The College Year The end of the spring semester came quickly. Grading final assignments and posting final grades are in process. In doing so, I am remembering what happened on the last day of classes. At the end of one of my classes, two students stated how much they enjoyed the class. At the end […]
I read an article about a man in his fifties who regrets his career choice. Now, at the age of 54 he has decided to follow his passion and pursue an interest. Better late than never! So they say. Last week, I overheard a conversation between two women discussing their jobs. One woman stated that […]
The Portfolio In my book, Check It Off! I offer information on college life for the first-year college student. One item on the list that is easy for the college student to do, yet often overlooked, is to create a collection of important information throughout the college years. I call this collection: your portfolio. First-year […]
Did you know that most people’s first job out of college is usually found through a relative or close friend of a relative? It is a true fact, even in today’s digital world; person-to-person networking is still a most powerful tool. What I find from my students is that when you tell them to start […]
Most of know that there are two types of change: planned change and unplanned change. I like to plan for change because unplanned change usually ends up “biting me in the butt!” Sometimes, you just can’t seem to avoid what you didn’t foresee. In my community, where I live and return home to each night, […]
The Most Important Activity in College I teach a communications course to first-year college students and one question I often ask is: “Of the many opportunities college offers, what are you looking forward to over the next four years?” The overwhelming answer? Meeting new people and making friends. Here is the good news. On campus, […]
My five-year-old grandson spotted a man in a restaurant and stated in a very loud voice: “He’s fat and old!” While we all were quite embarrassed at the statement, my daughter-in-law abruptly and quietly stated to him, that words matter. When you say words that are unkind, people’s feelings get hurt. She went on to […]
What are the questions that first-year college students ask? What major should I choose in college? What career will I pursue? Some people say, follow your passion. Others, find a good paying job. For me, I want to know What am I going to do? But it is important to ask: What do you want to […]
College is a time for exploration and taking risks. From the professor’s chair, I see students from every stage, maturity level, and economic background. What binds them all together is the experience of taking risks to explore their own gifts and direction. Recently, I was speaking to a group of students about this very subject […]
