CHECKPOINT CHARLIE ONE
It has been approximately a halfway point in my semester with the Capstone Course for the Associates Degree in Criminal Justice from the Kaplan University and I am wondering what has the eJournal meant to me thus far.
My education began more than 25 years ago in the post education arena -- studying pre-Pharmacy (in 1978) and Architecture (1979-1982) for more than 4 years (and, actually, some of the Architecture courses were taken at San Antonio College, yet never receiving a degree because of my encounter with Physics my freshman year at The University of Texas - Austin.
I had to take Physics as a requirement towards my Pre-Pharmacy degree, which I breezed through Physics in High School and didn't have a problem (so, why would I think that I would have a problem with it at The University of Texas - Austin. I WAS having problems with it though, and, as such went up to my Professor at the time and asked him to explain something that I was having problems with understanding. He said, "You just have to accept it!" I looked at him wryly and stated, "No, there should be a way that you could explain this to me." He replied, "No, just accept it." I got so frustrated with that Professor and didn't succeed at the class. I went to my Dean and he said that Physics was a requirement and stated that I should do the best I could with that class. What was silly was that in my college years at The University of Texas - Austin, I could do through Calculus III just fine without any problems. As a result of my plight with Physics, I dropped out of Pre-Pharmacy and entered into Architecture until they too required Phyics as a requirement. Having had the bad experience with Physics, I changed my major again despite my sincere love and interest in the field of Architecture, which allowed me to utilize the creative side of my brain as well. I tried some other degree plans -- Elementary Education (1982) but it bored me to death in the art classes due to my artistic skills that I already had AND Real Estate (1983) but I got busy with a long term relationship, jobs, and felt that perhaps my education was going nowhere fast, and perhaps I was just spinning my wheels.
The Business Management and Real Estate Courses were actually taken at Austin Community College in conjunction with some courses at The University of Texas - Austin because I was testing the waters to see if another college would help to spark some interest in me.
It wasn't until 1989 when I separated from my husband (yes, my long term relationship had turned into a marriage in 1983) from an abusive relationship and begun reasserting some of my independence as a mother (to a beautiful little girl born on 8/3/87) and a woman. I started working as a legal secretary in the Escrow business and working temp jobs at various law firms (small and large) through agencies and some on my own accord to make ends meet. I was discovering that my interests were fascinations involved with the law aspects and refocussed my energies on working towards a legal assistant/paralegal certificate of sorts. While working at one of the law firms, I began discovered the Legal Assistant Certificate Program at The University of Texas' Continuing Education Program in 1990, applied for it, and started the education process in 1991 -- and graduated in 1991 (the same time that my divorce had been finalized with my husband). I had made huge strides in my life and finally had independence!!! Through the Legal Assistant Certificate Program at The University of Texas' Continuing Education Program, I had also jump-start my career through an internship at the City of Austin's Law Department where I succeeded in the research for an arbritation that saved the City over $450,000, wrote many ordinances, etc. I also began working at a law firm that had worked on the resolution of the Lamar Savings & Loan Closure (p.237) and worked on this project through 1993/1994. Upon graduation from the Legal Assistant Certificate Program at The University of Texas' Continuing Education Program, I continued my facination of the law through taking some criminal justices classes at Austin Community College in 1991, but this was brought to a halt in 1994 when my daughter reached a complaint with her father.
We moved to Charleston, South Carolina and my education was put on hold again during that time, until the move back to San Antonio College and began working for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, which later became known as SBC while I was there. During that time, I started through an education assistance program with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company/SBC and took some Business Management courses through Dallas Baptist University via teleconferencing, which was a wonderful avenue to take the classes. Later, this education would too be interrupted as I was transferred to Houston, Texas, as a Manager of Construction Analyis, but was laid off with 19,000 other young managers about a year later.
I stayed in Houston, Texas, and worked for various law firms, but the economy got worse in Houston, Texas and looked towards moving back to Austin, Texas; however, before I did that (and, after my latest husband died on 11/11/02 that I had just married on 11/24/01) I re-started my education in January 2003 through the Kaplan University's Criminal Justice degree program.
