RACC Success Stories

What brought you to RACC?

I was encouraged by my teachers to go on to go on to college immediately, but that wasn't necessarily something that was a value in my family. My family were blue collar, demolition, construction, automotive. My uncle still has a business 60 years later. The pathway to college was not necessarily one that was understood by my family, so it was get out and get to work. My youngest sister went to college and teaches sixth grade in the Twin Valley School District, but my other siblings have all gone the pathway of a trade.

After leaving home I met my husband, he finished school at Johnson and Wales, and we got married. At that time education was not my primary concern but making a living was. I was bartending for DuPont’s private dining rooms. It was early 90s and DuPont was going through a lot of restructuring. I was promoted out of the private dining rooms into their training and development area. I worked in their training and development center for about seven years. After I had my second child, I said if I can work from home and come into the office one day a week, I'll be back. So, I worked from home - first woman to work from home there. I would say my corporate education was just as valuable as my classroom education.

My kids were very small at the time. They were two and four and even working from home and all of that it was just a rat race. At this piece of my story my niece got sick with leukemia and when she was just about nine years old they did a stem cell operation on her and she actually ended up passing away. Every decision I've made has been either like seeing an opportunity and say “yes” I'll go through that by faith. Secondly, it's like I'm making sure every move that I made was putting my kids in a better position to get them a better education. So, it made sense at that time on wanting to be closer to family. Having just lost our niece, and wanting to get the kids back into good schools, is what brought me back to Berks County. We knew that once the kids were in school that I would go back. It was my turn to go back and get my education.

When I gave up the corporate job, I was in a position where people needed a bachelor's degree and I didn't have one. So that was again one of those things that if I stepped out I knew that I couldn't step back in. So, in stepping out, I did hear from my siblings particularly my older siblings, that I was dropping out. To my family going to college was not hard work. That's why I really do understand the students here because there isn't a real deep connection to understanding the work of college. So, first day of classes I’m scared nervous. I was a non-traditional student so I had no idea what I was doing. Similar to a lot of our students, we are afraid to ask because I figured somebody would say you should have known this.

How did your experience at RACC shape your career path?

I tell students even today that that I was born an artist and college taught me to write. I just loved my writing classes. Growing up in a big family you're always vying for attention. And so, getting attention was art. You know, art was something that you could show your mom and she's like “Oh it's beautiful.” No one had time to sit down and read anything. Writing didn't really come into the picture for me although I was always a reader and I always loved, loved, loved library and spent a lot of time hiding away in those kinds of spaces, away from all of it, but art was really the way that I could get my point across to my parents or get them to understand what I was doing. It's hard to show an essay.

At the time, the dean, Dr. Karen Jacobson, saw something in me. Dr. Jacobson saw me and she saw my writing and asked “Have you ever thought about writing?” and I said “No” and I told her exactly what I just told you - that there was no one who had time to read anything that I wrote. That's the moment. I tell students even today that that I was born an artist and college taught me to write. At RACC I was asked to be the editor of the Front Street Journal and of the editor of Legacy. I just was involved in a lot of things, because it was convenient. I could get my kids to school and I could be involved in all these things. I really just immersed myself in being a RACC student. I really got to be a college student here at RACC. In fact, my first year my husband gave me for Christmas a trip to Cancun so that I could have spring break. I was like, the oldest person there. And he thought that he was planning it right but it wasn't the American Spring Break it was the Canadian spring break. I'm not going say anything more because then we're going have to redact it.

So, it was just practical to go to RACC. I had already received a few scholarships through RACC - through the Honors Program helped by Dr. Blakely and through Phi Theta Kappa and Dr. Singleton. They both encouraged me to apply for the Phi Theta Kappa All PA scholarship and I got it. For a young family trying to make ends meet those scholarships made a massive difference. They absolutely did. I can't even imagine for a young family, what that means, when every penny is so critical.

My transition from student to working all over the college doing various things - Enrollment Services, advising, different special projects, as an administrator - one of the patterns that you see there is an overarching idea of improving transitions. From the time that I took on dual enrollment and how that can enable transitions and better the transition to college to the Title V grant work right now which is about really improving the transitions in our admissions and in our advising process.

So, when I transitioned to Kutztown University that first semester it was brutal. It was no one's fault. It was impersonal. I hate to say that about Kutztown University because it wasn't necessarily meant to be impersonal. It was just that RACC had become very personal and still is. Doors are open everywhere at RACC. The doors are open and people are coming through and people are talking to you. That was true of students like me and my experience was that I could go to a faculty office and they were there. That I would be able to connect.

I had done a paper that found that 53% of the students here on the RACC campus were adult learners. When I went up to Kutztown, I was part of the 8% of the population of adult learners. So that first semester was really hard. Being a member in that classroom where the audience was part of that traditional life in the residence hall, 18 to 21-year-olds, you know, and I'm like, not relating here, not relating. And, of course, I made my way and I end up having a great experience at Kutztown University but it certainly at the time was not built for the 8%. It was built for the 92% of the kids that were there. So, the RACC experience shaped my career, even during Kutztown. The key element there was that the doors were open.

Dr. Jacobson called me and offered me a job teaching technical writing just because of my corporate background and having written those kinds of documents. When I first walked into a classroom for as a faculty member, now talk about full circle, you know, it was awesome. This is where I want to be. It just felt right. Teaching was absolutely the goal.

Dr. Weitz called me in and she said I really like to make you an offer to take over the dual enrollment program. I had very little context, other than Dr. Jacobson had pulled me into her office and said not to be worried if the president contacted me and I'm like now I'm worried. So, to be called into Dr. Weiss his office is definitely a formidable experience. I was called into her office and asked if I wanted this opportunity. That was a benchmark moment for sure.

What advice/insight would you give to current RACC students?

When I was in the classroom teaching writing, I'll tell you a story of this one woman, brilliant and had already survived so much, and, and she was and she was doing great on our papers, she's a beautiful writer. And now, Monday class and she's looking at me and she's like I gotta quit. And I'm like you can't quit. She's like you don't get it, I had to quit. And by then I knew her story and her husband. His forte was to work on hot rods, like he would go and he would fix up these old cars and of course, I can relate to that. And he would he make a lot of money and that's how they survived. So, she’s sitting in the car with her kids working on a laptop, and he's yelling at her because he needs help wrenching this part out, because he doesn’t want her to go to college, he doesn't want her to spend the time that it takes to write a paper because it doesn't look like work. I told her to go home and tell him that the same way that he is wrenching out that part from deep inside that engine is the same way that you're wrenching out an idea to go on that paper and it's going to take time. She stayed. She stayed. But again, it's just one of those stories how we change people's lives is because we've lived that story. And it's those moments that could be the difference.

One of the messages that I used to tell students was, and it's going to sound like a cliché, if someone that you believe in, that you admire, looks at you and says, I think you can do this, that opportunity presents itself. Take their faith. Take your own and go for it. That's cool when the opportunity presents itself, someone believes in you. That's cool. I think that there's an old expression about keeping the bird in the hand rather than the bird in the bush. And so, Berks County is very bird in the hand. I'm the bird in the bush.

2021 marks RACC’s 50th Anniversary. What message would you like to pass on to President Looney and the RACC Community on this historic occasion?

