Well guys…it’s a time for change.  Starting July 1^st I will no longer be an admissions representative; I will be a Career Services advisor.  This means you guys will still see me around but I will be doing something entirely different for ATA and its students.

The transition from admissions to career services will be a challenge and let me tell you, I will definitely miss admissions.  Admissions is such a great department at ATA and I can sincerely say we have the most fun!  I can’t believe the relationships I have built not only with my co-workers but also with my students.  Yes, if I enrolled you, you are MY student.  I check your progress and I am always thrilled to see any of you on the President’s list or Honor’s list and eventually at graduation and our success job stories board!  It’s such a great feeling seeing the people I helped get started in school, succeed. 

Another thing I will miss about admissions is hearing all of our student’s wonderful stories.  I can’t believe some of the challenges I have heard our students face daily.  I have never met people in my life as strong and as determined as all of you.

Anyway, although I am sad about leaving admissions, I can’t wait to start working in Career Services to see what doors I can further open for our students and our college.  I am sure it will definitely be a wonderful journey for us all!

Yours truly,

Bree Couch

Jacob:  How excited are you?

Michelle:  Let’s just say I couldn’t sleep last night, I felt like a little kid waiting on Santa!

Jacob:  Have you ever been to The Kentucky Derby?

Michelle:  Nope.  I grew up around Louisville but have never had the chance to go to The Derby.  Some of my friends have been before and told me about the infield and how crazy it was.  Other than the infield the only thing I know about the Derby is that all of the ladies dress up and wear big fluffy hats.   I have always wanted to go!

Jacob:  What will you wear to Derby?

Michelle:  I have a very nice pink and white Easter dress that I will wear.  I have been advised not to wear heels but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and you better believe I will be wearing heels regardless of how bad my feet will hurt.  I will also wear a big fluffy hat!  I’m not sure if I am going to make it or buy a new one but it will definitely be big. 

Jacob:  Do you know who you will be taking?

Michelle:  I have no idea.  I’m still in shock!

Jacob:  What celebrities do you want to see?

Michelle:  I have no idea.  Who has been there before?  I’ll be thrilled to see anyone famous but I would have to say Mariah Carey would make me feel star struck!    I would be happy to see any celebrity from the Food Network to actors to musicians.  I’m going to Derby!

Jacob:  Since you are so familiar with horse racing and the Kentucky Derby, who are your top three horses for this year’s Derby?

Michelle:  This is solely based off of the names but I will go with:  3^rd- Make Music for Me; 2^nd-Ice Box (like the girl off of Little Giants); and 1^st-Sidney’s Candy.  I really wouldn’t recommend putting money on these horses just because I picked them. 

Jacob:  Do you have anything else you would like to say to anyone?

Michelle:  Everybody that didn’t give the referral derby a shot, HA I’m going to Derby!  I would also like to thank Sarah for being my referral and tell her I’m proud of her for continuing her education to further her career.  Also and most importantly THANK YOU ATA COLLEGE for all that you do for your students!!!  Again I can’t believe it; I’m going to the Kentucky Derby!

Michelle thank you for letting me interview you!  We really appreciate your dedication as a student and hope that you have a great time at The Derby.  We will follow up to see how everything goes!

LEARN WELL. LIVE WELL.

Jacob:  How long have you been with ATA?

Brittany:  4 ½ years

Jacob:  What are some of your hobbies?

Brittany:  Playing with my 8 month old baby girl, Lyla. Watching college basketball ( I love March Madness!); Working in the yard; Being involved in Engaged Encounter which is a Catholic retreat that helps prepare engaged couples for the sacrament of marriage.

Jacob: What does ATA mean to you?

Brittany:  ATA means a future, not only a future in an in-demand healthcare career, but a future with more promise and opportunity. Not only does this school prepare students for the workforce, but along with the faculty and staff here, it gives students the confidence to achieve any goal, no matter how big.

Jacob:  What do you love about your job?

Brittany:  I love helping students stay in school by getting them the resources they need to graduate. The students are the absolute best part of my job! I also love planning the graduation ceremony and watching those students walk across that stage with nothing but opportunity in their futures.

