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[Music] Hello Blue Jays and welcome to the nest stories about life after Manor College. I am your host Kelly Peiffer vice president of marketing communications and this is the best part of my day. My hope is that this podcast will encourage, inform and inspire you, making you feel like at Manor College you belong here always. Before we get to today's guest, it is time for a segment of the show I like to call did you know? where we will share some fun facts about Manor College that you may or may not know.

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Did you know that Mary Sims, a professor and longtime beloved faculty, has officially retired? After 33 years of dedicated teaching at Manor College, this past spring, we celebrated Professor Sims's legacy and had a retirement party for her. Mary's journey at Manor College began as an adjunct professor in 1992. Having after tragically lost her first husband, Manor College became a sanctuary, a place where she could pour her passion for law back into teaching, she found that something was missing

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from her work as a litigator. And it was in the classroom that she was rediscovered her true calling. Her impact on students is truly remarkable. Students have shared that Professor Sims would focus on we instead of I, helping them navigate college together. It's not just the students who will miss her. Her colleagues who hold her high in regard shared at her retirement party. Many, many stories and many, many lessons that they have learned over the years from Mary. Mary's dedication to her students,

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particularly those facing challenges, is a defining characteristics. Even in retirement, her commitment continues as she plans on to continue writing recommendation letters, empowering the next generation, helping her students and graduates find jobs while also spending time with her husband Rich, her dog, Sammy, and enjoying her home down at the Jersey Shore. We wish her all the best in her retirement. Congratulations, Professor Sims. Are you looking for affordable, high quality dental care? The dental

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health center at Manor College has you covered. Get the care that you need for up to 50% less than private practices. The dental health center at Manor College also offers Invisalign. You'll even help train the next generation of dental professionals. Visit manor.edu/dhc today and get your appointment scheduled. Today we are thrilled to welcome a proud graduate of Abraham Lincoln High School. She's a true testament to dedication, having earned not one but two degrees from Manor College, an associates in paralegal

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studies in 2009 and a bachelor of science and public policy in 2022. As a first generation college student, her journey is particularly inspiring. She's currently making an impact as a structured settlement specialist at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath. Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Helene Brooks. Welcome, Helene. Hi, Kelly. Thank you for having me. Yes, thank you for joining us today on the nest. So, can you start us off by sharing how did you choose Manor College? How did you hear about Manor

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and kind of take us back to that time? So I graduated high school in 1982 and at that time a friend of mine who was a year older went was going to Manor and you know I knew of the school. I met her there a couple times. We went out afterward. She didn't live there but you know it would be a meeting place. I went to a different school and did not have a great experience my own doing. um always knew that one day I wanted to go back. Well, it took till I was 40 in 2004. I was looking for a school and I loved

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what Manor had to offer in the sense of courses, you know, degrees and that that at that time they really catered to their older students. And I like that cuz I was definitely afraid of failure. I didn't want to be a two-time dropout. Sure. So that's how I got to man. Oh, that's neat. Um so so many times we hear stories about um an influential friend or family member who kind of got a student to Manor because they, you know, showed it to them or encouraged them. So, I love that that's part of your journey as

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well. So, what was it like being a student in their 40s and what was it like for you um in your first degree experience here back in um you know the early 2000s? So, it was it again it was very scary at first um but I felt welcomed. It was from Diane Pevar was my advisor and she just made it so I wanted to continue to go and all of the instructors and forgive me I don't remember half of their names. That's okay. Uh it just it just was welcoming and then I sort of relaxed and then lost

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that feeling of failure. I knew I could do it once I got through the first semester. And I just, you know, my biggest fear was uh composition because I could not write or I did not feel I could write and I learned how to write and I not only loved the class, that's what made me go back for a second semester is English comp. And I wish I could remember who I had because she was amazing. She used to come dressed as Shakespearean characters and she would handle class from the perspective of that character

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if we were when we would read um Shakespeare. And for the first time in my life, I understood it. Right. So she was great. And then I ended up taking a summer class with for English comp 2 and I was like, "This is great." Yeah. So there were like moments um early on that convinced me that I could continue to go and I did and I feel like I did pretty well. Um and I when I graduated, I always knew I wanted to go on for my bachelors, but you know how that is. You know, I tripped over life. I tripped over