I would say that, that the message that I just gave you is about opportunity. I don't want to let students down, but I don't want to let their vision down. People see opportunity, they're like, oh she got the opportunity. No, I did the hard work to get to that opportunity. And then I did the hard work again to make that opportunity into something. I'm very appreciative of the opportunity. And I know that my story is among many stories of RACC graduates here that work for this college that believe in the mission of this college. We really are the backbone of this institution.

What brought you to RACC?

I was going through a rough time in my personal life. I ran into a friend who was in the same situation as I was, and was attending RACC. She told me all about RACC, and how to apply for financial aid so I was able to attend RACC.

How did your experience at RACC shape your career path?

RACC helped me when I was at my lowest point in my life. Doing well at RACC helped my self-esteem, and helped me get better jobs along the way. When I saw a job opening at RACC, I applied immediately. RACC was my happy place as a student, and became my happy place as an employee.

What advice/insight would you give to current RACC students?

Stay focused on your classes, and stay up-to-date on your assignments. There is nothing more rewarding than hearing your name at graduation.

2021 marks RACC’s 50th Anniversary. What message would you like to pass on to President Looney and the RACC Community on this historic occasion?

I am very grateful for my past experiences as a student at RACC. It turned my life around - from not knowing where I was going, to leading me back to RACC as an employee. I definitely am #RACC PROUD!

What brought you to RACC?

I was studying at a private four-year college in rural West Virginia and had some severe health problems that needed to be handled by a better health system than what was available in that area. When I came back to this area for treatment by a nationally recognized doctor in Bethlehem Pennsylvania, I decided to take classes at a local college in order to stay on track for graduation. Since I was living in Berks County, RACC made a lot of sense. RACC became so much more than just the "bridging the gap" college meant to keep me from falling behind in my studies. For the remainder of my education I kept coming back for summer classes because I loved it here so much.

How did your experience at RACC shape your career path?

My intended career path was to teach at an elementary school, preferably the International School near Waterloo Belgium where I had made connections as a "juene-fille-au-pair" in between high school and college. My health made Belgium an impossible climate long-term, so alternately I planned to teach in Pennsylvania until I could find an international teaching position. I was not able to find a local teaching position because of a change in state policy, so I used the work experience I had gained as a student worker at RACC to step into a full-time position in Financial Aid "temporarily." Several of the international teaching options I was considering did not work out within the first year or two of my employment at RACC, and I loved it so much here that I have not really considered looking for a job in "my field" since. I have been a full-time employee at RACC for almost 16 years, and my experiences here entirely redirected my career path in a great way.

What advice/insight would you give to current RACC students?

Sometimes your life takes unexpected twists and turns. As much as life goals are great, and having a plan is important and helpful, do not allow yourself to be so stuck on your goals and plans that you miss the enjoyment of the "detours." Sometimes those detours are meant to help you appreciate the end goal more when you finally achieve it, and sometimes they are meant to redirect you to a place you never would have considered on your own. Either way, do not allow yourself to lose your joy in the "detours." Life is too short to waste on a bad attitude about where you would rather be today.

2021 marks RACC's 50th Anniversary. What message would you like to pass on to President Looney and the RACC Community on this historic occasion?

In many ways, 50 years is a long time! For an institution to last that length of time it needs to be dependable, faithful to its goals and mission, and yet at the same time innovative, creative, and flexible to the changes of the world around it. Yet in comparison to the age of our nation, or even human history, 50 years is virtually nothing; blink and you miss it. Horace Greely once said, "Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident, and riches take wings. Only one thing endures and that is character." Character is what has made RACC continue to exist, and character is what will define your life and what others will remember about you. Use your short time on this planet to build character, because that is what will give you an enduring legacy.

What brought you to RACC?

After working in what felt like dead-end jobs with no ability to advance without a college degree, I decided to come to RACC to get an education that would allow me to find a career that I enjoyed and that allowed me to give back.

How did your experience at RACC shape your career path?

When I started at RACC, I was originally a business major. I was given the most wonderful advisor and was a part of the KEYS program where I was given a great deal of support and encouragement. The love and support I received ultimately had an impact on me changing my major to Social Work and wanting to be able to make a difference in the lives of students. Fifteen years later I am still here and so happy to be the Student Life Coordinator at RACC.

What advice/insight would you give to current RACC students?

I would like all students to know never give up on their dreams. It will be hard and there will be times when it feels like you can’t do it, but trust in yourself and use all the resources and wonderful staff and faculty to help you get it done. You can start at RACC and go anywhere in your life and career.

2021 marks RACC's 50th Anniversary. What message would you like to pass on to President Looney and the RACC Community on this historic occasion?

Congratulations on the 50th Anniversary and for continuing to make RACC the place that helps changes lives and the surrounding community.

What brought you to RACC?

Thrifty parents that were looking for a good solid educational program with a reasonable price tag. As an heir to many descendants born and raised in Berks County over many centuries, I was a first-generation college student. My family was not familiar with the higher education process regarding admissions or financing options.

How did your experience at RACC shape your career path?

As the daughter of conservative parents born during the Great Depression, I was only given limited career path options - teacher, secretary, or nurse. I was accepted and ready to begin at PACE Institute in the legal secretary program. My father wanted me to get a second opinion and I'm certainly glad he did. I never looked back! The Admissions Director at RACC at the time, convinced me that having a general secretarial degree would open more doors than just in the legal environment.

Part of the secretarial program requirements were to complete an internship. I was very fortunate that my amazing, supportive Program Advisor/Professor recommended me to the Continuing Education Department at RACC to complete that requirement. Based on my performance, I was hired by the College prior to graduating, and, thus began my RACC career.

Due to various circumstances, I have held a variety of positions at the College over the last 30 years. I also completed a second Associate's Degree and went on obtain my Bachelor's Degree from Alvernia University, which opened more career opportunities.

I most recently obtained my Real Estate License and am affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, and looking forward to another exciting, challenging career path.

What advice/insight would you give to current RACC students?

• Take advantage of the FREE services (Career Center, Resume Writing, Tutoring)
• Find what you ENJOY and are good at
• Align yourself with an Advisor/Professor that can be your mentor
• Don't give up!

2021 marks RACC's 50th Anniversary. What message would you like to pass on to President Looney and the RACC Community on this historic occasion?

RACC is the "Community's" College and the changes that have occurred with the growth from one single building to seven buildings, as well as the change in sponsorship from a single school district to Countywide over the previous 25 years have enabled numerous more students to become part of the campus Community.

With the collaboration with high schools for Dual Enrollment for our entering students to the four-year schools for seamless transfer out, we have anchored ourselves as a well needed resource in Berks County.

The educational spectrum has changed recently and RACC rose to the challenge and offered various options for student success during the crises. As we move into the next half-century, educating Berks County residents and beyond, I look forward to all the amazing new and exciting programs and services that RACC creates to expand and continue growing.

What brought you to RACC?

After I graduated high school, I came right to RACC. I was told for years that I had learning and reading issues and that I was not college material. In the 70s, you were either in a college, vocational, or general education track, and I was in the general education. What worked out in my favor was that during my senior year I would give up my lunch to lifeguard for my guidance counselor. I also taught swimming lessons to children which was something that I really enjoyed. My guidance counselor said I should enroll at RACC because they had a child development program and I enjoyed teaching children. I knew I did not want to work in the factories so my mom brought me in to RACC. I didn't know how to navigate the college world, so I was handed directly to the Admissions area. In those days, RACC was just starting out, so the staff was small. I ended being introduced to the Child Development Program Coordinator, who would eventually become my mentor.

