University Park, IL,
23
May
2023
|
13:28 PM
America/Chicago

GSU Family Development Center celebrates grad

Graduate Profile: Pertrice Lewis

Pertrice Lewis

Family Development Center (FDC) preschool teacher Pertrice Lewis intends to use the knowledge and skills she acquired on her journey at Governors State University (GSU) throughout her personal life and professional career as she educates young minds.

Between attending class and working on campus, Pertrice has been involved in various activities and volunteer work, including the 5k walk/run. This fall, she plans to dance in GSU's first Dancing with the Stars fundraiser for the GSU dance company. Now, she celebrates her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies and minor in art, which she received this spring.

GSU Newsroom: Why did you choose GSU?

Lewis: I chose GSU because of my now mother-in-law. She worked for GSU for 20 years and she would always say, “Come to GSU. They have really great professors and it’s affordable and it’s really close to home." 

GSU Newsroom: What are your dreams or plans for your degree?

Lewis: I plan on using this degree to assist me in understanding and appreciating different ways to solve problems in my everyday life and in my career.  

GSU Newsroom: What was GSU's role in making your dreams come true?

Lewis: GSU helped me in more ways than one. I am a mother of four and I knew I could not afford to pay for class, but with the many scholarships available, working on campus and qualifying for tuition waivers has helped me tremendously. The social events that they offer allowed me to network with my fellow GSU employees and my fellow classmates as well.  

GSU Newsroom: What are your top two experiences at GSU and why?

Lewis: My top two experiences were failure and achievement. I had a very difficult time passing a certain math class (even after tutoring) and after the second time I almost gave up again, until Professor Robert Belin came to the rescue. He, along with Dr. Crystal Harris, knew that I had been out of school for ten years and they handled me with care.  

GSU Newsroom: What advice would you give to current and/or future GSU students?

Lewis: Now that my daughter just finished her first year as a Jaguar, the advice that I would give to her along with all the current and future Jaguars, would be to go at your own pace. This is not a race, be like the tortoise not the hare.  No one know what’s best for you, but you. 

I would also tell them to keep pushing towards their goals because where there is no struggle, there is no strength.  

GSU Newsroom: What's next after graduation?

Lewis: My next move is to begin the Master of Arts in Educational Administration program this summer, while continuing teaching my preschoolers here at the GSU Family Development Center. If there’s one phrase I truly know to be true, it is ‘the children are our future’ and maybe even a future Jaguar.