Never Too Late: Reigniting Education Dreams Featuring Denise Eaton

Can you imagine returning to pursue your educational dreams after a 35 year gap? Denise Eaton, a recent Merrimack College graduate, defied the odds and did exactly that. Denise’s inspiring journey from a long hiatus to achieving her Bachelor's degree is the heart of our conversation. We explore her motivations, experiences, and the critical role of perseverance and self-confidence that transformed her life and career.

Education has evolved dramatically over the last three decades, particularly with the advent of online learning. Denise shares her insights about the convenience and flexibility of asynchronous online learning, which allowed her to seamlessly juggle work, life, and school. We delve deep into how this mode of learning is reshaping the educational landscape and why it's a game-changer for individuals seeking a more flexible educational path. 

Denise's journey transcends academics, it’s a testament to personal growth and self-fulfillment. We explore her transition from classroom to the real world, highlighting the significance of networking and professional relationships. Denise’s story reaffirms that it's never too late to chase your dreams, age is just a number in the job market. Join us to hear Denise's incredible journey and get inspired to reignite your educational aspirations.

Transcript

Speaker 2: 0:11

Hello and welcome to another edition of the Leader Brew. I am Rick Arawood and I'm your host for today. I'm looking forward to once again going back to former students and learning about their journey from the classroom to the real world. And today's guest is none other than Denise Eaton, who I met through the Merrimack College Bachelor's Degree Completion Program and I am excited to say hashtag finish, which was our slogan, if you will, for the entire class. So I'm happy to say you have completed your bachelor's degree from Merrimack College. So congratulations is first in order and second is welcome.

Speaker 3: 0:53

Thank you so much. I'm so happy to be here and, yes, I did complete it, and the whole time I kept that hashtag finish in my head.

Speaker 2: 1:02

You know, I think it's. It is something that served me well and I just felt as though it was seared in my forehead, on my forehead, and that's really what kept me going, because certainly there were the transactional things that we needed to do, right. So, just like any other student, you have to go through checking off the discussion board, activities for the week and the assignments and the reading, and it does become a lot of little pieces, sort of the checklist, right. But when you step back from it, it's genuinely a transformational experience and I think that's one of the things that honestly, I love about the bachelor's degree completion program in particular, because I think it gives you a good balance between that, okay, transaction side.

Speaker 2: 1:56

But now, as an adult student, maybe they take those take on a little bit of a different perspective. You know why am I doing this? And I think it emphasizes more more of the why. So I am curious to know. It was 35 years ago that you started your degree. Tell me what was going on in life at that time and how did you, how did you set out on that journey?

Speaker 3: 2:26

So 35 years ago I started my education, my journey and got an associate's degree under mental health but never continued because life got busy. I got married, had started a family, was working, always participated in you know and in continuing my journey and what I want on a professional level, but wasn't to the extent that I kind of put it off because my family was first. So I basically said, okay, I'm going to be put to the side and then and focus on my children, make sure they get their education, which I was very proud to provide for them. So you just keep putting yourself aside and next thing, you know, 35 years later come by.

Speaker 3: 3:14

It goes fast, it goes, you know, life speeds up. And at that point I said, okay, well, it was always something that I always preached about, said how the importance of being educated and learning more things and just it's so invigorating. But I never, I didn't do it. I gave it to the opportunity of everybody else, but not for myself. And when this program came up, I I looked at and said this is my opportunity. It just happened to fit at the time and I pursued it.

Speaker 2: 3:45

That's wonderful when we you know, when I go back and think about my beginning, I also did not follow a traditional academic path of four years or five years, followed by a master's degree, followed by a doctoral. You know, I really went in different directions and it took me a while to complete that bachelor's degree and I suspect that's part of my, my heart and my passion for this program in particular. But I also remember just feeling incomplete, I guess is the best way to describe it, although I had great success within my career trajectory in those early days, I just always ended my day with you, got to keep at this, you got to keep doing it, and then life did sort of take over and you know, suddenly a year went by and then two years went by and then I got my. I got my law degree when I was I entered at 37 years old and I just finished my second doctoral a couple of years ago.