How did your experience at RACC shape your career path?

My first experiences here in the Fall of 1980 was taking General Education classes and I wasn't a stellar student. I wanted to withdraw, but my mom told me you never quit and to hang on one more term. So, I stayed on for the Spring Term, and took my first Early Childhood Education class which I really liked. Also, I was able to spend time in the Early Childhood Education Lab School on campus. However, the unprepared college student in me reared its head. I went to an Early Childhood class and it was time for a major exam which I was not ready for because I didn't pay attention to the syllabus. I panicked. Judy Peterson Sherwood, the instructor and program coordinator, told me to go home and study because she would give me a second chance at the exam. If she had not given me a second chance, I would have been done with college. She also gave me a student worker position in the childcare center and that established my long career at here at RACC.

It took me two years to get my Associate's Degree in 1982. By the time I transferred to Alvernia University for my Bachelor's Degree, I was working for RACC full-time. My mentor served as my unofficial advisor who helped me negotiate my classes because as a first-generation college student, I didn't know what to do. After I received my Bachelor's degree, Judy asked me to develop a kindergarten program at RACC. A lot of RACC students who were on public assistance or were single moms struggled because in those days local schools didn't offer full-day kindergarten. So, students who didn't have extra transportation and couldn't pick their kids up at noon because they were taking classes, had issues. We ran that program for three or four years.

Then, I went for my master's degree at Nova Southeastern via distance learning. During those times, there was not really an online option, but all the materials were sent to you. I also applied for the position of Director of the Childcare Center at RACC. I completed my master's degree in 1994, and I began to teach Early Childhood classes in our management program and was splitting most of the teaching of these programs between Judy and myself.

Then I decided to enroll in the first cohort of the leadership program at Alvernia University to receive my doctorate. In 2016, I was moved into the Assistant Dean of Social Sciences, and through some restructuring, my title now is Associate Dean of Social Science/Human Services and Foundational Studies Divisions.

What advice/insight would you give to current RACC students?

They have the opportunity at RACC to explore wherever you want to go. They can do whatever they set their mind to; don't let someone tell you that you can't. If you have the grit, and it is in your heart, you can make it. The access, opportunity, and hope that RACC offers makes a huge difference.

2021 marks RACC's 50th Anniversary. What message would you like to pass on to President Looney and the RACC Community on this historic occasion?

Keep dreaming. We need to keep dreaming and remember we can do and be anything we want to be, and not be held back.

What brought you to RACC?

I did very poorly in high school. To be honest, it was very much a challenge for me. But on the other side of the coin, I was very gifted in athletics. I was All-State in water polo in high school and in my senior year I had been All-American. I was ranked top 40 in the nation, but, to be very transparent, my GPA was like a 2.2. I was getting offers from all these colleges, and they'd see what my GPA was. And they'd say, we can flex, but we can't work with that. So, I ended up landing at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania. They're a Division Two school and I had a great time. But it was very clear pretty quickly that the standards that were in effect for most colleges were there for a reason. Within my first year, I realized very quickly that it was extremely challenging for me.

So, my first year and my second year didn't go too well. Then by my second year, I started to have seizures at the college. The only thing that was really holding me together was playing water polo. By the time I was in my junior year, I was still having seizures. I had a seizure the day before water polo season opened, and got sent to the hospital. And since I had so many seizures prior, the hospital actually called the athletic director. They said it's a real big risk if he plays. If he has a seizure in the pool, he's going to die. So, then the athletic director brought me into the office. He told me that he appreciated everything I did for the school in terms of reputation and playing athletics, but I couldn't play. He still gave me the scholarship for junior year. He said that if I was able to play by my senior year, I'd get the scholarship again. So, I always tell people, my junior year was probably the worst year of my life, because I'm very much a team-oriented person. I didn't get to practice with the team, play with the team, or do anything like that. And I kind of went on a downhill slope. I didn't get better and I was still having seizures. So, I didn't finish at Mercyhurst, but I came home.

I was actually looking to go to Alvernia, but none of my major courses transferred to Alvernia. So, they basically told me, I was going to be starting as a freshman except for my Gen Ed courses. So, I was absolutely broken.

I basically started all over again and went to RACC. And it was a great decision. When I went to Mercyhurst it was very much a weeding out process. They said that there would be a certain amount of people who don't make these programs, and they're not going to be here anymore. And when I went to RACC, it felt much more like everybody's working together to get me through the program. It was much more of the support that I felt like I needed. And your learning disability program at the time was extraordinary.

Tomma Lee Furst who worked in Disability Services was probably my biggest advocate. So, it was just a lot of comfort, and it was very easy to transition from Mercyhurst to RACC. But I felt like RACC gave me so much more support. I really can't say enough about Tomma Lee too. She was beyond an advocate. She was somebody when I was down, I could go there, I could talk to her. She'd say don't give up. So, it was just a very fostering and inclusive environment. Mercyhurst was ranked nationally in disabilities services as well, and they had such a robust program. Coming to RACC, I just felt like it was extremely similar. There was so much care and understanding that if I went to a teacher and I said I have accommodations, there was no push back. it was very comfortable for me.

How did your experience at RACC shape your career path?

Marlene Fares, who was in charge of career development at RACC, was the person who got me my first real job. Marlene was such a big advocate. I graduated from RACC in business, but I'd always felt this really strong compulsion to get a massage certification. When I was a high school sophomore, I had a shoulder injury, and the only two options were to get rotator cuff surgery and sit out the entire year, or I could go to see this massage therapist. And like every other man in Berks County, I was opting for the surgeon because the massage therapist was who my mom used to go to. And she would say, you know, you've got to check him out. So, I went to a couple sessions with this guy, and, not only did he get my shoulder better, but there was muscle gain. I thought if this guy can help me, I can probably help a ton of people. So, when I was 18, my senior year, he started to teach me very basic massage techniques. After I graduated from RACC I went to massage school and got my accreditation after six months. Then I started my first business ever - my own home-based massage business. It ran for about six years. While I was doing that, I took classes in the Alvernia adult education program at night.

The person who I was prior to having epilepsy didn't care about school at all. It was 100% focus on sports. I was very much the person who couldn't care less about going to class, but if I lost the game, I was losing my mind. And as soon as I began having seizures, my entire paradigm really shifted. I enjoyed playing sports, but I wasn't aggressive anymore. And now on the other end of the spectrum, I began to love learning, and I never loved learning before. So, I always feel like I missed out a little bit because in high school, I didn't care at all. And most of the years in college, I didn't care at all. But any chance I get now to learn, I really capture the moment. Because whatever happened after epilepsy, it really kind of changed who I was, and it made me so much more appreciative of learning. So, I think. epilepsy to me has been a blessing because it gave me time to go through some really difficult things. But on the other end, I think I'm coming out a better person, essentially, because I'm looking to help people and I'm looking to be not as selfish as I was prior to having epilepsy.

