Listening to Wife Leads to Degree at Tri-C for Shelton Tufts

May 17, 2016

Starting college sometimes takes encouragement, motivation and maybe some inspiration. For Shelton Tufts, it came from his wife.

Diane Tufts is a graduate of Cuyahoga Community College, and she knew that her husband would enjoy a religious studies class – so she signed him up without his knowledge. Although he began the online course reluctantly, much to his surprise he fell in love not only with the class, but with learning.

Shelton is a busy man – a father of 5, grandfather of 14 and a full-time insurance broker – so online courses made it convenient for him to obtain his degree. He quickly learned to navigate the online learning system and was able to manage his time by fitting his classes around his schedule. Learning online didn’t keep him from the social aspect of college though. Through course discussion boards, he was able to meet professors and fellow students.

Flash forward 90 plus credits and a Phi Theta Kappa honors designation later, and Shelton Tufts is graduating with a degree in small business management. He plans to continue his education at either Kent State or Cleveland State University and apply what he has learned to expand his business.

Shelton encourages those thinking about going back to school to give online learning a try. “It’s a great opportunity. Don’t be afraid of technology – just do it!”