Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE-It was nearly 14 years ago when Connie Marschke first saw a flyer about the University of Wisconsin-Platteville's distance education program on the bulletin board at her YWCA. At the time, the Pewaukee resident had small children at home and a demanding job. Though she spent a large part of her spare time reading and learning on her own, she had no formalized college credits. She wanted to pursue her business administration degree, but feared that attending college would interfere with her family life. The flexibility of an independent study program, coupled with the opportunity to earn credit for life experience, made UWP's print-based degree program the ideal fit for her situation.

Like many busy students, Marschke found that studying alone in the evening - after working all day and tending to her family's needs - was a difficult task. "I would have to re-read some pages numerous times just to try to make my brain absorb and understand the new material," she says. "Also, some weeks were so busy in terms of work and family that there would be many days that I could not study at all. So, when I did return to my studies, I had to backtrack to re-teach myself what I had learned and forgotten five days ago. That was frustrating. "

Tailoring her study schedule to her lifestyle was vital to Marschke's success in the program. "Through the past 13 or 14 years," she explains, " I did my share of working, child raising, housework and being a wife, sister and daughter. I never missed my children's concerts, sport games, a family vacation or a special event because of my schoolwork. It was always a comfort to know that I could put my studies aside when I needed to change priorities and that I was always able to put my family and work first. I tried hard not to have my family suffer because of my studies. "

Marschke was fortunate to have the opportunity to earn 20-plus credits based on her real-life work experience, giving her added motivation to spend late nights with her textbooks. "It was a far more difficult process than I ever could have imagined, " she says of the life experience portfolio program, " but well worth the time and effort that it took to get through that process. I don't know if I would have ever attempted working towards a degree if it had not been for the portfolio credit process - I think it would have felt too daunting."

Though she studied independently, Marschke says she could always count on her advisors and instructors for support. She recalls an early discussion she had with one of her advisors that would come to mind when she was struggling. "He told me that since I was an older student, already into my career, that I had to weigh whether it was worth the extra time to strive for an "A" versus a "B". He implied that sometimes it is better to settle for the "B" and just keep moving. The goal of an actively employed adult learner is different than a 20-year-old college student who must get top grades just to get a foot into the working world. I still tried for "A's", but kept that advice in the back of my mind as an option," Marschke added.

Support from her family and instructors was important to Marschke as she slowly worked her way towards her degree, but it was her own dedication that saw her through to the end. "I had many low points in the past years when I was tempted to give up and I felt that I would never achieve my goal of graduating," she recalls. "There is no secret to overcoming that low point. It is just plain determination, pride, and perseverance."

Marschke is currently vice president of finance for one of the largest construction companies in southeastern Wisconsin, an accomplishment which she says she couldn't possibly have imagined 13 years ago. She believes that the many years that she spent studying played a big part in her current success. "I do not believe I would be where I am without having completed the courses that I had," she explains. "Not only were many of the business courses very relevant to my work, I gained confidence in my knowledge, in my writing and speaking skills, and in myself. The requisite discipline and determination needed to study independently fostered an equal discipline and determination in my career."

With one child now in college and another a recent graduate, Marschke says she's looking forward to spending more time with her 'very patient' husband. She doesn't intend to stop learning after her May 2004 graduation, however. She has industry-specific reading to catch up on and she says she may pursue some certifications specific to her work - after she's had a chance to recover from her decade of hard work!

UWP currently offers four degrees at a distance: a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, a Master of Science in Criminal Justice, a Master of Engineering, and a Master of Science in Project Management. For more information, visit online at http://www.uwplatt.edu/disted, call 800-362-5460 or e-mail disted@uwplatt.edu.