After Alvernia I actually decided to go get a master's degree in acupuncture. I was thinking, I'm already doing massage, so why not do acupuncture too. And I started a program, but it was really the antithesis of going to RACC. They didn't follow any ADA guidelines, they didn't care that I had learning disabilities, they were doing things their way. So after about a year, I ended up leaving the three-year program. I continued my massage business, and although it was very amateur in terms of a business, I had a very good book going, and I was making pretty good money in that. And I had never worked a corporate job. I've never worked any job other than massage, which is really like working at the beach.

But I was just getting so frustrated that the people who would say “this hurts” would say they didn't have time when I would tell them that all you have to do is work on it for about five minutes a day. I'm thinking how is that possible. So, I said to the people who didn't want to do it, I can't be your massage therapist. I was actually my own worst enemy. And it was probably the worst thing ever because I eliminated 75% of my book, and that's not great for business. Very amateur business move. After that, it just went on the downslope and I really needed to get a real job because I'm bringing in about 200 bucks a week and that's not really covering the expenses.

So, I hooked up with Marlene Fares in RACC's Career Services right away who helped me up land new jobs including at an addiction treatment center and at a manufacturing plant office. I got laid off from the plant, but after about six months I found my first real job with Penske truck leasing. I started off working in the billing department, and then I was taken on a pilot initiative. We had about 30 people in the department, and we were transforming the department from billing to supporting sales. Essentially, we were account managers. So, I did that for about two years, but I would continually ask for more responsibility. I wanted to grow very, very quickly there. I ended up leaving, and I went to a small company, the best company I've ever worked for. They really were extremely accommodating, very flexible. But it was a similar situation, again, where they told me the role I was going to be doing. And then the role I was going to be doing was about half of that responsibility. So, I constantly bring it up to them and say, I want to do more. I really wanted to get into marketing because I want to see the marriage between marketing and sales. And this is a $25 million company that never marketed ever. They never even sent an email out, really. So, I said, you know, I just want to jumpstart this and see what we can do. And they were a little slower to warm up on that front. So, I just said I know I can do this.

And then I started a company. We ended up starting with a resume company to try to help people get into schools, because I had had so many different jobs at that point, that we really knew what the process looked like. And then we transformed that into a digital marketing agency because we had so many people reach out to us and tell us that we made fantastic material, we had great copy. We just started to get hooked up with local associations, and those associations would funnel businesses our way. Then by last June, we probably had about ten clients. I would go to work in the morning, come home and work on the ten clients. Kira, my fiancée and co-founder, would do that as well. She worked at the Caron treatment center as a marketing specialist. By June we had enough clients that I could come full time for the business, and then by December Kira could as well. Now we both work full-time for the business.

I think the biggest things that RACC provided are - number one - RACC is so much more like real life experience than going to a Mercyhurst because they talk about concepts and real applications. I went to RACC for a business degree, but then I went through three levels of the mechatronics program as well. And it was just such a cool thing because that was exactly how I wanted to learn. I wanted to learn in the morning and then apply all the information that I learned in the morning at night. So, to me, that's really the benefit of RACC. And it's not just specific to the mechatronics program. It's also specific to all the other programs, you can see what you're learning today and how it's going to impact you in real life tomorrow. And then I think the second thing is the network of RACC people that are in my life all the time. I have built relationships now that serve me to this day, and enrich my career and my life. It's such a rich combination of not only getting the education, but then having the people to fall back on if you need some additional advice as well.

What advice/insight would you give to current RACC students?

I think my best words of wisdom may be more for the 18-year old, just because I didn't know this. But I think number one, before you go through the entire process of finding a major, think about it and think if this is something I'm going to enjoy doing the rest of my life. And I think on the back end of that is going out there and getting that real-life experience. Because so many times I thought that I should get a degree in coding or something like that. And the reality is that if you're a coder, you're going to be at your computer ten hours a day. And if you're someone who's dynamic and you want to be outside, then you may really enjoy technology, but you may not enjoy technology in that particular scenario.

I also thought, when I got a degree, every door in the world was going to open up to me and I can apply for any job. But, it's just really not that situation. You have to make sure that what you're going for really encompasses what you're passionate about. Our business makes okay money for a one-year business, but we have no time and really our time is our money. So, we find so much more richness spending time with each other. I know all these kids that come out of college and they think, I want a $50,000 job or I want a $75,000 job, and it will be fun. But, it's not going to be fun if you're making $75,000 and you're hating waking up and going to work every day. You have to know that when you go to some of these companies, you're simply a number to them. Every business is different in terms of their culture, and whether they see you like a person or a number at the end of the day.

2021 marks RACC's 50th Anniversary. What message would you like to pass on to President Looney and the RACC Community on this historic occasion?

I always see RACC as really being like the jumping point. So, I really see RACC as that starting point and to be 100% transparent, it's where I should have gone first. If RACC were not in the community, I can't imagine how many people would not be afforded an opportunity. There are other institutions around here, but they don't offer the education at the price and the help to get started. At the end of the day, I think what's right is giving everybody the opportunity.

What brought you to RACC?

I was a troubled kid, and was undiagnosed dyslexic. And I didn't really find out I was a dyslexic until I was in my 30s. So, it's a little bit late to discover that, but I just had this really strong passion to do better. I always said to myself, this can't be all there is, there has to be more. I never had grades or anything that I could have gone right to a four-year college. So, a couple of people said, why don't you check out RACC, and I did. You know, when you walk in a place and you feel comfortable, you feel at home.

I grew up in Lancaster County, among the Amish and the Mennonites, and had troubles as a youth. So, this was big - to go into the city and go into possibly higher education. I was the first one in our family to go to college and graduate. I was escorted out of my high school by a police guard. I'm the founder and CEO, Executive Director of the Camel Project because of my experience, growing up being bullied, witnessing the bullying, becoming the bully, and then being the target of the bully. And now I'm the defender. So, I grew up in a very chaotic, alcoholic family. I witnessed the bullying between my parents. And then in school, I became the bully. I had a learning disability, and I was put in special education. I had glasses, I weighed 300 pounds, and then I was the target of the bully. Then one day I just snapped, and became the bully and committed a felony in school. It's a typical story that is still happening. And that's why the Camel Project has started. It's still happening, you know, we can't have years of school shooting, and nobody's doing anything about it. So, I'm not an educator, I am coming from the perspective of being all three of them, and now being the defender and the advocate for people who are bullied. Bullying is a behavior, it's learned. And it goes throughout your whole life unless there's an interruption. And we want to be that interruption.

And you know, you didn't have too much opportunity either. It was you were pretty much going to work in the factory, and get married, and have a bunch of kids. That wasn't me. And when I went to RACC, I'll never forget, I was exposed to people I had never seen before, to different cultures and different nationalities, and it was just such a melting pot. The atmosphere of learning was amazing, and as a dyslexic, I learned my own way. I don't learn how everybody else learns. So, I had that flexibility. It was a great introduction. By my early 20s I had gotten my GED, I lived near Adamstown, and I had a factory job in Berks County in the city. It just wasn't me. I just didn't fit. And it was phenomenal to walk into RACC and feel like you fit. And the classes were very convenient. I worked during the day so I took night classes while working full-time.

How did your experience at RACC shape your career path?

