NH Colleges

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!!

In a recent class for the early childhood education major at GSC's Rochester NH college campus, we were talking about family strengths. One of those strengths revolved around encouragement and setting a good example. If parents are not only telling children that they care about how they do in school, but are also demonstrating the importance of school by taking a course they might need for work, or starting a new degree in an area that you have always been interested in is the prime way to set the example and encourage your children to value education. Consider taking courses in early childhood for your Early Childhood Certification, or maybe courses in project management, towards a Masters Degree in Project Management, or special education teacher certification. Try showing how much you value education, by getting involved yourself in either online adult education classes or face-to-face courses. Your children will learn from your example.

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.

It's been a year since I received my associates in general studies from Granite State College. I can't believe the year has gone by so fast. After taking some time off, I'm ready to get back in the saddle again and dive back into my education. I'm currently enrolled in a Literature and Ideas course, and a Psychology course at the Conway NH college campus. Although it's a bit hard getting used to doing homework again, I'm learning some really great things. Not only just about the courses I'm taking, but about the world around me.
  
I'm really looking forward to some neat projects coming up in the next few weeks in my adult college classes that will help give me good hands on experience of what I'm learning, and how to apply it to my life. I can't wait to see what this semester has in store for me :)

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.

Learning, it stays with you no mater how long it has been since you learned it. It doesn't matter if it is something you learned in school, or something you have learned along life's path, you just don't forget. 

Why I say this is because I had an opportunity to go golfing, a date actually, and I hadn't golfed in years.  I loved it when I did it but like I said, it had been years. With attending Granite State College at the Manchester NH college campus over the past few years, and just learning a new job twice at work, I just didn't have the time or the opportunity to golf.  Well, I just played this afternoon and I have to tell you, I all came back to me. I did fairly well in fact, and hope I play some more real soon.  I love the sport, love the challenge of planning my swing, what club to use and just getting the ball in the we hole. 

So, if you think you will never remember what you learned in school or in life, think again.  You never loose it, it is there, it just needs to be ignited again.

At all of our Granite State College campuses, we have recently implemented a new model for serving students on their path to degree completion.  We have formed Student Success Teams at each of our campuses.   I am very excited about this because it provides students with even more support than they have previously enjoyed. 

At the Conway NH college campus where I work, everyone is coming together to support our learners.  We have so many new options to make college learning easier!  We are offering a series of workshops, including writing and math labs, workshops on time management, organization....lots of different kinds of information to help students be more successful. These workshops are offered in a small group format, which allows us to support more students while fostering networking and relationship building.  

Another exciting direction we are moving in is offering Career Advancement Services.  We have always offered one-on-one career counseling, but we are expanding our programs and will soon have more to offer to students who need extensive career and life planning. 

We are very unique amongst colleges with online classes in that we offer so many different kinds of learning supports.  We have online 24/7 tutoring, "Smart Thinking" and online students who have access to one of our GSC Campuses, are also able to attend the live workshops. 

Another exciting tool we offer is a degree auditing system called CAPP.   Its available online, 24/7  and helps learners track their path toward an adult education diploma. CAPP shows students where transfer credits fit in, display grades and gpa information, and allows students to do a "What If" analysis that shows where their credits would fit in if they switch majors.

If you have a suggestion for workshops you would like to see to support your learning, please email me your suggestions at jan.hodges@granite.edu.  

Have any of you moved and can't find some of your belongings at the other end?  Well, that happens. It has happened to me almost every time I have moved.  What is missing, is always the question and what just about drives you nuts looking for it. 

That exact thing, happened this time with my move from SC to MI.  An iron is lost and a couple boxes I had packed earlier are also missing in action.  The movers were so great and nice, I have no clue where these items were put or delivered too.  Well, the movers are coming out tomorrow to take a look in my attic to see if they can find the items.  I hope they do, I hope they find everything I have lost.  Hopefully it will not be too hot up in that attic in the morning.  

Moving brings back my memory of my move to NH. Learning the area, finding some friends, learning a new job etc., all very exciting.  I also had to find an adult college program to transfer too from Aquinas College in Nashville, TN.  I found a college that took all my credits and continued my education at Granite State College.  They had an adult education degree program, they had Accelerated weekend intensive classes that helped me move along to that piece of paper while raising a family and holding down a full time job. I mostly liked their evening college classes - they included other adult learners just like myself. 

So, whether it is finding belongings after a move or finding a college to finish your adult college degree, stay positive and you can do it. We can do anything we want to do bad enough, I am a believer, I am proof it can happen.

Another move is underway. Boxes are everywhere to be seen!!

The day started early at 6am when the truck arrived to load up my belongings and head to my new adventure/destination.  I have a new address, actually an old address, as I am moving back to the same city I was raised in.  I am sad to leave my newly-built dream home, but I am also happy to be back in Michigan and close to my dad who will be 90 this year. 

I am moving into a much smaller home, eight hundred and one square feet to be exact.  I have been running to the dump and goodwill the past few days; pitching stuff I don't need, don't have space for or just tired of moving it from one state to the next.  I figure if I haven't opened the box from my NH days, which was 4 1/2 years ago, I didn't need it.  I was surprised the boxes that came in that category.  We all tend to save things for sentimental reasons and yet, someday someone else will pitch them for us when we are dead and gone. 

