Kirkwood Community College Iowa County Center recently issued the following announcement.
What is your background?: I was born and raised in the Cedar Rapids area. My Mom and Dad raised my brother and myself out on an acreage in the Swisher area. I attended school at College Community and graduated from Prairie High School. Almost all of my life has been spent in the area except for a year study abroad program in Berlin, Germany. Prior to coming back to school at Kirkwood, I have worked for a few companies in the area. My brother and his family are still in the area. I currently have a niece and nephew who are also students at Kirkwood, also.
What brought you to Kirkwood and why?: Getting a degree had always been one of my goals. I’ve gone through many starts and stops in that process and have found that life sometimes gets in the way of an individual’s plans. I did get an associate degree several years ago but had not advanced past that for various reasons. When I made the decision to return for a degree, I researched a lot of educational opportunities. The number of opportunities that are available today are astounding. I researched two-year programs, four-year programs, and online courses. I was interested in Iowa and Florida Universities for their Business Admin programs until I was turned onto the transfer program for University of Iowa that Kirkwood offers. I liked that the school has a long history of working with non-traditional students like myself. Most of my fellow students here were not even born when I graduated from high school. Kirkwood offers the best option for value, in my opinion. Kirkwood provides a low-cost alternative to the four-year schools that delivers a great product and meets all my educational needs. My time here at Kirkwood has only confirmed my opinion.
What is your program of study and what interests you about it?: I’m in the AAS Business Administration program with an eye on transferring to Tippie Business school at Iowa when I finish up here at Kirkwood. I have a long background in management but find that I have enjoyed several aspects of the program that have expanded my understanding of the reasons for common practices and nuances of business administration. I have truly appreciated the instructors at Kirkwood and love how they been very giving of their time and knowledge.Accounting, Marketing and Ethics are all classes that I have enjoyed that I have benefited from will at Kirkwood. I also liked how the program will aid me in my efforts to transfer to Iowa.
Are you involved in anything else on campus? If so, what and why?: There are a lot of great opportunities that are available at Kirkwood, and I freely admit that I have not taken advantage of those situations. One thing that I did was to take an interest in the Green Bandana program. I think that it is important to be proactive when it comes to helping others with the issues that surround mental health. It is not something that I have seen emphasized for most of my life, but it is something that I feel should be emphasized more in our current society. I have also attended some activities that have be focused on the international students here at Kirkwood. In some of my marketing classes gave me an opportunity to meet several of the international students and allowed me to make friends with them. Recently I went to Kansas City with several international students to tour some museums, art gallery and barbecue. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know them on an individual basis.
Are you involved in anything off of campus?: Over the last couple of years, with the rise in Covid, I been involved with less and less activities and events in public. There are a few health factors and prevalent concerns for safety that have limited my outside activities. Fortunately, it appears to be getting better and I look forward to getting involved in more outside activities and interests.
What do you do for fun?: My interests are basic. Until recently I was happy to travel. I enjoy reading, predominantly fiction with some interest in biographies and history books. Movies are great but I find books to be far more engaging and stimulate my imagination more. I also like playing golf and watching football.
Where do you see yourself in five years?: In the next few years, I see myself finishing up my bachelor’s degree at Iowa, because at this time in my life, that is my primary goal. I have enjoyed my academic path the last several terms so I might look to continue my education beyond a four-year degree or I might pursue my options in the job market. Right now, my focus is set on the next three years and starts to lose focus after that. Something that has been crystal clear after the last couple of years is that the future is uncertain, and life can quickly change. All I can do is embark on my path and see where the journey takes me.
Original source can be found here.
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