My name is Carl. I am a non-matriculated Part-Time Studies student, and my immediate goal at Villanova is to receive a Bachelor's of Science degree in Business Administration. I have some credits transferring from DCCC, but I will be performing the brunt (probably 80%) of the work here at Villanova. Being non-matriculated presents a challenge because I have to prove that I'm a worthy student since I am non-traditional, which means I didn't come fresh out of high school. Fortunately this has allowed me to take at least a cursory look at the real business world before attending school. That look allows me to bring something different to the classroom: experience to help make sense of some of the things I'm being taught.
Fall 2008:
Spring 2008:
Fall 2007:
I work for the Boeing company at the Ridley Park facility on the Chinook program assembly line. I've been there since January, 2007. I'm a sheetmetal assembler, though I'm trying not to stay in that classification forever. In the short term I am planning on making a run for a supervisory position. This will allow me to (and perhaps most importantly) double my income level. It will also allow me to gain some more experience with leading people.
One of the fantastic perks from Boeing includes access to Safari books online for free as well as a variety of other information sites you would otherwise have to pay for. They really have an extensive availability of information and access to interesting resources you would not normally think about on your own. Obviously another, and possibly the biggest, perk is the LTP program. LTP = Learning Together Program. It's an educational reimbursement program, though it's really an educational guarantee as long as you get your requisite 2.0 GPA. They pay 100% of your tuition and some fees, as well as reimbursing a portion of your books per class. It doesn't get any better than that people. There are no restrictions on what you take, as long as it qualifies for collegiate credits or continuing education units. You will pay taxes on the amount greater than $5250 if it's not required for your job, which for most of us it isn't, but that's okay by me. It's better than spending $10,000 on tuition and then another $1000 for books and who knows what else.
This is what we build at the Boeing, Ridley Park site: CH-47F Chinook Helicopters (first image) and MH-47G Chinook Special Operations Helicopters (second image). Recently (May, 2008) we started building a new RNLAF version (Royal Netherlands Air Force). I am involved in that program and must say it's the best area I've worked in to date.
