In the words of A.A. Milne, who authored the “Winnie the Pooh” series, “To the uneducated, an ‘A’ is just three sticks.” Unfortunately, everyone knows a few students who purposely meet the bare minimum required to earn their degrees. Nevertheless, there are still pupils who make earning perfect grades a regular practice.
Jacob Nault, freshman music education major, was featured on the Dean’s list last semester. He is also the recipient of the Dean’s scholarship and the Helen Boatwright music scholarship. While Nault’s eternal smile makes his feats look effortless, it is clear he has overcome great adversity to succeed academically.
“Being ‘disabled’ with a mild case of cerebral palsy, the odds have sometimes been stacked against me—teachers and students alike have occasionally ridiculed me and underestimated my abilities,” Nault said. “High academic performance gives me an edge in the workforce that is sometimes necessary for individuals with ‘disabilities.’ More than that, I simply think it’s important to make the most of my education.”
Nault credits his large support group and the advent of technology for helping him thrive in school. Notwithstanding, it is sometimes stressful to manage school and juggle two on-campus jobs.
To combat stress, Nault will Skype close friends, listen to music or apply his best study tools, which include audio books, text to speech programs that can be found on iOS devices and dictation software such as DragonDictate.
“Even if the situation looks bleak, there might be a way out, providing you effectively use the resources available to you and make it a priority to get homework done before anything else,” Nault said.
Joselynn Torres Vallina, freshman criminal justice major, is another student who made the Dean’s list last semester, and she is determined to maintain her spot until graduation.
“I am a very dedicated person, and I like to always put all of my effort into things. Afterwards, I see all my accomplishments because of the hard work,” Torres Vallina said. “I believe that success depends on the performance you give.”
Torres Vallina admits that the beginning of her freshman year was stressful because it was a new experience; however, she learned to break old habits in order to thrive.
“Time management was an obstacle, but I was able to overcome it by giving priority to the things that are school related and important,” said Torres Vallina.
Torres Vallina takes advantage of the resources administered by the Hayssen Academic Resource Center, where she can often be found poring over homework. She believes that students can benefit from taking advantage of Lakeland’s tools.
Audrey Nichols, freshman chemistry major, is another newcomer featured on the Dean’s list. Additionally, she is the recipient of the Trustee scholarship and maintains a grade point average of 4.0.
“For me, academic success has always been important because I know that it can bring success in other areas of life, such as my career, in the future,” said Nichols. “I also know that I am paying a lot of money to be educated, and if I don’t work hard and do the best that I can, my tuition is a waste of money.”
According to Nichols, there is no secret formula for achieving the much-desired 4.0. She simply maintains open dialogue with professors, takes detailed notes and concentrates during lectures.
“Honestly, the biggest obstacle I have had to overcome this far has been myself; I tend to want to procrastinate on large assignments, so I have to be very disciplined to get them finished on time and done to the best of my ability,” said Nichols.
While the students noted above are freshmen, Lindsay Brown, senior English and education major, has maintained a noteworthy academic track record even as her college career draws to a close. In fact, she has made the Dean’s list every semester since freshman year.
Like Nichols, she credits her success to taking detailed notes and suggests that struggling students take advantage of Lakeland’s many resources. Additionally, she believes that exercise and making time for social activities help to combat stress.
She feels that students should work hard at their studies because college is literally the training center for their future careers.
“I view academics as an investment,” Brown said. “I work hard in my classes to learn and develop the skills and techniques that my field will certainly require.”