P R O G R A M : I N F O R M AT I O N S Y S T E M S
Erica Jackson
Favorite Class: “Structural Analysis & Logical Design” Location: Harrisburg
Employer: Transportation Security Administration Position: HR Assistant
Erica went to college straight out of high school, but she left after two years. “I wasn’t disciplined yet,” she remembers. After that, she landed a job in retail, but she still felt unsatisfied. “I learned that I did not want to work retail!” Erica laughs. She talked to her father, who had been in the Air Force for many years and soon decided to follow in his footsteps. During her time in the service, she was able to take many courses in avionics instruments. She always planned to go back to school and finish her bachelor’s degree. It was many years later that Erica, a mother of six, registered for college again. Her oldest child had just graduated from college and her second oldest (who had just recovered from cancer)
My job directly benefits from my being in the program.
was about to return to college. Erica was determined to get a bachelor’s degree and follow her passion for lifelong learning. “There are a lot of people who say, ‘I don’t have the time.’ But I say this is about keeping yourself and your mind sharp, ‘you can’t afford to NOT do something.’”
After she enrolled in the information systems program, Erica learned how much taking classes and moving towards her degree would also improve her experience on the job. “I went to work and watched what I was being taught unfold before my eyes,” says Erica. One such class, “Structural Analysis and Logical Design,” came in handy when her employer moved all of their systems from one service provider to another. “Having that knowledge gave me patience during the switch and an understanding of the issues that came about,” Erica recalls. The program also showed Erica just how much she could accomplish. “Not only has my degree moved me into a different career, I achieved a life long goal ahead of schedule.”
ON DCP’S COHORT SYSTEM: “Albright’s greatest gift was the support system built into my classroom experience. Even when I couldn’t make it to class because of work, the instructors and others in my cohort made sure I wouldn’t miss anything. There was a real sense of camaraderie.” 7