Speaker 2: 4:57

So you know, it's not that traditional path and I think there's so many people out there In fact I was just looking up earlier today that there's what's called some college and no credential. It's a population of 40 million people who have some college but not the credential and I thought I'm glad I no longer wanted those statistics. But I go back and I wonder, I wonder, did I just not have enough motivation? And I'm just not sure I have to still sort of reflect on that.

Speaker 3: 5:33

Yeah, I think for me it was more probably financial, because you always could find where that money was gonna go. It wasn't a priority for me, it was, for you know, making sure my kids had that degree, so that money was going towards their education or something else. And to your point, yes, I have, you know, a very fulfilling, you know, professional life. I mean, I've been educated in other ways from the company that I've worked for, but it wasn't that degree that I always that it was something I personally wanted to achieve and it also helped me to figure, you know, am I, you know, marketable? Still, you know, you get to a point in your age where you know, especially at my age, where you're getting older and the younger generation they have, you know, new skills that are much more profound than maybe I was. But if anything, going back just gave me that confidence.

Speaker 3: 6:29

Yes, you know what I am marketable. I have a lot to offer and you'd be surprised that I was surprised at myself and how much I was able to do and offer in the classrooms and just from my life experiences. So I don't think it's, you know, whether it's a good timing, bad timing. There is no right time for it's what's right for you and I try if any of them try and encourage people that. If in doubt and you want to go for it now, if this is a good time for you, then go ahead and go for it, because you will get nothing but reward from it.

Speaker 2: 7:00

And you'll be able to bring such value to the classroom, whether that's in-person classroom or online classroom. The value that you could actually deliver in a discussion board is unlike anything. I think that's an absolutely excellent way to look at it. You know, on the one end, I look back and I think in terms of degree completion when I put that on one in one bucket and that I look at the completion of all the achievements in a person's life. It's hard to sometimes understand the distinction between the two. I think because on the one end, we're achieving great things, whether we're starting a business or rising up in the ranks within the corporation, but there's still that gnawing of I haven't achieved the degree.

Speaker 3: 8:10

It is. It was gnawing to me, always has been, but it was more to have a confidence. Could I actually really do it? Because then you get, okay, the workload or just the basic skills at doing research and writing. Oh, I had to have spell check and was that a complete sentence? If you're not used to doing those things and you're now being graded and critiqued on that, it's a little bit of the confidence isn't there. You get a little paranoid. But I think once you get into it and you realize, no, you definitely can do it, you definitely can contribute, yeah, then maybe sometimes you may need that spell check or whatever.

Speaker 3: 8:56

Nobody's perfect, but I just wouldn't beat myself over it. I would just say hashtag finish. I just kept saying hashtag finish. And I will say you were the first class that I had. So after 35 years I'm back into the classroom and you were the first class and the professor, and when you said the hashtag finish and you made it so comfortable so that I didn't have that anxiety, am I really going to do that? Because that was going to be the class that was going to make a break it for me? I think it was going to continue or I was going to stop, and it was because of how easy you made me in the transition of getting there and made me feel comfortable that I said okay, I can do this, I can do this, and I did and I did do it.

Speaker 2: 9:38

And listen, that's our job, right?

Speaker 2: 9:40

I mean, yes, we are there to teach, we are there to deliver the academic standards and the rigor, but we also have to understand that adult students sometimes need a little bit extra, just a little bit extra guidance, and I think that's a good point, do you think I mean? I go back to the Dewey Decibel system. I will assure you those listening to us today have absolutely no clue what the Dewey Decibel system is and those little cards that we had to go and look up For those interested. Google it, you'll learn what the Dewey Decibel system consisted of In my beginning. I remember those days and I remember the amount of time to find the article that you were looking for, and most of the time it was on microfilm or microfiche, and I never knew the difference between the two. All of these concepts are absolutely foreign to students today and I just wonder, having seen both methods of delivery the Dewey Decibel system, going into a classroom physically, being there, advancing up to this online, asynchronous environment do you think it's easier or how would you describe the differences?

