Went to Work in the Mills After High School
Susan Thompson-Grant, an art major at UNCG, was born and raised in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains near Statesville, North Carolina .
After high school, Susan went to work in the local mill. She didn’t, however, accept that as the limits of her future. “Always in the back of my mind I knew that there was something more out there to get, to pursue, but I didn’t know how to go about it.”
Susan enrolled at the local community college when she was in her mid-twenties and pursued commercial art. “Something in my heritage led me toward art. Several family members have that spark.” She found work as a freelance artist but not enough to pay the bills.
Susan married and began a family. She got a job as a school bus driver and teacher’s assistant which indirectly led to her return to school. ”The experience gave me the confidence that I could teach and I began to think about getting a degree in Art Education.”
In 2005, Susan decided it was time to act. She considered several state schools but decided on UNCG, partly because she felt it was the friendliest campus but also because it was the closest—75 miles from her home.
One panel in a triptych Susan recently
completed
The distance presented a problem—it was too far for a daily commute. Susan’s mother, who had become a big part of the family with the passing of Susan’s husband, solved the problem by offering to stay at Susan’s home on the days she was at school. “My mother enjoys being a part of my children’s lives, so she is in the home when I am at school.”
Enrolled at UNCG in January 2006
Susan enrolled at UNCG in January, 2006. “I was still planning on Art Education but when I was getting ready to register, I thought, commercial art was where you came from. Let’s get-up to-date, learn about computers, so I went into design instead.”
In an effort to keep things simple, Susan decided to live on-campus. “I wanted to be close to classes and the library and do things in the most economical way. It took some getting used to, I had to learn to go with the flow, conform to the younger students’ habits—not let myself get irritated.” She adds with a laugh, “But I have my own room and it’s a luxury not to have to cook. I love the cafeteria.”
It took some adjustment back home as well. “My daughter didn’t care for my being gone at first but she understands now that it’s temporary. I’m very lucky. They are all good children. The help provided by my church, my family, especially my mother, have made my going to school possible.”
Delighted with Her Decision
Now in her third semester, she is delighted with her decision to return to school. “Education is like food, to find the word you don’t know, to understand something that you hadn’t before. It is such a prize.” And she has found her age to be an overall advantage. “I work harder than if I were younger—age may slow you down a step but it also gives you perseverance and patience.”
Susan is the proud owner of a state-of-the-art Mac laptop and is mastering computer graphics. “I’m now up-to-date with computers. I’m running with the pack where before I was way back across the pasture. It hasn’t been easy but the instructors work with me and the young people are so willing to help. Sometimes they’re a little standoffish at the beginning of the semester but by the end of it you’re sharing the same experience, going down the same road.”
The demands of her schedule can at times be a little overwhelming. “Sometimes I get discouraged— absolutely. I question myself. But I wouldn’t be creating the art if I wasn’t here. I wouldn’t have the challenges. The teachers are so inspiring. They challenge me to be the best. My education has injected so many ideas, it has given me things to pursue.”
“I have this image that I use to keep myself inspired. I visualize a bubble in the water— I know the bubble is there and I want to catch it. I’m going to have to swim hard, under water, holding my breath, straining.” She smiles,“It will be awfully hard, but I know I’m going to catch that bubble.”
"It Is Not Necessarily About Getting The Best Job"
Asked what the future holds for her after graduation, Susan is reflective in her answer. “It is not necessarily about getting the best job. The education itself is important. It is all very personal. The degree gives me credibility. I know I can have ideas and I can back them up. And before I didn’t have that.”
Susan sees an additional benefit to her education, “My education has enabled me to provide some guidance to my kids, to be an example. From my experience I know how important education is to me as a person. I can encourage them to pursue a four year degree. I can say ‘Do this, I know it will work for you.’”
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Page updated: 06-May-2009
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