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Carole Hicks

Major   Business & Organizational Management (DCP)
 
Class   2011
 
Favorite Professors
  		  Judge Larry Puckett; Tim Wehse; Nate Snyder; Michael Palmer
This past May, Bryan students watched as the seniors walked across the stage and received their diplomas.  When the ceremony wrapped up, goodbyes were said, bags were packed, and soon the students left for the summer.  Later that afternoon, however, another graduation took place.  Friends and family gathered as the adult graduates of the Degree Completion Program (DCP) walked across the same stage and received their degrees.  For most Bryan alums, there is a common history of eating in the dining hall, racing to get back before curfew, or hanging out in the grassy bowl.  For degree completion graduates, however, a different story is shared.  It is a story of braving homework, professors, and classes long after you are predisposed to pull all-nighters or cram for a test the night before.  And more important, it is a story of achieving your goals no matter how long it takes. 
 
Carole Hicks from Cleveland, Tenn., is one of those graduates who walked across the stage in May 2011.  She received a Bachelor of Science degree after studying Business and Organizational Management.  Before the DCP, Carole had taken courses at both Cleveland State Community College and Berea College.  But despite having 25 years of experience under her belt, Carole found that without a college degree on her resume, she was not considered for positions for which she was fully capable.  Carole said, "Needing a degree to be considered is what led me to pursue the completion of my degree."  She first heard about Bryan's DCP through its many radio ads.  From there she began researching her options, comparing it with other possibilities.  She ultimately chose Bryan's program for two reasons.  Bryan's program is more cost effective and offers more relevant curriculum, she said, "a curriculum that would also benefit my employer."  
 
When Carole considers the education she received, she believes it effectively prepared her to excel in her current situation.  Unlike most students who attend college with a blank slate when it comes to employment, Carole was already established in a company.  This fact increased the importance of receiving an education that is effective in light of her current employment.  She said, "I feel like the education I received from Bryan was effective and beneficial because it was complemented by life's experience and vice versa."  Her education did in fact prepare her to advance in her current company, she said.  "I also appreciate that the DCP has the 'adult' or non-traditional student in mind when the curriculum and program were designed.  I appreciate that Bryan recognizes that adult students are unique in that they have full-time jobs and family responsibilities, and those personal needs are important and even the reason for participating in the DCP."
 
Not only did the education she received effectively prepare her, she also enjoyed it!  She said, "I enjoy opportunities for critical thinking and effective communication.  The favorite professors listed were ones that helped the class make practical applications to what was being presented."  The program offered an avenue to learn and grow that Carole appreciated.  When thinking about how she will use the degree she received, she said, "My degree has positioned me for further advancement with my present employer.  I am considering pursuing a Master's degree in a few years.  But for now, my priority is my son and helping him be successful in middle and high school."
 
Carole is not a traditional graduate, but she is evidence of the far-reaching and effective hand of Bryan College.  She was unable to attend Bryan College as a young adult, but years later she was able to receive an education that is worth so much more than a diploma.  Carole summed up her experience with the the DCP by saying, "Being able to earn my Bachelor's degree means a lot to me … for my family's sake.  I am very proud of the grades I earned, and I feel more confident and even "affirmed" in my decision to pursue my degree.  At 48 years of age, making the commitment to begin this journey was life-changing.  I had lost a good bit of self-confidence due to life circumstances and situations, but following God's direction and then achieving this goal has helped in the restoration and rediscovery of who I am created to be."