Author: Greg Gaspard
John Warren grew up in Houma and Bayou DuLarge. Like many of us, his parents did not go to college, but he took the plunge and attended Nicholls after high school.
After two years there, things were not going as he had planned, and he was ready to give up on college.
He took another giant leap when he decided to attend Fletcher, rather than give up. “Fletcher was life-changing,” John noted. “I struggled with math classes, and having the smaller, more hands-on classrooms helped me succeed in the subject.”
After gaining his confidence as a successful college student, he graduated with an Associate in General Studies in 2011.
He took a break from college for a few years, but then enrolled full-time at Nicholls once again, only online this time, which allowed him to work full time. He graduated from Nicholls in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, and he currently works as a Deputy Assessor in the Lafourche Parish Assessor’s office.
“The best thing about Fletcher is that hometown feel you get when you walk in the doors,” he commented. “You can tell that people in charge of your education care if you finish or not. They treat you with respect, and you are able to get more hands on learning with the classroom sizes. Fletcher is somewhere you can come and grow as a person and further your career.”
John’s experience at Fletcher was like so many others, with having to juggle a full time job, studying, attending class, etc.
“When it comes to college do not be afraid of it,” he advises. “When you walk into Fletcher, there is no judgement of where you came from or how you struggled up to this point. Your story before Fletcher does not matter, because once you walk through the doors, you become family.
“You can accomplish so much if you just don’t give up on yourself, and know that you can do anything that you put your mind to. I felt like I would never accomplish anything when I started Fletcher. I was struggling with what I wanted to do, and Fletcher helped me understand my wealth as a person and in my work life. I don’t think I would be where I am today without the understanding I gained from Fletcher.”
John serves as the Treasurer on the Fletcher Technical Community College Alumni Association. He says, “I recommend that you get involved and share your Fletcher Story with us! Everyone has their own Fletcher story and maybe sharing yours could help someone else finish theirs!” Check out the Alumni Association on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fletcher-Technical-Community-College-Alumni-Association-222862801628946/.