There is one thing no one can pitch though, and that is an adult college education from Granite State College.  The value in an education is so great and the good example of continuous learning will be passed on for generations.  Whether a grandson says someday, "Grandma went back to school," how cool is that? I hope I have been a good example for my family and I pray they keep going to school all of their lives.  An adult college degree is priceless, kind of like the commercials on TV about Master Card.  There are just some things that don't have a price on them and a dult college education doploma is one of them.

Got to get back to the movers... more later.

I remember not so long ago taking my required Technology course at Granite State College, hemming and hollering all the way; resisting the learning curve. I know I was torn between wanting to learn more about Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Windows while feeling quite nervous about not understanding the lingo in the commands.

Although my Instructor at GSC's Rochester NH college campus worked very hard to help me get up to speed, I always knew I was clearly out of my comfort zone. With my college Advisor's encouragement, I pressed on.

By the end of the semester my self-esteem kicked in with my adult learning process and shazam! I passed the  course.  Fast forward to present-day. Something I thought I would never understand about computer technology was how websites were created.  With the help of Mic and her brilliant young mind, I now have my own website.

Career college training  initiatives from course work for my Language Arts Degree  build on success.  From one learning curve to another you can experience more and more success which in turn becomes more and more confidence in academic achievement. The best feeling in the world is when I am able to translate what I have gleaned from academic studies to real life situations. 

It is another rainy day in Michigan this morning. I am sitting at Panara Bread on Michigan Avenue and just reading about this restaurant. It is a different kind of Panara Bread, it is one of three non-profit ones.  You order your food and they give you the estimated amount for a contribution. They only give change and you drop your contribution in a box in front of the register. I just think this is such a good cause with so many people out of work here in Michigan, what a great way to help others.  I am going to try to come in often and contribute as I don't want it to close, we need good places like this.

I am not sure if any of these located near the Concord New Hampshire college campus. It would be a great place for one though with people going to their evening adult college classes after work, they would surely get the business when classes let out.

Well, I faxed an offer on a house today. This is the first time in my life I have ever wrote a check to pay cash for it.  It will be mine, all mine and I will have the title to the property; man that is going to feel good.  It is a small home, only two bedrooms, only 800 sq feet but it is only me, the kids are grown and why do I need anything bigger? I don't!!

Got to run...have a good day, I hope it isn't raining on all of you.

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!

Another move means another house to find, another place to call home.  This time, I don't want much, something simple and small is what I am looking for.  This move is a bit challenging as Michigan home prices have dropped so much and the questions is, will they drop anymore? I guess it is all relevant as my home in SC still has not sold and I don't need a big house payment.  I go out tomorrow to scope out some areas that I am interested in.  It is similar to when I moved to NH and scoped out Granite State College.  It was everything I needed in a college and when I moved to SC, it was the college that could move with me.  The online classes for adults made it possible for me to continue my education without a bump in the road!! It was great. I am hoping this house hunting trip tomorrow will be as smooth as my education was.

It has been a long day and I need to get some rest for my busy house hunting day I have tomorrow...till the next post!! You all keep learning!!

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.

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. 

I recently attended the 2011 College Access Showcase sponsored by Campus Compact for NH and NHCUC. One of the workshops I attended was with John T. Kirkpatrick, Associate Dean, College of Liberal Arts, UNH. A dynamic and engaging speaker, John spoke about his experience as Dean and the challenges that new college students encounter. While his focus was on the traditional aged student in the New Hampshire university system, he made some great points that are appropriate for all of us.

The purpose of higher education is more than just filling students with information. It should not only develop the intellect but also the heart, character, integrity and judgment and how to use all of this wisely.  We want students to become productive and useful citizens contributing to society in a meaningful way. Intellect needs to be balanced with innovation and creativity. 

Look at any job search website and you will find lists of qualities that employees are looking for. Apart from skills in the profession, employers want people who have reasoning skills and the ability to problem solve. Communication skills, both written and oral, are crucial.  Understanding of human behavior is important to be able to work well with others. Having an historical consciousness to have that understanding of how we got where we are today.

As I listened to John talk I realized this makes a good argument to the complaint "Do I have to take these gen eds?" Yes, you do! Those classes help to develop skills apart from those specific to your field of study. They help you to learn about yourself, others and the world around you. 

Granite State College offers a great variety of general education electives that I encourage students to take advantage of. Whether students are looking for online classes for adults or evening college classes there are plenty of classes to choose from that will help develop their creativity, intellect, and compassion.

There's nothing more frustrating and nerve-wracking then your computer Internet connections giving you problems when you are trying to make a deadline for your online adult education classes. It can never be the days when you know you have a few days to submit an assignment: no, no... it's always on Sunday starting at 6pm, and it's the end of the module (which means nothing can be submitted after Sunday midnight), and you can spend HOURS trying to get your computer working and when it does, it is now Monday morning. 

Applications at Granite State College are up nearly 40% over last year. This is wonderful news for the college, since it indicates that we are addressing higher education needs that are in demand. It also represents the college's ability to adapt and change in ways that impact prospective students. Granite State has taken a number of steps this year to make the college more attractive to working professionals and adult students of all ages, who are juggling job and family commitments. 

Over this past year Granite State has streamlined its application process, significantly upgraded our Rochester NH college campus center and opened a new center at the Littleton NH college campus. Students are also gravitating to our online classes for adults and therefore we have significantly expanded are online offerings and currently offer every one of our degree programs fully online. 

The world is moving very quickly and the needs of our students are changing just as quickly. While Granite State College continues to emphasize the quality of the student experience we are also paying increasing attention to the convenience factor that is integral to access.

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.