One of Mayor Nutter’s first orders of duty when he took
office in 2008 was his pledge to double
the percentage of Philadelphians with bachelor's degrees over the next
decade. Carolyn Terry did not miss a beat in taking advantage of these educational
initiatives, and this year, she is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Business
Administration from Peirce College.
We had a chance to talk to the 55-year-old mother of four
about going to college while working and supporting her family, and what she
plans to do with her degree. Here is her story.
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Tell us why you
started thinking about returning to school.
When Mayor Nutter began his first term, he challenged city
employees who didn’t have their undergrad degree to return to school. It had
been many years since I was a student.
However, I was excited about the opportunity because the City offered evening
Math and English refresher courses. I went for 12 weeks to the Training
Center for Local 1199c (National Union of Hospital and Health Care
Employees). The classes were held twice
a week in the evenings. I was able to
go to class at
When did Peirce enter
your radar?
The mayor offered city employees a tuition discount and
application fee waiver if they considered one of the institutions that were a
part of the Return to Learning network. Peirce was one of those institutions.
Peirce has always held a special place in my heart. My oldest son graduated
from Peirce in 2001 with his Associate degree in hospitality management. . His
wife is also a Peirce graduate and now a professor in the Graduate program at
Peirce. My third son, Andre, is currently attending Peirce and is working on
his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
What was your
experience like at Peirce?
Peirce was an excellent educational experience for me. I love
the support that Peirce extends to current students. The first great experience
was the Walker Center. If you’re struggling, there’s someone at the Walker
Center to help you. The second great experience was the availability of Peirce
instructors—being able to email and call a professor and receive a timely
response. I felt like it was one-on-one learning. Another great experience was
the leadership
retreat with the Walker Center. These services enhanced and improved my
learning experience tremendously.
What was it like
balancing family life with school?
All my sons are grown and I have two at home with my
husband. For me, the balance was saying no to my family or friends’
invites. The juggle for me was being
sensitive to family needs and also being mindful of my commitment to do well in
school.
What tips and tricks
did you learn for achieving a good work-life-school balance?
I was committed to making Saturday and Sunday homework time.
No if’s, and’s, or but’s about it. I tried to get laundry and housework done
during the week. I asked my sons to chip in more than they usually do. I used
the Peirce library as my study haven. I
would go to the Peirce library to complete an assignment or do further research
during my lunch hours. With an accelerated degree program, it’s about making
the best use of your time.
What are your plans
after graduation?
One of my lifelong dreams is to be a teacher. I am thinking
about going to graduate school and enrolling in an education program. It’s not
too late to pursue education. Some
people might say, why do you want to get a degree at this age? My thinking is,
I’m still breathing, I’m still alive, I still have to eat every day, so I’ll
just keep going to find something I enjoy.
I attended the Pennsylvania Women’s Conference where I was challenged by
a presenter who asked, “who said we had to stay in the same position, until
retirement?”
What advice would you
give to other working adults who are considering going to college?
Make school a priority. Be committed to your classes. Don’t
expect more from the teacher than you’re willing to give.
Any final thoughts
about going to college as an adult learner?
I can’t thank Peirce enough. For everything that looked like
an obstacle to me, there was someone at Peirce that helped me overcome it.
Peirce had the computers I needed when my laptop broke. Peirce found me
scholarship money. The commitment Peirce has to its students, for me, it was
just awesome. I don’t know if I would have been successful anywhere else.
***
Congratulations on earning your degree, Carolyn! Best of
luck and we look forward to seeing you at Commencement 2015!
