Newsletter Article
Brian Raftery
April 17, 2011
Speaking of Success…
Adult learners love Lifelong Learning (ENG 135) because it enables them to translate their significant life experiences into college credits. These experiences do not have to be the exotic ones dramatized on reality TV shows like “Pawn Stars” or “Ice-Road Truckers.” You don’t have to be Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, or Snoop Dog to be eligible to save both time and money in the pursuit of a college degree.
One of my current students, Memory Aviles, is a mother of three “beautiful” boys who works as a consultant for the “Pampered Chef” franchise. Her main job is to give presentations to groups of 5-30 people in which she explains the functions of different kitchen implements and demonstrates how to use them by preparing recipes. By writing about Public Speaking, Memory hopes to finish her General Ed. requirements faster. Good luck, Memory!
The Lifelong Learning Program recognizes the educational value of the lessons learned in living. Among the dozens of approved topics are Marriage and Family, Parenting, Business Ownership, Childbirth, Childhood Education, and Death & Dying. If you do not see a topic that matches your experience, let us know. It may be a suitable one that needs to be added.
I've been going to school since Thanksgiving. I'm in a particularly difficult class right now and I was under so much stress I just about quit. After talking with my 2 counselors at the school I decided that I could do this and push through these hard times. I have a huge paper to write in about a week and I am so nervous about how it is all going to come together. When I called my professor to tell him that I was going to stay in school, he was so excited! He told me that I have huge potential and that I really am a great student and he was so sad when he heard I was going to quit. It was a huge boost to my self-esteem. As a mom, babysitter, a wife, friend and plain old human being, I have a lot on my plate when I add student into the mix. Jeff is gone out of town a lot and so there are times where I don't feel very supported. This article, plus the encouragement from my awesome counselors at GCU I feel like I just might make it through! I now know that I need to ask for help from my friends if Jeff isn't around to help me out. Anyway, this is just a long way of saying, how cool is it that I was put in an article? :) And how awesome is it that because of being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I have the skills necessary to help me write a paper about public speaking and get out of a class? We are blessed in so many ways to be members of the church. So thank you Mom and Dad for getting baptized all those years ago!
