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Meet Lyn Paulos
Recipient of 2002 FGA Scholarship Award

Congratulations to Lyn Paulos, recipient of the 2002 Foothill Global Access Student Scholarship Award! Lyn was recognized for her volunteer work and contributions to her peers, faculty, and Foothill College.

A champion Barrel Racer, Lyn manages to have nearly a 3.9 GPA at Foothill. She has taken many online classes and has supported online teachers in Fine Arts, Language Arts, Adaptive Learning and BSS, most of it as a volunteer. She exemplifies the student who has found online classes make it possible for her to attend school. 

Lyn's award, a computer, will make a difference in her future college endeavors. She has been accepted as a transfer student to San Francisco State. Her commitment to education and helping others is clear: "I would like to say how much this award means to me and to my future in college. It also allows me to start out another new Foothill College student by giving her my old computer, so she can start distance learning and her future as well. The blessing is two fold!"

Professor Rosemarie Menager-Beeley offered the highest praise for Lyn, "I can't think of anyone who has offered more service to her peers in helping them succeed in online classes. This is an individual who herself works three part-time jobs to sustain enough money to pay for college and still volunteers her time because she values education and student success so much."

"Lyn is a wonder," exclaims Professor Dolores Davison Peterson. "She deals with many of my students' technical questions, so that I can spend my time teaching rather than having to worry about showing a student how to do an attachment. She has infinite patience with the students, and she keeps me sane by reminding me that not everyone is blessed with a husband who is a computer genius!"

As she's mastered the online learning medium, Lyn has shared her knowledge with others. Lyn reports that 5 years ago she had trouble operating an ATM, but since then became computer proficient and worked as "lab rat" at Sun for 2 years. Recently the Adaptive Learning Division hired her as leave replacement for Brenda Davis on sabbatical from the Access Center and she is now become versed in assistive technology.

Interview with Dean Sinou

Sinou: How did you become such an integral part of our online program, assisting as a TA?

Paulos: I began assisting as a TA for the Distance Learning program and professors quite by accident. I had taken a class online with Dr. Barnett and enjoyed distance learning so much that I offered assistance after my class was over. I felt this medium was an educational boon for students like myself, who held down full time jobs and could not get to campus to further their education. After Dr. Barnett went on leave, I began working for Dr. Rosemarie Menager-Beeley in my major, which is psychology. She encouraged me to become more involved with distance learning and student assistance. Shortly afterward, I began working and assisting several members of the BSS division and never left! With their encouragement, I learned the ins and outs of the ETUDES system to better help their students with technical problems and allow them to do what they do best, which is teach. I absolutely love this job!

Sinou: What kinds of help do you offer faculty and students?

Paulos: I basically offer technical support for the classes, not class content. I answer research questions, system questions, provide emergency support during exams, explain computer concerns, suggest study skills or strategies, help with restoring information if a computer crash occurs, identify ISP or browser issues and sometimes just offer a lot of encouragement! For many students, especially returning older students, online classes are their first foray back into education. I believe it is critical that they feel they have the support and contact with someone within the class when the technical or timing aspects create confusion. For the faculty, I offer information input, proofreading, forum management, test monitoring for technical problems during exams, and information access for students who experience emergencies or computer crashes. By supporting students with the technical aspects, it reduces the time professors have to spend on technical issues and allows them to concentrate on class content and allows them to help students learn the material presented.

Sinou: What do you do when you are not logged on? It doesn't sound like there is any time!

Paulos: Well, I am almost always logged on! But in my spare time I ride and compete on horseback, doing speed and skill events, take care of a sixty horse barn and volunteer as the Chair of a Statewide riding organization. I also work with adapted technology in the Adapted Computer Lab at Foothill College (another job I am crazy about) and take classes myself. I don't sleep much!

Sinou: What's in the future for Lyn? What are your career goals?

Paulos: My future goals have become very clear for me over the last few months. I have been accepted into San Francisco State in the fall as a psychology major with an emphasis on education and technology. My goal is to teach in a community college environment and to study the aspects of keeping the human touch in technological world.

Sinou: Congratulations, Lyn! Anything else you'd like to say?

Paulos: Distance learning is the force of education for the future. I have taken all of the classes I assist in and found the experience positive and enriching. All of the professors were encouraging and responsive to my needs as a student in these classes. When I became a technical assistant, my goal was to continue what I had been offered from them, encouragement and help, student to student. The people and professors of the Distance Learning Program here at Foothill have offered me profound support and confidence as I moved forward in my education. I am having too much fun giving back to students what was given to me and it is a delight when a student can succeed with just a little bit of help. I love what I do, and the people I work for. They have truly altered my life!

11/30/2006

Past Features:

Sandi Watkins
Lyn Paulos
Jerry & Angie
Rick Martinez
Dolores Davison
Mimi Will
Academic Dishonesty