close eye on their outstanding loan debt by checking the National Student Loan Data System on a regular basis. This will allow them to track how much they have already borrowed and reconsider their borrowing habits. Another good tool to use is the financial aid loan payment calculator. This will give them an idea of what their monthly payment will look like once they have finished their program. These tools allow students to make informed choices as to how they want to spend their money and more importantly, what they can really afford.
Another option students should be aggressively pursuing is scholarships. It takes a little more leg work since most have an application and essay requirement, but with the cuts to many grant programs, this is another very feasible way to get free money for education.
Students can create a profile on a scholarship search engine which will then send them different scholarships that may be applicable to them. Another excellent scholarship resource for New Hampshire residents is the New Hampshire Charitable Fund. Specifically, the adult student aid program is designed for adults returning to school to upgrade skills for employment or career advancement. In addition, the statewide student aid program is designed for the traditional student in a four year baccalaureate program.
Keep in mind that not all scholarship opportunities are legit. Take a look at these Scholarship Tips to avoid being caught in the middle of a scam.
So as we move forward into the 2011-2012 financial aid award year, things are still very uncertain. Rest assured though, Granite State College will have aid to cover our students regardless of what happens with both the State and Federal governments.
OMG, what a crazy month so far. With my daughter's wedding coming up and job interviews, what will this year bring?
Yes, it has been crazy in my world. My daughter's wedding is coming up in just a few days and every thing that needs to get done is flying through my head. From hair appointments, getting chocolates, flowers, pressing the dress, finding shoes and the list goes on and on. The showers are done and we all had a blast. The Bacholrette party was something I will never forget. Every bride needs one of these and the group that was enjoying it with her was the best, fun, exciting, res-cay etc..it was fun. We stayed in a cabin up in the Georgia mountains and it rained the whole time. It had a metal roof so the noise of the rain was quite soothing after a few drinks the night before. My daughter had fun and I had a new experience under my belt. I had only wished my friend from Granite State College in NH, could have been there with us to celebrate. But, miles away and her fear of flying kept her in New Hampshire.
The wedding will be here before I know it so I have to get my act together this week. I have sewing to do this week, doctors appointments and lets not forget the next interview for the job in Michigan. Yes, I may be moving again just like I did four years ago when I moved from New Hampshire to South Carolina. It will all work out, time management is a skill I learned while I was attending my adult education courses a few years ago. I can do this and I will.
A recent note from the
US Department of Labor finds that employment for medical and health care managers is expected to rise faster than average. Looking around the landscape of New Hampshire and other states, the outlook for jobs is very promising in this area. But what about preparation for those individuals seeking to work in the field of health care management?
Good news now that Granite State College, the institution within the University System of New Hampshire that focuses on adult students, has launched our B.S. degree in
Health Care Management.
I'm particularly excited for students enrolling in the Health Care Management degree because of the fantastic faculty that will be teaching in the program. For example,
Catherine DiPentima who holds both an M.B.A. and a Nursing degree, offers practical and applied knowledge that is so well suited for adult students.
I have got a week ahead of me that would make anyone's head spin. I am so thankful for my good friend in New Hampshire that I met in my Economics Class at Granite State College. We took many classes together even weekend college classes (called "weekend intensives") over at the Portsmouth NH college campus. We had fun together, learning and experiencing college life. She has been there for me when I needed to vent this week. I have my daughters shower on Sunday and I am so excited about it but as everyone knows, it is a lot of work and planning. Of course my 40-hour work week is still part of my life while I am trying to cram in all the other "stuff" I need to do. My daughter's happiness is so important to me and I really want it to be a happy time in her life and our life. I am going to do the best to make her shower a happy one and memorable one. Memories are good, good for the soul. I have many fond memories, not only of my daughter growing up through the years but also of my time at college. Good times!!
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