Posted by Lisa Hochgraf
A good while back, when I was studying at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I liked learning Chinese literature (in translation) one semester, botany the next. I took classes in all kinds of dance, Spanish language, and even calculus and physics. I found the learning associated with going to college so agreeable I told my dad (a key funder of the undertaking) that I thought I'd be a "perennial" student.
At the time Dad said, "No way." But now that I've got a master's in journalism (the photo is Dad, Mom and me at my Northwestern University graduation in 1993) and been an editor for 15 years, Dad seems to think I've actually succeeded with that early idea of becoming a perennial student. In my career I've written about everything from businesses in Dane County, Wisconsin, to mind-altering drugs to bus tours.
I feel fortunate that the largest bulge in my career portfolio contains articles about credit unions. By reading, talking with people in the industry, doing onsite credit union visits, and attending conferences and meetings, I've had the opportunity to learn and write about everything from loan automation to information security to e-mail marketing to ergonomic workstations to charter conversion.
And I'm still learning. Right now I'm collecting information about hybrid charters, "exotic" mortgage loans and digital magazines (if you know something about these topics, please give a shoutout in the comments!). I'm also looking forward to learning a bunch by attending CUES' Directors Conference this December. (I'll be celebrating my 40th birthday there--if you're planning to attend, do let me know.)
Are you a perennial student? What are you learning about credit unions today, this week, this month, this year? How are you facilitating your own learning?
