Janet Reiss is the first student to finish a new collaborative program between Columbus State and Ohio State.
But more important, she completed a major personal goal and gained marketable skills for the next phase of her life.
When Reiss came to Columbus State in 2004, it was her second try at college. She first studied business/deaf education at Ohio State and Eastern Michigan University, but quit in 1979 to work and eventually raise a family.
A few years ago, following a divorce, she found a newspaper article and photo of herself from when she was nine years old learning sign language.
“I really felt that finding that picture was a sign, and Columbus State was the best place to go,” Reiss said. “I initially went back to Columbus State because I thought I would finish what I started 30 years ago in education.”
Reiss started taking core courses and sign language courses,
getting back to the swing of college. Then she found a joint
program between Columbus State and Ohio State’s College of
Education and Human Ecology. Under the program, she got an
associate degree from Columbus State, then transferred those
credits toward her Ohio State degree.
She is the first student to go through the program. Under the
program, students do 100 credit hours at Columbus State, then
another six quarters at Ohio State.
She will graduate in the spring from Ohio State with a
bachelor's degree in Education, Technical Training and
Education. She starts her student teaching this spring at
Westerville Central High School, teaching business, personal
finance and computers.
Business education teachers are in demand, said Chris Zirkle,
an Ohio State associate professor who taught Reiss. Students
need to learn computer skills, and the Ohio legislature recently
required students to take a course in personal finance.
Coming back as a “nontraditional student” wasn’t easy, but
her years in the work force gave Reiss a fierce work ethic.
One student, seeing her on the first day in class,
complained that an adult learner would throw off the grading
curve.
Reiss applied for every scholarship she could get, and
joined the Student Ambassador program. As a Student
Ambassador, she received a small stipend and took part in
service projects for groups such as the Girl Scouts, the
Ohio Historical Society and the Epilepsy Foundation of
Central Ohio.
She received one of Columbus State’s Women Leadership
awards, and at Ohio State she was honored in the President’s
Salute to Undergraduate Academic Achievement.
“She’s a poster child for how a nontraditional student
can go to Columbus State, then come here, and be a success,”
Zirkle said.
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So after that hard work and some help from Columbus State,
this mother of three (and grand-mother of one) is ready to
start her next chapter.
“I’m pretty excited about it. I can’t believe it’s here,”
Reiss said.
“Here I am, and I’ve done it – so what’s next?”