Online Student: Rick, 50, American Sentinel University : Project Working Mom
Working Dad Success Story: Rick J, 50
Meet Rick
What do you get when you combine a history major, an IT major, an international business executive, and an audio engineer?
Meet fifty-year-old Rick J, husband and father of four, who is the product of all these roles and much more. Rick's multi-faceted background makes a strong case for the adage that it's never too late to learn new things. (It also makes him a quadruple threat at Trivial Pursuit!)
Thanks to his unflagging perseverance, and the support he's received at American Sentinel University, Rick is currently one course shy of earning his associate's degree. "I'm about as nontraditional as a student can get," Rick jokes. "I've been going to school since 1976!" But Rick's education wasn't always a topic he could laugh about.
Rick's Story
At age 18, the Kentucky native had plans to earn a history degree from Northern Kentucky University. Not more than two semesters into the program, Rick encountered life changes that prompted a series of educational detours. He got married and started a family, necessitating a full-time job. Soon after, Rick was called on to care for elderly parents, and charged with the task of managing their farm. Throughout these events, Rick always kept an eye on academics, intermittently enrolling in night classes and never losing sight of his long term goal.
Of course, earning a living held priority over going to school. He soon parlayed an entry level position into a liaison role with his company's IT department. "Computers just absolutely clicked with me," he recalls. As he learned more on the job, he decided to switch his degree focus to Information Technology. He transferred to another local school, where he was able to continue on a part time basis.
In the meantime, his tenacity and natural leadership abilities propelled him through the corporate ranks. His company sent him around the world to manage people — lots of whom held graduates degrees and PhDs. "At one point I had projects going on three different continents," Rick says. "The next thing you know, I'd had a twenty-plus year career."
For most people, the success and satisfaction of an early retirement would be a comfortable stopping point. For Rick, it was just another opportunity to try something new. Since he'd always been a musician — contributing to various bands on bass guitar and lead vocals — Rick took a break from IT products, and earned a certificate in audio engineering. The experience was highly positive, and led to a job offer and subsequent relocation to northeastern Ohio.
Nevertheless, something was still missing. "I always had this nagging embarrassment of not having a college degree," Rick explains, describing his decision. "For me [going back to school] was a personal choice." He decided to investigate online education, as a convenient way of finally finishing what he started.
Choosing American Sentinel University
An experienced businessman, Rick had a clear strategy for researching and evaluating online schools. He settled on American Sentinel University after establishing their quality, flexibility, and reputation.
"Accreditation was a big thing for me," he stresses. He was also happy to discover that ASU accepted many of the transfer credits he'd amassed throughout the years. "Some schools wanted me to start over," he remembers. "I found nothing but good things about American Sentinel."
Since then, American Sentinel has lived up to Rick's expectations. "They really do want to help students succeed," he attests, citing a deadline extension he received after a hurricane tore through his community, downing trees across his yard. In transitioning from a traditional, lecture-based classroom, Rick has had to adapt his learning style. He's pleased with the amount of student interaction and discussion his instructors generate, confident that these exchanges add new dimensions to his experience and understanding.
Today, Rick is a man who has twice stood on the Great Wall of China. He and his wife Vicki, who works for the Veterans Administration, are again raising a young family. In addition to their adult children — 27-year-old Matt, and 24-year-old Meghann — Rick and Vicki are parents to 7-year-old Melody and 5-year-old Mac, two children they adopted from China. Understandably then, Rick's as busy as ever, and grateful that his studies don't preclude free time with family. When he takes the kids camping, for example, Rick is able to access wireless internet service from the family's RV. "It's a different world," he marvels.
Advice from One Working Dad to Another
When asked what advice he'd give to prospective students, Rick doesn't try to sugarcoat his message.
"To be honest, this has been tough." He's an advocate of the self-paced, asynchronous options American Sentinel affords, but also points out the sacrifices involved.
"It's been a real commitment. You have to make choices." Although he's still deciding if and when he'll go on to pursue his bachelor's degree, he's certain that he couldn't have come this far without the option of online education.
Elizabeth is an Associate Web Producer at eLearners.com. She is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
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