Now, after two years in the program, I am looking forward towards graduation this Spring with my Criminal Justice Associate's Degree.
I have come a long, long ways through the years of education attempts and probably have earned more credits than your typical college/university student already; however, I do feel that I am earning a degree that I will be able to utilize in any new career path that I choose from here (or, if I return to the law offices as a paralegal). This in combination of my vast volunteerism and activism roles that I have had throughout the years will certainly mold me towards a perfect career niche -- one that I can, perhaps, work my best advocacy through activism (perhaps, even as a lobbyist)or helping in the mediation of the sorts in order to ensure that justice, in the end, is served. Still trying to work through the refinement of the direction of my career at 46 years of age; however, non-the-less too late for me as I have a family history of grandparents and great-grandparents living to well into their 90's (sometimes nearly making it to being 100 years old). The way I live my next half of a life will be greatly determined by the education I complete here at Kaplan University.
How does that song go???? Future's so bright, Gotta wear shades! (Not too sure about the beer references though since I don't drink as a rule.)
In conclusion (thus far), I feel that my education is heading me in the right direction of where I want to be; although the "where I want to be" hasn't been completely refined yet. Perhaps, because of my love of writing, I might consider continuing research topics and/or write some books??? Maybe I can tie that into grant writing for some non-profit organizations seek to aid the underdog (ie the mentally ill or children) in order that they, too, might have justice served in this world. And, to earn additional survival income work through mediation to ensure that the cases are mediated justly, while achieving to take some of the pressure off of the courts from cases that seem quite miniscule in comparison to others that certainly look like they might be setting some pivotable precendent in establishing new caselaw that will enable justice to prevail in the world. Am I looking at this through rose-colored glasses?? I don't think so because I bring to the table a vast education, as well as a diverse experience in the non-profit sector, as well as the legal sector. My posts on this eJournal seeming point to the same interests as well. Time will tell; however, at this time, I sincerely do feel that my education is leading me (especially now) on a good path for providing the education know-how I will need to best assist me in the goals I have set for myself (both personally and professionally).
My education began more than 25 years ago in the post education arena -- studying pre-Pharmacy (in 1978) and Architecture (1979-1982) for more than 4 years (and, actually, some of the Architecture courses were taken at San Antonio College, yet never receiving a degree because of my encounter with Physics my freshman year at The University of Texas - Austin.
I had to take Physics as a requirement towards my Pre-Pharmacy degree, which I breezed through Physics in High School and didn't have a problem (so, why would I think that I would have a problem with it at The University of Texas - Austin. I WAS having problems with it though, and, as such went up to my Professor at the time and asked him to explain something that I was having problems with understanding. He said, "You just have to accept it!" I looked at him wryly and stated, "No, there should be a way that you could explain this to me." He replied, "No, just accept it." I got so frustrated with that Professor and didn't succeed at the class. I went to my Dean and he said that Physics was a requirement and stated that I should do the best I could with that class. What was silly was that in my college years at The University of Texas - Austin, I could do through Calculus III just fine without any problems. As a result of my plight with Physics, I dropped out of Pre-Pharmacy and entered into Architecture until they too required Phyics as a requirement. Having had the bad experience with Physics, I changed my major again despite my sincere love and interest in the field of Architecture, which allowed me to utilize the creative side of my brain as well. I tried some other degree plans -- Elementary Education (1982) but it bored me to death in the art classes due to my artistic skills that I already had AND Real Estate (1983) but I got busy with a long term relationship, jobs, and felt that perhaps my education was going nowhere fast, and perhaps I was just spinning my wheels.
The Business Management and Real Estate Courses were actually taken at Austin Community College in conjunction with some courses at The University of Texas - Austin because I was testing the waters to see if another college would help to spark some interest in me.