Jacob:  What is your most memorable story about ATA students?

Brittany:  There was this dental student who graduated last year. She was a good student, but had a lot of struggles during her time here. Getting to class was very difficult for her due to the long drive and some tribulations in her life. She got through school and managed to get a great job in a dental office close to her home. At graduation she pulled me aside and introduced me to her family which consisted of 30 people. She asked me to take a picture. I assumed she meant for me to take a picture of her and her family. The student actually wanted me to be in the picture with her family. She introduced me to them as “the person who got me through school.” I was very flattered, but told her that she was the one that did all the hard work to get to this point. She agreed, but said my motivation and encouragement kept her in school. I will never forget her. I still have the picture.

Jacob:  What does education mean to you?

Brittany:  Education gives you a chance to have personal achievement along with professional development. Education is so much more than simply sitting in a classroom lecture; it’s experiencing the world, taking risks, getting involved. It is an intricate part to finding our total self. 

Jacob:  How has education changed your life?

Brittany:  Having my college degree gives me the satisfaction of knowing that I’m able to achieve whatever I put my mind to. I can have the peace of mind of knowing that I don’t have to settle for a minimum wage job.  Having a college education brought me to ATA where I hope to stay for a long, long time (as long as they will have me).

Jacob:  If you had a superhero power which one would it be and why?  

Brittany:  I would like to be able to control time. I would make the weekends last double the time and vacations would be weeks long.

Jacob:  What is your favorite quote/motto you live by?

Brittany:  “When you were born you cried and the world smiled. Live your life so that when you die you will smile and the world will cry.” -Anonymous

Jacob:  What is the coolest thing you have ever done?

Brittany:  I ran a mini-marathon in Bermuda and raised almost $4,000 for Leukemia. The running trail was along the beach so the scenery was amazing

Jacob:  Where is the coolest place you have ever been?

Brittany:  Probably New York City during Christmas time. I usually don’t like cold weather, but the decorations are so beautiful that time of year. I also enjoyed walking down the street in cute heels that hurt my feet pretending to be someone important or famous.

Jacob:  What do you like most about Louisville?

Brittany:  That it is a big city with a small town feel.  It’s crazy how many people you run into at grocery store or the mall that you know. I also love the U of L Cards!!!!

Brittany is an extremely hardworking employee at ATA and always looks out after our students!  Make sure to stop by and tell her how much you appreciate her dedication to her job.  Thank you again Brittany for taking your time to complete this interview!

 LEARN WELL. LIVE WELL.

Jacob:  How long have you been with ATA?

Shantel:  It will be 7 months in February!

Jacob:  What are some of your hobbies?

Shantel:  Cooking (I’m getting better everyday!), Singing, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and I’m a HUGE NBA Basketball fan.

Jacob:  What does ATA mean to you?

Shantel:  ATA provides students with life-changing career opportunities, faculty and staff that genuinely care, and experiences they will cherish for a life-time.

Jacob:  What do you love about your job?

Shantel:  I often meet with students that break down crying in my office because they got accepted into the program of their dreams, and their financial aid is taken care of. These students cry because they never thought it was possible for them to go back to school. It makes me so happy just knowing that I’m apart of making that happen. Sometimes you have to sit back and think, wow, we’re really changing people’s lives here.

 And, of course, I work with the most awesome Financial Aid and Admissions team on the planet!

Jacob:  What does education mean to you?

Shantel:  Education is the key to the door of opportunity. Once you graduate from college, no one can take that away from you. No matter what you do or where you go in life, it will always be there for you to fall back on, or for you to use as a step ladder to help you climb to the next level of whatever profession you choose. “Learn well, Live well”

Jacob:  How has education changed your life?

Shantel:  Most people don’t know that I am the oldest girl out of seven children. With that came a lot of responsibility. On May 9, 2009, I was very proud to become the first in my entire family to graduate from a four-year university. I know my education will provide me with a better life, but my family is really what gave me the motivation to work hard all those years. I know they all look up to me as an example for their lives.  If I can do it, they can do it.

