Five Things I'm Glad I Did

After a post on five things I wish I did differently as a student, I decided to look at the other side of the coin and reflect on five things that I am really glad that I did as a student.

1. Studied a broad liberal arts education. I approached all of my courses - whether Chemistry, Creative Writing or World War I - with an intent to learn. At the undergraduate level, I majored in the Humanities with a focus on History, Religious Studies and Literature and minored in Exercise Physiology. At the graduate level, I majored in International Studies. I developed the ability to think broadly using many different lenses and to make sense of complex interdisciplinary systems, which is a skill I use day in and day out in my career.

2. Stayed healthy. I exercised often, ate my fruits and vegetables, got adequate sleep and avoided addictive toxic substances. A healthy body feeds a healthy mind.

3. Made good friends. All the academic literature on student success highlights how important it is for students to form positive support networks. I chose to surround myself with students, faculty and staff that made me a better person and challenged me personally and academically. I stay close to many of these people to this day and they continue to have a positive impact on my life - first and foremost my amazing spouse.

4. Worked hard. I remember that the neighbor in my dorm had a sign on his door: "Hard work pays off in the future but partying pays off now." Well, the future is now here and the adage holds true. The discipline and focus that I developed through sustained hard work serves me well to this day.

5.   Pushed outside my comfort zone. I have 29 aunts and uncles and over 50 cousins, and almost all of them live within a 60 mile radius of St. Cloud, Minnesota. As time passes, I am gaining a greater appreciation of how fortunate I am to have such strong family roots. Yet, my life has unfolded in wonderful ways as I have unbounded my educational and career pursuits. It was uncomfortable to move away for my undergraduate education and then to move even further afield for my graduate degree, but pushing outside my comfort zone has enlivened many opportunities.

Five Things I Wish I Did Differently

They say hindsight is 20/20. For the most part, I am happy with the choices that I made while a student, now ten years out from my Bachelor's degree and seven years out from my Master's degree. However, if I could somehow travel back in time, these are the five things I would have done differently as a student.

1. Participate in international study abroad. I had the opportunity to study abroad in Ireland for a semester but I elected not to do so. I did manage to save some money by not studying abroad but I also missed out on a very unique educational experience. Now that I have had the good fortune to travel internationally as a career professional, I realize the amazing growth and learning that happens when you immerse yourself into different places and cultures.

2. Take more math courses. I took Advanced Placement Calculus in high school and then one statistics class at the undergraduate level and another statistics class at the graduate level. I use math all the time - in particular statistics - in my current role as a higher ed administrator. Since I only took a few courses of math, I now need to go back and re-teach myself.

 3. Take more time for career exploration. I did not take advantage of the career development resources at my undergraduate institution. Over the course of my educational career, I was majoring in pre-medicine, physical therapy, exercise physiology, religious studies, history, literature and international studies. I was entirely focused on my academic interests - which is not in and of itself a bad thing - but I neglected to give serious thought to how I planned to translate my knowledge and skills into a career. I figured things out in time but career exploration earlier in my life would have helped the process along.

4. Study a second language. I have both the privilege and the disadvantage of being a native English speaker in an English-speaking world. I studied Spanish in high school and wish I would have continued my studies at the undergraduate level.

5. Consider a broader option of graduate schools.  The jury is still out on my graduate school choice. I elected to attend an elite program at a competitive private university. I do believe that I benefited intellectually from this choice; rigor and expectations both ran very high. Whether or not this degree credential gives me special edge with an employer somewhat depends on the particular employer and his or her biases. I do know that I am making 120 payments of $450 to pay off the student debt that I incurred. Was the cost worth the benefit? In retrospect, I am not sure.

Foundations of Success: Code Shift

Who are you?

You may identify yourself as a parent, a student, a brother, a Muslim, an environmentalist, a teammate, a friend, an American, a gamer, a Latino, a Republican, a nurse, a veteran, and so on. Chances are, you have a number of different identities: some more prominent, some less; some that you were and some that you are and some that you want to be; some that you define for yourself and some that others define for you.

This leads us to the next question. How do you act when you are within a certain role or identity? Do you act the same when you are a parent as when you are a friend? Do you speak the same words when you are talking with your parents as when you are talking with your Army buddies? Do you dress the same when you go to work as when you go out on a date as when you go to church?

In many cases, the answer is probably not. You most likely act, speak, and dress differently when you are being a parent as compared to when you are being a friend. What is expected, or what is considered normal, most likely varies from one role to the next.  In other words, the code that guides how you speak and act and dress shifts when you transition from being a parent to being a friend.

College, just like a synagogue or a work place or a dance club, has its own code. There are certain expectations and beliefs about how you speak and how you act and how you dress, unwritten rules that define what is considered normal - just as you find in the military or in your family or in your neighborhood.

Of course, within any of these culture, you may choose to speak or act or dress differently than what is considered normal. Nevertheless, you need to be aware that many others are perceiving you and judging you based on the unwritten rules.

