Photo by Mitch Surpreant
An important part of college is meeting new people, making new friends and getting involved, but who would have thought that those school clubs or organizations would help you decide your future career?
Glacier alumnus Mitch Surprenant found Moraine to be the right place for finding his direction. By selecting a diverse range of classes and spending time on the Glacier staff, he was able to decide what he wanted to do.
“Glacier taught me critical thinking and skepticism at a time when I was still trying to decide what I wanted out of college. The Glacier helped me pinpoint my major in broadcast journalism,” he said.
Surprenant enrolled at Moraine Valley in the fall of 2004 with an open mind and a desire to learn new things. At the time he was pondering the idea of pursing a career in computer networking, but after trying out a class in networking, he felt it was not for him.
While taking all his core classes, he decided to take a journalism class. “It triggered a light bulb! I found that I really enjoyed writing,” said Surprenant.
He was given an assignment to write an article for the Glacier, like many students are still being assigned today. Having found his niche there, he eventually worked his way up to the position of Copy Editor.
After five semesters at Moraine, Suprenant transferred to Eastern Illinois University. He majored in Broadcast Journalism and minored in Political Science with a focus on International Relations. Surprenant is currently working in photography with intentions to pursue a career in broadcast journalism once the job market turns around.
Of his experience at Moraine, Suprenant only had appreciative things to say. “I feel the 2 plus years at Moraine prepped me for a college schedule, where teachers don’t hold your hand through assignments — you’re expected to get them done on time or face the consequences. I’ve maintained contact with a few of the teachers I had at Moraine long after I’ve left their classrooms, and wish I could take their classes again, with renewed enthusiasm.”
“Don’t make your mind up about your major within your first two years. Treat Moraine like an extension of high school, where you should take as many diverse topics as possible to knock out every general education requirement you need for your Associates degree,” said Suprenant.