Well, I graduated in 1989 with an Associate degree in Business Management, and then I went on to Kutztown University for the four-year degree. At that time there was no articulation agreement, so I had literally had to start over. I am still bitter about that. I give RACC credit for encouraging me to go for the four-year degree, especially Professor Mary Lou Kline. And she has no idea who I am. She has absolutely no idea who I am. But those kinds of people don't know the impact they make on other people. I remember I had her for a 10 pm class. And we were all exhausted because we all worked full-time. It was a great experience for sure.

I found the coursework very challenging because I had been out of school since I was asked to leave in ninth grade. I hadn't had any formal schooling for years. So, it was a huge adjustment. My English was like, first-grade level so I had to take all those developmental courses. You know, that was helpful. They didn't throw me under the bus. They said you're at this level, you need to get through these courses, and then you can start taking the college courses. So, obviously, being a dyslexic, English was like, forget it, right? Start really basic. And with their encouragement, I was able to do that. I was motivated so I was able to finish in about two and a half years.

At Kutztown University I switched to political science, which was just totally my personality. It's history without the term papers, right? So, I graduated with a B.A. degree. Then with my husband we started our own technology business in 1996. Twenty-five years ago, and I'm still the CEO of that company. Then three years ago, we started the Camel Project. So, I'm the founder and CEO, Executive Director of the Camel Project because of my experience, growing up being bullied, witnessing the bullying, becoming the bully, and then being the target of the bully. And now I'm the defender. I took an online course at Drexel University to run a nonprofit which was enlightening and frightening at the same time. All these people need is a little support, a little self-awareness, and a little confidence.

What advice/insight would you give to current RACC students?

You know, RACC has always been a great foundation. So, I talk about RACC all the time I talk to kids. You want to go to college, I'm like, start RACC, first thing, and then get your feet wet. Or go to a trade school. Well, the fact is, it's going to save them tens of thousands of dollars. Well, and it's local. You know, right out of high school, you've got to get your feet wet, you've got to be a little bit mature, you've got to be able to take it on based on whatever level you're at. And, you know, sometimes you need to mature a little bit, and you should do it here at home, or, you know, at RACC, and if you fall down, we'll be here to support you. I know they will, because they worked for me as well. That's a support system, community support system.

I would say, enjoy every minute that you're there. Make sure you get and use every support system, every service, everything that you can, to generate as much experience as you can. Because at some point, when you leave, you're going to have to be that support system. Our motto is it starts with you, but it's not about you. So, you need to take care of yourself first. In order to be a healthy, balanced community leader and member, take every piece of support, everything that they offer. And just have a good time. Have fun. I think that's a really good one. And if you have a need that's not being met, tell them this is what you need. And I guarantee you, more people after you will need that support system too if they're not offering it. Speak up if you have a problem. Be vocal. Not loud, but be persistent.

2021 marks RACC's 50th Anniversary. What message would you like to pass on to President Looney and the RACC Community on this historic occasion?

Well, first of all, congratulation, of course, but there's more work to be done. And having the direct connections to the students is where the secret sauce is. I was here when Dr. Gust Zogas was the RACC President. It would be nothing to see him walking through the halls. He didn't know who I was either, but, just seeing him there, him being actually in the building, was kind of awesome. And again, sometimes you get so busy as a leader you forget. I'm just here to remind. That's what I do. And you know, it's not just about the education. It's about the support system that our community needs.

What brought you to RACC?

I am a native of Ephrata, where my Mom was on the School Board. My Dad served as the Elementary Principal in the Garden Spot School District. I was a mediocre student and young for my age. Shippensburg rejected me. I had few choices. However, I knew how to work. I had been working since I was twelve at the Ephrata Pool. I also worked for Blue Ridge Cable out of Ephrata and then had a job offer from Channel 6 in Philadelphia. I decided to go to RACC for economical reasons. It was the most cost-efficient way to earn my degree. I also knew I had to earn my Associate's Degree, work hard and make money to afford my final two years of college.

How did your experience at RACC shape your career path?

I had to mature in a hurry at RACC. I went to college from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. and then I went to work at J.E. Tobacco from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. I would return home at night to do my school work. This was not the typical college experience of beers and parties and fun. I worked hard, developing that would serve me the rest of my career. I had solid grades at RACC. My GPA was a 3.4. I was able to transfer to Shippensburg for my final two years and all of my credits transferred. Again, at Ship, I worked hard both at school and at different jobs. I sold pizza at 25 cents a slice and then I worked as a Fire Station Manager and earned Firefighter of the Year honors in 1982.

I went to work at Kenny Shoes as a salesman and was named the Salesman of the Year. You see a trend here. I moved into "Temporary Staffing Services" and climbed the ladder to become president of a 25 million-dollar company. I saw the opportunity to develop a separate workforce entity which became Flagger Force. Flagger Force started in 2002 and we bought our first truck in 2004. I went solo in 2005 and Flagger Force became my fulltime job in 2006.

What advice/insight would you give to current RACC students?

• Always be on time.
• Do what you know is right, even if no one is looking.
• Raise your hand when an opportunity presents itself.
• Work hard.

2021 marks RACC's 50th Anniversary. What message would you like to pass on to President Looney and the RACC Community on this historic occasion?

I walked into RACC right after the college moved to the Holiday Inn. RACC was open door, one of the few open doors available to me at the time. RACC offered me the means to achieve my goals, even if I wasn't sure I knew what my goals were at the time. I hope there are other young men and women like me who need that door to be opened, who are ready to work hard and do what is necessary to succeed. I look forward to welcoming President Looney to the Corporate Campus of Flagger Force to see what a RACC alumnus can accomplish.

I believe in 2nd chances. RACC offered me a 2nd chance after Ship turned me down. I have developed a 2nd chance program at Flagger Force similar to the 2nd chance opportunities that RACC offers to so many students every year. Keep offering those 2nd chances. You never know what RACC alum on a 2nd chance will be the next CEO of a company like Flagger Force.

Biography

I am a mother of two. I have a 16-year old daughter and a 14- year old son so that takes up a lot of my time. In my free time. I enjoy reading and writing but I'm also very much an outdoors person. I like paddle boarding and hiking. I like doing things as a family. I love the beach!

I got my first degree at RACC in health information management and worked in medical records. Later I worked as a personal trainer and in a chiropractor's office. I graduated from the RACC Nursing Program in May. So it seems like forever, but it's a short time. Since then, I've passed my NCLEX exam and started my job in the cardiac intermediate unit at Tower Health.

I'm starting my bachelor's degree courses in September. And there is a consideration of going to school to be a nurse anesthetist. It is a future goal, and it is something for which I have to acquire experience in critical care first. And if I would not go that route, it would definitely be an acute care nurse practitioner, which is working in critical care with critical care patients.

What brought you to RACC?

What initially brought me to RACC is I started my pursuit of my nursing degree. When I was a year out of high school, I got accepted into a program. And I also found out I was pregnant. It was kind of a curveball. I had a very difficult pregnancy so I decided to put the nursing degree on hold and pursue another degree while I was pregnant and raising my daughter. When I looked at RACC, I realized that it was doable to go back to school and actually finish that degree. I decided to give it a try, and I earned an associate’s degree in health information management first.

How did you experience at RACC shape your career path?