Speaker 3: 11:06

I felt, yes, I felt that you have information at your fingertip at any moment, 24-7. You didn't have that. You know, when I first got my degree, you had to go to the university, you had to go to a library, you had to get the paper cuts. I mean, it was very cumbersome and more time consuming. I'm not saying you're not going to put the time in, because you do put the time in. You put as much effort as you want. But for me, I would put the time in, but I would allocate it, but I could do it. It was convenient for me. I still work full-time Plus, so I was able to get on and they have that accessibility to be able to do that work. To me it was amazing, it was absolutely amazing, and that allowed me that freedom to be able to have the flexibility to be able to do the courses at my time, and that's what I really liked about it. It made it very, very achievable. So, yes, to me it was easier.

Speaker 2: 12:05

That's wonderful. I mean, I will say, in the bachelor's degree program completion program at Merrimack College, a tremendous amount of resources has been invested in that asynchronous environment. So as a faculty person, I really did benefit from the amount of tools that they have provided, which ultimately, I think, benefit the students as well. If you look at education today compared to education 35 years ago, do you think it's more or less important?

Speaker 3: 12:46

Again, I'm coming from a time where, if we're looking at women in education not to be stereotyping or whatever, but it was, I mean, our role it was different then. Was it important to be educated? Yes, but it wasn't as much so for a man. It was more important that the man was education because they had to go. Well, our role still had that oh, you're going to have a family, how much are you going to be in the professional? It started to turn at that point when I was going into college.

Speaker 3: 13:20

But still many chose not to finish the degree to have the families, and that's what they did, not. That it wasn't important, it wasn't a priority. It's probably more is what I want to say. Then, if a woman was to go off into being a professional, then they would be focused on that particular career versus just in general getting a general degree. I think it's very important now, more so that you need a bachelor's degree. You even need a master's or a doctorate, I mean, to get to that level of professionalism. It depends on where your journey is and what goals you want to take.

Speaker 3: 13:59

But I do still feel that students today jump right into something because of the expenses now to have that education without knowing what that is. The investment is very high. I feel that sometimes some kids are not ready. They should take a year and work, go see what it's like, get an idea of what their path is going to be and then go from there. But where parents are so quick to rush them into college and spending the money and sometimes they're not fulfilled or they don't get the degree that they want. So I can't say again it was important then, but not as much as I would say it's now, because now everyone whether you're male, female, it doesn't matter your gender, whatever everyone needs that education.

Speaker 2: 14:51

Online asynchronous education certainly has its proponents set opponents ranging from elementary school all the way to university, but I see asynchronous learning as a great equalizer, so that you can have all of those things in life that are presented to you, but you can also do your education at the same time. I think, if anything, online education has helped us with that work-life mental health balance, which I think is so very important.

Speaker 3: 15:33

Absolutely. In my field of work I'm a trainer and educator for a company who manufactures a brand. Even for me, learning from having to do mostly in-person, face-to-face trainings have now become online it has to be. I think you have to have that versatility if you want more participation from your audience because, again, life is tough, so they have to work full-time or they have to. It has to be a balance of where, okay, I'm going to be able to do this, but I can't take a whole day and be in class all day when I have to work, and how am I going to pay for that and everything else? So I think the way the economy is, where money is tight, you still have to have that education if you want to get to that level of professionalism for financial purpose.

Speaker 2: 16:34

If you don't want to have that gnawing feeling inside of you that I'm not completed.

Speaker 3: 16:40

If you don't want that gnawing feeling, you're going to have to work for that.

Speaker 2: 16:50

Exactly. Normally, at this point in the episode I asked the question what would you tell a seven-year-old girl about what's ahead? But I think I'm going to mix it up a little bit On this episode. I'm going to ask what would you tell someone who finds themselves, 30 years later, still not achieving the degree, the credential? What would you say to that person?