Jacob:  If you had a superhero power which one would it be and why?

Shantel:  I would want the superhero power to teleport (like the movie Jumper, without the bad guys). Never have to worry about traffic, see all of the wonders of the world, and I could go home to Detroit whenever I wanted to.

Jacob:  What is your favorite quote/motto you live by?

Shantel:  “At first dreams seem impossible, then improbable, then inevitable.” -Christopher Reeve

Jacob:  What is the coolest thing you have ever done?

Shantel:  Audition for American Idol in 2008. I made it past 3 auditions, all the way to Simon, Paula, and Randy.

Jacob:  Where is the coolest place you have ever been?

Shantel:  Niagara Falls.

Jacob:  What do you like most about Louisville?

Shantel:  The winter weather, not counting the past few days. Winter weather is way more brutal in Detroit than it is here…I feel like I’m being spoiled.

Thank you for your time for this interview Shantel!  ATA appreciates your hard work and dedication towards helping make a difference in our students’ lives.  And to the students, if you ever have a financial aid question or just want to thank Shantel for her help stop by, her door is always open.

“LEARN WELL. LIVE WELL.”

* Keep posted for a live musical performance from Shantel for our students at ATA.

Learn Well. Live Well.

Jacob:  How long have you been with ATA?

Brandon:  Slightly over three years

Jacob:  What are some of your hobbies?

Brandon:  Hanging out with friends, working on cars, football, baseball, paintball, and racing not specifically in that order.

 Jacob:  What does ATA mean to you? 

Brandon:  ATA opens the door to help people further their education, find the job they are looking for, and overall improve their life.  ATA offers a great opportunity to help people get where they want to go in life, to really make a difference!

Jacob:  What do you love about your job?

Brandon:  Getting to know and talk with the students on a daily basis is without a doubt the best part of my job.  They always walk in with a smile and a welcoming “hello.”  And of course I could not have asked for a better group of co-workers.

Jacob:  What is your most memorable story about ATA students?

Brandon:  In my many years, there are many stories to be told about ATA students, but one in particular stands out.  While I was walking around at the fair I was stopped by a student who had graduated the year before.  She excitedly told me how she had found a job and that ATA was the best choice she ever made.  She also went on to say that she missed some of her teachers and classmates at ATA.  It was great to know that all of us at ATA could make such a big difference in someone’s life.

Jacob:  What does education mean to you?

Brandon:  To me, education is opportunity.  We all have that one career we are trying to pursue.  The more education/knowledge you have the more opportunities will present themselves to help you reach your goals.

Jacob:  How has education changed your life?

Brandon:  I don’t think I am far enough along to say how it has changed me.  However, I am currently going through my second year in U of L’s nursing program.  I can say that the education I received at Trinity High School had me well prepared for college.

Jacob:  If you had a superhero power which one would it be and why?

Brandon:  Gosh, this is always tough question.  I think I would want the ability to fly.  I wouldn’t have to worry about traffic, connecting flights, layovers, time constraints or speed limits.  Just go where I want, when I want.

Jacob:  What is your favorite quote/motto you live by?

Brandon:  “Life is a teacher; you are bound to be tested.”  I don’t think I would be where I am today had I not pushed through all the trials life throws out there.  If I want to make it through med school and become a doctor, I will need to overcome many obstacles.

Brandon, thank you for your time doing this interview!  As for you students, make sure to stop by and give Mr. Vititoe a hard time or at least say hello. 

Have a great week!

LEARN WELL. LIVE WELL.

“It was a lot of fun- let me know when you guys are up for doing it again.”

            -Kelly

“I had a wonderful time too.  It’s always great to be reminded that we have the most incredible people working here.  I’m proud to be part of this team of people who care so deeply about both ATA and this community.  You’re all wonderful!  Thank you (and the spouses) for coming out Saturday!”

            -Candace

“I want a nail gun next time!”

            -Heather

LEARN WELL. LIVE WELL.

We, at ATA College, encourage you to get involved by helping your local community.  For more information about helping the Louisville chapter of Habitat for Humanity please visit the following link, http://www.hfhlouisville.org/.