Steve Kobelas

Hometown: Rahway, N.J.

Minors: History & Business Administration

Steve’s Student Spotlight: 

I continually ask myself, why am I doing this? Why go to college now, an octogenarian, and take the courses that must be completed to get a piece of paper that says, “college graduate.” It’s certainly not going to be used to apply for a job or I don’t think to flaunt. Could it be that there is an inner drive that makes someone do things by instinct or is it an inbred need to finish what you started?

My parents came to America after WWI and were processed through Ellis Island along with Mom’s sister and Dad’s two sisters. My dad always told us to “finish what you started,” and regularly enforced this at the dinner table.

After high school, I joined the Air Force. Basic training wasn’t too bad; I learned to march, shoot a rifle, and peel potatoes. I got a real shock when they said, “we are sending you to school” after basic. Oh no, I thought, what can happen next?

Officer Candidate School. Six months more of school and my head is filled with leadership skills, speech training, map reading, military history, etc. Then Communications Maintenance Officer School. Pilot School. Aircraft Commander School. Having the best job in the whole wide world, time just flew by and I found myself as a civilian. I had a hard time adjusting to civilian life. What should I wear today?

I was fully retired now with nothing to do and no purposeful goal. I realized that I was missing out on all the wonderful things that education has to offer. The College of Charleston was advertising the General Studies online degree program. Why not give it a try? I have chosen History and Business Administration as my two minors. I have crossed America many times and at each destination there was always some place in that area that had a story to tell. I have been to six of the seven continents and within each, was a plethora of history to explore. I chose Business to explore the changes technology has made to the industry. One of the largest benefits of interdisciplinary study is that it exposes the student to new ideas.

So, this brings me back to my original question; why go to college now? I guess I want to “finish what I started” – and to make my dad proud.

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One comment to Steve Kobelas

  1. gladys friese krasse says:

    so proud of you & all you’ve done…& also proud that you’ve taken on college courses now…..it’s been a real pleasure to have been a classmate of yours….& to continue to keep in touch with you

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