Lisa Walz
Social Science
Bachelor's Degree Completion student Lisa Walz wanted one more hour of elective to fill her schedule, so she enrolled in an undergraduate piano course at K-State's home campus and now commutes to Manhattan one day per week. But this is no 15-minute, run-of-the-mill college town commute.
Round-trip, it's a 100-mile drive.
Add that weekly time commitment to seven kids, one full-time job, football games, and cross country meets, and you've got a recipe for a potential time management nightmare.
For Walz, though, it's all in a week's work. The Morganville, KS resident said she has played the piano since the age of six, and has her own piano students to whom she gives lessons one night per week. She said she chose to take the on-campus course for personal enjoyment.
"It's so fun and relaxing, but it's also a challenge," she said. "The lessons have been a great experience so far."
Walz plans to graduate in August 2003 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences. She said K-State's Bachelor's Degree Completion program has allowed her to further her education while working and fulfilling her family commitments. The program provides distance courses and services to students seeking a bachelor's degree.
"There's no way I could have committed to the classroom time required of a traditional on-campus program," she said. "Study time alone is hard enough to find. K-State Distance Education has enabled me to complete my education."
Much of the time in Walz's week is occupied with her position as supervisor of Gran Villas assisted living center in Clay Center, KS, where she works up to 45 hours per week. She credits her decision to choose K-State's Bachelor's Degree Completion program to Christina Cunningham, Grand Villas administrator.
"Christina went back to K-State when she was in her 40s to realize her dream of becoming an administrator," she said. "She helped me to realize my dream to return to education as well. She encouraged me so strongly because of the experience she had with K-State."
From 1980 to 1983, Walz attended North Central University in Minneapolis, MN, where she majored in Behavioral Sciences. She said her return to education has proved to be a learning experience not only for her, but her children as well.
"This experience has set a positive example for them, because my husband can say to them, 'Look, Mom's doing her homework; you can do your homework too' or 'Look, Mom is practicing the piano; it would be good for you to practice your instrument, too'," she said. "Sometimes we just all gather 'round the kitchen table with our books."
Walz said her husband, Brice, has been the greatest source of support to her during her time as a student, as well as throughout their 20 years of marriage. It is his collaboration, she said, that has helped her the most.
"We work together very well as a team," she said. "Usually you don't find us without a child. He is a very active father and husband, and has been so supportive of me. He is just so wonderful."
Brice also commented on the couple's teamwork abilities. He said the two have learned to divide their time between children's activities.
"There are times when she goes to the football game and I go to the cross country meet," he said. "We've got it figured out."
Walz said it has been especially difficult to give time to each of her commitments since she began pursuing her bachelor's degree through distance education, but she said the difficulties don't outweigh the positive outcomes of her education.
"The amount of time I devote to studying does take away from family activities, but that's a personal choice," she said. "I'm normally up at five in the morning, but I know that this is just temporary. As a result of my K-State education, I now have an increased level of self-esteem and knowledge."
It was one of those early mornings that first made Walz realize the fruits of her education. "It was at the very beginning of my K-State Distance Education experience; I had been out of a formal education setting for so long," she said. "But my first Distance Ed teacher just brought the subject matter to life - his name was Charles Sanders, and it was a Civil War course. I got up at five one morning to see what I'd gotten on a test in his class, and when I printed it out, it said I'd gotten an 'A'. I ran through the house and woke everyone up to show them my grade. I was so excited."
"It made me proud."
Shannon Marshall, Student Writer
Marketing Department
Division of Continuing Education
