Back To School

Joining the Jenkins MAC Program was one of the easiest and most difficult decisions I’ve ever made. I joined the program over the summer when I took 9 hours of course work. I am pleased to say that I was greeted by the friendliest and most knowledgeable faculty I have ever had the opportunity to meet. My first class was Advanced Financial Accounting with Dr. Bruce Branson, who insisted to be called Bruce. Before I continue this post, I should probably give you a little background about me.

Family Man

Being a dad is a huge motivator for me to do better every day. Nothing makes me smile more than him coming over and asking “Daddy, I help with your homework?” or “Daddy I help you with exercise?”. Please note that the exercise question involves him hopping on my back to do pushups. Jokes aside, I love doing homework around him. He is looking forward to getting his own homework from school. I really should record his enthusiasm about homework to replay during his teenage years.

Speaking of family, I cannot finish this section without mentioning and thanking my wife. Without her I would not be able to have this great opportunity. 

School, Work & Free Time

I am unsure why I put “free time” in the title. Between the previously mentioned activities, exercise, tutoring, school and a small business owner, free time is non-existent. That said, I love every minute of it. Before the MAC program I also worked at a large retail bank, which also gave me the extra motivation to come back to school. By now I’m sure that you have figured out that I am not a traditional 5th year college student. While I previously believed that this was a hinderance, the extra years of life experience is helping me tremendously. This is due to the fearlessness of asking a “dumb question” and a better understanding of the value of a dollar. Please note that the pricing of the program is very competitive and a bargain considering the quality of the education.

Continuation of the Original Story

Apologies for keeping you in suspense for two paragraphs but I felt it necessary to paint you a picture of the guy sitting in the front seat. Bruce came into my first class wearing a pair of lime green shoes, a Hawaiian shirt, a pair of jeans and most importantly the friendliest smile I have ever seen. He truly loves teaching and made my first class a memorable one. He was patient and answered all my questions and assured me that these questions were probably helping someone else in the class. He set a very high bar for the rest of my expectations of future classes, and I am pleased to say I have not been disappointed with the start of the fall semester. When next we speak, I will share the tale of a good luck charm that he gave our class before the last exam, assuming he permits the story to be told… Wish me luck and I will talk to you all again soon.