Hired by Harrington College

It was a big day.

I started off the day by taking my last final exam for my Bachelors degree (BS in CIS). I left the campus relieved. Though I would not get my grade for the exam for a few days I knew I passed the test and the class. That particular chapter of my life was over. Three and a half years of night school found its conclusion with my having graduated.

I left the campus and headed to the train station. I had an interview downtown for an adjunct faculty position at Harrington College of Design.

The interview could not have gone better. I felt certain I would be hearing from them and I did. With the summer semester starting in just a few weeks I was called and offered a couple of classes. 

Do you believe in miracles?

I gladly accepted. It’s an understatement to say I was shocked by the job offer. I was astonished. Blown away. It was completely inconceivable on every level and in every way. Five years after being released from prison and I’d become a college graduate and adjunct faculty member at a college. A real college not some fly by night vocational school. I was a college professor. Unfucking believable.

A few days later I was called by the school and asked if I could teach four classes. Of course I can.

My goal after leaving prison was never to become a college graduate or a college professor.  I had a very general and vague goal and that was to create a life worth living. I did believe it was possible to rebuild my life after prison. I had no idea what it would look like. I believed if I worked hard and kept a good attitude I would be able to see progress within a year or so. As much as it pains me to admit it I did have a fall back plan. If I realized no traction in creating a new life after prison after one year of being home I would revisit my thoughts about going back into the marijuana business.

I did see traction in rebuilding my life and it only took a couple of months. The month after my release I found out about a government program offering tuition assistance for job training then I found a school offering classes in computer training. I enrolled and was in class five days a week eight hours a day. Then I found a bartending job working on Saturday and Sunday nights. Now here I was five years later and hired to teach at a college.

It was great to have the job but I did not want this to be a one semester gig and then have that come to an end. I needed this to last. I got through the first semester with flying colors and then made it through a second semester. With things working out with this job I decided to enroll in grad school and pursue a Master’s Degree. I stayed at Harrington until December 2006.