Do you want to expand your horizons and go back to school? Juggling work, family and education can be done. With a lot of hard work, planning, strategy and commitment to your future, the possibilities are endless.
Anoka- Ramsey Community College employs many mothers with a full-time position and a desire to continue their education. One employee fits the description. Kally Kruchten, of Sauk Rapids, is a full-time employee with ARCC and serves as a Administrative Assistant for the Marketing & Public Relations department. She will soon be celebrating her three year ‘anniversary’ of employment. Kruchten’s work responsibilities consist of a variety of things that include the weekly College Bulletin for employees, the construction of the new ARCC website, the Visual Arts Center Groundbreaking Ceremony, the Cambridge Campus Patio Dedication Ceremony, and assisting the ARCC President. Kruchten applies her special skill of keeping a positive attitude on a daily basis.
As a permanent employee, Kruchten, receives full benefits with a bonus. After three years of employment she is eligible for the MnSCU Tuition Waiver. This is a program that allows employees that would like to further their education and enroll in curriculums free of charge.
It is clear that Kruchten is right where she belongs. She added, “All that and a job i enjoy!”
Kruchten’s weekly schedule consists of 40 hours of work a week, not including her daily drive of one hour each way. On occasion she will bring her work home with her. She says this is not mandatory but helps her keep up with her tasks. She can recall one instance where she applied family time to a work related project. She put together candy boxes for legislators and senators in efforts to persuade them to vote to fund a college building project. She says her boxes must have helped because the Visual Arts Center now be constructed was funded by the state. Beyond her life at work she has a husband, a toddler at home and goals to register for classes at ARCC.
When asked about what motivates her to go back to school, Kruchten said that is her family’s well-being and her personal ambition. “I know it will allow more career options for me to provide for my family.”
Spring semester 2010 is when Kruchten plans on ‘hitting the books.’ She will sign up for six credits as a part-time student. She has not limited herself to campus classes, she is taking full advantage of an online class and what it will provide. Her goal is to first attain an Associate in Arts degree with an emphasis in Psychology, then she would like to go and an receive her Bachelor of Arts degree in Community Psychology.
Most mothers can agree that raising children and caring for a husband is a job in itself. Others may say that there isn’t time for anything else. Kruchten said her biggest obstacle she will have to overcome is her ability to manage her time. She says it will be difficult to draw the line where work ends, school begins, and then go home to her family.
Kruchten’s strategy for successfully providing time for work, school and family is taking one night class and one online class. She hopes to get studying done between work and her evening class, an hour of study at home, and to find time on the weekends.
“My options range from taking evening classes, to online, to classes offered off campus in a college on Your Corner program.”
ARCC was an obvious choice of colleges for Kruchten to attend due to benefits and her busy lifestyle. She promotes that ARCC has flexible courses.
“I would recommend Anoka-Ramsey because of those options that people have and also because we are the lowest cost tuition in the system,” said Kruchten. “ I think that those are two very important aspects when it comes to choosing a school.”
No comments:
Post a Comment