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myself. um had some personal issues and but it eventually happened. So, I'm grateful. Yeah. Oh, that's great. And you know what I mean? So so many people think that you have to follow this like straight little arrow that's going to be like point and it's just not true. That is just not life. Life is this curve hills and valleys. Um so I think that's great to hear and I loved that story about your English professor. Um, so you were a paralegal student. Why? And and how did

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you know you wanted to study paralegal? Um, and like what where does that passion come from? Okay. I can't really say there was a passion in 2000. I was a I had just left a job. Um, it was a a hostile work environment. That's all you know. So, I sold my house and I moved back home with my parents and I said, "I'll be out in six months. I just need to, you know, find another place." And that's when I decided to go to school. Mhm. So, I thought insurance, medicine, or law. There are three things

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that no matter what the economy is going through, if you need them, you need them. So, I felt it would be the safest way to go. Insurance seemed boring. Ironically, I'm in insurance now. Um, I'm too emotional for medicine, though. I did go back to Manor and get my medical coding certificate. Oh, you did? Interesting. Yeah. So, I settled on law and I thought I can do this, you know, I can I didn't want to be a lawyer, but I knew I there was there were there was a place for me. Sure. And that's how I got to paralegal. I

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like that strategic thinking you had like one, two, three. Okay, let's narrow it down and let's just stick with one of these. Um, and you're right. I mean, those are three things that are never going away, never going out of style, always going to be in business. So, that's really neat to hear. What is something about um being a paralegal that's like a myth that like everyone thinks this thing and you're like, "No, it is not true." What's like

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a something you could debunk about being a paralegal? So, I'm not a traditional paralegal. Most paralegals have to build their time, which is I can honestly tell you I did do it for a while. It is not pleasant. Having to keep time of your day in six minute increments. Oh gosh. With everything you do. And if you don't track something, it affects your billable hours. And there are requirements. So that as much as I do, as much as people I think have always thought that paralegals do all

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the work and the attorney just signs their name, part of that is true. Part of that, you know, absolutely is true, but we're nobody without the attorneys and they're a little lost without us. So I think that's, you know, it's we feed off each other, right? It's this symbiotic relationship between the two where maybe the myth is like, oh, paralegals, they do it all and the lawyer just gets the credit. Um, but you're saying it's not. It's really a relationship and like a team,

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right? So with like what I do, I deal directly with my clients. I manage uh attorneys all over the United States that I work with. So, it's not all I I don't do all the work, but I'm definitely a an important part of the team. Sure. That's great. That's good. That's a good myth to debunk. So, you um you came to Manor and you were kind of an adult student and then you went out in the workforce and then you you came back to get a bachelor's and you said you always

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kind of wanted a bachelor's. Was the motivation for that just like I always wanted this degree and I better get one now or was there other things in the background that kind of motivated you to go get that bachelor's? So I I met my wife in 2012 and she always said from the time I met you, you said you wanted to go back to school and get your bachelor's degree. But you know, I had stumbled after I graduated from Manor. My dad died while I was in Ma getting my associates. I graduated and a year later my brother

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died and my mother lived with me and I kind of cared for her. She was capable, but emotionally and mentally, you know, you lose a spouse and then you lose a even my brother was an adult, but still as a parent, um it's not the way it's supposed to be. So, I just kept tripping over life. And a friend of mine sent me an email in 2017, I guess it was, and said, "Hey, did you see the Manor went to a four-year added four-year um degrees to the school?" And I was like, "No, I hadn't seen that."

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So, I went online, checked it out, and that was it. It was like the stars aligned and it was time. Oh, how cool. Yeah. In um in 20 2018 we launched bachelor degrees and that was we had a bunch of alumni who kind of were like finally here I go I'm going to come you know and that was so cool to have you back and now you joined us as a as a student and then COVID hit. um what was it like being a student and and also being a working professional in COVID kind of what was that experience like? So it actually it actually helped me co

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because I didn't have you know I work full-time and I work in the city so I didn't I no longer had that hour and a half commute every day 45 minutes each way. Yeah. So I get a little bit more sleep in the morning. Yeah. Because I sort of roll out of bed and world with the desk. Sure. Um I didn't have the travel after work. Um and then coming home having dinner and Yeah. I have a home to take care of also. Sure. Um at the time my wife traveled for work. So when COVID hit stopped her traveling too.

