Brenda Kearns

Alumni  |  Faculty & Staff  |  Returning Learners  |  Student

When Brenda Kearns was ready to return to the workforce after her children graduated from high school, she was looking for an affordable education option to update her skills.

“My first career was educating my children,” Brenda said. “When they graduated, I needed a new profession.”

In 2011 she enrolled in the Business Administrative Systems program (to be renamed Business Technology in fall 2014).

“I knew I had discovered both the program and the direction in which I wanted to go,” Brenda said. “I'm an office person. I’m good at details like grammar, punctuation and spelling. I enjoyed practical assignments, including planning a conference. We were responsible for the brochures, fliers, booking the guest, dates, accommodations and meals.”

Brenda said she found her instructors to be accessible and very supportive. “Their goal is to make students employable. They went above and beyond, holding mock interviews, helping us to create a portfolio and to be ready to find a job.”

As a returning learner, Brenda knew she had a different perspective. “You are taught by someone who is more of a peer. I’ve had some life experience, and I felt more responsibility for what I was learning.”

Brenda graduated in December 2014 with an Associate Degree in Business Technology. “I’m thrilled about the name change for the degree,” Brenda said. “I do feel that it [Business Technology] is relevant to what I do in an office environment.” 

Currently Brenda is the benefits specialist in SCC’s Office of Human Resources. She started as a part-time office assistant and a year later moved to full-time as the HR assistant before taking on her current role. She is a self-proclaimed technology geek and enjoys using her new skills in Microsoft Office and Google Docs to be creative and make things work.

Brenda and her husband live in St. Peters. They have three grown children and four grandchildren.

Last updated: March 6, 2017