When Analiese Rutter enrolled at TCC, she wanted three specific things. “I was looking to build a firm academic foundation, to grow a network of peers, and to learn how to be successful in higher education,” she said. “From second grade through high school, I was homeschooled, so before TCC, I had never set foot in a classroom.”
She admits struggling with knowing what she wanted to do after completing her degree. “I knew I wanted to go on to complete a four-year degree but wasn’t sure what I wanted to study or what my intended career would be.” To overcome this challenge, Analiese says she spent a lot of time in her professors’ offices, learning about their fields of study and understanding how they came to (choose) their career path. She also tried a lot of classes if the topic was of interest to her. “TCC offers such affordable, quality education, and it was the perfect way to understand new fields of study without paying a high price for the same classes at a university,” she said.
Analiese credits TCC with “kick-starting” her education after high school. “The structure of the Honors Program and opportunities provided to me both as a member of Phi Thera Kappa and the Cornerstone Honors Program built my confidence as a student and researcher,” she said. “The programs also gave me the opportunities to present at various academic conferences, which allowed me to grow more comfortable speaking and representing my work in public. I had no idea how much I would rely on those skills today in my professional workplace, but I use them every day while working with corporate leadership and foreign militaries.
She applied to several universities as she neared completion of her Associate of Arts degree and received several merit-based scholarships, including a full tuition scholarship at Southern Methodist University and 50% tuition scholarships to Pepperdine University and Texas Christian University. “These were based on my academic achievements at TCC as well as references from TCC faculty,” Analiese said. She chose Pepperdine.
Speaking of faculty, Analiese says there are many faculty members she owes thanks to, “all of whom offered a listening ear and advice,” she said. “I am especially grateful for Dr. Archie Wilmer, who helped me find confidence in mathematics and taught me algebra isn’t something to fear. I am very grateful for Professor Jay Green, whose passion for psychology guaranteed I would never dream of missing a class. And, I am most grateful to Dr. Michael Nichols, who encouraged my love for history and equipped me with mentoring advice I carry with me today.”
Currently, Analiese works for Lockheed Martin in Palmdale, Calif., managing business development in the Netherlands and Norway. “I work with the Dutch and Norwegian militaries, supporting activities on combat air, air mobility, and reconnaissance aeronautics platforms,” she said. “I absolutely love what I do – I have always dreamed of working with international customers and traveling frequently across the world.”
Additionally, she is working toward another dream – her master’s degree in Global Business Administration at The Fletcher School at Tufts University and plans to complete it within the next year.
Analiese’s advice for anyone considering enrolling at TCC? “Look for a community of like-minded peers and surround yourself with people that inspire you, encourage you to learn, and help you grow,” she said. “For me, I found this in both Cornerstone and Phi Theta Kappa, as well as in my professors’ offices. After my first semester, I realized there was an army of support around me, cheering me on – which only encouraged me to dive in deeper.”
Regarding careers, Analiese had this to add, “No career progression is linear. This may seem really cliché – I heard this from many friends and mentors – but it makes more sense to me now as I’m still progressing through my education journey and have changed professional positions several times. We all have the opportunity to individually define what success looks like for us, whether that be in a classroom or in a corporate boardroom, the journey is never finished!
Are you experiencing Success at Work thanks to your time at TCC? If so, please let us know. We love hearing about the success of our graduates! Contact us at PR.Marketing@tccd.edu, and we’ll be in touch.