Commitment to education pays off

Galen D. Chandler
Age: 51
Occupation: Regional program director for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

Where did you receive your education?
Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University.

How has your education played a role in your life today?
My education has been critical and a must for each of the positions I have served in as a professional educator.

What was your greatest educational challenge and how did you overcome it?
My challenge has been procrastination. I try to justify this trait by saying that I do my best work under pressure.

What is the value of your education?
My education has truly improved my life and has provided for my family.

What would you say to someone who's undecided about continuing their education?
I would tell them that it would be a terrible and long-lasting mistake to limit your education at any level. There are endless opportunities for financial aid, such as low-interest loans, grants and scholarships. Vocational training and certifications can be very financially lucrative.

When did you make education a priority?
One summer during college, I worked at Yellow Freight Systems in Dallas as a freight dock employee. I loaded and unloaded big rigs all day. Even though I was making good money for a college student and was in good physical shape, I knew there had to be something bigger than this for my life.

What made you realize the importance of education in your life?
When I joined the AgriLife Extension Service, it was easy to understand in order to promote within the organization that more formal education was necessary.

Did you ever think about quitting? What made you keep going?
Quitting was never really an option. My parents raised me to understand the importance of following through with commitments.