Student Professionals Aspiring in Career Exploration

George W. Baggett (Meteorologist)
gwbaggett@sbcglobal.net

George graduated from Grayson County College with a certificate in Viticulture & Enology. He went on to obtain a degree in Meteorology from the Florida State University. He is currently a retired NOAA Meteorologist for the NASA Johnson Space Center.

His most satisfying moment in his career has been working with the Space Shuttle Program and issuing weather forecasts for shuttle launches & landings and working with NASA Astronauts, flight directors, & mission managers.

Jana Garner (Business Major)
jgarner@casagrayson.org

Jana graduated from Grayson County College with a supervisory certificate and an Associate of Science degree in Business Administration. She obtained her Bachelors degree in Business Information Management from Southeastern Oklahoma State University. She is employed as an Executive Director for CASA of Grayson County. It was 15 years after high school before I enrolled in college. By that time I was divorced, raising two children on my own and working fulltime. It wasn't easy and it took me nine years of night classes to complete my Bachelors but I did it. Plus I proved to my children that an education is to never be ignored.

Her most satisfying moment in her career has been working for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). We are appointed to advocate in court for abused children who have been removed from their parents. Just knowing I have done everything I can to ensure that a child is placed in a stable, loving home is more satisfying than words can describe. The one thing she wishes she would have done was listened to her parents and started college right after high school. Career opportunities are slim without an education.

Message to student:
Don't ever think you can't finish college. I know life's busy, money's tight, and there are more enjoyable ways to spend your time. People can take away your home, your car, your job but they can never take away your education. It's one thing you can take with you when you go!

Jeff Loy (Photojournalism)
jloyphoto@hotmail.com

Jeff graduated from Grayson County College with an Associate of Science degree in General Studies. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from TAMU-Commerce in Photojournalism. He is employed as a Web/Communications Specialist, Automotive Service Association in Bedford, Texas and as a freelance photographer. He has worked as a photographer for 11 years (three years in photojournalism and eight years in advertising and public relations/communications) before making the transition to web development. He still does some photographic work, both for my current employer and on a freelance basis.

His most satisfying moment in his career has been making a successful transition to a completely different field and enjoying a reputation for being hardworking and dependable. He learned that your career might not work out as planned. As a student at Grayson and later at TAMU-Commerce, my focus was on becoming a photojournalist. Even though I achieved this goal, factors beyond my control forced me to change my career path. Although I miss my first career choice, I am much better off for the experience.

Message to student:
You can never know too much. Over the past few years, I've noticed that employers want fewer employees to be able to do more work. Everything I've learned since graduating college is being used in my current position.