My husband Bill began college in 1973 at Elmhurst. After a year there, he transferred to Trinity College. He loved Trinity, but had to drop out after three semesters there because of a serious accident that left him in the hospital for a month.
After we got married in 1979, he realized that his lack of a degree was holding him back from advancing in his Information Systems career. Elmhurst had recently started an adult degree completion program, so he started their program in 1982. It took him several more years to finish up some gen ed credits, but he received his Bachelor of Science in Business from Elmhurst in 1990.
But the desire to obtain a theological education never went away. In 1999, he tentatively took his first class at the Trinity extension site in Milwaukee. There was only the one Master’s degree option available through those extension sites at the time – the 48-credit hour Master of Arts in Religion (most Masters’ programs are 32-36 hours including the thesis; the M.A.R. is a 48 credit hour endeavor). Bill loved the classes (most of `em, anyway) and kept taking classes, one at a time while working full-time, parenting three teens, and being involved in church leadership. We relocated back to IL in 2004, and he finished the degree here.
He completed all of his degree work in December `06, and grumbled a bit about walking in the ceremony in May, but the smile on his face yesterday was the smile of a man who’d achieved a gigantic milestone in his life. He’s a gifted leader and teacher, and wants so much to be used by God. I’m so proud of him!
Sincere congratulations to Bill. Great accomplishment!
Thanks so much!
yay!!