Vickie Becker, born and raised in Southern California, has been teaching for Azusa Pacifi University in the Murrieta area since 1994. In 2003, she became Executive Director of the Azusa Pacifi University (APU) Murrieta Regional Center and she is also an Associate Professor. Additionally, Vickie’s more than 30 years of experience consulting with a variety of non-profi and for-profit organizations has enhanced her ability to link theory with practice and increase productivity. Her research interests include leadership and emotional intelligence, women in leadership, and workplace collaborations.
What I’m Learning after Years and Years of Learning
“I work with a lot of very smart people and high achieving people, and have been privileged to do this throughout most of my career. The thing is, there are a lot of smart people (emphasis on a lot) but at this point in my own leadership development being the smartest is not what is impressing me. What impresses me is an individual’s ability to cultivate and utilize resilience. “Having worked for more than 25 years with students as a college administrator and faculty member, and with workplace learners, as a consultant, I’ve repeatedly observed that when under pressure ‘some people snap and some people snap back.’ As one leader described, ‘Success is how you bounce when you hit the bottom.’ “I’ve learned that the majority of students with whom I interact come to higher education having already lived life. They are what we call the ‘older adult learner,’ ages 25 plus. Are they among the very smart people? Well, that is yet to be determined. With some, they return to higher education with grades that show they may not be all that smart, but their grades from years past don’t really tell the real story. The real story is that many had to make some life choices that resulted in dropping out of school after falling behind in their course work …often for deeply traumatic and personal reasons. I could not tell you if they ‘snapped’ when they dropped out of college, but I do know that the far majority of our returning older adult students show that they certainly ‘snapped back’!
“What I’m still learning after years and years of learning is that resiliency, an aspect of psychological finess, can be nurtured. I’m learning this lesson from my students!”
Contact Information:
951.304.3400
EMAIL: murrieta@ apu.edu
WEB: www.apu.edu/murrieta
