Thomas Schiel was like many young people graduating high school, unsure of what he wanted to do next and eager to start earning a salary. So he took an entry-level job in Boyertown and started punching a clock without too much thought about what else life might have in store. But several years later, Schiel was interested in broadening his education and knew that college was the right next step for him.

He enrolled in Montgomery County Community College’s (MCCC) West Campus in Pottstown in 2001, which allowed him to keep working full time while he pursued his degree in his own backyard. Before long, life intervened and Schiel’s education took a backseat to his growing family. But two daughters later, in 2013, Schiel completed an associate degree in Liberal Studies, graduating summa cum laude, and a proud member of the international Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society for two-year colleges. Motivated by his accomplishment, he decided to earn his bachelor’s degree. With young children, however, he needed to continue working full time to support his family while taking classes part time with minimal commuting time. Fortunately, he found his solution with the University Center at MCCC’s West Campus.

“The University Center offered me an opportunity that I thought was out of reach for me,” Schiel explains. “Working full time and raising a family consumed much of my time, and after receiving my AA from MCCC, I believed that was the end of my higher education. Fortunately, I was introduced to the University Center and truly helpful academic advisors who showed me that by using the accelerated format I could pursue higher degrees and not compromise my home and work life.”

Through the University Center, MCCC partners with local colleges and universities to offer advanced degrees on its campuses. Schiel took full advantage of this opportunity, earning his bachelor’s degree through Albright College (with a 4.0 GPA and as a member of the Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society for adult students) and then his master’s degree in Administration of Human Services from Chestnut Hill College in 2018 – all without ever having to leave Pottstown.

“The road is not easy and compromises do have to be made,” Schiel points out. “But these programs offer the light at the end of the tunnel, and I was able to see graduation as an expectation instead of a long-time dream. I have become a much better manager, and I’m hoping to advance even further in the future. I cannot stress enough how thankful I am that programs like this exist for working adults. Thank you MCCC and the University Center for providing me with a high-quality education in a format that I was able to accomplish!”

MCCC's West Campus offers a wide range of degree and certificate programs. Prepare for a bright future with MCCC. The Spring 2019 term starts January 16 with additional sessions starting February 13 and March 25.