Veterans Upward Bound -
Success Stories
Kenneth,
Derry
has accomplished what many would call a near impossible
dream. Higher education is not set up for non traditional
students like most former or current military. Kenneth spent
the first four years after high school in the Marines and
fostered no ideas about college or improving himself beyond
what is considered to be prepared for life. After serving in
operations Enduring and Iraqi freedom, Kenneth consciously
decided to see what the civilian life was like and find out
if the grass truly was greener on the other side. Upon
separation he was hit with the realization that civilian
life was just as much of a challenge as was the Marines. At
that point Kenneth decided to do something for himself that
would enable his future success in life and went to college.
For over three years, a participant in the Veterans Upward
Bound program at
Pikes Peak
Community College
.
Without the support of the VUB, my collegiate experience
might have turned out completely different.
Kenneth
established himself in academics by attaining a 3.8 G.P.A
and graduating with magna cum laude honors for my two year
program at
Pikes Peak
Community College
.
Amongst his peers, he's been identified
as a student leader and served in various roles while
participating as a member of Student Government. Not only
does he participate in the Veterans Upward Bound Program,
he's currently working as a Peer Advocate. In the past three
years Kenneth has been an office assistant, tutor, and
Careers class instructor while devoting myself to helping
other veterans succeed in higher education.
Personal note: I try to exemplify what a veteran can
accomplish in College and what it truly means to have a
successful collegiate experience. I feel that my positive
influence shows through the performance and attitudes of
fellow students I am able to assist. Through the continued
support of the VUB and being a recipient of the 2007-2008
NAVUB scholarship I plan to further my education and
complete my Bachelors degree then move on to law school.
Kenneth
A. McArthur
A Veterans Upward
Bound -
Success Story
Kenneth
just
graduated with honors from Colorado State University-Pueblo
with a major in Sociology. His ambition is to enter
law school in the fall of 2007. Ken began his college
career in
Missouri
shortly
after he separated from the United States Navy in 1974.
At that
time, he had other responsibilities, which precluded him
from devoting the necessary time and energy to scholastic
endeavors. He worked at a variety of jobs and made a
move from
Missouri
to
Gardner
,
Colorado
, for family
reasons in 1996. In
Gardner
, Ken again
had a variety of jobs in several vocations. Eventually, Ken
began working with an attorney in
Walsenburg
,
Colorado
. It
was from this experience that he decided to again purse his
postsecondary education and become an attorney.
Ken took
a semester at
Pueblo
Community
College
in the
Veterans Upward Bound program to gauge his transition to
academia and commitment to pursuing a postsecondary
education. He then enrolled full time at PCC. He
completed his Associates Degree in two semesters and
transferred to Colorado State University-Pueblo in the
spring semester of 2006. With credits transferred from
his earlier collegiate experiences and with great dedication
and devotion to learning, Ken graduated only one year after
matriculating at CSU-Pueblo.
From his
experience in working with the lawyer in Walsenburg, Ken has
decided to pursue his law degree and then a career as a
Public Defender. His attentive mind, personality, and
demeanor epitomize the thought processes and qualities,
which are essential in an attorney.
Kenneth
re-entered postsecondary education later in life with a
commitment and discipline, which exemplifies dedication and
purpose. Ken established himself not only as scholar,
but also as an ideal model of how someone can re-enter the
academic world, pursue an ambition and excel doing so at any
age. Ken has done this against what many would
consider all odds.
|
Conrad Waggener, Director
