Tara Thomas has always been fascinated with courtrooms and when she decided to switch careers, she found Alfred State and the court reporting program. She is excited to be part of the action of the courtroom.
After ten years in the corporate business world, Tara started researching how she could obtain education to pursue the court reporting profession. She found Project Steno and met Alfred State Professor Danielle Green.
“I grew up in Buffalo and I knew about Alfred State’s reputation. I met Professor Green at Project Steno and that pushed me to look into the program.”
“I love that every single day in court reporting is different. You can learn something new daily. You hear from doctors that have lots of interesting knowledge. Crime is something that also interests me.”
Tara prepared for her new career in the comforts of her home in Phoenix, AZ. She appreciates that she was walked through every step of the way and that every class has had a meaning toward the end goal.
“I was able to set up my schedule to be successful. The program is so structured and set me up for my future.”
While in the internship portion of the program, Tara enjoyed practicing what she learned in the real world. “Shadowing actual court reporters, I can see how much the program has benefited me. I really feel that they have set me up for success.”
“My internship forced me to network with other court reporters. I could see what I need to work on to refine my skills. This experience shows that I am ready to be a court reporter and preparing me for my future.”
Tara encourages those interested in the field to start networking and asking questions to working reporters.
To be ready for her new career, Tara knew she was ready to record the action in the courtroom.