The Person I Admire Most
The person I admire most that went to college is my mom, Kathy Baker. My mom went to Baker University, which is located about thirteen miles south of Lawrence in Baldwin, KS. Here are some of the experiences that helped my mother succeed.
She shared a few of the things that have helped her be successful during her life. One important thing you need is to have good organizational skills. The organizational skills that she learned have helped her in the job she has today. Today she is the co-owner, and Secretary/Treasurer of our landscaping business, Willowridge Landscape, Inc.
She also stressed writing abilities. She said good writing skills are put to use every day of ones life, whether it's writing office memos, letters to clients, or advertisements.
My mother also learned that the ability to read and retain what she read has been extremely important. She uses this skill frequently in dealing with government reports, contracts and other job related documents.
Another important skill that my mom gained from college was self-discipline. She said you learn to make studying a priority over everything else instead of playing sports or doing stuff with friends. She also made a point to never miss class unless she was severely sick. She definitely brought all that with her to her job because I have seen her go to work even though she was sick. My mother also belonged to a sorority that had study table every night from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. It was helpful as far as the self-discipline issue was concerned. She also said that if there was ever anything you didn't understand or if you were having trouble with a particular subject, there was always somebody in the house that could help you. This played a big part in her life because it taught her never to give up.
Another powerful tool my mom learned was being able to speak in front of others. She admitted, however, that this began before she went to college when she was a member of a 4-H club. Being able to speak to others and in front of a crowd has been especially helpful when she conducts interviews or has to present things in staff meetings.
In conclusion, all of the experiences my mom had definitely paid off. Not a day goes by that she doesn't use either one or all of the skills that I have talked about. But she added, "if I had to choose the one most important thing that I gained from my college experience it would be knowing that you can do anything you set your mind to do. You can do or be anything in life if you believe in yourself and never, never give up!"
Learning Quest was created by the Kansas Legislature in 1999 and was officially opened July 1, 2000. The program is administered by the Kansas State Treasurer Lynn Jenkins, CPA, and is managed by American Century Investments. For more information go online at www.learningquest.com or www.kansasstatetreasurer.com.
** Prizes are paid for by the Learning Quest Program. No taxpayer dollars are used to purchase or disburse winning prizes.
Administered by Kansas State Treasurer, Lynn Jenkins, CPA.
Managed by American Century Investment Management, Inc. Notice: Accounts established under Learning Quest and their earnings are neither insured nor guaranteed by the State of Kansas, the Kansas State Treasurer or American Century. Learning Quest is distributed by American Century Investment Services, Inc.
