Monroe College is NOT a “Hood” College!

I recently had a commenter try to take a jab at me by saying Monroe College was a “Hood” College in a recent blog where I explained why I had a hard time finding work.

That’s not true at all. Monroe College is not a “Hood” College.

Monroe College in the Bronx and in New Rochelle produces some of the best quality students and provides a one of the best college educations out there. I dare to say that an education at Monroe College is the equal of any Division 1 University in these United States.

The degree I got in 1994 in Business Administration has enabled me to start my own publishing company SJS DIRECT. Thanks to my degree I gained the business skills to publish over 30 paperbacks and eBooks.

It has also helped me gain business skills like those I acquired in 2000 working at STRIVE 14 years ago.

In addition, my degree from Monroe College helped me to become a better writer and a more critical thinker.

What I learned at Monroe were the essentials of business management. I learned about business contracts, what a manager does, and about finance. I even learned the essentials of Human Resource law and Human resource policies. 

One class I took, Organizational Behavior back in 1994 I still use to this day. The tools I learned in that class showed me why many businesses fail, and why many companies like DC Comics are on a downward spiral.

Moreover, it was that Organizational Behavior class that taught me about the changing economy. 20 years later everything I learned in that book has come to pass regarding the job market. That book stated we’d have two classes of workers: The educated types and the minimum wage types.

If more people took that course they’d be prepared for the economy we have today.

My education from Monroe College was the primary tool I used to write the novel A Recipe For $ucce$$. All that knowledge of businesses and business policy and procedure came from my Monroe College education.

I have nothing but good things to say about Monroe College students. many of the Monroe college students I went to class with back in 1993 showed a strong work ethic and a dedication to learning about their profession. The environment was extremely professional and most people there were focused on doing their classwork.

I’ll contrast my Monroe College experience to a family members’ experience at Columbia University. Most people at that so-called prestigious Ivy League school weren’t focused on classwork. They were focused on getting laid, drinking and partying. Not to mention buying term papers and bullshitting their way through school.

And I’ll further contrast that same family members’ experience at one of Columbia University’s graduate schools. Professors using group projects to pad work out to avoid grading individuals, people being petty with grading (A professor extorted her paper for grade in class she needed to graduate) and more people bullshitting their way through school.

I’ll also contrast it to another family members’ experience attending Fordham University. Again, more people mostly focused on getting laid, smoking weed, drinking, partying, buying term papers and bullshitting their way through school.

And I’ll continue to contrast my Monroe College experience to that I observed working at the City College of New York’s Science Library. More lazy ass kids half-assing their work bullshitting their way through school while Mangina and Simp Professors enabled them and made excuses for them.

While at Monroe College we were made to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for our EDUCATION. Everything from our term papers, to our tests were ON US. There was no coddling, excuse making or handholding like I’ve seen at colleges today. Either you brought your work to the table when it was due, or you FAILED. 

If I had a choice of who to hire, when I expand SJS DIRECT in a couple of years it’d be the Monroe College graduate. Why? Because at least I know the Monroe College graduate will be ready to work and be productive.

While the “brand name” university types will only be on the job to deflect, kiss ass, chase pussy, serve up pussy, and talk lots of shit while consuming company resources. Talking about what I can do for them instead of what they can do for me.

Some may see Monroe College as a “Hood” College.  But I know in this world it’s not where you went but where you’re going.

And if you want to go somewhere in life you need people with the right work ethic and the right attitude to take you to the next level. Having a bunch of people with brand name degrees who can’t do a God Damn thing but talk in 50 cent words, parrot a professor’s INTERPRETATION of a book, and tell you the difference between a Pale Ale, a Dark Ale and a Pilsner isn’t going to take your business to the next level.

I know many a person who went to a “brand name” school like those in the CUNY system, universities like Fordham, and even Ivy League schools who aren’t as professional as a Monroe College graduate or as skilled as a Monroe College graduate. Outside of a cocky attitude many of these people bring nothing to the table for an employer but the ability to say they went to such-and-such University.