Now, when you talk differently as a nurse than as a friend, does that somehow make you less of a friend? No, you are just shifting code. When you act differently at college than you do in your family, are you pretending that you are someone you are not or abandoning your past? No, you are just exercising cultural awareness.

For example, if you follow college code while in your neighborhood, you may be perceived as a square, but if you follow college code while at college, you will be perceived as a responsible student. Alternatively, if you follow street code while in college, you may be perceived as disruptive, but if you follow street code while in your neighborhood, you may be perceived as strong. It all depends on the culture in which you are currently operating.

You do not need to follow college code, but if you do, you will face less judgment and bias and misunderstanding, and - in general - you will have an easier time collaborating, communicating, persuading, and gaining legitimacy with students, faculty, and staff.


 Some major aspects of college code:

- Always be on time and communicate with faculty and staff if you cannot attend.
- Take initiative and ask for help if you do not understand.
- Use proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling when communicating with faculty and staff.
- Resolve conflict through discussion and mediation (not argument or aggression).
- Value diverse perspectives and backgrounds.
- Think critically for yourself  (as opposed to looking for the "right" answer).

News Flash: Go to Class, Do Better!

Research has long held that a student's academic preparation in previous schooling significantly impacts how well a student does in college. Today, researchers are looking more and more at another significant impact on success: student behaviors that predict success.

By the time you get to college, there is not much you can do to change the academic preparation you have received in the past. It just may be that you have to overcome more hurdles than another student. However, right here and now, you can change how you do things in school.

According to higher education researcher Paul Gore, there are six non-cognitive factors that significantly impact your success in college. All of these factors are behavioral and thus within your control.

1. Academic Engagement: go to class, complete homework, study, get tutoring

2. Academic Self-Efficacy: take initiative, ask questions, take responsibility

3. Educational Commitment: identify motivation, see value in your education

4. Campus Engagement: get involved in extracurriculars (but don't overdo it)

5. Social Comfort: get to know other students, attend social-cultural events

6. Resilience: never give up

College Culture

When I talk about "college culture," I am not talking about art shows in the student union or the freewheeling social lifestyle often depicted in movies set in college. Rather, I am talking about the norms and expectations held by the students, faculty, and staff on your campus. That is, how are you the college student expected to act and communicate?

You may protest: "Who cares what is considered normal or respectable?!? I am going to be myself and if you don't like how I act or communicate, that is not my problem!"

I see your point. But consider this: how you act and communicate will shape others' perception of you. Right or wrong, this perception may impact your academic opportunities, your social capital, your job prospects, and more.

Look, as a working professional in the world of higher education, I think the idea of professional attire is bunk. In my opinion, professional attire is counterproductive, superficial, aristocratic, and based on unexamined and irrational assumptions. But will I show up to a job interview in jeans and a t-shirt? Put slightly differently, do I want others' perceptions to rule me out before I say a single word? Cultural change takes time, and sometimes we need to pick and choose our battles.

So - my personal agitations aside - it is to your benefit to accomodate the norms and expectations of students, faculty, and staff at college. By in large, college culture also aligns with the expectations of the professional working world. Some of the major expectations of college culture include:

- Use decent and respectful language at all times
- During class, silence and disregard all mobile electronic devices not associated with learning
- Use proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling in any college communication - essay, discussion, e-mail, text message, et cetera
- Complete all required work on time
- Be on time for class, meetings, appointments
- Respect and listen to viewpoints different from your own
- Self advocate if you need help
- Ask questions if you have them
- Look to challenge yourself rather than seek the easiest path
- Take action to solve problems rather than blame or complain

Very Important (But Very Boring) Things

Syllabus What could be more exciting than a syllabus, right? Nevertheless, your syllabus is a road map for a course. It is also a contract between you and your Instructor, identifying expectations in terms of content, attendance, and grading.

Glance over your syllabus for each course and identify:
- your Instructor's office hours and contact information;
- textbooks and other materials required for the course;
- the due date of assignments and tests; and
- the quantity and quality of work required to get the grade you want.

Academic Integrity Policy Yawn! Everybody knows that you will get in trouble if you cheat, right? But what is plagiarism, exactly? And how about multiple submissions and complicity? Even group work may be considered cheating, depending on the context. Shoot...you might be cheating without even knowing it; nevertheless, if you are caught, you will receive zero points for that assignment or test. When in doubt, ask your Instructor first!

CCD Connect I am sure you are all up to speed on CCD Connect, right? You know, the place to go to register for classes, check your grades, review your financial aid status, learn about upcoming extracurricular events, and all that. You can also access Desire to Learn here, the online home of all your courses. And don't forget to click on the Student E-mail icon; CCD will only contact you through your @student.cccs.edu e-mail account.

I am sure you are enraptured by these fascinating details about syllabi, policies, and online portals, but that is all for today, folks!

