Earlier this month I was thrilled and honoured to witness my oldest grandchild receive a degree at the CalSouthern Commencement in Costa Mesa. Since then I have been thinking about the many good choices that Alexander made which led up to this celebration:
1. Timing - It was only days before that Alexander had his twenty-fourth birthday. He started his post-secondary studies when he was twenty, after having several years of working in the food industry. He had begun a part-time job in the local grocery store when he was in high school and subsequently was hired into a Sales and Marketing Department of a wholesale food distribution company. He wanted to establish his career and education at a young age and did so.
2. Practicality - Alexander chose to register for a Bachelor of Administration degree with a specialization in marketing because he knew it would help him with his career. Some people sign up for classes without a plan and spend thousands of dollars trying to figure out what they want while studying. It is never a good idea, however, to take classes unless they are going to get you closer to your goals.
3. Learning Institution - One of the most important things to consider when choosing a school is whether it has accreditation that will be recognized by regulatory bodies in global locations. It can be very disappointing to invest time and energy only to find out that you cannot get the license or job you want or are required to take additional credits to upgrade.
4. Method of study - Alexander was happy in his job and didn't want to lose income while he was studying so he decided to take an online program that he could do while continuing to work full-time.
5. Payment - Rather than taking out a Student Loan or incurring significant debt, Alexander paid tuitions as he studied. In fact, because his university was in the United States, he would watch the currency fluctuation and paid in advance when the Canadian dollar was high.
6. Consistency - Alexander never procrastinated and didn't ask for extensions. During the four years of part-time study he delivered and delivered on time. In fact, during the last few months he arranged to speed up the program in order to graduate early.
7. Excellence - Cum Laude is a Latin term that represents one of three levels of academic honours. Alexander had a 3.74 grade point average (out of 4.0) and this earned him cum laude distinction.
8. Celebration - There are many ways to recognize accomplishment in life but going to the graduation is something that happens once or twice only. There were five of us (his parents, grandma, Alexander and me) who travelled to California where we toured the new University building, visited with staff and faculty and attended the Commencement Ceremony. For four days we enjoyed time together and built beautiful memories.
If you are thinking about changing or enhancing your career consider the benefits of having additional education, and the choices that Alexander made. Doing so will mean you are working smart instead of just working hard.
Good choices lead to success!