October 30, 2002
I’m in my third year of college in Johnstown. After a semester at the Hiram G. Andrews Center, I transferred over to the local community college with plans to achieve my associates degree. From there, I wanted to transfer again to a four year school in hopes of getting my bachelors degree.
A college transfer fair was going to be held at the Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center, which the community college used for a few of its classes. I was planning to go there and talk with some college representatives to look at my next school.
In this blog, I will be opening up a six pack 🍻 of questions related to my academic experience. Twenty years ago I started the second leg of academic journey at Slippery Rock. Back in 2013, I celebrated the ten year anniversary of my time in college. I finally appreciated what I had after so many years of questioning myself.
Why did you feel like attending a four year college?
It was in my original plans when I started school at the Hiram G. Andrews Center in the Fall of 2000. I knew I was good enough to get a Bachelor’s degree. I had to go to a Community College for that dream to come true since their credits would transfer.
It’s 2023. Looking back at it now, was the experience worth it?
I had regretted it for a long time because I felt like nothing came of it. I didn’t appreciate the jobs I had early in my post-academic career and didn’t care how much debt I took on to do it again. Homecoming for me was always about recreating the good old days of college.
If I went back and graduated again, I’d be back at Kings with more debt. Even if I stayed a little longer at the Rock and graduated magna cum laude, I was probably still going to work at WIS.
Getting back to the question though, the experience was still worth it. If I didn’t go for my degree, I likely would have regretted it more. You have to try it out and see what happens. I think we’ve done pretty well.
What schools were you interested in?
In addition to Slippery Rock, I was also interested in IUP (my cousin started there in 2004). Other schools I liked were Edinboro, California, and Clarion. Those three schools have merged to become PennWest.
I got back from the transfer fair and reviewed my material that night. It didn’t take long for me to be sold on Slippery Rock.
Were there obstacles to getting into Slippery Rock?
As a matter of fact, there was. I was accepted at the end of March but by then housing was quickly getting filled. We weren’t sure if I’d have a place to live; however, it all worked out in the end.
If I could go back 20 years and change things, I would have made more of an effort into getting a job to help pay for college, driving sooner, and getting more work experience. That ended up hurting me in the end.
When you went to career fairs, which companies really caught your eye?
In 2002, I attended a Career Fair at the Community College’s downtown location. I was actually interested in summer work at Hersheypark and thought about applying. It didn’t work out and I actually went home for the summer that year.
In 2004, when I was at Slippery Rock University, I attended the WestPACS Career Fair at the Expo Mart and I just worked a summer job at the now defunct Park Classic Diner. Believe it or not, that was one of my first real jobs. While I talked to companies related to my field (Finance), Eat’n Park also caught my eye. Part of me wishes to have stuck around, learned more about the restaurant business and see where it would go.
Final question: Are you happy with how your life has turned out?
For a long time I wasn’t and wanted to go back and do it all over again. Eventually, you learn that everything happens for a reason. It took me several years to appreciate what I had in college and a few more years after that to really let it go. The late 2010s finally saw that turning point come around as I began to embrace new traditions. I’ve adjusted to a different way of life post-pandemic and have come out of it a better person.
I’m excited to begin a new term as President of Greensburg Toastmasters in July 2023 and see where it takes me.
I don’t read or hear about it but I know I’m inspiring people every day.
Yes, I am happy with how my life has turned out.
Stylish 🍒 