Student Spotlight: Linda Morehead

Year: Sophomore
Major: Undecided

Returning to school at the age of 47 was no small feat; as a full-time wife, mother, and student, saying Linda’s plate is full may be an understatement.

Hesitant about returning to school full time, Linda chose to start slowly to ease back into the learning environment. She chose to begin part time with seven hours her first semester, then she eased into full-time status with 13 hours her second semester. “I attend classes while my kids are in school, and I study in the evenings after dinner or while [the kids] are at practice for their various sports.”

She did have some concerns about returning to college after such a long hiatus and summarized her fears stating, “I was afraid I wouldn’t fit in because I’m so much older than most of the other students. I was also afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep up academically.” These fears have proven unfounded because she has made the President’s List which means she achieved a 4.0 GPA for the semester as a full-time student.

Because of the SMART (Student Mentoring, Advising, Registration, and Testing) session, Linda felt she was better prepared to handle the rigors of college life. The program aims at helping students adjust and excel in the college environment. As a manager and computer specialist for the IRS for 15 years, she learned many inestimable skills on the job such as communication, negotiation, writing, and most importantly confidence, which also help her in the college setting.

Her academic interests are varied – from computers to biology and life sciences – which meant she needed to choose a school that offered programs that best suited her needs. She is now an active member on the IT Student Advisory Board, and she volunteered during the summer with the GGC Tech Camp where 7-8th graders learned animation and robotics.

As she returns for her second year at GGC, she looks back and realizes her fears were far from reality and looks forward to the next three years: earning her bachelor’s degree, as well as making more new friends, learning from amazing professors, watching GGC grow into a major college, and having the time of her life.