NEWSDAY NOVEMBER 18, 2 K 13 Senior citizen, woman with cerebral palsy graduate with degrees By Rachael Espinet Monday, November 18 2013 At age 65, Rachel Noti, a seasoned saleswoman, crossed the stage of the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT) graduation ceremony yesterday at the Hyatt Recency, Port-of-Spain, to receive her certificate for the Associates of Applied Science Degree in Marketing. This was the first higher education degree Noti has ever pursued in her life. “I have been in the marketing and sales field, and I thought I would go, and do this course to improve my marketing skills. It helped me a lot in what I am doing,” Noti told Newsday after the ceremony. Loud cheers came from the audience as teachers, graduants and supporters stood to applaud the 65-year-old graduant as she crossed the stage. “Regardless of the age, if you have the determination to improve yourself, then you should. There should be nothing stopping you from forging ahead. Age should not be a barrier,” Noti said. Noti has been in sales all her life. She first worked with her father, Nicholas Noti, helping him sell insurance. When her father passed away in 1996, Noti decided to become an independent Avon sales representative. Seventeen years later, Noti decided to do the associates degree in marketing to improve her business. Though she always wanted to advance her studies, Noti said she never had the opportunity. When Noti discovered the difference courses COSTAATT had to offer, she realised that she still had a chance to complete her education. “I always wanted to improve myself in higher education. Before, I did not have the opportunity to do so,” Noti said. When asked why she would pursue an associate degree in a field that she worked in for most of her life, Noti said, “Some people finished secondary school, and were content with that, but I was not. There are certain things you knew that you would want to improve on. There are things that I learned in school that I never knew. Although it (the degree programme) was challenging, I still battled through the course.” Though Noti said she was happy to be graduating with her associates degree, she said that there are some things school cannot teach students. She said students can only fully understand an industry with experience. “You learn a lot outside as well. You learn different types of people, different attitudes, that is what they won’t teach you in the class room. “School will teach you to be courteous, but they cannot teach you how to deal with people: their likes, their dislikes, what they request of you – what they call costumer service, that is what students will have to learn out there,” Noti said. Indira Mendoza, a 33-year-old woman with cerebral palsy was another graduant who got a standing ovation from the audience. “I am just like everyone else,” Mendoza said after she got her Associates of Applied Science Degree in Journalism and Public Relations. Mendoza has volunteered with different associations in the disabled community, and that taught her she is more than her disability. As well, Mendoza learnt potential for good she could do as a reporter, so she decided to pursue her degree in journalism. “I want to be a reporter, and open the doors for persons like me. There is a mind set in the country that people who are disabled have nothing to contribute to society. I want to prove them wrong,” Mendoza said. Mendoza said she is willing to work with any media house that will have her. However, she intends to take a break from her studies as she is six months pregnant. Mendoza eventually intends to apply for the Bachelors in Journalism and pursue her degree. More than 1,100 students graduated yesterday from COSTAATT in two different ceremonies. Pastor Dr Clive Dottin, was the key note speaker for the morning session at which Noti and Mendoza attended. Reaffirming Noti and Mendoza’s position that a person can achieve anything regardless of their position in life, Dottin addressed the younger graduants and said, “Life is about choices. Great choices make great means . . . You are born to be a success. You deserve to be a success. Let no one despise your youth when you were born to succeed.”
Posted on: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 09:53:42 +0000
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