Rapid City entrepreneur offers high praise for CSC Online

Raker of Rapid City, South Dakota, said help from CSC employees was essential for him to navigate the requirements to complete a Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS).

“If it wasn’t for surrounding myself with diligent people at Chadron State who stepped up and did their jobs, my work load would not have been possible,” Raker said, referring to his full-time job with an electrical utility company, responsibilities owning and operating a small electrical contracting company, being a co-organizer of a non-profit and other entrepreneurial ventures.

Student Transition And Registration Team (START) director Danielle Lecher said it took some work and a bit of creative thinking, but the START advisers were able to put together a plan so Raker will graduate in December.

Raker said he was surprised he could start the semester even though he procrastinated until the last minute.

“I had told myself I was too busy and would begin the following semester. Finally, I called the day before classes started and they helped me tremendously to get my journey started. I was taken aback when the START Office said, ‘Yes let’s get you in,’” Raker said.

The ease of transferring an Associate of Applied Science degree he earned at Western Dakota Tech was a key turning point in Raker’s decision to attend CSC.

“When I approached CSC they helped guide me in accomplishing my goal of receiving a bachelor’s degree the most efficient and economical way. Unlike some other institutions, CSC recognized my hard work and money spent at WDT and my credits transferred seamlessly,” he said.

Finding online options that he can dovetail into his busy life has been integral to Raker’s academic success.

“CSC offers many courses online and when I needed to fulfill a requirement, they were able to satisfy that,” Raker said.

Raker, a Master Electrician, describes himself as a lifelong learner who enjoys leaving his comfort zone and stretching himself.

“I realize I am not making human history being a nontraditional student with multiple other responsibilities. The advice I would give to anyone with a heavy work load and or busy life who is also attending college, is to keep trudging forward. Most things worth having require work,” Raker said.

In addition to helping Raker with his career, CSC courses have helped him acquire skills he plans to use in civic ventures.

“I am not a grant writer and have always considered the people who do that to be wizards. One of the courses I took with Deena Kennell exposed me to what being a grant writer looks like. Being the co-founder of a 501(c)3 non-profit Men’s Sober Living Home, it caught my eye very quickly. We would like the grant writing process to become a bigger part of this organization,” Raker said.