Gen 480
Past, Present, and Future
Karen Maijala
GEN 480
January 20, 2011
Dr. Norberto Cruz, Jr
Past, Present, and Future The purpose of this paper is to reflect on my personal and professional growth during my Criminal Justice program of study at the University of Phoenix. The paper will reflect upon where I was before I began college at the University of Phoenix. Then I will evaluate the growth I experienced during my University of Phoenix program of study. To conclude, the paper will analyze the impact of completing the University of Phoenix bachelor's program on my current and future professional goals. I went to college for the first time right after high school and learned very quickly that I did not know why I was there. I attained a job, thinking I would return when I decided what I wanted to be. The second time I went to college, I was in my early thirties, and because of the daycare I had been providing in my home, decided I should pursue a degree in early education. By the time I finished my general education courses, I changed my mind. I no longer wanted a degree in early education, and did not know what degree I wanted. Once again I quit college with a decision to return, once I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. Many years went by and during those years I worked different low-level low-pay jobs. I began working for State Farm in the call center of the claims department in 2003. Although this position was also a low-level, low-paying job, I was enjoying learning the process of insurance claims and wanted to pursue a different position within the claims department. My supervisor encouraged me to go back to college because a degree would make me more competitive for higher positions within the company. In the next couple years, I managed to receive a position in a different department, but still low level. I continued in this position for three years and during this time, I had interviewed for three positions that I did
Karen Maijala
GEN 480
January 20, 2011
Dr. Norberto Cruz, Jr
Past, Present, and Future The purpose of this paper is to reflect on my personal and professional growth during my Criminal Justice program of study at the University of Phoenix. The paper will reflect upon where I was before I began college at the University of Phoenix. Then I will evaluate the growth I experienced during my University of Phoenix program of study. To conclude, the paper will analyze the impact of completing the University of Phoenix bachelor's program on my current and future professional goals. I went to college for the first time right after high school and learned very quickly that I did not know why I was there. I attained a job, thinking I would return when I decided what I wanted to be. The second time I went to college, I was in my early thirties, and because of the daycare I had been providing in my home, decided I should pursue a degree in early education. By the time I finished my general education courses, I changed my mind. I no longer wanted a degree in early education, and did not know what degree I wanted. Once again I quit college with a decision to return, once I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. Many years went by and during those years I worked different low-level low-pay jobs. I began working for State Farm in the call center of the claims department in 2003. Although this position was also a low-level, low-paying job, I was enjoying learning the process of insurance claims and wanted to pursue a different position within the claims department. My supervisor encouraged me to go back to college because a degree would make me more competitive for higher positions within the company. In the next couple years, I managed to receive a position in a different department, but still low level. I continued in this position for three years and during this time, I had interviewed for three positions that I did