Effort and husband's experience aids grad

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Sharon Paul has some advice for people who want to further their education.

"Go for it!" she says. "If you are going to do it, there are people there to help. There is always support, more than enough if you ask, but it's not going to come to you if you don't ask.

The 42-year-old grandmother speaks from experience. Last May she graduated from the University College of Cape Breton with a BA in Mi'kmaq studies and a place on the dean's list. Four rules of study enabled her to overcome obstacles after being away from school for many years.

"Go to classes, get to know the prof, do your work and don't procrastinate," she said. Effort is the common dominator in these rules but her personal theme to seek help from others ensure her success. Paul's husband, an instructor at the Eskasoni First Nation Reserve, told her about these rules after she completed upgrading courses at the Eskasoni Training and Education Centre. She trusted his advice because he had earned a BA, B.Ed. and a master's degree in English as a second language, while she stayed at home to raise their six children.

"He was right. It was the hard way, but it paid off," Paul said. She started projects as soon as they were assigned, studied for "weeks" in preparation for tests and exams, and made a point of asking questions until she found an answer.

"I am a very open and vocal person," explained Paul. "Nobody is strange to me. I never came across racism in the three years I was at university and I always asked professors to explain things that were unclear. It usually led to dialogue and I got to know all (of my) professors." If something remained unclear after questions in a lecture, Paul asked professors more questions after class until she either found the answer she needed or knew where to look further to find it.

Sometimes other students helped as much as instructors did. Paul visited the campus Mi'kmaq student association centre "every day" and shared in the communal atmosphere by exchanging ideas and helping each other.

Community plays a big role in Paul's plans for the future. Like her numerous role models have done, Paul hopes to bring the benefits of her knowledge from the outside back to the Eskasoni Reserve. Troubled by the vast majority of non-Native teaches in the reserve's school system, Paul wants to teach knowledge from Native and non-Native cultures. She gave an example of how this can work by relating one of her school-paper-writing strategies. Paul made a habit of reading her school papers aloud to her family, before handing them in to be graded. When she came to something that her children did not understand she would explain the meaning to them in Mi'maq.

In addition to the regular schedule, Paul enroled in spring and summer sessions at Cape Breton so that she could complete the four-year program in three years. Eager to complete the requirements for certification as a teacher, Paul has been accepted at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S. This summer is her only break before staring the bachelor of education program.

The new school presents different challenges, mainly because she will have to take up residence in Antigonish to avoid about two hours of commuting each day. Her attitude about being away from home demonstrates a confidence that is learned best from accomplishment.

"Even with the support of my family and friends, when I applied to UCCB, I was scared and nervous because I didn't know what to expect. Now, even though I have to leave home to do I it, I am thrilled go to St. FX this fall."