Bruce Hawkey
A few years ago, Bruce Hawkey was a machinist. Now he's pursuing a more stable, higher-paying profession: he wants to be a lawyer.
Bruce enrolled at IU East because he was concerned about his career. A single father of a young son, he saw that machinists' salaries were decreasing as competition for jobs was increasing.
Bruce had attended Edison State Community College off and on for six years. When he decided to pursue a bachelor's degree, he looked for an institution that offered a high-quality education at a good price. IU East met all of his criteria, thanks to its tuition agreement with six counties in Ohio. "Being able to attend at the in-state rate made IU East the most affordable choice," Bruce says.
When he transferred to IU East, his 36 credit hours from Edison transferred with him. Bruce quickly noticed how accommodating his IU East professors were. "I was surprised that my professors took a personal interest in me," he says. "That meant a lot to me." Eventually Bruce quit his job, started taking classes full time, and got a part-time, paid internship.
After graduation Bruce plans to study law, with the goal of practicing family law. "I'm excited about the challenge of law school," he says. With the dedication Bruce exhibited at IU East, we know he'll do great.
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