I always knew I wanted to be a nurse. And that was something I thought, I'll put it on hold. But I love pursuing education. I went back to school. I got my associate’s degree, and I started working in medical records. And it's great, I worked with great people. But sitting behind a desk and working in an office just wasn't for me. And that's when I decided to cross over into fitness. And I became a personal trainer. And I worked with a chiropractor's office, which helped me use the personal training skills that I had as well as work with patients. So, I had more patient interaction. And I realized that that was really my passion. I realized that I should look at going back to school and finishing my nursing degree.

Now I am working in the cardiac intermediate unit, a part of the critical care division at Tower Health. We not only work with cardiac patients, we also work with anyone who has thoracic surgeries. The great thing is that you get to see people come out of cardiothoracic surgeries, open heart surgeries who are really sick and you get to see them actually start to get better. So that's one of the great things about being on my floor. I started the RACC Nursing Program thinking I wanted to be a psych nurse. As I started to go through the program, I was drawn towards critical care. And I realized that I really liked every aspect of it. And so that's what I went for right out of school. I didn't think I'd end up in cardiac. In fact, if you would have asked me two years ago, I would have said I would be nowhere near cardiac. As I was doing well in school, I realized that cardiac was something I excelled at. I was getting really interested when we were on a cardiac floor. I thought that maybe that's where I should consider going. And I actually do love it.

The education you receive at RACC, it's very good. You have two years in the program, which is a shorter program than some others. It really makes you focus. You really have to critically think all the way through. Nursing schools tell you that they're going to make you a critical thinker. With the tests and the clinical work, it really does force you to find a way to find those critical thinking skills and use them. And now that I'm in the field, I realized it wasn't just something they were saying. Critical thinking is key. When you're working with a patient and their condition is changing, you really have to figure out what's going on with that patient. My RACC education really sharpened my critical thinking skills and made me a better nurse.

When you're going into a hospital such as Tower Health that has its own nursing program, you think, "Oh, I'm going be the outcast" there. But I feel like I got the same consideration as everyone else and I'm treated the same. They have the same respect for me as they would for any other person coming from the nursing program.

What advice/insight would you give to current RACC students?

That is never too late to start! I'm 38. And I just finished a nursing degree program. So, if you're telling yourself you're too old, like I was, it's not true. And I don't care if you're older than me, it's never too late to start for nursing students or potential nursing students. I think when you stand at the start line, all you see is it's going to be hard. And what if I fail? I've seen a lot of people not even pursue it because of that, like, I'm not even going to try. And I guess what I have to say is, if you're passionate about it, it's going be hard. And you might fail. Even I failed sometimes. But if you are truly passionate about it, it's worth it. And it has to be hard because on the other side of that, you're going to be taking care of people, you're going to be the one that can keep them alive, or the one that's going to make them better. So, it has to be hard. And that's okay, because at the end of it, you're going to be like it was so worth it.

Well, healthcare is, as we all know, a growing field and there's a growing need. So not only for nurses but physical therapists, occupational therapists, RNs, LPNs, and everything that you can think, there's a growing need there. You're not going to graduate and not have a job. You're definitely going to have a job and they're going to compete for you. When you go into any hospital organization you work for, there's opportunity for growth. You may start in one area, but there's so much opportunity to grow. And then as you change and you want to change locations or have to move, there are always going to be job opportunities for you. You're not routed to one place. There's always a need.

Every single place that I applied offers some type of educational assistance and does offer certification courses and continuing education courses through their program. They offer the opportunity to get those credits right in the hospital, and at no cost to you so you can renew your license. That's the great thing about coming to RACC - you don't have all those student loans following you, it's a lot less, a lot more affordable. And you can take advantage of the benefits and all those opportunities to grow. And it's practically all paid for. So, it's great.

2021 marks RACC's 50th Anniversary. What message would you like to pass on to President Looney and the RACC Community on this historic occasion?

Well, I'll start by saying that if it wasn't for RACC, I probably never would have finished my nursing degree. And that's because I looked into so many programs and the cost and the time as a mother of two and working two to three jobs, it didn't seem doable. So, I guess the message I would want to give Dr. Looney and RACC as a whole is just thank you for being that open door when I thought that door was closed to me. Because you go through and you tell yourself, I'll never be able to do that, I'll never be able to do this. And then I looked into RACC's program. And that was the first time I said, I can do this. This is something I can do and is achievable.

Biography

In 1999, Auria Bradley entered the doors of RACC seeking a new start. She began her journey at RACC in the Community Education Department as a GED student. She obtained her GED in 2001 and shortly thereafter stared her journey to the Associate's Degree. She graduated from RACC in 2005, then transferred to Albright College where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in 2007. Her passion for education continued to Capella University where in 2011 she earned a Master's Degree in Human Services. The quest for ongoing education led her to enroll in a PhD program at Capella University where she is currently completing her dissertation studying the relationship between acculturative stress and academic self-efficacy of Latinx community college students. She one day hopes to write a book about her life and journey.

During her years as a student at RACC, Auria worked as a college work-study staff member and then was hired in 2002 as the secretary for the counseling department. Throughout her 20-year professional career at RACC, she was able to obtain various positions in student affairs as an Admissions and Career Counselor, College Instructor teaching GED, and also teaching College Success Strategies and Psychology courses. She now serves as the Director for Career Training, Community Education & Professional Development at RACC. Her passion for serving others in the community has led her to join various boards and committees within Berks County. She currently serves on the Workforce Development Board of Berks County, the Salvation Army Board of Reading as Vice-Chair, and is a member of the South of Penn Task Force, as well as, the Wyomissing Foundation.

Auria Bradley was born in Newark, New Jersey - a city much like Reading, Pennsylvania. She moved to Reading seeking new opportunities in 1996 and is the proud wife of Ryan Bradley and a loving mother and grandmother. Her personal passion and goal is to serve others and help build hope for people in the community of Reading and Berks County.

Auria's focus now is to bring new innovative high-demand career training opportunities that help to fill local workforce needs and provide sustainable employment for community members in the healthcare and business sectors.

What brought you to RACC?

In 1999 the manufacturing company that I was working for went bankrupt. I was an administrative clerical manager and had been trained by the company for the position, so I didn’t need a high school diploma. They gave us about a month’s notice before they shut their doors and I became lost and wondered what am I going to do now? I was a single mom with three kids and a 10th grade education. I knew I needed to get my GED and put it on my resume and get another job because I had the experience of working for a couple of years and I had some skills. Somebody said to me there were free GED classes at RACC and I signed up with the encouragement from generous neighbors who helped watch my children while I was at night school. I remember the first day of class, sitting there receiving this big GED five-subject book. The instructor, who was so kind, read my facial expression and said, "Don't worry, we're going to get through this." So I was here two nights a week, never missed a class and I studied at home, I even purchased my own book to have at home so I could study there. After a couple of months, the instructor asked if I was ready to take the GED exam and I said yes. After the four-hour test, I passed! Then my instructor was pivotal in helping me enroll in RACC and actually assisted me with the application.

How did your experience at RACC shape your career path?

My GED instructor had asked me what are you going to do after you get your GED? I said, I don't know, get a job. She said, a job is nice, but maybe you want to go to college and get a degree to get a career path. So I took her advice and, as I always say, I walked into RACC and never left. In the beginning, I was in developmental classes. I had just passed the GED, but at the same time coming into college, I still needed some extra skills to get to the college level. So I started as a developmental student. Then I went into my major and graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science in the Executive Secretary program in 2005. I also started working as a work-study student staff member in the Advantage program here.