Speaker 3: 17:26

I mean, if they're talking about it to me as something that they regret, I would say go for it right now. Go for it right now because this conversation did happen to me. So I have a friend who went through this course and she was talking about it. I said, you know, I keep, I've been wanting, and she goes well, what's preventing you from doing that? I says really not. Then I just is it necessary? She goes of course it's necessary, it's necessary for you. She goes this is the information, go for it. And she's the one who, because she went through it, she says absolutely go for it. I mean, I've met some nice people. I learned some wonderful things, not only from just academically, but also that helps me in my professionalism, that I've actually used, you know, from my courses, and also learned a lot about myself personally. So it's another, you know, it's another journey, and continue on. It doesn't matter how old you are when you do it, just when you want to just do it, and I would definitely encourage them.

Speaker 2: 18:29

It just keeps life interesting, doesn't it? It keeps us going. We're not stagnant, because you know there have been times where, yeah, I kind of felt stagnant. I'm not that many because I'm constantly doing something, but I can get that where you know, that sort of feeling of am I really going anywhere, am I really doing anything, and I think that is one of the benefits that the Bachelors Degree Completion Program offers.

Speaker 3: 18:55

Mm-hmm, it does. And it's funny because some people like you know especially you know as you get old some people say you know, when I said I was going back to school, I had people who were supportive. They were wonderful. You know anything I can do to help you to relieve the low, whether it was work, they were great. And then there was some people that say like, why would you want to do that now? Which road do you want to take? Right, and just the fact that they said that aggravated me even more to say you know what? I'm going to do it because I want to.

Speaker 2: 19:25

Sometimes you need that spark. You know, sometimes that is it, that's the. You know, I always talk about motivation in the sense of I tell people it's like a match, right, so you have the match sitting there, it's just sitting there, that's your. Well, I should go back to school I don't know if I should, maybe and nothing happens. And sometimes it takes someone to lift up that match and light it for you, and then from there the flame occurs and you get into this whole concept of motivation. You know the intensity of the flame, the direction of the flame, but I think, most importantly, and what I hear from you and other bachelor degree completion students, is persistence, tenacity, the grit. Okay, so maybe it took a while, but that's okay. You know, we are so accustomed to this quick gratification, this microwave mentality, and you know, sometimes it takes a while, longer than we anticipate, and you know what. That's okay too.

Speaker 3: 20:30

That's okay too. From this program it's just one class at a time, one class at a time and it went by fast. Before you know it was over. I did it. Really. I was almost not that I was disappointed. I was like I could have taken a couple more classes that I wasn't able to take because it didn't fit the timing. I'm like I didn't get those classes in but I still graduated. So yeah, it was a wonderful experience for me.

Speaker 2: 20:59

What a great feeling. That is right, I did it. But then you know what comes next. Well, that's it, what's next? I did it, I achieved it, and we're human nature. Human nature says, okay, what's next? And I think that's what keeps life so very, very exciting.

Speaker 3: 21:18

Absolutely what's next. You know what? Whatever, I want it to be next.

Speaker 2: 21:23

Well, I'll tell you what. We will come back in a few years and we'll have you back on the show and we're going to find out what Nick's turned out to be. So we're going to keep the listeners on edge until a few years go by, which, as you said so eloquently, we'll go by quickly. All right, Denise. Thank you so very much for joining us on the Leader Brew. I look forward to, of course, as I always do with former students, staying in touch and being part of their lives, and thank you for letting me be part of your life.

Speaker 3: 21:54

And thank you. I really appreciate this conversation and everything you did for me and motivating me. It was I hashtag finished.

Speaker 2: 22:01

All right, hashtag finished. It is All right. Thank you once again for a delightful conversation with Denise Eaton, and this has been another episode of the Leader Brew, where we catch up with students and learn about their journey from the classroom to the real world. Thank you and have a good day.

Speaker 1: 22:20

Thank you for listening to the Leader Brew podcast. Please be sure to like, subscribe and share us with others. If you'd like to be a guest or a co-host, please reach out to us at wwwdelederbrewcom or on our social media platforms. Be sure to check out our leadership courses at wwwweleapforwardorg. A special thanks to audio engineer Jared Zimerovsky for making us sound great, and to Northeastern University and Swinburne University. From the classroom to the real world. We hope that today's Leader Brew podcast ignited the extraordinary leader within. Thank you.