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career connection community college beginnings
From Community College to Master ’ s Degree
Like many people , you may be under the impression that you need to enroll in a traditional , four-year college in order to advance your education and find a great job . But with the rising cost of tuition , room , and board , it might not be a bad idea to consider another option- starting off at your local community college !
Not convinced ?
Let us introduce you to April Colley , Academic Advisor at Auburn University . April began her secondary education at Southern Union State Community College ( SUSCC ).
April shares , “ In my senior year , my family experienced a house fire where we lost everything . Once the fire happened , it became more apparent that I needed to stay closer to home .”
But what started as tragedy ended up being a blessing , according to April . “ I was grateful for the chance to go to school where I could work and rebuild the life that I had . My time at Southern Union was a gift ! I had great instructors and the transition from high school to a 2-year institution was smoother than it would have been going directly to a 4-year institution , especially given all that happened my senior year ,” she says .
“ Once I decided to transfer , I had relationships with some of my SUSCC instructors who continued to encourage me and even helped me navigate the often-challenging transfer process . I eventually went on to graduate with two bachelor degrees in sociology and psychology at Jacksonville State University , and later went on to Valdosta State University to pursue a master ’ s in Clinical / Counseling Psychology .”
Even with her master ’ s degree , April still kept adding to her list of accomplishments . “ I transitioned into the professional world as an Academic Advisor in the College of Education at Auburn University . During this time , I decided to go back to school one more time to pursue a Ph . D . in Adult Education ,” she says . “ In this process , I realized that SUSCC had prepared me in an unexpected way … I found that I was very passionate about transfer students coming to Auburn , because I had once been in their shoes and remembered my own challenges in transferring . That lesson has caused me to have great compassion for my transfer students .”
When asked about what ’ s next , she shared , “ Though I enjoy working in academics and enjoy my college students , I also want to continue to pursue opportunities in the counseling world , research , and teaching . I currently work with junior high students on Tuesday nights and I want to continue to seek opportunities to give back , especially to younger kids . I have had so many people who mentored and poured into me , so I want to mentor others in my life .”
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My time at Southern Union was a gift ! I had great instructors , and the transition from high school to a 2- year institution was smoother than it would have been going directly to a 4-year institution , especially given all that happened my senior year . ”
20 | Summer 2018 www . potentialmagazine . com