Hello everyone, I'm Cana Uluak Crosby and I want to introduce myself.
I'm an Iñupiaq from Kotzebue and am a 2006 Honors graduate of Harvard's world-class night school: Harvard Extension School. Currently I do contract graphic/media work for NANA. We are working on a media project that highlights recent history as well as the Iñupiaq Values.
Like many people, I had started college (UC Berkeley) when I was fresh out of high school many years before--I'll have to admit that I was kind of a slacker--but this time, as a late 20's student, I was able to focus and find out what was important about my education. So, though it's hard--especially with kids and grown-up life beating on your door all the time--it's do-able .Though I had a toddler, a baby and a husband at MIT doing his doctoral degree at the time, going back to school was one of the best things I could do for myself.
While at school I studied a wide-variety of subjects: art, drama, history, environmental stuff, but finally settled on Environmental Studies with an emphasis on community development as my degree choice. I did this mainly because it was what I was interested in academically at the time, and it was what I had the most credits in. One thing that I've learned over the years--especially now that my husband is a professor--is that it's not too important what your undergraduate degree is in when it comes to graduate school, and even sometimes jobs. What your undergraduate degree shows is that you've got a basic education and, most importantly, that you can finish what you've started. It shows a real strength of character to see a degree to its end. School takes a lot of work, and to finish it proves to you, your family, your community and to potential advisers and employers that you've got moxie. So, go for what you're interested in...don't worry about the job market...because, most likely, you'll finish a course of study that appeals to you. The world needs whatever you've got a passion for.
As final bits of advice...one of the best decisions I made at school was to utilize my adviser...you know, the person who is like your academic counselor at school. My adviser helped me choose the best classes that would fulfill my requirements as well as keep me interested for a semester. They know all the classes and all the professors and can tell you what classes would be the best match for you.
Also...go to class and go to office hours. My husband, a professor in the sciences, tends to have a lot more mercy for those who have actually taken an interest in his course. He knows the folks that have stopped by for office hours to get some extra help or clarification or just to ask about his work--and, when it comes to grading, he is a lot more willing to help pass that marginal student who seemed like they really tried but were just shy of passing. He's also more willing to make that B+ an A- in those cases...all because people made an effort to learn. So, don't be shy--make those professors earn their money!!!
Okey-dokey...
Feel free to contact me about whatever you need. I'm around.
Peace.
www.uluak.com
I'm an Iñupiaq from Kotzebue and am a 2006 Honors graduate of Harvard's world-class night school: Harvard Extension School. Currently I do contract graphic/media work for NANA. We are working on a media project that highlights recent history as well as the Iñupiaq Values.
Like many people, I had started college (UC Berkeley) when I was fresh out of high school many years before--I'll have to admit that I was kind of a slacker--but this time, as a late 20's student, I was able to focus and find out what was important about my education. So, though it's hard--especially with kids and grown-up life beating on your door all the time--it's do-able .Though I had a toddler, a baby and a husband at MIT doing his doctoral degree at the time, going back to school was one of the best things I could do for myself.
While at school I studied a wide-variety of subjects: art, drama, history, environmental stuff, but finally settled on Environmental Studies with an emphasis on community development as my degree choice. I did this mainly because it was what I was interested in academically at the time, and it was what I had the most credits in. One thing that I've learned over the years--especially now that my husband is a professor--is that it's not too important what your undergraduate degree is in when it comes to graduate school, and even sometimes jobs. What your undergraduate degree shows is that you've got a basic education and, most importantly, that you can finish what you've started. It shows a real strength of character to see a degree to its end. School takes a lot of work, and to finish it proves to you, your family, your community and to potential advisers and employers that you've got moxie. So, go for what you're interested in...don't worry about the job market...because, most likely, you'll finish a course of study that appeals to you. The world needs whatever you've got a passion for.
As final bits of advice...one of the best decisions I made at school was to utilize my adviser...you know, the person who is like your academic counselor at school. My adviser helped me choose the best classes that would fulfill my requirements as well as keep me interested for a semester. They know all the classes and all the professors and can tell you what classes would be the best match for you.
Also...go to class and go to office hours. My husband, a professor in the sciences, tends to have a lot more mercy for those who have actually taken an interest in his course. He knows the folks that have stopped by for office hours to get some extra help or clarification or just to ask about his work--and, when it comes to grading, he is a lot more willing to help pass that marginal student who seemed like they really tried but were just shy of passing. He's also more willing to make that B+ an A- in those cases...all because people made an effort to learn. So, don't be shy--make those professors earn their money!!!
Okey-dokey...
Feel free to contact me about whatever you need. I'm around.
Peace.
www.uluak.com