GMC alumnus Randy Toms credits GMC with success in life
GMC alumnus credits GMC with success in life
At 48, he resisted going back to school . . . but GMC wouldn鈥檛 let him off the hook!
After finishing his 24-hour shift as a Warner Robins firefighter, Randy Toms arrived home to find his wife and daughter waiting at the kitchen counter. 鈥淭hey were grinning like they were up to something and that鈥檚 never good,鈥� he laughs. 鈥淭hey sat me down and my daughter said, 鈥楧ad, I want you to go to college.鈥� I explained I didn鈥檛 want to go to college, but she wasn鈥檛 buying it. She said she knew I鈥檇 sacrificed to send her to private school and she wanted me to give GMC a try.鈥�
Randy considered his daughter鈥檚 words and decided to get busy, looking for ways to wriggle off the hook. 鈥淭he first hurdle I counted on was my work schedule. But my boss said we could work it out. Then I knew the cost would keep me out. But my boss said the city would pay for it,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 was quickly running out of reasons and starting to worry I鈥檇 actually have to go.鈥�
Yet Randy kept faith in his resistance campaign, even as he passed the entry test and enrolled at GMC鈥檚 Warner Robins campus. 鈥淚 was truly a terrible high school student, so I was confident I鈥檇 fail GMC鈥檚 required algebra course and be done,鈥� he recalls.
Fortunately, his teacher, Linda Faraone, had a stronger will. 鈥淚 tried to quit that class five times, but Ms. Faraone wouldn鈥檛 let me. She made special practice sheets and makeup tests for me, and spent many hours after class helping me learn the material,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat fifth time I quit, she literally followed me down the hall and pulled me back into her classroom.鈥�
Randy managed to pass algebra and, at Ms. Ferone鈥檚 suggestion/insistence enrolled in her statistics class the next semester. That鈥檚 when everything clicked. 鈥淚 understood statistics right away and could even help my classmates,鈥� he says.聽 鈥淎nd it dawned on me鈥� maybe I always had wished I鈥檇 gone to college.鈥�
The next year, at 49, Randy graduated from GMC with a degree in general studies鈥攁nd a whole lot more. 鈥淩egardless of whether that degree made me a better firefighter, it made me feel better about myself,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t gave me the confidence to do things outside my comfort zone.鈥�
Which is just what Randy did. In 2012, he retired after 27 years in the Fire Service, entered the Warner Robins mayoral race and celebrated a handy win.
Today, from the mayor鈥檚 office, he shares high praise for the GMC staff and faculty who helped prepare him for this exciting, challenging and unexpected chapter in his life. 鈥淲hat they have at 麻豆直播 is special. They get you ready, whether it鈥檚 for more school or to go to work. They set you up to succeed.鈥�
Randy now encourages others to follow their secret desire to expand their horizons. 鈥淚 always thought I wasn鈥檛 college material, but GMC proved me wrong. Even if you don鈥檛 think you鈥檒l fit in, even if you think you鈥檙e not ready for college, give GMC a try,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey can give you an opportunity to do great things you thought you鈥檇 miss, just because you assumed you didn鈥檛 fit the college mold.鈥�
And as for Mayor Tom鈥檚 family鈥hey knew it all along. And they couldn鈥檛 be more proud.
