Posted by Alyssa Owens

I was driving to work one morning and heard a commercial for adult education on the radio. The students in the commercial were talking about their person responsibilities and how they had a desire to obtain a great-quality college education. When I first heard the beginning of this commercial, I was saying “SLU SPS!!! SLU SPS!!!”

Now, there are several other colleges that promote their adult education program, but none of them have students who promote it. It’s just a boring announcer who reads the positives of the program. However, this radio commercial with the adult students was really talking about SLU SPS! I laughed when I heard that it was actually SPS, and I started to feel really proud. I was thinking, “Two kids, full time job, and the desire to get a college degree from a great university – yep! That’s me!”

The great thing about SLU SPS is that it is truly for working and busy adults. The students on the commercial really put a good word out there for anyone looking to go back to college to obtain that degree, but what I find is most important with the process of obtaining my bachelor’s degree is that SPS has given me the tools to be able to better communicate my thoughts and ideas and a way to really enhance my self-esteem.

Speaking of better communication, I can’t tell you how SPS classes, students and professors have expanded my thought process. When I am in class, and we are asked for our opinion, we get to think about what WE think, and it’s not just about what the textbook says it is. We get to discuss things that maybe we hadn’t thought about before. SPS has shown me that my way is not the only way, and I can change my mind on a particular subject after I hear the opinions of my classmates and professors (hmmm, I’ve never thought of it that way!).

Although I am totally swamped and missing massive amounts of sleep as a I go through each term, I am proud to be a SLU SPS student! It is worth all of the missed sleep, all of the research and paper writing, all of the things I would have been doing had I not been taking classes. It is so worth it!

Never had I thought that I could be as successful academically as I have been here so far at SPS. It is also quite amazing that now I am excited about the possibility of obtaining more schooling! Who would have thought that ongoing education could be liberating and fun and something to look forward to?

The Department Head of the Criminal Justice and Security Management Program and I met for some conversation about the possibilities available to me after I graduate from SPS. There are so many options, and instead of saying “I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up,” I can now say, “There are so many options and avenues that I can take because I will have a SLU degree!” Now, I just have to figure out which avenue I want to take!

We, as students, have completed a few surveys about the different aspects of SPS that need improvement. There are several sections on the survey that ask about our opinion of the academic advisors, the degree paths, and the professors and department heads. I am a firm believer in our SLU SPS program, and so during the survey, I marked all of these as excellent. I made some comments on the surveys as well, but these comments were of absolute praise for all of the SPS people who offer a helping hand, who are understanding, and who are so encouraging to all of the students. I couldn’t have asked for better people to experience my undergraduate years with, and I enjoy working with all of them!

My point to this blog is not to boast about SLU SPS (although I really could!), but to praise SLU SPS for all of the different ways that the faculty and staff work to encourage and help all of the students. There are so many resources here at SPS that every student should utilize. SLU is a great place, and SPS is even better!! With all of the diverse backgrounds and positive goals to be achieved, SPS is the greatest place to come together and fulfill our learning and growing goals!

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/firma/2057704317/