The student/staff profile of those whose lives are involved with AU is a new column in The Voice. It is our hope that reading about those who are part of the make-up of what makes AU unique will draw our students closer together although we span countries and continents. We are a part of AU, and as such, we carry a common bond.
I hope you will enjoy reading about the students and staff at AU – and be inspired to participate in our new PROFILES column!
STUDENT: ANDREA GUMMOW
Voice: What province and city/town do you live in?
Andrea: I live in Edmonton, Alberta.
Voice: Do you have a family/ kids/ pets ?
Andrea: My family consists of myself and my brother, our two cats Max and Shadow, and our pet bird, Lucky.
Voice: What are your hobbies / interests/ activities/ etc.
Andrea: I love to read, write, scrapbook, walk, and be with friends and children.
Voice: Can you tell us about the AU Courses you are taking at the moment, or a favourite course?
Andrea: I’m taking Psych 290, Math 215, English 301, and Biology 204. I absolutely LOVE taking the psych courses, and my favourite course right now is English. I’m studying children’s literature, and it’s so much fun, like a blast from the past. It’s the most enjoyable course I’ve taken so far.
Voice: How long have you been a student? (And where)
Andrea: This is my second year at Athabasca University. I study at home full time.
Voice: What do you think of your courses/ the AU experience/ distance education?
Andrea: I think AU is a great alternative for people who really want to get somewhere in life, but need an unconventional method of studying. The courses are really extensive, and cover a lot of material. They are easy to follow, easy to learn, and fun. Athabasca University has been a great experience for me. It has allowed me to follow my dream of getting a university education when I otherwise would have been unable to do so, due to the demands of my life.
Voice: Do you work? What do you do?
Andrea: Well, studying is a job in itself! But, I also have a job outside of school, doing child care, and house cleaning.
Voice: How (or) Is AU helping you towards a goal?
Andrea: AU is helping me toward my goal of getting an education, and toward bettering my life by giving me a flexible schedule, and one on one help whenever I need it.
Voice: What are your future goals?
Andrea: I plan to complete my BA, and then graduate studies in Psychology. My final goal is to become a developmental psychologist, working with troubled children via play therapy.
Voice: Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for other students?
Andrea: Follow the study plans, and don’t ever be afraid or reluctant about asking for help from your tutors. They really know their material, and are human just like us! Put aside time each day to work on your studies, and don’t work only on one course at a time. That gets really boring. And have fun! University is a great experience, whatever method you choose. And don’t take all the required courses at once. Spread them out, and take something fun!
Voice: Anything else we should know? Funny stories about the dog eating your laptop/ praise for your favourite tutor/ recommendations for a course:.
Andrea: All the tutors I’ve had so far are great. Psych 228, an introduction to child development, is a must do course for anyone interested in child development. I learned so much, and had so much fun in the courses.
AU is great!
Thanks, Andrea, for taking the time to share your experiences with all of our Voice readers! All the best in the future!
Anyone interested in being featured in AU Profiles should email Tammy Moore, Editor of The Voice at voice@ausu.org My thanks for your participation and readership!