It wasn't until 1989 when I separated from my husband (yes, my long term relationship had turned into a marriage in 1983) from an abusive relationship and begun reasserting some of my independence as a mother (to a beautiful little girl born on 8/3/87) and a woman. I started working as a legal secretary in the Escrow business and working temp jobs at various law firms (small and large) through agencies and some on my own accord to make ends meet. I was discovering that my interests were fascinations involved with the law aspects and refocussed my energies on working towards a legal assistant/paralegal certificate of sorts. While working at one of the law firms, I began discovered the Legal Assistant Certificate Program at The University of Texas' Continuing Education Program in 1990, applied for it, and started the education process in 1991 -- and graduated in 1991 (the same time that my divorce had been finalized with my husband). I had made huge strides in my life and finally had independence!!! Through the Legal Assistant Certificate Program at The University of Texas' Continuing Education Program, I had also jump-start my career through an internship at the City of Austin's Law Department where I succeeded in the research for an arbritation that saved the City over $450,000, wrote many ordinances, etc. I also began working at a law firm that had worked on the resolution of the Lamar Savings & Loan Closure (p.237) and worked on this project through 1993/1994. Upon graduation from the Legal Assistant Certificate Program at The University of Texas' Continuing Education Program, I continued my facination of the law through taking some criminal justices classes at Austin Community College in 1991, but this was brought to a halt in 1994 when my daughter reached a complaint with her father.
We moved to Charleston, South Carolina and my education was put on hold again during that time, until the move back to San Antonio College and began working for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, which later became known as SBC while I was there. During that time, I started through an education assistance program with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company/SBC and took some Business Management courses through Dallas Baptist University via teleconferencing, which was a wonderful avenue to take the classes. Later, this education would too be interrupted as I was transferred to Houston, Texas, as a Manager of Construction Analyis, but was laid off with 19,000 other young managers about a year later.
I stayed in Houston, Texas, and worked for various law firms, but the economy got worse in Houston, Texas and looked towards moving back to Austin, Texas; however, before I did that (and, after my latest husband died on 11/11/02 that I had just married on 11/24/01) I re-started my education in January 2003 through the Kaplan University's Criminal Justice degree program.
Now, after two years in the program, I am looking forward towards graduation this Spring with my Criminal Justice Associate's Degree.
I have come a long, long ways through the years of education attempts and probably have earned more credits than your typical college/university student already; however, I do feel that I am earning a degree that I will be able to utilize in any new career path that I choose from here (or, if I return to the law offices as a paralegal). This in combination of my vast volunteerism and activism roles that I have had throughout the years will certainly mold me towards a perfect career niche -- one that I can, perhaps, work my best advocacy through activism (perhaps, even as a lobbyist)or helping in the mediation of the sorts in order to ensure that justice, in the end, is served. Still trying to work through the refinement of the direction of my career at 46 years of age; however, non-the-less too late for me as I have a family history of grandparents and great-grandparents living to well into their 90's (sometimes nearly making it to being 100 years old). The way I live my next half of a life will be greatly determined by the education I complete here at Kaplan University.
How does that song go???? Future's so bright, Gotta wear shades! (Not too sure about the beer references though since I don't drink as a rule.)
In conclusion (thus far), I feel that my education is heading me in the right direction of where I want to be; although the "where I want to be" hasn't been completely refined yet. Perhaps, because of my love of writing, I might consider continuing research topics and/or write some books??? Maybe I can tie that into grant writing for some non-profit organizations seek to aid the underdog (ie the mentally ill or children) in order that they, too, might have justice served in this world. And, to earn additional survival income work through mediation to ensure that the cases are mediated justly, while achieving to take some of the pressure off of the courts from cases that seem quite miniscule in comparison to others that certainly look like they might be setting some pivotable precendent in establishing new caselaw that will enable justice to prevail in the world. Am I looking at this through rose-colored glasses?? I don't think so because I bring to the table a vast education, as well as a diverse experience in the non-profit sector, as well as the legal sector. My posts on this eJournal seeming point to the same interests as well. Time will tell; however, at this time, I sincerely do feel that my education is leading me (especially now) on a good path for providing the education know-how I will need to best assist me in the goals I have set for myself (both personally and professionally).
posted by Kat Davis at 7:13 AM
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