Dawn Parker
Certificate in Professional Management
"Because of my Continuing Education experiences, I'm more inclined to try new things," says Dawn Parker, a recent graduate of the Professional Management Certificate program. "I know I'm more open now than I once was ... more open to meeting people, learning, and trying new things."
Dawn is married, has grown children and one grandchild, and has been taking Continuing Education courses on and off for the past decade. She has juggled her schooling with family commitments, a full-time job with a lottery management firm, volunteering with an animal rescue organization, and a passion for running. She did it all by taking just one course at a time and fitting in occasional breaks when necessary.
"Nine years ago, I was hired as a media buyer, so I decided to take some courses in marketing. Eventually I became a project manager, then a general manager. As my roles changed, I just kept on taking courses to help me.
"I also chose HR and communications courses, which have proven to be a godsend for me at work."
Dawn could always see the value in the courses she was taking. She chose them carefully, trying to pick the ones that could be the most useful for her work at the time.
"There have been times I could apply what I was learning immediately – sometimes, the day after class – and other times I'd be working on something and would recall learning from past classes, so I would go and dig out my textbooks. My books have turned out to be awesome references."
"I've enjoyed Continuing Education, especially the instructors," she says. "Every one of them has turned the subject material into real life situations. They are awesome, and probably the biggest reason I stuck with my program."
Dawn completed her certificate program over several years, and continues to plan for more learning. At the time of her interview, she was preparing to write the Project Management Professional exam.