Three Girls.....Three Colleges....Three Approaches

I am so proud to have all three daughters now in college.  I have watched them work hard to wear they are at this moment in their lives, but they have and are taking different approaches to their education.  There isn't a right or wrong way.  They each chose the path that works for them.

Molly is our oldest daughter.  She attends a local community college, North Idaho College.  This semester she is working full time as a Special Education Para-Professional and taking a full load of credits at NIC.  She will graduate in May with her Associate's Degree, then will enter Lewis Clark State College on the campus in Coeur d'Alene, into the PACE program, which will help her earn her K-8 teaching degree.  She has worked very hard in her studies and her job, and I couldn't be more proud of this girl.  She is following a wonderful tradition on both sides of her family by pursuing a degree in Education.

Middle daughter Zoe attends the College of Idaho in Caldwell, Idaho.  C of I is a small, private, liberal arts college.  Zoe is majoring in Anthropology and Sociology, and has minors in Journalism, Religion and Natural Science.  She is starting her junior year at the C of I next week, and is also very involved as a Student Intern in the Student Ministries program on campus which also keeps her very busy.  She works hard and studies hard, which has paid off. She has been on the Dean's List at the college almost every semester, and has made it through even her most challenging courses.  This summer she was an intern at our local newspaper, where I used to be a reporter, and it was amazing to see the similarities in our style of writing when I read her stories.  She also has a heart for service, and missions, and helping others.

 



Our youngest daughter, Cosette, began her first year of college at the University of Idaho just this week.  She moved into her dorm a week early so she could start U of I Marching Band Camp.  Coco is following in her parent's footsteps by attending the U of I, as we are both graduates of this university.  She is also following in my footsteps as a member of the marching band, and currently she is studying Broadcast and Digital Media, part of the Journalism and Mass Media (JAMM) department at the U of I.  I also graduated in this department, but when I graduated, it was called the School of Communications, and my degree was in Public Relations.  It exciting to have Coco attend the same college we did, and we plan on attending the football games this fall to watch the performances of the awesome U of I Marching Band.

 

 

Three daughters....three colleges.....three approaches.

 

 

They each are taking their own path.  Three unique young women who are completing a journey toward higher education.

 

 

As I work with students and talk to them about college and careers, I try and be one of the people who helps guide them into the path they choose, whether it is professional technical training, academic, military or hands-on apprenticeship, or some other path, students need to realize they are unique, and that each person chooses a unique path. 

 

This also means people may walk many different paths until they find the one that fits.  But I think the best way to find the right path is figuring out where your passion lies. 

 

These are questions I want my students to think about:

What do you like to do?  What excites you?  What would you love to do for the rest of your life?  Or even 5 or 10 years of your life?  Because chances are you won't have the same job or same career your whole life.  Chances are you will change jobs at least five times in your lifetime. 


From the time I graduated college until now, I have had over ten different jobs.  My current job holds the record for longevity.  I have had my current job coming on 8 years. 


Some of the frustrations I find in working with students is their inability to see their uniqueness in themselves.  They either think they have nothing, they aren't good enough, what they do is not special, or they think if they say they are good at something, they are bragging, and they don't want to brag.


This year as I work with the 9th and 10th graders in my program, I want to help them see their uniqueness.  I want to help them dream.  I want them to think big about themselves and their abilities.  It is a big undertaking, but it is worth it!

Maybe I will have them listen to this guy to get some inspiration...Ha! Ha!