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The future looks bright for RCC graduates photo by Bob Pennell RCC student Jonathan Gillen Students will face two very different paths after the ceremony By J.T. BUSHNELL 43-year-old mom earns her GED at last When Carolyn Gimenez left high school at age 15 because of pregnancy, she figured she would make it up someday. Twenty-eight years later, she finally did. Gimenez, 43, is one of approximately 160 students in Jackson and Josephine counties who successfully completed the General Educational Development program at Rogue Community College. All were honored at graduation ceremonies June 7. "It's been a personal goal all my life," Gimenez said. "I wanted to know I could do it. Now I can go on and do other things." Gimenez, who has three children, four step-children and nine grandchildren, is considering enrolling at RCC for college credit in the fall. "I never had the opportunity to do (the GED program) before," she said. "My youngest son just moved out a year and a half ago, and my other jobs didn't allow it." Gimenez now works at the Veterans Administration Domiciliary. Tom Bradbeer, dean of human resources and college advancement, said a General Equivalency Diploma is often essential for employment. "It is very common for employers to require a high school education or the equivalent," he said. "It's virtually impossible to get a job without it." Students must pass an exam that covers writing skills, social studies, science, literature and mathematics to earn a diploma. RCC is licensed to administer the exam and offers tutorial assistance for preparation. "The GED program takes a significant commitment," Bradbeer said. "It's a challenging process; it's equivalent to finishing high school." Bradbeer said most participants in the program are adults. The process is customized on an individual basis and self-paced. Gimenez finished the program in two months, but many students need as much as a year. "Students work very much with a tutor and in small groups," Bradbeer said. "It's like attending class." RCC offers the program free of charge. Laurie Moors and Jonathan Gillen both tread the trail that will lead to Rogue Community College's commencement ceremony on June 16. But when they reach that junction, accompanied by nearly 350 classmates, the trail will split. "There are basically two different tracks that students attend RCC for," said Tom Bradbeer, dean of human resources and college advancement. "The first is for students who will go work. The second is for students who will transfer to a university." Moors, 43, is on the first track. She's one of 108 students who will graduate with an associate of applied science degree. Hers is in business technology. Moors used to be banquet manager at the Red Lion Hotel in Medford. When she was passed up for a promotion because of a lack of credentials, she decided to enroll at RCC. "I'm thrilled to graduate," she said. "I hadn't been to school for 22 years. It's been a struggle, but I've gotten a lot of personal growth out of it." The struggle arose mostly from the time commitment a 12-credit course load required. Moors said she spent about 40 hours a week on schoolwork and classes. Moors also worked part-time at Northwest Best, a mail-order company. In addition, she had two daughters living at home. One was usually home only in the evening because of school and work; the other stayed with her weekends and with her father during the week. But despite the difficulties, Moors said the experience was the most valuable of her life. "It inspired me; it shed a new light on life for me," she said. "I needed the challenge. I needed someone to tell me I was doing a good job."Moors said she plans to take a few months to recover from her college experience and then apply at a staffing service, which will assist her in job placement. She hopes to find some sort of management position. Gillen, 20, figures he's just beginning his education. "This is the first step in a long process," the Hidden Valley High School alumnus said. After receiving an associate of arts Oregon transfer degree at the commencement ceremony, Gillen will transfer as a junior in the fall to Southern Oregon University. He hopes to earn a bachelor's degree in business there. After that, he plans to attend University of Oregon for a master's degree in accounting. Gillen cited a number of reasons for beginning at RCC rather than heading for SOU straight out of high school. "Mainly, it was a good transition between high school and a big university," he said. "I wasn't ready to go off to a big university." He also estimated that he saved $20,000 attending RCC and living at home. Gillen is one of 133 students to earn AAOT degrees this year. "The AAOT degree is really designed for transfer; it's designed to take care of universities' general education requirements," Bradbeer said. This year's graduating class is the largest in the school's history, with an average GPA of 3.43. A total of 153 students will receive honors for GPAs of 3.5 or higher. Bradbeer said those numbers are typical. "We have a lot of systems in place to help students do well," Bradbeer said. He also said special attention from professors is a factor. "Professors here were hired solely for their ability to teach; there is no research function in the mission of RCC." Bradbeer said RCC's high student scores are validated by generally high GPAs from students who move on to universities. They are also validated, he said, by the level of job placement after graduation. "Virtually 100 percent of nursing, respiratory therapy, and automotive students receive jobs right after graduation," he said. Commencement begins at 6 p.m. in the Concert Bowl on RCC's Redwood Campus, five miles west of Grants Pass. Reach reporter J.T. Bushnell at 776-4487. 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