Siskiyou County Student Graduates ASPIRE with Honors

For Immediate Release
January 7, 2008

REDDING, Calif. - Ten years after starting college, Weed resident, Shannon Pierce will graduate from Simpson University's ASPIRE program with a 4.0 grade point average. She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from Simpson's Siskiyou County cohort at College of the Siskiyous.

Pierce will be among 120 graduates during Simpson's winter commencement to be held Saturday, Jan. 12. She is one of 63 students who will graduate from ASPIRE, Simpson's degree-completion program which allows working adults to finish their degree in 16 months. Her high GPA made her eligible for Alpha Sigma Lambda, a national honors society for ASPIRE students who receive a GPA of 3.8 or higher.

After beginning her college education at a community college in Fremont, Pierce was awarded a basketball scholarship to attend San Jose State. An injury during her senior year prevented her from completing her college degree. Pierce said it was at that time that she needed to reevaluate her life.

Pierce and her family relocated to Siskiyou County where she became familiar with Simpson's ASPIRE program.

"It was convenient for me to earn my degree in 16 months and to live within such close proximity to the cohort," she said.

Pierce worked full-time as a Siskiyou County social worker while she earned her degree.

"The last 16 months have been a whirlwind but the ASPIRE program allowed me to be with my family, go to my son's athletic games, and hold a full-time job," said Pierce. "It was my strong desire to finish what I started 10 years ago that motivated me to earn my degree."

Among the group of supporters that will watch Pierce receive her diploma will be her husband, David, her two sons Ben and Andrew, ages 17 and 9, her parents from Tennessee, and her grandparents.

Pierce plans to take a break this spring and then start an M.A. in Psychology next fall.

Simpson University, located at 2211 College View Drive in Redding, is a Christian university of liberal arts and professional studies offering undergraduate, graduate and teaching credential programs. Simpson's academic programs also include ASPIRE, a degree-completion program geared toward working adults in the north state. For more information about the university, or to arrange a personalized visit, call 1-888-9-SIMPSON or visit http://www.simpsonuniversity.edu/.

# # #

Contact: Wendy Matthews
wmatthews@simpsonuniversity.edu
(530) 226-4126