An Early Christmas Gift
While I am still waiting for the third and final score to be posted, I feel reasonably confident that I can announce here that as of this week, I will have completed all the course requirements for me to be awarded my Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Texas.
It was some seventeen-and-a-half years ago. I was a still-young 24 year-old college student, who had spent far more time in college than really necessary. There were many ups and downs and sideways journeys along the way. I was majoring in Radio/Television/Film (minor in History), and had visions of being the next Spielberg or Lucas, or at the least, documenting archaeological digs for PBS (Discovery Channel and History Channel had not yet achieved major market penetration). Approximately three years earlier, I had accepted a calling to pursue officership in The Salvation Army, and knew that 1990 would be the target date for entry into the College for Officer Training (CFOT - The Salvation Army's seminary, now known as Evangeline Booth College). There was yet one pesky class that was required and yet escaped my attempts to master it - College Algebra. In order to complete the requirement for the BA, I needed to pass Algebra with a C, but the best I could muster was a D - despite several attempts.
So, I completed all the work in 1990 (the year of UNT's centennial) and prepared to walk the stage knowing that my degree would not be awarded to me due to my failure to pass College Algebra. By September I was firmly ensconced as a first-year cadet at the Training College.
A few years later, my wife and I were commissioned and sent to our first field appointment. While there, several of my supervising officers advised me to look into completing my work and getting the degree. I did some preliminary investigations, and found that UNT was open to the possibility, but then we were transferred to another appointment, with more responsibilities, and then the plans sort of went not on the back burner, but into the oven on low temp. Four years later, we were transferred to yet another field appointment and after getting our feet under us (metaphorically speaking), I began the negotiations with UNT anew. By this time, I was working with a different adviser and things started looking up. Then, after a period of prolonged radio silence, I learned that my adviser was no longer with the department, and I had to start over with a whole new person. At length, we got things worked out where the school would accept not just the math, but two additional classes, else the catalog would have to be revised, which would add a substantial amount of extra work. But then, another wrench was thrown into the mix.
Yes, once again we were transferred. This time to Texas, which, providentially, put me physically closer to my original alma mater. So, I waited a year in order to establish residency and contacted my adviser. She told me that time was running out, and that I would have to complete the work by December. This December. So I began to scramble and got enrolled and set up for classes (I would love to know what the inflation rate for college textbooks is - it has to be completely out of step with the rest of the economy!). As a substitute for College Algebra, UNT required one math class higher than Algebra, so I selected Statistics. After many weeks of gnashed teeth, pulled hair, tears, sweat, and sleepless nights where statistical formulae marched menacingly across the once peaceful pastures of my dreams, I completed the semester with a C. At long last, a blessed C!
Then other required classes General Psychology and Introduction to Computers, should be passed as well. I completed the Computer class with an A, and the Psych should be scored no lower than a B.
All that's left for me to do is to transfer the credits and apply for graduation by February 4, and God willing, the sheepskin will be on my wall by this time next year.
It was some seventeen-and-a-half years ago. I was a still-young 24 year-old college student, who had spent far more time in college than really necessary. There were many ups and downs and sideways journeys along the way. I was majoring in Radio/Television/Film (minor in History), and had visions of being the next Spielberg or Lucas, or at the least, documenting archaeological digs for PBS (Discovery Channel and History Channel had not yet achieved major market penetration). Approximately three years earlier, I had accepted a calling to pursue officership in The Salvation Army, and knew that 1990 would be the target date for entry into the College for Officer Training (CFOT - The Salvation Army's seminary, now known as Evangeline Booth College). There was yet one pesky class that was required and yet escaped my attempts to master it - College Algebra. In order to complete the requirement for the BA, I needed to pass Algebra with a C, but the best I could muster was a D - despite several attempts.
So, I completed all the work in 1990 (the year of UNT's centennial) and prepared to walk the stage knowing that my degree would not be awarded to me due to my failure to pass College Algebra. By September I was firmly ensconced as a first-year cadet at the Training College.
A few years later, my wife and I were commissioned and sent to our first field appointment. While there, several of my supervising officers advised me to look into completing my work and getting the degree. I did some preliminary investigations, and found that UNT was open to the possibility, but then we were transferred to another appointment, with more responsibilities, and then the plans sort of went not on the back burner, but into the oven on low temp. Four years later, we were transferred to yet another field appointment and after getting our feet under us (metaphorically speaking), I began the negotiations with UNT anew. By this time, I was working with a different adviser and things started looking up. Then, after a period of prolonged radio silence, I learned that my adviser was no longer with the department, and I had to start over with a whole new person. At length, we got things worked out where the school would accept not just the math, but two additional classes, else the catalog would have to be revised, which would add a substantial amount of extra work. But then, another wrench was thrown into the mix.
Yes, once again we were transferred. This time to Texas, which, providentially, put me physically closer to my original alma mater. So, I waited a year in order to establish residency and contacted my adviser. She told me that time was running out, and that I would have to complete the work by December. This December. So I began to scramble and got enrolled and set up for classes (I would love to know what the inflation rate for college textbooks is - it has to be completely out of step with the rest of the economy!). As a substitute for College Algebra, UNT required one math class higher than Algebra, so I selected Statistics. After many weeks of gnashed teeth, pulled hair, tears, sweat, and sleepless nights where statistical formulae marched menacingly across the once peaceful pastures of my dreams, I completed the semester with a C. At long last, a blessed C!
Then other required classes General Psychology and Introduction to Computers, should be passed as well. I completed the Computer class with an A, and the Psych should be scored no lower than a B.
All that's left for me to do is to transfer the credits and apply for graduation by February 4, and God willing, the sheepskin will be on my wall by this time next year.