Janice "Jan" M. Northstar (Hickerson)

I went back to college through CCNY’s Center for Worker Education, a relatively new program. After a few years of working for the federal government as a clerk, I looked into going back to college. I decided on the program because it was initially offered in our federal building in the evening. It was perfect to just leave the office and go to classes. One of my advisors went on to become the head of that program. I liked the idea of being able to go to different locations in Manhattan for various courses. I also attended weekend classes at the main campus, which was great. Nobody wants to get up on a Saturday morning and travel by subway many miles to school, but I thought it was a great seeing a part of the city in which I wasn’t familiar. My advisor worked with me even after I joined the Army Reserve. He made sure that I received credit for similar courses taken in the military. He helped me work out a good schedule so I could finish my degree within the required time. He was awesome and motivated me when I felt overwhelmed. When you work full-time, travel and go to school at night, it can become a bit much. Note we didn’t have laptops or personal computers then. I stayed with the program, and one day my advisor said those magic words, 'You're going to graduate next spring.' That was the greatest moment for me. I could see the end of the tunnel. I was the first one in my family to earn a college degree, and it made my mom proud; that was enough for me. I was exposed to some of America’s best professors in social science and the literary arts. I would be remiss if I didn’t say I made friends that I will never forget. My experience with CCNY CWE was rich.