Plain and simple these are the people who when the pressure is on, have no character, backbone, or resolve. These are the people who when pushed a smidge quit their jobs and RUN for the exit. These are the kinds of people who go to work to pose, preen and pretend to work while hiding all the problems in the workplace they encounter or blaming them on others. The kinds of morons who go to work to be happy.

One of the lessons I learned at STRIVE is that work sucks. Work is about pain. And without pain there can’t be growth.

And most of the people I encountered at the so-called Brand name universities and colleges both young and old need to grow, because the colleges they’re going to are SPOILING them. When someone wears pajamas, tank tops and flip-flops to the office, talks on their cell phones like it’s their house using profanity, and uses cyberspeak like LOL in a business e-mail, they may have gone to college, but they sure haven’t LEARNED ANYTHING in those four years they were there. 

Working with people from the “brand name” schools at jobs over the years are I’ve noticed a lot of them show the LEAST amount of COMMITMENT in the workplace. Why?

Because they come into the workplace with a sense of entitlement. They feel the job owes them, and they don’t have to WORK for anything. They’re SUPPOSED to be in this job because they have such and such degree from such and such school and the employer is SUPPOSED TO GIVE THEM A CAREER.

And if the employer does not give them the career they want in the way they want it, they feel they have the option of leaving and going someplace else.

Because they went to such-and-such college or such-and-such university.

This is the primary reason why most businesses in America are FUCKED UP TODAY. Too many people from so-called top colleges brandish their degrees like a Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, or a Gucci label.

They’re nothing more than Consumer whores with no sense of what the words COMMITMENT or HARD WORK mean. Yeah, they can write a term paper (or just buy one) but they don’t know what it is to stick out a tough period and work through hardship. Again, when things get hard, they’re the FIRST to PACK UP and LEAVE for greener pastures instead of CLEANING UP THE MESS THEY MADE.

These same people will call Monroe College a “Hood” College but are actually lazier and more shiftless than any of the crackheads I’ve ever encountered in the South Bronx in my entire life. They’re lazier and more shiftless than the ex-offenders, single mothers, addicts in recovery or others deemed unemployable I worked with at the STRIVE program.  In both those places I’ve met more people with a work ethic than I ever saw from someone who went to a private college.

I’ve got family members who went to Fordham University and Columbia University. One with a Master’s and another with Two Master’s degrees.

And when they need help, they come to ME, the Monroe College graduate for advice. The guy from the allegedly “Hood” college.  The degree no one values because it’s not a brand name university.

And when they follow my advice, they take their careers to the next level or get themselves out of a jam at work.  

In fact, I the Monroe College graduate made one of those same relatives, a graduate of Columbia University with a Bachelor’s degree in English re-examine the what she learned about Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God when I presented her with a different perspective on the book.

Shawn can deconstruct Zora Neale Hurston’s literary classic and can refute the argument professors like Alice Walker have presented as the true interpretation of that novel. But most people still see him as coming from a “Hood” college. Not good enough to work in a Target, Rite Aid or even a place like City College of New York.

Now I graduated Monroe College in 1994 with a 3.95 GPA. I graduated Summa Cum Laude, was on the President’s list and earned a plaque for being at the top of my class. I normally don't even discuss those accomplishments. Why?

Because I don’t wear my self-esteem on my sleeve or hang it on a wall like most of today’s college graduates do. 

I’m a man of ACTION. And ACTION speaks louder than the 50-cent words many have learned at these brand name colleges and universities. While they’re talking, I’m DOING and GETTING IT DONE.

Throughout my career from STRIVE to City College of New York, and my writing career I have a reputation for excellence and producing top quality work. If employers and people are too busy looking at where I went instead of where I’m going then I truly feel sorry for them. Because they’re missing out on a great employee.