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So I'm at one end of the dining room table and she's at the other. Right. So we worked and then her she works better at night. So it was sort of like support in that I'm sitting there after work continuing to work with school and she's still sitting there also working. So it was it was nice. It was it gave me that we were to be able to be together and still be productive in what we both needed to accomplish. Yeah, that's that that's great. That's such a good like you don't often hear

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people share like positive things about the COVID era, right? Usually it's pretty negative for and for good reason sometimes, but that was a really good um positive kind of take on that situation. Um I remember you specifically Helene at your graduation in 2022. you were one of the last ones to get called up for your diploma because you were getting a bachelor's degree and that's just the nature of the processional. And I remember you turned to like the audience or maybe our

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photographer Anthony or one of our photographers was there and you were so excited. You were like so excited and you just had this great big smile on your face and it was just pure joy. Um, and that's exactly what, you know, we who work on planning graduation and these big ceremonial days. Like we just, that's why we do it. We want to see students just have that moment of like, I'm so proud of myself and I'm just so joyous that it's over, but I did it. And you like encapsulated that perfectly in

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that day. And I still remember that so vividly. You were right there, right in front of me. And I was like, look how happy she is. That's awesome. So major kudos to you for pursuing because it's not easy. It's not easy working full-time, getting a degree, and just living life. It's hard. It really is hard. It was so worth every moment of, "Oh my goodness, I'm never going to get this assignment in on time. Oh my goodness, how am I going to get all this done?" I was really proud of I still am

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very proud of myself. Um I overcame a very big personal issue also. Um and I believe that I'm a recovering alcoholic. I overcame I am in recovery for 10 years now. So I did I you know I got my associates degree through my addiction. M I had a 36 and I thought look at that through my addiction I had a 36. Wow. In recovery I had a 40 for my bachelors and my reason for sharing that because I don't share it often. I I you know it has to have meaning when I share it outside of um my recovery group. Mhm.

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If I can overcome something like that, so can everybody else. And you can move forward. It's never too late to get an education. Mhm. I'm 61 and I am starting my master's program in two week in four weeks. Wow. Five weeks. I'm blown away first of all that I was accepted. Um, and that I'm doing it. It's I amaze myself on a daily basis. And I'm very fortunate. My wife is my biggest supporter. Here we are looking towards retirement, making sure we're doing everything right

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because we're getting close and here I am taking out loans so I can go to school. Um, but in her eyes, she said it's education. It's good debt. It's not. We don't not educate ourselves because we're afraid of money. If we want it bad enough, there are ways. Right. Right. Wow. Well, that's so encouraging. My goodness. Thank you for sharing. And congratulations on 10 years of recovery. I mean, that's amazing. And I love you said I had a 3.6, then I had a 4.0. So, um, sounds like you were

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just, you know, definitely someone who is certainly capable, but, you know, really excelling in in a higher education environment. Um, so talk to us a little bit about what you currently are doing in your career and in your role and at the firm that you're at. So, I am what is called a structured settlement specialist. I work um in our insurance group and I work with uh structured settlements and annuities. Anybody that's ever watched late night TV has seen the commercials for JG Wentworth. You want your money now

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called JG Wentworth. The difference being that JG Wentworth is what is called a factoring company. So they're not the owner of the annuity. They're just a middleman. They're a third party who's getting involved. I work directly for the insurance companies, the owners of the annuity who as a courtesy to their clients will buy back their payments. So, it's one two there. There's no third party in there. And I, as I shared earlier, I deal with attorneys all over the United States,

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which is one of my favorite parts of my job. Mhm. I have met so many people that today I honestly call them my friends. Drinker has 13 offices I believe. It might be more and I might have really messed that up but that's okay. I work with people in almost all of them. Wow. You know and I manage seven projects for seven different clients. I have three attorneys on the team that I work for or work with because we are a team and I'm busy all the time there. If there's downtime, I have work that I push to the

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side that doesn't have to be done right away that I catch up on. Um, but so that's what I do. I I and I am the only person in the firm that does what I do. So which is kind of special and right right specialized and um unique unique very much so and and stressful you know when I Yes. you know, it's not like I can say, "Well, you know, I'm going away for two weeks. Can somebody who's going to back me?" You know, so that's always a struggle when I go on vacation. How to

