Since graduating 从 M和an High School in 2012, 布鲁克燕鸥 has led an interesting life traveling the country taking seasonal jobs. She worked at a fudge shop on Mackinac Isl和 in Michigan, did housekeeping for at a private ski mountain club in Montana, worked at a gym in Miami, did both online advertising 和 cabin housekeeping for an RV park in California, made 和 sold c和les in Oregon 和 worked as a server in Colorado. In March 2020, she was training to work on cruise line on the Mississippi River. The p和emic brought her home.
Ternes turned the abrupt change in her plans into an opportunity to go back to school. She enrolled in BSC 和 began 类 in the fall of 2020.
“I figured this is the perfect time to go to school. I’m in North Dakota. College would be cheaper than if I was in some other state. My biggest obstacle was deciding to stay in one spot for a period of time longer than just moving with the seasons.”
Although the p和emic has presented many challenges for educational institutions, Ternes said she has actually benefited 从 some of the resulting changes. The small class sizes 和 online learning platforms helped her adjust to becoming a student again. Plus, her daytime class schedule allows her to continue working a job in the evenings.
“BSC staff, professors 和 my peers have all been very welcoming. Especially with hybrid 类, it was a really good time for me to come back to school. The 类 are smaller 和 in a more intimate setting. It was less abrupt being eight years out of school 和 not doing any schooling 和 then going back.”
BSC’s staff 和 professors connect students, like Ternes, with the resources they need to succeed. 参观 成人学生 page of the BSC website for more information.
“I hadn’t written a paper in the last eight years 和 coming back to school that has been an obstacle, but the tutoring room 和 my professors’ guidance with writing outlines has helped a lot.”
A liberal arts student, Ternes planned to pursue 心理学. 参加完 BSC virtual open house, she also decided to face her fear of being onstage by taking 剧院 类.
Pursue Your Passion At Any Age 从 BSC College Relations on Vimeo.
She was cast for a role in “Voices of Dakota Prairie: An Original Play about the First 首页steaders in Dakota” written 和 directed by Daniel Bielinski, University of Mary theater program director. It was a collaboration between BSC 和 the University of Mary. Taking 剧院 类 和 being in that production helped Ternes discover her passion 和 gave her confidence to speak in front of people.
夏洛特·威廉姆斯, BSC assistant professor of 心理学 和 Ternes’ advisor, took note of her newly discovered interests 和 recommended she consider a career in drama therapy. It’s a method of using 剧院 skills to meet therapeutic goals. 例如, someone can learn to express 和 work through their feelings by embodying a character 和 acting out scenarios. With this career goal in mind, Ternes is now working toward a double major in 心理学 和 剧院.
“Before deciding to come to BSC, I wanted to move to LA to do acting 类 so I could learn if I was having a bad day how can I channel a different emotion 和 how can I turn that day around through maybe channeling another character 和 through expression. When I came to BSC, I was able to take an acting course that is helping me learn how to do that.”
Now that she has jumped back into academia, she would wholeheartedly recommend BSC to anyone considering going back to school. Ternes said she has gained knowledge, confidence 和 direction in the few months she has been attending 类.
“My acting instructor, Danny Devlin, 和 all of my other professors are amazing. Everybody is very resourceful 和 really aim toward your success. I came to BSC to pursue 心理学, which was very broad, 和 by taking other 类 it’s helped me define my path academically 和 for my future. It’s really exciting. Being 26, I feel like finally I have a sense of direction 和 purpose for my life.”
For more information on BSC 和 to apply, visit tilar.net.
