Gary Waters
Kingman, AZ
Distance education provided access to classical studies
Database administrator Gary Waters spends much of his time learning technologies which quickly become dated. Tiring of fads in technology, he turned to classical studies, in particular the "Great Books." Unwilling to locate from his hometown, Gary enrolled in Harrison Middleton University's Bachelor of Arts distance education program.
For his capstone project, Gary wrote and illustrated a book in verse which catalogs a boy's attempt to become a gentleman. The book, titled Gentlemen Speakeasy, reveals that the nature of a gentleman is found through mutually beneficial dialogue with great philosophers such as Socrates, Thomas Aquinas, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Friedrich Nietzsche. Gary graduated with a 4.0 grade point average and immediately registered his bachelor's degree with his employer, opening the door to future advancement into positions which require a bachelor's degree. He uses the reading, writing, critical thinking, and discussion skills that he developed in Harrison Middleton University's curriculum on a daily basis when communicating with staff and the public.
Since his graduation, Gary has traveled to Haiti to build shelters for the homeless, published his capstone project as a book (Gentlemen Speakeasy), and made many friends and acquaintances with whom he has discussed the ideas and philosophies he explored during his Harrison Middleton University Great Books coursework.
"Harrison Middleton University's curriculum is based upon the bedrock of Western thought, namely the Great Works, and is thus of a lasting value for those who love learning for its own sake."