Adult Student Selects CCM to Continue Her College Education
“The people at CCM are terrific. Once they know your interest, they lead you to the right spot so you can further develop your skills.”
After raising two children to high school age and working through a cancer scare, Karen Muha decided it was time for her to find her own voice so she could encourage others. Her first step was to join a local chapter of Toastmasters International, which provides its members with the opportunity to develop strong public speaking skills.
She learned a great deal from that experience and started speaking publicly to help those battling cancer and other life issues. She wanted more, however. She wanted to further develop her communication skills and better assist her husband, George, with marketing their business, Morris Sussex Sports, an online site focused on covering high school sports in Morris and Sussex counties. So she enrolled at County College of Morris (CCM), where her husband had earned his associate degree following high school. She had earned her degree in business management from the University of New Hampshire several years earlier but now wanted a new focus.
“You get caught up in life and raising a family, but it’s important to keep growing and educating yourself. I think it’s a necessity to embrace learning and work that part of your brain,” she comments. “Going back to school, I felt like I was 20 all over again. I also had such a sense of pride. I made this happen, the registration, the finances, scheduling.”
The first class she took at CCM was Creative Writing. That class and the guidance she received from faculty and staff at CCM encouraged her to continue her course of study in communication.
“The people at CCM are terrific. Once they know your interest, they lead you to the right spot so you can further develop your skills,” she says.
Muha’s husband launched Morris Sussex Sports after they both became disenchanted working in corporate settings. At that time, newspapers also had made deep cuts in their reporting staffs and had stopped covering high school sports.
“We wanted to recognize these athletes and their part in the community. Watching them play, we are all reminded of the innocence and goodness of that time in life,” says Muha.
Muha was fortunate that her tumor turned out to be benign. She also is happy to now be focusing on continuing her education and helping to grow Morris Sussex Sports. Along with covering local sports teams, Morris Sussex Sports offers students the opportunity to develop video and broadcasting skills as interns. During the COVID -19 outbreak, the couple focused on producing a daily talk show, highlighting coaches, athletes, teams and sponsors.
Muha’s advice to other adults who may be considering starting or continuing a college education? “Don’t let fear stop you. I initially was afraid but that quickly went away once I started. You deserve to keep moving forward.”