For some students, Sinclair may feel like a never-ending battle on their journey to success. For said students, the Clarion has spoken with Sinclair Alumni to offer words of wisdom from those that have been where those students currently are.
Heidi Mcgrew, chair of the Communication Department, said a degree in Communication is beneficial because communication is in everything.
Lauren Johnson, former Sinclair Communication major, said her time at Sinclair was enlightening.
“Looking back, it was the best thing that ever happened for me to end up here. Honestly, the education I received was of top-notch quality,” she said.
Johnson transferred out of Sinclair in June 2009 to Northern Kentucky University, where she double-majored and earned a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Communication Studies. After graduating from Northern Kentucky University, she worked in Public Relations for Northlich in Cincinnati but was later laid off. However, she soon found another job at Sinclair as a stewardship officer.
“If there’s any negative connotation in your mind attached to a community college, just leave it,” Johnson said. “Be proud and have pride that you’re a part of Sinclair. The whole tagline, success starts here, is totally true. I, hands-down, know that I wouldn’t be where I’m at today if I didn’t come here first.”
Mitchell Bailey is also a Sinclair alumnus.
He started at Sinclair in 2003 after moving to Dayton and having a job close by.
“I began my collegiate academic studies in 1997 right after high school and then life got in the way after a couple of semesters and I left and did other things, then I moved to Dayton and I knew I needed to get that restarted for myself,” Bailey said.
He said he worked full time throughout his entire time at Sinclair, but finished in 2007.
“I am not the first person to work full time and go to school. It’s happened a million times before me, it’ll happen a million times after me,” Bailey said. “It is important to make sure that you have support networks in place when you can. Not everyone has that luxury… Friends, co-workers, people here at Sinclair.”
He now works as chief of staff to the president of Sinclair.
He said in his position, he overlooks day-to-day operations in the President’s Office.
“Do not be afraid to ask for help, because no one can do it by themselves,” he said.
Lori Zakel graduated from Sinclair in 1977. She came to Sinclair straight out of high school, but she said the way it happened was interesting.
“My parents both are European immigrants, so they both came to the United States in 1952 and they ended up eventually in Dayton. They were in New York for a couple years… So neither of my parents had an education from the United States and I’m not sure if they really knew how to give me any direction,” she said.
Zakel said that at the time, girls didn’t go to college as much as boys did. However, she graduated within the top five of her high school class and her guidance counselor asked what she was doing after high school, thus, introducing her to Sinclair. After Sinclair, she transferred to the University of Wyoming on a full-ride scholarship and graduated with a bachelor’s of Science in Communication degree. She then obtained her master’s degree in Communication and completed her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership.
“I had an amazing experience, I loved everything that Sinclair did,” Zakel said. “I’m not sure if you appreciate it at the time, but when I think about what Sinclair did for me, I was able to connect with faculty members that helped me understand what I could do with my life, because I really didn’t know and it was through talking to faculty.”
After completing her education, she started teaching part-time at Sinclair and working full-time in marketing, but eventually realized that she wanted to soley teach full-time. She is now dean of the Liberal Arts, Communication and Social Sciences Departments.
Mcgrew said she advises her students to complete the degree program at Sinclair.
“One of the things I always tell students is, no matter what your degree— whether it’s Communication, or English, or [Psychology] or Art… And you’re here at Sinclair, get the degree,” Mcgrew said. “You’ll spend a year, two, three, four maybe seven years working on that degree, but get it. Because once you get it, it’s yours. It is your degree. It can never be taken away from you— unlike your house, your spouse, your kids your job. Those things can be taken away. But when you get your degree, no matter what, it is your degree and it will never be taken away.”