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handle it? Because the attorneys don't there's only one attorney that knows how my job, right? She's the only other person in the firm that knows my job start to finish. She's too busy to do it and her job. So, um, you know, I'm more than willing to take my laptop with me on vacation and when there's an emergency or something that somebody I can't talk somebody through. If I have to do it, I do it, right? I'm I'm willing to do that. I was taught at a very young age from my

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father, you never say no if you're asked to do something on your job. Period. Right. Well, that is that is great. It's cool to hear that. like you are essentially like irreplaceable at in what you do, but also that your um you know, your career has been pretty fulfilling. It sounds like it's been something that um really like fills you up. This position has. Um I've been doing this now for 10 years. Uh I've had many other jobs. I had other positions in the firm. I've had I

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managed a hearing aid um company. Um I worked in manufacturing. Uh I worked in banking. I've done a lot of different things. I have now been with the firm for uh I can't add uh since 2008. 2006 actually. So 19 years. Yeah. Almost 20 years. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. It's the longest I've ever been anywhere, any one place. So obviously it's it you know was the right decision for me back in 2005 to get a paralegal cert uh associates degree in paralegal studies. Yeah. Take take you back to your three options

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insurance medicine law. I think you picked the out of those three you know pathways you picked the right one for you. That that's so cool to hear and thank you again for sharing so much of your story with us. I mean, the goal of this podcast is to um encourage, inform, and inspire our audiences, particularly our students, and then any prospective students who are thinking about coming to Manor. And I I really I I hope that they resonate with your story and feel encouraged by it. I know I certainly do.

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As we kind of wrap up our episode here, um I always ask our guests for any advice that they have for current Manor students who are in it. and you know just um living the college life and it it's it's hard sometimes depending on what you're doing and whether you're working or taking care of a family or you know just taking classes. So what advice would you give them as someone who's been there done that and kind of can see it from another angle? Well, first and foremost, it's never too

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late to get an education. So if you have to take a break between high school and college, so be it. I want I wanted to work. So I did. Um and at any age we can be taught, we can learn every day. We should learn something. Um and do something you love. Just absolutely do something you love. And I will say the I guess the caveat to going later in life because every time I take a class I say I should have done this when I was younger and had the stamina. There's something to be said for going on my terms, not my parents' terms and

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not, oh, I'm right out of high school. I should go to college. Right. I went when it was time when I was ready and I'm still benefiting from it every day. my master's degree. I pro I'm not going to work in at my current job past the age of 70 probably. Maybe I will, maybe I won't. But what it affords me to do is teach and I can continue to give back that way. So just never give up. Just keep going. And if you want more schooling, get it. It's if there's a will, there's a way.

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Yeah. No, that's great. I love um I I love all that you said, but particularly what stands out to me is like go when you're ready and that there's some really good benefits to to having that mindset and like you want it, like you're more motivated because like it's what I want. It's I'm mature enough to understand that I'm not doing this for someone else. I'm doing this for me. I think there's some really good um things that come out of that when you have that

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mindset for college. I I do want to point out, Helene, you know, I was as you're sharing your story and kind of talking through um your own perspective on things, so much of what you've shared aligns very very well with the Manor College mission. And I I I say this sometimes to guests who I just feel that they align really well. But in our mission, we talk about um how manner we believe when you're a manor student, graduation is just the beginning of a a a life of lifelong learning. And I feel

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like for you that's very true. Um but then also, you know, we want to prepare students to graduate to serve society effectively and compassionately. And those are the two words that we use, effectively and compassionately. And it just feels like that's something that you're definitely much aligned with. and even your future goals to give back and teach. Um, that's a service and I just want to thank you so much for being such a great testament to our mission at Manor College and really just being a

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really I'm really proud to call you an alumni. I'm really proud to call myself an alumni of Manor College. That's great. Well, thank you Helene so much for joining us today. It has been a true pleasure to talk to you and we wish you nothing but the best. Thank you Kelly. It was my pleasure to be here. Thank you. I am honored. Thank you for tuning in today. If you like what you heard, listen and subscribe on Spotify or YouTube. And stay up to date with all new episodes by following Manor College on Instagram,

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Manor College. And that's a wrap on another episode of the nest, stories about life after Manor College. Remember, Blue Jays, you belong here always. [Music]