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Angela
My name is Angela Stirbis and I am an adult learner that participated in the Credit for Life Experience program. I had been thinking about going back to school for some time. I made the decision to make that commitment after speaking with Carol Gordon at my place of employment.I was very nervous at first as I had been away from school for over 20 years. The class was great!  I cannot think of a better way to start back. My instructor and fellow class mates made this a truly positive experience. I appreciated the opportunity to meet the instructors that I would be submitting papers for credit. They answered questions and clearly defined expectations. Materials provided in class helped me to complete my papers and prepare my portfolio. The fact that the class was only one night a week made it easier to fit it in with my work and family schedule. There is so much more to the class than writing the papers. It was great to meet others like myself in various stages of their careers and education. This class was about gaining confidence and support to begin again. I also received the guidance to see what my next step would be. I know what I need to do to complete my degree and have the confidence that I can and will achieve that goal. I enjoy the fact that my children are proud of me and understand how important this is to me. It is a great feeling to know that you can succeed.

Chris
I jumped into the work force at a young age, putting my college education on hold. Twenty years later, I found myself in the job market with no degree and quickly recognized that other degreed candidates had a significant competitive advantage. The Credit for Life Experience Program at JJC was an excellent way for me to transition back into an academic environment and leverage my work experience for college credit. It was encouraging to be part of a supportive environment with other adult learners in similar situations. The instructor did an excellent job walking us through each step of this new, unfamiliar process and had a sincere desire to see each of us succeed. The program helped me sharpen my writing skills and build my confidence, which ultimately helped me to land a great position in an excellent company.

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Diane
My particular situation, which is not different from many, had me attempting to finish my college degree while being a wife, a parent to three children, working a full- time job, and being a student. The demands of both family and work are difficult enough without adding conventional course work into the mix. After more than 15 years in the business world, it was nice change of pace to participate in a program that recognizes the value of having on-the-job experience count for something other than simply a paycheck. The Portfolio Program at JJC enabled me to earn credit for three classes based upon my work history. This may not seem like much, but considering I was taking one to two courses per semester, this saved me a minimum of one year in the classroom. To me this time was invaluable. The staff is extremely supportive and very cooperative. They are all wonderful to work with. The Portfolio Program at JJC was a superior experience and one I would encourage any prospective student to explore.

Sue
Enrolling into the Portfolio Development class at JJC was a major turning point in my career.  In addition, I would never have succeeded without the instructor’s coaching and step by step approach to the development process.  Initially I planned to write for two or three classes, but by the time I had completed the class, I felt qualified to write for seven!  It took me some time, but I completed all seven and received the credit for them.  I felt it was a tremendous accomplishment and one I am extremely proud of!  I will receive my BA Degree at the end of this year, and have maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout.  The information I received in the Portfolio Development class established the transition I needed to return back to school after 30 years.

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Tammy
After taking a portfolio development class at JJC, I wrote three successful portfolios in the Spring of 2004. The nine credits I earned aided me in earning my Associates Degree of General Studies.  Soon after graduation, I was promoted to the position of Inspector within the Secretary of State's Inspector General's Office.  In April of 2000, as a reward for blowing the whistle on corruption within the Secretary of State's office under George Ryan, the current Secretary of State Jesse White appointed me to the Inspector General's Office as an analyst.  My job was to assist inspectors in their investigations of fraud and misconduct of Secretary of State employees.  Though I loved assisting the investigators, it was my dream to become an inspector and work my own cases.  To be an Inspector, you had to have a two year college degree.  My AGS and work history qualified me for the job!   Portfolio development accelerated my academic progress and helped me earn the degree.  I am currently working towards a Bachelor's degree at Governor State University in the Board of Governors program.  It is my plan to write additional portfolios for upper division courses.

Mark
I started the portfolio program with the birth of my children. I want John (6) and Joel (3) to understand the value of an education, and I had better practice what I preach. The program is flexible and not only rewards a student with life experience but it also prepares the adult returning student for college coursework blended with the demands that life place on us. I thought it would be impossible to raise two children, work full-time and still complete my Associates, but the portfolio program was designed for people like me! When I recently applied for and was promoted for a management position within my firm, I didn’t have to be embarrassed about the internal application section on education. The JJC portfolio program was one of the greatest decisions of my life.

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