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<p>Key takeaways from Nia, who earned a degree, certificate and microcredential in geospatial information science and technology:</p>

<ul>
<li><em>&quot;They [MCC] actually were starting this new&nbsp;program that&nbsp;could be done completely&nbsp;online, so I was like, 'This is perfect.'&nbsp;It was also during COVID. I do&nbsp;have two small children. The&nbsp;online&nbsp;program just seems like it would be a better&nbsp;fit for me.&quot;</em></li>
<li><em>&quot;For half the time&nbsp;that I was [a student] at MCC, my children were at home learning with me. ...&nbsp; We were holding each other accountable. ... Let me get my homework done, let's all&nbsp;sit down and get our homework done. It&nbsp;just sets a really good example: I'm going to work hard, you're going to work hard.&nbsp;... And we just work together and I love that.&nbsp;</em></li>
<li><em>&quot;I've been to school before. I'm now, 10 years later,&nbsp;finally graduating and I never thought it was&nbsp;something that I could do, with two small children.&quot;</em></li>
<li><em>&quot;If you're somebody who is like me and can't necessarily be in class all day, full time, this is&nbsp;a great alternative. And&nbsp;MCC has&nbsp;really great options as far as remote learning and online classes go.&quot;</em></li>
</ul>

<p>Key takeaways from Jimmie, who earned a degree and certificate in optical systems technology and whose life story inspired a listener&nbsp;to call in and share his MCC experiences:</p>

<ul>
<li><em>&quot;I went to MCC right out of high school. Did not know what I wanted to do. Was one of those lost kids like just going to college because I thought that's what I was supposed to do, and ended up dropping out. Then a few years ago, I got an amazing opportunity to go back. I found a great program -- the optics program -- at MCC and found where I belong and was able to work hard and get my degree.&quot;</em></li>
<li><em>&quot;I've always liked science and I've always enjoyed working with my hands, but never really found a career that mixes both of them. ... I did a whole bunch of things. I tried working at a manufacturing plant that makes fuel injectors; it wasn't for me. It wasn't until I went to MCC and JML that I finally started to see like, 'Oh, this is it. This is that career I've been looking for.' &quot;</em></li>
<li><em>&quot;I work at a company called JML Optical and for the past three years, I move around in every department and learn every aspect of the job from start to finish. And then with that, and the education I learned from the classes, it provides a full experience.&quot;</em></li>
</ul>

<p>Quote from a listener who called in after Jimmie's interview:</p>

<p><em>&quot;I was in a similar situation almost 40 years ago. I&nbsp;went from job to job and went back to MCC and graduated almost 27 years old with a two-year degree in electronics, which led to a 27-year career at Xerox. I went back to school at Xerox;&nbsp;they paid for me to get a master's degree. So I want to encourage everybody to do that. MCC is a great, great institution. You get a great education there and it can lead to a wonderful thing.&quot;</em></p>

<p>Commentary from Bob Lonsberry:</p>

<p><em>&quot;The key to so much happiness in life is having a job, right? I think a lot of your problems sort themselves out if you have a job -- not just a job but something that, like you heard the young gentleman who is&nbsp;graduating today, he's got fire in the belly. He's got passion for that. He loves that he's he's going to be a professional at that all his life.&quot;</em></p>

<p>Many thanks to Dr. Alexis Vogt, optics professor, and Jonathon Little, associate professor of geography and director of GIST programs, for bringing their students to our attention&nbsp;and thanks to Janet Ekis, who interviewed and wrote the student success stories for MCC.</p>

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MCC Daily Tribune

Class of 2022 Members Interviewed on WHAM 1180; Tune in Today for Another Conversation

WHAM 1180's Bob Lonsberry interviewed two Class of 2022 members -- Nia Beazer of New York City and Jimmie Salone of Greece -- about their educational journey on his talk show on Wednesday and Thursday (June1-2). A third member -- Mark T. Payton -- is scheduled to speak about his MCC experiences around 9 a.m. today (June 3). Go to WHAM 1180's website and click the link to listen live.

Key takeaways from Nia, who earned a degree, certificate and microcredential in geospatial information science and technology:

  • "They [MCC] actually were starting this new program that could be done completely online, so I was like, 'This is perfect.' It was also during COVID. I do have two small children. The online program just seems like it would be a better fit for me."
  • "For half the time that I was [a student] at MCC, my children were at home learning with me. ...  We were holding each other accountable. ... Let me get my homework done, let's all sit down and get our homework done. It just sets a really good example: I'm going to work hard, you're going to work hard. ... And we just work together and I love that. 
  • "I've been to school before. I'm now, 10 years later, finally graduating and I never thought it was something that I could do, with two small children."
  • "If you're somebody who is like me and can't necessarily be in class all day, full time, this is a great alternative. And MCC has really great options as far as remote learning and online classes go."

Key takeaways from Jimmie, who earned a degree and certificate in optical systems technology and whose life story inspired a listener to call in and share his MCC experiences:

  • "I went to MCC right out of high school. Did not know what I wanted to do. Was one of those lost kids like just going to college because I thought that's what I was supposed to do, and ended up dropping out. Then a few years ago, I got an amazing opportunity to go back. I found a great program -- the optics program -- at MCC and found where I belong and was able to work hard and get my degree."
  • "I've always liked science and I've always enjoyed working with my hands, but never really found a career that mixes both of them. ... I did a whole bunch of things. I tried working at a manufacturing plant that makes fuel injectors; it wasn't for me. It wasn't until I went to MCC and JML that I finally started to see like, 'Oh, this is it. This is that career I've been looking for.' "
  • "I work at a company called JML Optical and for the past three years, I move around in every department and learn every aspect of the job from start to finish. And then with that, and the education I learned from the classes, it provides a full experience."

Quote from a listener who called in after Jimmie's interview:

"I was in a similar situation almost 40 years ago. I went from job to job and went back to MCC and graduated almost 27 years old with a two-year degree in electronics, which led to a 27-year career at Xerox. I went back to school at Xerox; they paid for me to get a master's degree. So I want to encourage everybody to do that. MCC is a great, great institution. You get a great education there and it can lead to a wonderful thing."

Commentary from Bob Lonsberry:

"The key to so much happiness in life is having a job, right? I think a lot of your problems sort themselves out if you have a job -- not just a job but something that, like you heard the young gentleman who is graduating today, he's got fire in the belly. He's got passion for that. He loves that he's he's going to be a professional at that all his life."

Many thanks to Dr. Alexis Vogt, optics professor, and Jonathon Little, associate professor of geography and director of GIST programs, for bringing their students to our attention and thanks to Janet Ekis, who interviewed and wrote the student success stories for MCC.

Hency Yuen-Eng
Community Relations
06/03/2022