Focus, drive from military help veteran succeed in the classroom
Nicole Harsh was not planning to attend college when she graduated from high school. She wanted to join the military, as her father had done.
The focus, determination and confidence she developed in the U.S. Air Force are helping her succeed as a student at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
A 2009 graduate of Westfield Area High School, Harsh entered the Air Force the same year. She originally wanted to pursue a career in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, but discovered a passion for working with computers during her six-year enlistment.
She chose to study computer programming and made the transition to UW-Stevens Point in 2015. She has a double major in Computer Information Systems and Web and Digital Media Development (WDMD).
The team-building skills she learned in the military are useful in her courses. "Team-building skills definitely come in handy in college – especially when you're working in groups for classes," Harsh said.
Determination was also a trait she honed from her time in the service.
"The military also helped me become dedicated," Harsh said. "So when you're working on something for a class, you keep working on it. You don't put it off, you don't half-do it. You actually work on it."
UW-Stevens Point Professor Katie Stern describes Harsh as a student who is "eager to learn."
"This goes for other veterans as well, but two words come together when I think of Nicole – focus and drive," Stern said.
Stern, who teaches several WDMD courses, met Harsh in her first year on campus.
"To really listen and really grasp what you're talking about in the classroom – to be hungry for information because that's why they're here – it's such a powerful combination," Stern explained. "I see it in several of our veterans and especially in Nicole."
Harsh said she was soft spoken before joining the military. Her years of service played a major role in shaping who she is today.
"Since the military, I've become very confident and outgoing," Harsh said. "I'll stand my ground… I'm not afraid to state my opinion. It's definitely made me more outgoing, more of a people-person and helped me in interacting with people."
Harsh grew up planning to enter the military after high school, but said attending college was more of an afterthought. She completed basic training in San Antonio, Texas, and was stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska for six years. Although she never deployed, Harsh spent time at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada and traveled to Minot, N.D., twice during her enlistment.
"As soon as I got out, I was definitely focused on school," she said. She applied to a few universities, including UW-Stevens Point.
"I toured UWSP and instantly knew I wanted to come here," she said. "This campus just feels comfortable."
"This school has really good professors who help you out and actually listen to you when you have a question," Harsh said. "If you like a homey feel, then this is definitely the campus for you."
With plans to graduate from UW-Stevens Point in 2019, Harsh said she's made the right decisions for herself – in the military and in college.
"If I had the choice to go back and do it again or not, I'd do it again," she said. "Same branch, same career field."
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