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Gordon Smith
Gordon Smith began
attending Terra Community College to be an example to his daughter. What
he discovered along the way is that learning is addictive.
A supervisor at U.S.
Gypsum, Smith knows how the economy is changing and how important
training beyond high school has become. "When I was younger, we didn't need college," the 49-year-old said. "Factory work was always out there. But not anymore."
So Smith has tried to
direct his daughter toward college. "I've been trying to preach to my daughter to get her grades up because she has to go to college,"Smith said. "But she would say, 'How can you tell me this stuff when you never went to college?"'
To set an example and
gain knowledge for his own job, Smith began looking around for a place
to enroll. He said Terra was the closest and the most affordable, and so
he began taking two classes at a time.
"I've developed lots of
relationships with students and faculty alike," he said. "I talk about
it all the time when I go home. "At first I was worried that I wouldn't fit in. But my life experiences have helped me open conversations and start debates. It's a wonderful environment at Terra."
Smith started taking
classes at Terra about a year and a half ago. He is pursuing an
associate degree in business management, but knows he will leave 2830
Napoleon Road with more than a piece of parchment. "Some of my most memorable moments have come from Terra," he said, adding, "and that's good considering I'm 49. Terra has helped me find out who I am, even at my age. That's a wonderful thing."
It certainly hasn't been
easy. The Oak Harbor resident can put in up to 60 hours a week at work
and then head off to classes. "You've got to learn to be adaptable," he said. "Every coffee break is an opportunity to study."
So far, so good. Smith
is maintaining a 4.0 gpa and has joined Phi Theta Kappa, the national
community college honorary.
"I've learned a whole
new vocabulary," he laughed.
He credits Terra with
contributing to his success. "Terra is very user friendly. The resources and learning tools that are available are tremendous," Smith said. "There is nothing that I need that I can't find here. And I have fond memories of every class I've taken at Terra."
When he graduates from
Terra, Smith will be the first in his family with a college degree.
"It will be in an
accomplishment," he said.
Smith then plans to
continue toward a bachelor's degree. "Going back to school has been so rewarding," he said. "It's kind of addicting." And his daughter?
She began her own Terra
adventure Aug. 20.
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