Disaster Recovery

Unfortunately, our global village has experienced a number of disasters this year. The causes of some are completely beyond human control, such as the earthquake in Haiti. The causes of others are completely within human control, such as the oil spill in the gulf. But in either case, our response to disaster is our responsibility.

The same can be side of an academic "disaster" you might experience. Maybe you are failing a course because you were too busy to bother with homework. Or maybe you are failing a course because you were struck with illness during the semester. In both cases, recovery is your responsibility.

So, what to do when the worst happens in your academic life?

1. Consult with your instructor. If you know, beyond a doubt, that you will not be able to pass a course, it is better to withdraw from a course than to fail a course. Pay attention to deadlines, use withdrawals sparingly, and be aware that you may face consequences with financial aid.

2. Check your financial aid status. Your financial aid may be in suspension as a result of your poor academic performance. Start working on a financial aid appeal as soon as possible. Gather any documentation you can: medical bills, a letter from your employer, et cetera.

3. Learn from the situation. If the "disaster" was your own making, what can you do differently next semester to change the situation? You only get so many chances and only have so much time, after all.

CCD Connect

CCD Connect is the new and improved replacement for MyCommunityEd.

This semester, you can still access both "portals" on the CCD website. However, CCD Connect will be the only access point in future semesters.

Use CCD Connect to register for classes, check grades, review financial aid information, contact instructors, withdraw from courses, view news updates, find contact information, and more.

Log in to CCD Connect today using your S number and MyCommunityEd password.

Oh no! I am failing my course!

If you fall behind in a course, there are a number of actions that you can take right now to help you catch up and earn a good grade.

1. Go to EVERY class and turn in EVERY assignment. This seems like common sense, but sometimes there is a difference between intentions and reality. Ask your instructor if you can turn in assignments late for partial credit, which is better than no credit.

2. Talk to your instructor. Ask questions about things that you do not understand. Tell your instructor that you really want to do well, but you are struggling with the course. Your instructor is there to help you, but s/he cannot help you if s/he does not know that you need help. Call, e-mail, talk to before or after class, set up an appointment for office hours - however you can do it, talk to your instructor!

3. Go and ask for help in your student support services office. The staff there may be able to get you set up with an academic tutor. They can also give you tips on study skills and test-taking.

4. Dedicate more time to your class. You may have to make some tough decisions on your time management, but try to spend at least one additional hour each week reviewing for your course. In the end, this may save you time if it helps you avoid re-taking the course next semester.

5. Form a study group with other students in the class. If you prefer to study alone, try out some new study skills. Again, see your student support services office for some tips.

There is no time to delay; get started on improving your grade today! Remember, it is not how many times you fall down, but how many times you pick yourself up that will determine your success.

The Easiest Instructors

I have heard of students who pick out their classes based on the "easiest instructor" or the "easiest class." My question is: Why do you want the easiest instructor or the easiest class? How will this benefit you?

The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle said, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit."

If you repeatedly take the easy way - the classes or the instructors that do not challenge you, do not motivate you to learn and to grow - where does that leave you? There might be a short-term benefit - less homework, better grades - but in the long-term, will you reach your full potential?

Or, look at it this way. An employer is making the final choice between two relatively-even job candidates. One candidate has a lower GPA, but has taken more difficult courses, and can talk about how they continually learn and improve through hard work and effort. The second candidate has a higher GPA, but has taken easier courses, and does not have much evidence of a strong work ethic. As an employer, wouldn't you rather have the person who works hard, who is not afraid to try difficult things, who can persevere through challenges? Yes, I think so.

Success is available to each one of us. We all have the opportunity to pursue our strengths and passions through hard work and determination. But you have to earn it - every day! You become who you repeatedly are...do your best every day and you will become your best.

Experiential Learning

Here is a riddle for you. Rafael wants to get a good job. However, he can only get that good job if he has both experience and a college degree. But when he is in college, he is not out gaining experience on the job, and when he is out gaining experience on the job, he does not have time for college. What is Rafael to do?

The answer: experiential learning!

Experiential learning is a broad term that covers a lot of different types of activities, including internships, service-learning, volunteer opportunities, study abroad, group projects, et cetera. The gist of experiential learning is to combine your academic learning with a "hands-on" or "out-in-the-field" activity. In its many shapes and forms, experiential learning both enhances your understanding of the classroom material and gives you a relevant "real-world" experience.

Find a wide-range of experiential opportunities on CCD Career Connnections.

Many experiential learning opportunities are teacher-directed in a classroom setting, such as service-learning. But other opportunities are directed by you on your own time, such as internships or volunteer opportunities or relevant part-time jobs.

What are you waiting for? Find an internship, volunteer experience, or part-time job that is relevant to your academic and career interests. For example, would you like to be a nurse? Then volunteer at a hospital. Would you like to work in Information Technology? Then find a work-study position in a CCD computer lab.

You will develop your knowledge and skills, while gaining an experience to put on your resume!

Find a wide-range of experiential opportunities on CCD Career Connnections.