Take the First Step: ‘You’ll Be Surprised How Easy It is to Return to College’
In this video, James Lord shares what drove him to complete his bachelor’s degree, the immediate impact his studies had in the workplace, and advice for others considering a return to college as an adult learner.
Transcript:
I grew up in a very low, lower middle class, kind of situation. So I didn’t never thought college was going to be my future. and didn’t, I was fortunate to get a nice white collar job and have an opportunity. I know most companies don’t provide that to people. So when I had that opportunity and then eventually got married and had kids, I, it just, occurred to me. I’m like, look, I don’t want my children to grow up and say, well, dad didn’t go. So it was important to me to find the time to go back to school, both for myself professionally, but then also as, a role model for, for my children,
I’m super fortunate that I work for a company that does offer, tuition reimbursement. And so it’s, it’s kind of interesting that I grew up in a lower middle class situation where I never thought I’d be able to afford going back to school and ended up in a situation where I was actually employed by a company who paid for the entire, I think so I think at the, at the pace that I was going back to school, it fit right within our tuition reimbursement policy. and so I was able to graduate with a degree without ever having to pay a single dime out of my pocket, which was Amazing.
I was working the entire time, but the truth is, my, my, what I tried to control was I’m going to start and I’m never going to stop. And at that time, the school of continuing ed with provide college had the most flexible schedule, and I was traveling quite a bit. And so that was really important to me. And so after meeting with, the SCE department at provide college, it just, it was, I was quickly convinced that this was probably going to the most accommodating school that I was going to find, by the way, it didn’t hurt that my father-in-law went there. My brother-in-law went there. my great uncle went there. My one of my best friends went there. Right. And so I had a lot of there’s a lot of testimonials. I think that kind of helped form that form, that decision as well.
I never took on more than I could, or bit off, more than I could chew. I started off with taking one course per semester, and then I eventually ramped the two once in a while. I would take three, then I might scale back down to one, if that’s, if I knew what my, my job was going to require from me in like an upcoming quarter, I think the flexibility, and the accommodations that, the school continuing I provided, that, and my just my, personal work ethic, convincing myself. I’m never going to stop.
One of the most fun parts for me, in being, a working adult, going back to school. I did have professors who were similar in similar situations, right? I had, I had professors in some finance and business courses who were working for CPA firms that my company actually does business with. And so there would just be this instant, not just respect for each other and comradery, but, but what he was teaching or she was teaching what I was learning was applicable to what I was going to do at work tomorrow. Right. Or what I had done at work last week, and then realized like, oh, there’s another way that you can kind of look at the situation.
The biggest challenge that I had in making the decision to go back to school was literally taking that first step. So I remember parking outside of Providence college and walking up to the door, just being overwhelmed by hold on a second. In my thirties, I’m going to be surrounded by a bunch of 18, 19 year olds. And it just really what I want to do. And it was the hardest part was walking into the school to make like that first appointment with a admissions counselor. And, the second hardest part might have been attending the first I was taking classes onsite, nights, a Providence campus. And, but then after that first class and I passed with like a perfect day, I realized I’m like, okay, this is I, I could do this, and it just becomes part of your run rate. So instead of binge watching Netflix one night, a week or something, you catch yourself writing papers into work.
I couldn’t have asked for a better experience while I think there’s a lot that goes into the decisions on what makes people promotable or able to get the next level. I think having something like a degree, certainly a degree where you had a strong GPA or you have additional certificates or anything else you can have in your tool belt that further separates you from your peer group who might be interviewing for a job, it’s going to be beneficial to you. Right. So, I think in that way, it was absolutely beneficial for me. in fact, about five months ago, I was just promoted to become a senior vice president with the company. So it’s, a very, big role that I had been wanting to go by the way, which a role that I went for three or four years ago, didn’t get so three or four years later now with the degree, that’s saying that was the only thing that made the difference, but for sure, I think it absolutely helps in terms of preparing people to get to that next level and I’m, and I’m thrilled to have been able to achieve that.
So, interestingly through, I wrote my first book, on leadership. So I actually have a copy right here, you on, so it’s, don’t wait, I never to write book I’m writer or author, but I leadership experience and knowledge, and then everything else that I continued to pick up just through, school and work. And, and I was good at taking notes and writing papers because it’s part of what you have to do when, when you’re certainly going back to school. And I took a lot of that during COVID I had all the notes. I was like, I think I have enough here to kind of put some material together and write a book. My wife was super encouraging and said, you should absolutely do that. And about a year later, I, I did. So it’s actually it’s, it was very exciting, really exciting.
My advice to anybody thinking about going back to school is start earlier than I did. Right. I was kicking the tires on this idea when I was 21, 22 years old. And I waited until I was 34 35 to actually, take the first step, took me way too long. And I would just encourage people if you’re thinking about it, just take the first step because you, you would be surprised, I think how easy it is once it kind of acclimate and it gets in your run rate, like most other things in life. And, you you’ll realize you’re better at it than you thought you were going to be. So people in the SCE office have been amazing when I started this journey. and I think if that kind of support and flexibility hadn’t been there, I was looking for an excuse for, for a reason not to do it. Right. And, and so I would just give huge kudos to, I think the whole SCE department and all of the work that they to try to make it as, easy and comfort as possible.
