Wider Horizons

Rebecca Johnson counts herself lucky. She has been in the same job, as an administrative assistant in Alberta Health Service’s communications department, for 20 years, and couldn’t be happier. “It seems like a rare thing these days,” Rebecca laughs.

A combination of becoming a parent and having a Bachelor of Music in piano from the University of Lethbridge inspired Rebecca to return to school for something that made her more readily employable. “Music is kind of all-consuming, and you pretty much have to not live in Lethbridge (to be a professional musician), and I didn’t really want to move away because my family is here,” says Rebecca. It was the right decision. Rebecca’s Administrative Office Professional diploma led directly to the job she wanted very soon after graduating. “Lethbridge College focuses on giving you the hands-on education you need to be successful in a job right away,” says Rebecca. The college’s reputation for easing students into the workforce helped other Johnson family members decide it was the right school for them. Rebecca’s sister, Cindy, graduated from the college’s Computer Information Technology program in 1999 and has been an informatics support analyst for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada for 20 years. Rebecca’s son, Julian Higgins, graduated from the Automotive Systems program in 2017 to pursue his life’s passion of building, restoring and fixing cars. “The college gave him the chance to do what he loves for a living,” says Rebecca, which includes working on his white 1973 Monte Carlo. “Lethbridge College focuses on giving you the hands-on education you need to be successful in a job right away.”

Rebecca’s mother, Mary Fulton-Schroeder, also graduated from the college’s Information Specialist program in 1994. “She did it more to self-improve, and didn’t really work after that,” says Rebecca. When her mother learned Rebecca was returning to school, she decided it sounded like fun, and the two completed the program together. “She got her one-year certificate and decided that was enough,” says Rebecca.

Rebecca’s youngest son, Noah, also has his sights set on Lethbridge College. “He’s a world-class disc-golfer,” says Rebecca, proudly. “He wants to go into exercise science at the college to both help him in his sports career and make him employable.”

Are you a multi-generational Lethbridge College family? If at least three members across one or more generations attended Lethbridge College, let us know by emailing WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca. We’d love to profile you.

 

Rebecca Johnson

Administrative Office Professional diploma 1995 Administrative Assistant – Alberta Health Services, Communications and Community Engagement

 


 Mary Fulton-Schroeder

Administrative Office Professional certificate 1994

Retired

 


Julian Higgins

Automotive Systems 2017

Lube tech – Northside Lethbridge Dodge

 


Cindy Johnson

Computer Information Technology 1997 Informatics Support Analyst – IT Client Services, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Information Services Branch

wh-sp19-johnson-family.jpg
Wider Horizons
Story by Mel Lefebvre | Photos submitted
Original Publication Date: