Jefferson Insider - Volume 13 • 8
JCC Student Determined To Change Course Of Direction Knowing Help Is In His Corner At Jefferson’s commencement ceremony on May 15, not only did Cory A. Kelly earn his associate of science degree in individual studies, he also marked 2 years and 8 months of sobriety. The following day, Cory left on a road trip to Kentucky where he plans to transfer into the human services program at the University of Louisville. It was a road trip he wasn’t expecting to be on and one he may not have been traveling if it weren’t for his own resolve and a connection formed with a staff member at Jefferson. Cory came to the North Country in the 1990s by way of the U.S. Army. After his career in the military ended he bounced around a bit between his home <strong>state</strong> of Kentucky and his family, which includes three young daughters, here in the North Country. Cory had planned to st<strong>art</strong> classes at Jefferson in the fall of 2012 when, after his third DWI arrest, he made a life changing decision to check himself into the hospital and get sober. By January of 2014, he had progressed enough in his treatment, moving from inpatient to a residential facility, that he could once again enroll in classes. It was at the residential facility where he met Matt Lambert, a transfer counselor and academic advisor at Jefferson, who also worked at Credo Community Center for the Treatment of Addictions as a member of the evening residence staff. Both sports fanatics, it was football that first got them talking, but Cory soon found that in Matt Lambert he had a mentor and champion in his corner. the way. He helped clear the cobwebs, helped me with moving one block at a time and not trying to tackle them all at once which can be overwhelming.” “From very early on in his treatment, Cory expressed great interest in continuing his education, frequently quizzing me on my own educational path,” said Lambert. “He has carried an excellent GPA, while also working his way through college. Through determination and self-discipline, Cory eventually gained employment at the same treatment program he was a client in and we became co-workers.” In time and after being out on his own again, Cory began working at Samaritan Medical Center and was employed at Convergys until moving to Kentucky. “Cory worked hard to achieve a healthy balance between school, work, and leisure, in order to continue his successful recovery journey,” said Lambert. “He serves as an outstanding example of success and hope for those that face the same struggles.” This fall, Cory is enrolled in online classes at Jefferson and hopes to complete JCC’s human services degree which will assist with transfer to the University of Louisville. A business major early on, his new goal is to help others work their way through substance abuse treatment and recovery, much like Matt has helped him. “With Matt’s guidance and my recovery program, I’ve learned that life is all about balance,” said Cory. “No matter where you were, you can always go somewhere positive.” “I had attended college before JCC and I always knew I wanted to go back sometime, but it was really Matt’s encouragement that kept me focused on returning to JCC, persisting, and completing my degree,” said Kelly. “Matt’s was a steady voice of reason along Cory Kelly was among nearly 500 Jefferson students commencing on May 15, 2015. In a student body where approximately 47% are adult learners, aged 25 years or older, and nearly 43% are comprised of active duty soldiers and their family members, veterans or retirees – it is not unlikely that the majority of students faced challenges of some kind, of varying degrees, while completing their degrees. Keynote speaker Thomas H. Carman, president and CEO of Samaritan Medical Center, and student speaker Hollis C. Harrington both touched upon the many struggles faced by today’s students and provided words of encouragement as well as offered congratulations to graduates on their hard earned accomplishments. Quoting Calvin Coolidge, Carman noted “persistence” and “determination” as keys to success and advised students to always: • Find your passion, give it your best, and live your dreams. • Choose your attitude and how you handle failure. Be determined and make the most of any situation. Remember you can learn more from failure than from success. • Do what you do for the right reasons and learn from the experience. Congratulations to the Class of 2015 Spring and Summer graduates of Jefferson Community College! Jefferson Insider - Volume 13 • 9
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