While I was finishing up my associates degree, Career Link offered me some free training dollars for some skills. So I enrolled in the career training program at RACC, which I oversee now! It was an eight-week program which ran over the summer to brush up on some office skills including spreadsheets and PowerPoint. I got the certificate for executive secretary and a position became available for a secretary in the counseling department. Judy Rubright, former Assistant to the Director of RACC’s Center for Academic Success, encouraged me to apply for the job. I was interviewed and got the job so I became a full-time secretary at RACC in 2002 while I continued my education.

I transferred from RACC to Albright College’s accelerated program and graduated within 24 months in 2007 with a Bachelor's in Organizational Behavior with Applied Psychology. Once I received my bachelor's degree from Albright, I was able to apply for a GED instructor position here at RACC which required a bachelor's degree. That position was extremely rewarding for me personally because it allowed me to give back and share my experience as a student to encourage the other students that no matter where you're coming from and what skills you have, we're going to get you through the GED. You can do this.

Then I went on to get my Master’s Degree in Human Services, with a specialization in social and community services, at Capella University in 2011 while working the whole time. Because of my master’s degree, I was able to obtain a job at RACC as an admissions counselor. Now I was going out into the local high schools, encouraging students and helping them understand their placement test results. I would sit down and advise them on their classes. I also started teaching as an adjunct at RACC.

I was very instrumental with the Reading High School / RACC Opportunity Scholarship students with my College Success Class which sets the students up to be successful. They came in as a cohort during the summer, so we only had them in that one class where they could focus on the campus before they started their full-time schedules. That was so rewarding also because I was so close to the students. We had such a wonderful time over the summer and they became really good students in the fall. I just feel such a connection to those students and I want to hear their stories and help them succeed.

I have been in various positions at RACC including KEYS Program Coordinator, Director of Literacy Programs, and now as the Director of Career Training, Community Education and Professional Development.

Currently, I'm chapter writing for my dissertation for my doctorate degree.

What advice/insight would you give to current RACC students?

I would tell new students that RACC is a special place where people care and provide the support needed to help you with your education and training needs.

I would also say to them is that no matter what anyone tells you, You can succeed.

I would say RACC is the "Hope Place" and B209 is the "Help Place."

2021 marks RACC's 50th Anniversary. What message would you like to pass on to President Looney and the RACC Community on this historic occasion?

I would say to Dr. Looney that I am so proud of what RACC has done for this community and for me, and so many others like me that walked through the door, looking for some help. I wish RACC continued success, and I'm glad to be a part of the team and the community.

I want people to know that we have so much here for everyone. You don't have to always go the degree track, we have training too. We just have something for everyone and that we're here to help.

Biography

My name is Holly (Lutz) Kline. I have been the Student Records Manager at RACC for the past 31 years.

I was born and raised in Reading, and graduated from Reading High School and Reading-Muhlenberg Area Vocational School. In 2000, I graduated from RACC. I have gotten much enjoyment RV camping for the past 52 years. My husband and I have already purchased our retirement 5th wheel several years ago. We also have a cabin at the old boy scout camp, Shikellamy, where I spend a great deal of relaxation time and playing a domino game called Mexican Train with family and friends. I am currently addicted to reading thriller novels by Clive Cussler, who was an American adventure novelist and underwater explorer.

I'm RACC proud. I graduated and dedicated myself to help others do the same.

What brought you to RACC?

I had recently graduated from Reading High School and Reading-Muhlenberg Area Vocational Technical School and was looking for a full-time job. I applied for the RACC switchboard operator position and began working the following week after graduating from high school. That was June 9, 1977 - 44 years ago! I am the longest still standing (sort of) employee at RACC. I'm very proud of this accomplishment.

How did your experience at RACC shape your career path?

Through the years working at RACC, my positions changed and afforded me new opportunities to develop new skills. From switchboard operator to secretary to grant support to information technology… and landing ultimately into my current position as Records Manager. I've worked with many different bosses and coworkers. This big picture of the RACC community has allowed me to be a partner in helping wherever I can to make RACC systems work more effectively. Problem solving is something that I believe makes all of us better at our jobs and makes RACC a thriving well-oiled community.

What advice/insight would you give to current RACC students?

If you are just out of high school, stick with it while the information is fresh in your mind! Be willing to take risks and try new courses to see if they can open up new pathways for you. Be courageous and ask for help when needed. Asking for help can connect you in new ways with people who can provide you with support for years to come. Take out loans only if it is essential. RACC is your community college and you can save thousands of dollars by getting your associate's degree here rather than at some higher priced options. You'll be much happier when you graduate with lower debt!

2021 marks RACC's 50th Anniversary. What message would you like to pass on to President Looney and the RACC Community on this historic occasion?

Some things get better with age. So, here's to the next 50 years! Congratulations on the first 50! Best wishes for the next 50!

 What brought you to RACC?

I had had a year at Millersville University straight out of high school, interrupted that to get my Mrs. degree and two children, and thought, okay, I need to get back to this. I had an employer who would sponsor in terms of finance so I thought, okay, I'll go in. I was working with children and I went in to take one child psychology course. I still have my original receipt, by the way, so I can tell you how inexpensive it was then. Well one course led to wanting a degree, and one degree led to the fact that, yes, I was working with children at the time, but my heart was with business. So why not work on the business degree at the same time. One moment of encouragement from some RACC staff got me going. I had said to them, I need to go home and think about this. They said no you don't because the courses start now. So, I did it because when you go home and think about things, you talk yourself out of them. I believe I started at RACC during America's Bicentennial year – 1976 – and got my degree in 1978.

How did your experience at RACC shape your career path?

I knew that the scheduling would be the challenging part, raising two children, having a house and a spouse and a full-time job and a part-time job. And then college too. So, I can try it with one course. I don't see how I could mess that up. I felt that would probably be successful, and it was. The experience for my schedule was great. The flexibility was what it was all about for me. The idea that I could come sometimes during the day and sometimes in the evening. I just had that flexibility with my life and RACC was there with that flexibility.

I had full-time faculty. I had part-time faculty. The business courses were wonderful. They were putting labels on things I had experienced and teaching me just a whole lot of new stuff as well. I knew that my days with the preschool program would probably be limited because my heart was in business. Where that was going to go exactly, I didn't know. I knew it would mean jobs in the business world, and a career through that path. Well, the icing on the cake for me was that I knew that business was where my heart was and I just needed to get the degree, get more learning, and be able to put myself out there for a salary commensurate with a degree. I came in for one course. I left RACC with two associate's degrees.

Because my mother's house (and free babysitting) was on the way to Alvernia. I went to Alvernia for a bachelor's degree. Again, the flexibility of being able to go at night and work with the people over there was important. To have come later full cycle to have taught there and taught at RACC and spend all these years at RACC, just says a lot about the organization.

Then I got a full-time job at the Credit Bureau of Berks County. I asked God why things have happened in my life. I could never understand why I saw an ad for Glidden and went there and immediately got hired after being laid off and spending one weekend being funky like, "Oh, I don't have a job." I worked as an expeditor at Glidden Company in manufacturing.

I did not understand why I was there, but I knew I could do the job of it. It turned out that years later when I went full time into the classroom I needed to understand manufacturing. And there was that background from Glidden.

