In 2011, Amanda (Teachout) Riccardo was a licensed cosmetologist working in a Destiny USA hair salon. While chatting with one of her clients, Amanda received a piece of information that would redirect her career and turn her life in a new direction. The client was Mary Pagan, a former student advisor at University College (UC), the home of part-time studies at Syracuse University. She told Amanda about the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP)—the only program of it’s kind in New York State that serves part-time students. HEOP provides financial aid and academic assistance for educationally disadvantaged students who want to earn a college degree. Continue Reading
According to an article in the June 2, 2015, Education Advisory Board Daily Briefing , when students are asked why they decided to go to college, the overwhelming response is mostly about money. It was reported that in a recent survey, students age 16-40 were asked about their reasons for going to college. The three most common responses were:
Improved economic opportunities (91 percent)
Make more money (90 percent)
Get a good job (89 percent)
The article also states that adult students over 30 were more likely to say that their decision to attend college was driven by a desire to set a good example and build a better life.
Affordability and availability of financial aid are also important when deciding which college to attend.
Syracuse University wants to help you improve your economic outlook while sharing your concern about the cost of continuing your education. SU recently introduced a new scholarship worth 50 percent off the cost of tuition for New York State residents who matriculate into the part-time Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS) degree or certificate programs through University College.
Or, if you want to enroll in a class or pursue a different degree, the University College Incentive Grant provides funding for 50 percent of the cost of one course for up to three (3) semesters. New and qualified returning students are eligible for the grant.
For more information about funding opportunities for part-time students at Syracuse University, contact a financial aid officer: Call 315-443-3261, e-mail parttime@uc.syr.edu, or visit professionalstudies.syracuse.edu.
When Timothy Bryant was growing up in a tough New Jersey neighborhood, he enjoyed school and believed that despite the difficult circumstances of his life, he was destined to go to college and have a rewarding career. But that notion started slipping away from him at age 9, when he was the victim of a violent crime. He felt like it was ripped away for good when he was attacked again at 14, and his dreams were replaced with raging Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). “I found myself unable to function socially for several years, and as a result I was unable to complete high school,” Bryant, now 50, recalls.
He struggled to come to grips with what his life had become, but little was understood about PTSD at the time. “I was living and operating in ‘survival mode,’” he says, as he tried to comprehend and treat his disorder. This led him to massage therapy, which can help individuals heal from grief and trauma. He completed his GED, became a licensed massage therapist, and assumed that this path would be his life’s journey.
Then Sandy Lane, Ph.D. walked into the Syracuse spa where Bryant was working, and his life turned in a bold new direction.
Lane was a Syracuse University professor of public health, and as she came to know him, she recognized abundant intellectual potential as well as a passion for helping people. She encouraged him to pursue a college degree through the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) at University College. HEOP provides academic and financial support for students whose life circumstances might prevent them from attending SU. It is the only program of its kind for part-time students in New York State.
“HEOP not only provides the financial means to return to school, it gives students the necessary tools to acclimate into the academic environment,” Bryant explains. “It is a tremendous support system.”
Bryant enrolled in Falk College as a part-time student. “I wasn’t confident I’d succeed, but I knew I had a golden opportunity,” he recalls. “I entered with an open mind, determined to see what would unfold.”
What unfolded in Bryant’s college journey would surpass his wildest dreams. He made the dean’s list every semester on his way to a bachelor’s degree in public health in 2015. He traveled to Europe and Africa, and was inducted into Alpha Sigma Lambda, the honor society for nontraditional undergraduates. And he received one of SU’s highest student honors—the Chancellor’s Award for Public and Community Service—for a smoking cessation program he and three classmates designed and implemented at the Syracuse Community Health Center. National recognition came from the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) in 2016, which named Bryant the Outstanding Continuing Education Student of the Year.
Last year, Bryant learned that his bachelor’s degree would not be the end of his educational journey. He was admitted to SU’s Ph.D. program in Sociology, with four years of funding.
He is currently engaged in intensive research in the sociological aspects of inequalities based on race and sexuality, and how they affect physical and mental health. “To be pushed intellectually, especially in an environment where others are sharing the experience, is exhilarating,” he says. “I think I’m right where I need to be; in a space between inquiry and illusion, where all the magic happens.”
As limitless possibilities stretch before him, Bryant reflects on what brought him to this point. “Success is not determined by achievements, but rather by facing fears, perseverance over obstacles, and doing the very best you can,” he says. “I would say that I have reclaimed something that I believed was stolen from me as a young child. It derailed my aspirations, and I gave up on dreams. It took a lot of work, but finally, through education, I have hope for the future once again.”
University College (UC) of Syracuse University won gold at the 2014 University Continuing Education Association Marketing and Publications Awards Competition. The awards recognize the best marketing practices and promotional pieces in the field of professional, continuing and online education. UC’s Winterlude Microsite was the winning submission in the category of Miscellaneous Interactive Media. The object of the microsite was to have a single point of reference that provided consistent communication to students and housed pertinent information related to course offerings, registration and enrollment information.
“The Marketing Department consists of a team of committed individuals who work together to provide creative messaging that reaches a variety of audiences—both external and internal,” says Dean Bea González. “It is a testament to their collective ingenuity to see their work recognized on a national level.”
Nichole Henry, student recruiting manager at University College, accepted the award at the conference held in Atlanta Nov. 5-7.
When Nancy Legra-Garcia left her native Cuba to come to the United States, she was looking for new opportunities. But moving meant that she would have to leave her family of origin behind. “I was an accountant looking for new hopes and dreams,” she says. When the economic crisis of 2008 left her unemployed, “I understood that this was my opportunity to show courage and a positive attitude,” she recalls. “I wanted my daughter to learn that we can only reach our dreams if we really fight for them.” Continue Reading
