Forging Adversity into Opportunity:
MIRIAM CRAIG-VENTI MAKES AN INVESTMENT IN HER FUTURE AT RCSJ
米里亚姆·克雷格-文蒂在高中毕业后的几十年里取得了很多成就. 这位西德普特福德的居民曾在费城艺术大学接受歌剧培训，并在转行从事会计工作之前成立了自己的娱乐公司. 但在2018年, 她的雇主宣布，他们将在一年内将一些职位外包出去，她的工作安全感瞬间消失了.
克雷格-文蒂有多年的会计经验——无论是在大公司还是在她创立的公司. She impressed interviewer after interviewer with her professional demeanor, skill set and talent for organization. 事实上, 要成为一个完美的求职者，她似乎只差一件事.
“People really wanted to hire me, 但是他们在找一个有学位的人，而我不符合那个部门的条件,克雷格-文蒂回忆道. “我意识到要继续前进，回到会计或金融领域的职业生涯, I really did need to have those credentials."
克雷格-文蒂曾多次考虑过重返大学，但时机总是不对. As the countdown to unemployment progressed, 她发现她被解雇的情况意味着她有资格通过贸易调整援助(TAA)计划获得学费援助, 这是根据2015年《威尼斯人会员注册》设立的联邦项目. 这是一个巨大的机会, 但同时也有一个很大的问题——克雷格-文蒂只有130周的时间来完成她的四年制学位, so she headed straight to Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ).
“我决定快速通过RCSJ的副学士学位，因为它有一个项目，我可以转到威尔明顿大学, which has a location on RCSJ's campus,她解释道. “RCSJ提供了很多四年制大学提供给我的东西. 学院的发展如此之快，让人感觉不像传统的社区学院."
Craig-Venti于2020年1月进入RCSJ，成为该学院全国排名的在线人力资源管理课程的学生. 她与来自学院和威尔明顿大学现场合作办公室的顾问合作，制定了一个利用速成课程形式的紧张而有效的学术计划, 在线学术交付方法和重叠的课程安排来帮助克雷格-文蒂完成她的130周, 学士学位截止日期.
“这对我来说是一个挑战，因为我不是那种典型的来这里接受两年大学教育的学生. I relied on a lot of people," admitted Craig-Venti. “But just because it's difficult, doesn't mean it can't be done. I'm proof it can be done and I'm doing it with honors."
Earning academic honors had never factored into Craig-Venti's original goals, but she found that her experience in the field translated to the classroom. By the close of her first semester, 她一心一意的奉献精神为克雷格-文蒂赢得了院长名单上的一个位置，并被邀请加入两个著名的学术荣誉协会——Phi Theta Kappa (PTK)和Alpha Beta Gamma (ABG)。.
“The honor societies gave me so many opportunities to share my knowledge, 要有创意，和同学们多交流，这样我就不会觉得那么孤单了,她回忆道. “The more people you talk to and the more groups you get involved with, the better. You get involved in one thing and it opens up doors, which open up more doors."
Her honor society involvement did open another door, when ABG advisor and assistant professor of Business Studies, 丹尼尔Morganti, 鼓励Craig-Venti考虑加入美国注册会计师协会(AICPA)。. As the world's largest member association representing the accounting profession, the AICPA offered a wealth of networking, professional development and scholarship opportunities.
“加入美国注册会计师协会让我有机会获得我从未听说过的奖学金，”克雷格-文蒂解释说. “大学生必须支付学费，但他们也必须支付书费和用品费. 有时候我需要照顾孩子. The expenses add up and these scholarships help. Some of them I can even use to pay for things outside the College, 比如我的注册会计师考试, 哪个是昂贵的. 有些费用是目前没有上大学的人不会考虑的."
Craig-Venti was interested in the AICPA's Two-Year Transfer Scholarship, which could help pay for aspects of her education that the TAA program did not. She crossed her fingers and applied, 带着一份令人印象深刻的学术成就简历，以及摩根蒂教授和摩根蒂博士热情洋溢的推荐信. Patricia Claghorn, dean of Business Studies. A week before her graduation from RCSJ this May, Craig-Venti received the good news – along with $5,000 towards her Wilmington University degree.
“I was thrilled when Miriam told me she had received the AICPA scholarship, 但并不意外," confessed a smiling Professor Morganti. “我在课堂上与Miriam一起工作，并作为她在ABG国家商业荣誉协会的顾问. It's impossible not to be impressed with her drive, 她对同学们的支持，以及她在学习和课外活动中的出色表现, while juggling personal responsibilities, parenthood and community volunteer activities."
这笔奖学金给了克雷格-文蒂和她的家人在5月13日庆祝的额外理由, 2021, as they arrived at RCSJ for her long-awaited 毕业典礼 ceremony. Her name was called; she crossed the stage to accept her A.S. 人力资源管理和金融证书，对自己的成就充满自豪. 随着人群的欢呼, Craig-Venti's eyes went to her six-year-old daughter, 泰特姆, gleefully clapping along in the audience.
“Going back to college meant I was able to set an example for my daughter, which was extremely important to me,她分享道. “泰特姆 is in my graduation pictures. It will be a memory for her, and I hope she realizes that even though I didn't finish college out of high school, 我确实回去了. 我确实拿到了学位. 我终于实现了我自己的一个个人目标，这对她来说非常重要，因为她知道，只要你把它完成了，什么时候做都没关系."
For Craig-Venti, graduation did not slow her pace. As a Wilmington University student, 她正在利用暑假的时间攻读金融学士学位和会计证书，并按计划在2022年5月毕业. 她还计划参加注册会计师考试，并期待着再次找工作——这一次, 拿到学位了.
“我几乎不想离开学校——我现在太喜欢它了——但我确实需要找份工作. 我想找一份财务方面的工作，比如财务总监，也许最终会成为首席财务官,克雷格-文蒂吐露道. “我还没有完全做到这一点，但现在我有了经验和教育来支持这一点. 我终于有了我需要的东西来获得工作机会，而不是关于学位要求的道歉解释."
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