PERSONAL PRESS RELEASE
Press Release word document – Communication Student – Christa Freas
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Christa A Freas
757.560.1752 (cell)
571.432.1604 (work)
Students in the News
For immediate release
Continuing Education Student Keeps Her Eye on the Prize
Fairfax, VA, September 16, 2015 - Most continuing education students find achieving a work-life balance challenging even before deciding to return to school. George Mason University has several programs specifically geared toward their continuing education students and the communication department offers a program that teaches valuable and real-time applicable skill sets to program participants.
Christa Freas is taking on that trifecta work-life-school challenge despite having struggled in fits and starts as a full time working professional. This is her third appearance as a student at George Mason University, and she is more determined than ever before to finish her degree. A self-proclaimed, “best school quitter ever,” Freas has made several departures from her educational pursuits over the course of almost 20 years, starting with Radford University. She ultimately found success at Tidewater Community College where she graduated with honors in 2006 with her associate’s degree.
Freas maintains that spring of 2016 will be when she will finally graduate, and she is more motivated than ever, “Now I see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Freas works as a full-time defense contractor and has held various positions of significantly increasing responsibility as an administrative professional. She often works long hours and is mindful that her educational pursuits, while important to her professional development, must not encroach on her senior executive’s valuable time or impact his ability to complete his own mission.
Returning to pursue her education has been difficult, but rewarding and Freas is very proud of having completed three accelerated summer courses, which will go a long way to helping her achieve her goal. “When I look back at my ‘lost summer of fun,’ I won’t remember missing our annual beach retreat, or not making it to concerts and music festivals, but I will remember putting almost an entire semester behind me in a matter of weeks,” she said.
Students like Freas, who return to school long after they have entered the professional working environment, are finding a place at Mason. They are learning alongside their younger classmates and helping to shape campus life.
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