In mid-1970s I started doing tax returns so I had that background to work with as well. I also worked as a manager at the Oley IGA, but when I had had enough of the weekends and all of that, I came back to RACC.

So, I talked to Paula Irwin who was filling in as Business Division Chair for Joe Richter who was on sabbatical. I said," I think I can teach", and she said, "We need somebody for taxes." I said, "I think I can do that." So, I started with one course there. Then Paula asked "You have a computer at home so can you teach this class?" I was always willing. Years later Carol Alspach came to me and she said "We're going to do telecourses. Can you do that?" I said "Yes, although I don't know what a telecourse is." And then a full-time position became available and I got a full-time job at RACC. A year later, I was offered a job as controller at Penn State – Berks. The fact that that would take me out of the classroom, I had to tell them — no, no, I can't. I don't want to do that. So, then I didn't leave RACC, and I didn't leave RACC, and I didn't leave, and 30 years went by. I don't know how that happened.

Why am I here? If you're not inspired to do good for this place, something's wrong with you. I do think there's something spiritual going on. I say I retired the paycheck and the meetings but the teaching still goes on because that's what I am. It's not a job that you walk away from. It is who you are. It's what you do.

Many years ago, I started the program that offers RACC students a semester studying in Reutlingen, Germany. For those students whose lives were changed by this program, it just makes me so happy to have been able to do anything.

I am a mentor for my 14th protege through Mentors for Berks and I'm on their board. My joy is with these young ladies that I have helped. One is right now a full-time student, part of the Reading Collegiate Scholars Program at Alvernia, and she's working on her nursing degree. And it just fills me up with gratitude, like a light in your heart.

What advice/insight would you give to current RACC students?

Today, many, many things, of course, and I'm still an adjunct instructor so I'm still telling them things. When I sat with them in in my office and they were debating what to do, I used to say — "In five years, you're going to be five years older. You can be five years older with a degree or without." Now you can substitute any number you want there for the five years, but you just have to keep encouraging them to set that goal. So, in all my management classes, I asked them what their educational goal is and I make them put it in writing. I make them say "in 2025" or whatever the date is so they have a true goal in mind. And that's encouragement for them to have that.

And the other thing that I think is so important at RACC is to say "You may have in mind a four-year degree, a bachelor's degree, but if you finish an associate's degree first, no one can ever take that away from you." Between the associate's and the four-year degree. anything can happen. And it could take you another ten years to do that extra two years. If you have that associate's degree, you have something on your resume as an accredited degree. The other thing I would always tell them was don't take summer off. Take an online course, do not stop.

We love running into our students in their employment at restaurants and grocery stores and just anywhere and everywhere. Just the other day my sister-in-law, who is the immediate past president of Reading's Rotary group, was talking to someone at an event who had gone to RACC. The former student said that she had had a teacher that really influenced her, and then she said my name. When my sister-in-law told me the story later, it was like, Wow! Because a teacher affects eternity, he or she can never tell where the influence stops. So I just have to live that all the time. Because even the ones who get mad at me because I won't pass them through a course, I'm affecting their management experience and what they're going to be able to do. So, it's just a responsibility that I take seriously, It's an amazing job really.

2021 marks RACC's 50th Anniversary. What message would you like to pass on to President Looney and the RACC Community on this historic occasion?

I still value, most of all, the warm supportive atmosphere for anybody who walks in the door. There's a way for them to enhance their life, in whatever way that is necessary for them.

I will tell you that we used to say that "We went to (whispering) RACC" or that "We taught at (whispering) RACC." We just were not the gem then that it is now. We knew it was a gem when we were involved in it. But with the community, right from the very first vote, it was looked at as an upstart college. We became a force to be dealt with and such an added item for the community for the city, for the county.

I've been through so many iterations, including when college classes were held in what was called the northern tier, in the Hamburg School District in the evening for students.

We made it as available as possible, and that is still going on now. And just to have all these beautiful buildings and be on one campus. I was there when we moved into what was the Holiday Inn and, and we still had the restaurant — that was the best part.

We then became visible and united, almost all of us in one building. It just grew from there as the buildings around us became available or we rebuilt them. It's just been a wonderful, wonderful history and I'm old enough to have lived through it all. It was great. It is great.

What brought you to RACC?

When I left high school, I went right into college not really knowing what I wanted to do. Within two years I found myself skipping class, really going down a bad path. I was failing all of my classes and then dropped out of college. Everyone was surprised because I had a great GPA in high school, was a track star, and ready to go with everything. When I got to college, it all slipped away. Then I took a year off. During that time, I realized quickly I wanted a college degree and I was ashamed how I let my future slip away.

RACC was the first place I decided to restart. Nothing had transferred so I was starting all over again. I knew that RACC was the way to go from a price point perspective initially and that is when I started to have an amazing experience. I had not shared what had happened previously, but I took everything seriously and worked hard to try to catch back up to my peers in my age group. I really enjoyed the teachers at RACC. The smaller class sizes were a benefit and having a great rapport with the teachers helped me.

They did not care how old you were, they were there for you. That is what kept me at RACC and I received my Associate of Arts in Communications and was so thankful for the great experience.

How did your experience at RACC shape your career path?

Being able to start at a college where I knew I was going to be paying for it myself, along with financial aid, definitely put a responsibility on me. After messing up the first time and feeling so bad that my mom had paid my tuition, made me work even harder. Between the smaller class sizes, open space opportunities and the diversity in the classroom, it opened my eyes to what Reading and Berks County offered. Following RACC, I went to Kutztown University. The RACC teachers hooked me up with the professors at Kutztown and I got to talk to people before I went. RACC put the responsibility on me to make the future that I wanted. They were there for me and they pushed me to succeed and definitely made my transition to get my bachelor's degree at Kutztown an easier step. The hard work I put in at RACC to keep up my GPA transferred into my professional role. I have never stopped trying to surpass my peers.

I definitely will say that RACC brought back my confidence. I always worked in the hospitality industry, but I knew it wasn't something I wanted to do my whole life. One day I was working in a restaurant and a high school classmate, who was as competitive as me in high school, was with his family at the table and asked “What are you up to these days?” And all I could say was “This” and it was embarrassing for me because I know people expected me to have done more and better things. So, when I enrolled at RACC and had my associate's degree, I was so proud because I knew I was back on track.

The transition to Kutztown University was great. I had an internship. I was still working although the commute was long. Everything I needed to get started at Kutztown to finish my bachelor's degree was provided to me at RACC.

What advice/insight would you give to current RACC students?

I know that being a non-traditional student, there were people around me that were struggling, especially during this COVID pandemic. When it starts to really hit you, you need to think about what those around you are thinking. They may not know everything that is going on in your life, but they know you are going to RACC to better yourself because you have a need to be something better, to do something better for you, your family and the community. You need to keep that pride, because it will stick with you and will make your future all the more worth it.

2021 marks RACC's 50th Anniversary. What message would you like to pass on to President Looney and the RACC Community on this historic occasion?

Being someone who grew up in Fleetwood and lived in Berks County my entire life, going to RACC and understanding what it provides is phenomenal. Being able to work for the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance and understanding what RACC does for the community, I urge RACC to continue to be loud about what it offers and how it helps the community in many ways. Thank you for everything you do and good luck to the next 50!