Mapping a Better Path to a Bachelor’s Degree: Maser Consulting’s Brian Britton Surveys Options and Selects RCSJ

A year into his studies as a Surveying Engineering Technologies major at RowanCollege of South Jersey (RCSJ), Brian Britton still sometimes cannot believe heis finally on his way to earning a degree.

“College wasn’t anoption when I was younger,” he reflects. “My parents and I didn’t talk aboutit, but I always knew I’d love to do it one day.”

Britton considershimself lucky to have found his calling early in life. A drafting course takenas a teenager at Southern Regional High School in Manahawkin, New Jersey capturedhis attention. After graduating from high school, Britton enrolled at BrickComputer Science Institute. A brief 18 months later, the technical schoolhelped him to secure a job at a prestigious engineering firm and his career inland surveying began. Britton knew it would be advantageous to earn hisbachelor’s degree, but circumstances always seemed to prevent it.

“I could go on and work in this industry(without a degree) for the rest of my life, but you do hit sort of a ceilingwhen it comes to perhaps salary or even a position,” he explained. “At somecompanies, in order to make it to a shareholder level, you need to have adegree.”

As he enjoyed thenext 20 years of professional success, collecting industry accolades andclimbing the career ladder, his desire to earn a degree never faded. By 2019,the now-married father of four was a Senior Project Surveyor and an Associateat Maser Consulting, but he still felt limited. Without a bachelor’s degree,Britton could not receive licensing from the New Jersey State Board ofProfessional Engineers and Land Surveyors; without his license, there were somelevels of professional success that he would never reach.

“There are otherstates like New York where I could take the licensure test based on myexperience, but . . . maybe I didn’t know if I would pass because I didn’t havethe education to back up my real-world experience,” he admits.

When Britton sawRCSJ’s advertisement for a Surveying Engineering Technologies degree pathwayoffered in cooperation with Rowan University — which would streamline histransfer to the University upon earning his associate degree — he realized thathis long-coveted bachelor’s degree was within reach. The program was backed bythe New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors and it was perfect forhim; but there was one hiccup — the 2019 fall semester started in a week’s time.Britton feared he might have to wait until the following spring, but a visitwith RCSJ’s Student Services team put an end to his concerns.

“I was able tomake it to the campus, meet with the advisors, sign up for everything I neededto, pay for the classes, and I did it all within a week,” Britton recounts. “Iwas guided in a really good path by the advisors at Rowan College as well asthe dean of STEM. I was really grateful, and I felt lucky that I was able toget into the program that quickly.”

Britton received asecond pleasant surprise when RCSJ’s Dean of STEM, Dr. Christina Nase, recommendedhe save time and money with a Prior Learning Assessment — his extensiveprofessional experience in land surveying could be converted into academiccredits through a portfolio assessment. Guided by the College’s Dean ofAcademic Compliance, Dr. Danielle Zimecki-Fennimore,Britton prepared portfolios for Introduction to Surveying, CADD I and CADD II.Each portfolio contained relevant work experience, technical education, certifications,industry awards and accomplishments to demonstrate that Britton had alreadymastered the course content.

“Working withstudents, like Brian, on portfolio assessments has brought a differentperspective to what individual students need,” said Zimecki-Fennimore. “Morenon-traditional students are returning to college and bringing a wealth of workexperience. As an institution, we areusing prior learning assessments to help students find alternative ways to earncredit for what they already know. It isa great experience for everyone.”

All three ofBritton’s portfolios were approved, he completed the assessment tests, paid therelated testing fee, and he was three giant steps — along with nine academiccredits — closer to his degree. For the full-time professional, father andstudent, the head start towards his degree was more than worth the time andeffort put into the process.

“I highly recommend it,” Britton said. “I wasable to pay $125 for each class — for me, with the three classes it was $375 —it was a couple of hours out of my life for each of the assessments, but when Ilook back at how much time I would have spent studying, attending class, andtaking tests, I’m just really thankful and grateful I had this opportunity. Itwill help me achieve my goal of earning my associate degree in two years,attending at night.”

Now, with hisfreshman year of studies under his belt, Britton has found there are manybenefits to entering the college classroom as an experienced professional. Hisfoundational skills in areas like mathematics are being reinforced while he isbuilding a network of current and future colleagues, benefitting from theirexpertise and sharing his own. Britton never misses an opportunity to indulgein some “shop talk” with his professors and pick their brains or serve as amentor to the younger students in his classes as they begin to look for jobs oftheir own.

“I’m alwayspreaching to the younger folks to join this profession . . . you can providefor your family and just feel good about what you do every day,” he affirmed. “Asland surveyors, we are a bit of mathematician, historian and artist. It’s kindof three different things molded into one.”

Britton looksforward to seeing his career path continue to unfold, both proud of his pastaccomplishments and eager to see what the future will hold once he has the degreeto back up his experience.

“It was always athought in my mind — a dream — that one day I’d be able to go to college andearn a degree. The fact that I’m doing it now,” Britton paused beforecontinuing; “I kind of pinch myself sometimes. I have a goal that I’m workingtowards and RCSJ is making it possible.”

Find out how yourexperience can translate into academic credits at RCSJ.edu/PriorLearning or learnmore about the Surveying Engineering Technology and other STEM programs at RCSJ.edu/STEM.