Samuel Jackson Organizational Leadership Student

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EC - discovery at any age

Sam Jackson is not a stranger to hard work.  Currently working at Caterpillar, in the Marketing and Product Support Division, Sam started his career there during his junior year of high school.  Upon graduation, along with working full-time at Caterpillar, Sam attended Bradley University for a year.  However, after working full time and going to school, the fourteen-hour days took a toll.  He transferred to Illinois Central College to take night classes, with the promise to himself to obtain his Bachelor’s within the next two years.  After searching both online and “brick and mortar” programs, he chose Eureka College’s Organizational Leadership Degree Completion Program.  According to Sam, “Eureka College offered a program where the curriculum matched my education goals and fit what interested me.”

Sam’s motivation for completing his degree through the program is not just the promise of more money, but the satisfaction and life changing opportunities it brings. 

“Education is one of those experiences that, if taken seriously and finished, can be a liberating experience.  I am driven by learning more new things and by becoming a better person.” 

He is pleased with his decision to be a part of the Organizational Leadership Program.  He believes that the degree is set apart from others because it focuses on bettering his overall skills, and not just knowledge alone.  “This program…will help me use my knowledge and ideas to effectively lead the way for development towards tomorrow.”

Sam is flourishing at Eureka College and can already see and feel a change.  He admits his confidence is growing as well as his understanding of the world around him.  He has, however, encountered setbacks. 

“As far as my balancing of work, school, and family, it has been more difficult than I thought it would be.  I had to make a lot of sacrifices and some that I wasn’t ready to do at the time.  I was always more of a self-reliant person. I cooked my own meals and I cleaned my space. If it weren’t for the support of my family and roommate helping me along, I would be eating a lot of microwaveable meals or deli sandwiches and my things would lay haphazard around me.” 

He explains that because of the intense workload of the accelerated program, he has had less time for activities like working out and dating in which he used to participate.  “Family reunions and fun vacations are passing by around me while I keep my head in schoolbooks and my body at work.  The one thing that gets me through all of this is the understanding that when I wake up on that June-day, a year and a half from when I started it will all be over and my life will once again change.”

Since starting the program in August of ’07, Sam has learned not only how to succeed in the classroom, but also in the program. 

Sam's Advice

“[First,] get your other classes out of the way. Certain classes are required to get a Bachelor’s in the State of Illinois and all of those classes will not be covered in this program. Find out which ones you will need to graduate and get those done before you do anything else. 
[Also], a person cannot do this on his/her own and needs the help of others. Pick your support group wisely. You need people on your side that want you to succeed and are willing to go any length to help you get there." 

"[Finally, ] keep your head up and have fun. It is an accelerated program. As long as you keep focused on the short-term goals for completing each class you will make it through. You will be spending a lot of time with your classmates so enjoy their company to the fullest. You can help make the time away from friends and family better if you can make new friends with the people you will be spending every other weekend with.”