Gill Thompson: Everything Happens for a Reason

In 2002 I was a senior in high school and I thought I had life figured out. I was going to attend CU Boulder, get a degree in Business and then be on my way to a million dollar salary. Oh man, was I wrong. I got denied from CU Boulder, and then I turned to CMC in Steamboat. My parents wanted me to attend “a real college” — whatever that means!

Getting denied from CU Boulder was the best thing to ever happen to me, but it took me some time to realize it. At CMC Steamboat I became my own person, and it was the start of a life, where I made decisions for myself and stopped worrying about pleasing other people, or doing things because it was the “norm.” My experience at CMC has shaped who I am today. I value education, but I also learned that you have to be inspired to truly get the most out of your education. Going to college in the Rocky Mountains in a place as beautiful as Steamboat inspired me to take my education seriously so I can get what I want out of life. For me that is quality over quantity.

If I would have attended CU Boulder, who knows where I would be today, but I am fairly sure I would not be at my current job working in the Career Center at Pickens Technical College, helping students everyday. When something happens to them in their life, and they feel it may change their plans forever, I share my story with them, and I always say, “Everything happens for a reason.” After CMC I attended Montana State University and received a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, then I went on to University of Phoenix and received my Master’s Degree in Education.