By Marilyn Miller
When some folks retire, they sit around wondering whether to go fishing, to start a garden, or just to play with the grandkids. It’s not that Evelyn Germany might not have done those things since retiring after 20 years in the banking industry. It’s just that the Springhill resident likes to learn.
“I know the front side of the banking business,” Evelyn stated. “Now I’m learning the back side.”
It’s a good thing that her favorite subject is math, with creativity and mythology coming in a close second, because computers and their programs require both subjects today. For someone who started their career on a basic typewriter over 20 years ago, entering the computer classes at the Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College was a “101” experience.
“All my classes were offered on-line, so I had to get into that, too,” Evelyn said. “But the teachers were very nice, very polite. And there is an open-door policy, so you could use the computers anytime, and if you got stuck, a teacher or a fellow student was there to help you.”
Evelyn has a suggestion for that time in Orientation when students are asked “What are your goals when you graduate?”
“’How do you feel getting back into the workforce?’ would be a good question to ask,” she suggested. “And at job fairs, older students are limited because, when you are 25, an employer sees you working for them for the next 15 years. They only see eight years with me…”
While Evelyn was earning her Technical Diploma in Business Office Technology in late 2023, she was also suffering from a bad knee. The doctors scheduled her surgery for Dec. 4, so she was unable to march in the graduation ceremony on Dec. 12. Despite the painful knee, Evelyn was always able to maintain a GPA of 3.2 to 3.5. Now, six months later, she is ready to get back into the swing of things. She’ll register for the Fall semester in August, hoping to add five more credits to her record, those being in Public Speaking, Algebra, and three business classes. These will be added to credits she has amassed in computers, loans, liability, payroll, INTU (portal for online student services), and similar courses.
Evelyn believes she can be finished with her business degree “in one good year.” It always depends upon the availability of classes. She says Algebra will be her hardest course.
Evelyn had never heard of a “Vision Board” before enrolling at NWLTCC. But she enjoyed building her board outlining her vision for the next five years, and looking back at her past. “My board included my family, my church, retirement, and my future (visiting Egypt and Hawaii),” she said. She also enjoyed a “Time Management” program, which had her totaling time spent watching TV, sleeping, driving, etc. The big question at the end of the program was, of course, could some of that time have been better spent studying, exercising, and more?
“I really learned a lot,” Evelyn said. “I’ve always been interested in learning…I wanted to keep my mind on education. My grandfather and my mother were my biggest motivators.” She has a quote from her grandfather that she still remembers today, “Don’t let anybody send you to Hell…it’s too easy to go by yourself.”
“It has to do with allowing someone to lead you in the wrong direction. If you are led astray by a seed that is planted, say someone tells you to steal something, then you’re in double trouble – because you listened to them, AND, you did what they said.”
Evelyn is an only child, and she has two children, a son, Gregary Germany, who lives in Houston, and Gwenzetta Bradford, who is principal of North Webster Jr. High School in Sarepta.
Because her classes were virtual, Evelyn did miss interacting with other students. However, the difference in ages did sometimes make her uncomfortable when she was on campus. “I was more uncomfortable with the younger kids than they were with me,” she admitted. “They were comfortable with me. But they wanted to call me Ms. Evelyn.”
“Just call me Evelyn,” she’d say.
