|
Surveyed Edison
Graduates Expect Degree
to be Lifetime Benefit;
Display Yard Signs to Show Their Pride
Since last month’s commencement, most of the blue and white “proud to be an Edison graduate” signs have disappeared from lawns in front of homes.
But, according to June surveys of Edison Community College grads, the impact of the accomplishment is just starting to sink in for some, but should live on for months and years to come.
As expected, survey results indicated that family, kids, job, and money were closely related to most factors which influenced the graduates’ decisions to attend college.
Perhaps surprisingly, many graduates displayed special knowledge of job market trends when they often checked “programs leading to some of the best careers” as a reason for choosing Edison.
“Community colleges, like Edison, offer degrees in the hottest fields,” said 2002 graduate Jennifer Dever of Piqua, who earned an associate degree in medical office assisting and then remained at Edison to pursue study in nursing.
“Of the fifteen fastest growing occupations, these
two are near the top,” Dever said. “The profession of caring for people will always be vital and necessary.”
Human services, paralegal studies, engineering technologies, and computer information are among the other “hot careers” Edison students can pursue with two-year degrees.
Dever said that much of her elation over graduation is just now taking place because she “had gotten used to being without a college degree for a such a long time.” College then became mandatory when her employer went out of business.
“My first diploma last month gave me the momentum to go on,” said Dever, describing a short term value of her education.
“Over a lifetime, I may earn $250,000 more than an individual with only a high school diploma,” she added.
Graduate Jeffrey Collingsworth, on his survey, thanked professors Jane Salisbury and Nancy Cooper for their advice and instruction. “They helped make college a personal and rewarding experience,” he said.
With his focus now set on a second career, Collingsworth is off to Indiana University.
Graduate Karen Zelnick of Troy is taking her credits even further— all the way to Brigham Young in Provo, Utah. Zelnick will study dietetics this fall.
Zelnick, Collingsworth, and others transferring credits should be very well prepared.
One Ohio four-year institution recently surveyed its student body and determined that those who move there from the state’s two-year colleges are very successful academically. In fact, they are more successful as juniors and seniors than those upper division men and women who started study at the university, the research revealed.
Although Zelnick zipped through her degree in two years, Collingsworth represented one-fourth of the graduating class which attended college, stopped for more than a year, and attended again. Collingsworth first took courses intermittently at a four-year school and then later enrolled at another community college, before transferring credits to Edison.
“It was all worth it,” a proud Collingsworth beamed.
Dever concurred, “I’ve still got my sign in the front yard to let people know how I feel.”
return
to top |
