Deirdre Jonker’s ‘Global’ Education Journey: Part I

Alumna Deirdre Jonker’s time as a CSU Global student can be quantified in “twos” — two continents, two degrees, and twice the honor of being the university’s Commencement student speaker!  

Graduating in 2021 with her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and Master’s in Information Technology Management, Jonker’s road to graduation was not straightforward — as is the case for many students — but it certainly was worth it. Read on as Jonker shares the advice she gleaned from her experiences. 

Getting Started at Community College

When I graduated from high school in 2012, I wasn’t sure if I was a fit for college, a common feeling for many people. Doubts crept in, such as, “Am I smart enough?” and “How will I survive four years of college?” Regardless, I decided to take classes at a community college in 2013. I originally wanted to know more about the U.S. legal system, so I chose an advanced  paralegal certificate program. Even though studying was hard, I overcame my fear of college-level work. I then went on to start an associate degree in criminal justice in 2017.

Crossing the Atlantic

After I earned my advanced paralegal degree online, I traveled to Denver to stay with my grandmother. As a dual citizen of the U.S. and the Netherlands, I frequently traveled to see my family in Colorado during my childhood. Growing up, my parents lived in different countries to discover opportunities outside of our hometown, instilling in me that same desire to share this hope with my fellow CSU Global alumni: Experience something outside of your geographic comfort zone at some point in your life! It gives you a different perspective on so many things.

Turning Points

When I was in my early teens, my parents talked about how the law was an interesting and important field to consider. I had always wondered what “the law” was and why it was important for citizens of any country to understand. The term parens patriae – translated as the parent of the nation – is what I have always found interesting about our legal systems. 

I have always been eager to learn, however, I hadn’t given much thought to a career path until high school. Community college was a starting point for me to gain insight into a variety of programs. Finally, in 2019, I was ready for a change. I asked my community college advisor if there was an alternative way for me to earn my degree and he recommended CSU Global. I took my time looking at various features of CSU Global and found that I could get my degree faster with their eight-week courses. By the end of 2019, I was enrolled at CSU Global to complete my Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice. To add more excitement to the journey, I was  accepted to serve as the student speaker for the Winter 2020 Commencement ceremony! It was such an amazing opportunity to represent thousands of CSU Global graduates and was the catalyst to the next chapter of my academic career. 

Click here to read the next part of this blog series.