When the Professor Calls

Karen Jung never thought she would go to college, much less graduate. Host Dan Baum chats with the MBA holder who says a professor believing in her was the key to her evolving outlook and goals in education.

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Transcript

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(upbeat instrumental music playing)- Welcome to Redefine You season five. I'm Dan Baum. Over the last few years, this podcast has been a place to share powerful stories of redefinition and lightning strike moments. And to learn and grow with one another through adversity and change, even through a global pandemic. This season to close out the college's 60th anniversary, we invited members of the community past and present to join us in sharing their favorite AACC memories. Be sure to check out all of the season's episodes available now for your binge listening pleasure.- My name is Karen Jung, spelled J U N G. I'm currently employed at Anne Arundel Community College and a graduate of Anne Arundel Community College. Currently I'm a program developer in the department of correctional education and continuing education.- Oh, excellent. So what's your favorite AACC memory?- My favorite memory at Anne Arundel Community College would probably be going to class with some of my friends from high school. All my friends were going to Anne Arundel Community College. I initially was going to University of Maryland College Park to study interior design. They didn't have interior design at Anne Arundel back in the day so I studied architecture. And I couldn't keep up with the guys in the class. I didn't know the difference between a two by four and what screw to use. So when it came time to build your gazebo out of balsa wood, it fell apart. I had to use needles, pins and needles. So I was just going to transfer but a friend of mine, that I went to high school with, she was studying retail management and she says, oh Karen don't you wanna stay and graduate, you know?'Cause I'm not gonna go further my education. And I said okay. So I asked my parents, they said yes. I ended up graduating and she didn't. And then from there I went on to University of Maryland.- Oh wow, that's incredible. Of course we now have a great interior design program so it's too bad it wasn't there when you first started.- I know.- So is there someone that you met through AACC who made an impact on you?- Yes I could probably say two, and they were both professors. One professor was in the English department. I don't remember her name but I do remember, and I was taken back that I missed the class, one of her classes and she called me at home to let me know that there was gonna be a quiz. And I really appreciated that. That was a good professor. I felt somebody really cared about my education. And then the other person was professor, and he was in the sociology department, professor Steele I believe that's his name. And he was there a long time and he said wouldn't it be nice if you could pick your parents? And I was thinking hmm, you know I'd probably pick the same parents. I may want them to have a little bit more money, you know but I'd keep the parents I have. And he prompted me to go on and take marriage and the family, his other class that he was teaching. So I really learned a lot from his class.- Nice. Sounds like that first professor too had a really personal touch.- Mm hm, absolutely.- So how has being part of AACC redefined you?- Well I, like I said, I never thought I would go to college, much less graduate. And I went on and got a bachelor's degree then an MBA. After that I went back to school and got an executive graduate certificate in human resource management, and then a graduate certificate in instructional system development. So knowing that somebody really cared about me and wanted me to succeed, probably really defined me as far as my outlook on what school and learning was all about.- Sounds like it helped foster a sense of of lifelong learning for you when you weren't necessarily seeing yourself that way in the beginning.- Yes, absolutely.- That's excellent. Well thank you for sharing your story Karen, I really appreciate that.- Okay well thank you.(upbeat instrumental music playing)- Thank you for joining us for this special season of Redefine You, celebrating AACC's 60th anniversary. We hope this season inspires you to think about your own favorite AACC moments. How is being a part of this community near or abroad, as a student, faculty, or staff member, parent, or friend, redefined you?(upbeat instrumental music playing)(rock music playing) Redefine You is a production of Anne Arundel Community College. Our executive producer is Allison Baumbusch and our producer is Jeremiah Prevatte. Others who help with this podcast include Amanda Behrens, Angie Hamlet, Ben Pierce, and Alicia Renehan. Special thanks to all our guests for sharing their stories. Subscribe, find show notes and other extras on our website aaac.edu/podcast. I'm your host and creator of this podcast, Dan Baum. Thanks for listening.