School is in Session
I am finally getting close to graduation! For those unfamiliar, I am pursuing a degree in Management Studies at University of Maryland University College. This has been quite a long journey. I attended Hampton University in 1996-2000 and failed my year-long senior thesis as an English major. I got a job in the summer of 2000 and never enrolled at Hampton again. Failing my senior thesis was quite devastating at that time as it was the first major failure of my life. The feelings of that still haunt me a bit today even though I have gone on to accomplish far more than I could image. Over the course of time, life, and 2 changes in major I am getting close to finishing. While this has been quite the ordeal, I'd like to share a couple benefits:
1. I am learning relevant information in my field. For example, this semester I am taking 2 classes that directly impact my performance at work and as freelancer writer: HRMN 300: Human Resource Management and BMGT 330: Entrepreneurship and New Venture Planning. While I do appreciate all of the literature I read in college, Williams Shakespeare & Faulkner do not help me at work today. I've taken business writing, sales, and marketing courses that have proven far more advantageous for me professionally.
2. My employers have financed my education. One of the main reasons I didn't return to Hampton? It was too expensive to do a 5th year of student loans. My parents paid a pretty penny for me to go to college for 4 years. The plan was 4 years, graduate, and get a job. I have worked for 3 different employers over the years all of which have had tuition reimbursement as a benefit used to finance my education. The requirement is the courses need to relate to work. Since I've worked in 3 different industries over the years, I've changed my major but stillI feel as though I've learned things that apply directly to the business climate of today.
To be honest, I hate that I'm still in this process. Nevertheless, I am determined to finish. I'm mostly looking forward to graduation because I would like to move on to another degree and to seriously begin my next goal of becoming multilingual. I am a life long student so I do have the right attitude about all of this. I want to encourage someone out there thinking maybe earning a college degree is not a realistic goal in your 30s or 40s. I assure you, it still is. In my classes I meet students from all walks of life. Parents, service men/women, and professionals of all ages. Check me out as I continue to thrive at work, build my writing business, and complete my degree.
-J
