Developmental Studies

Dean Lariviere
Developmental Studies

Hear Dean?s video clip

Education was his best option for a better future.

Every day it was there: a giant billboard staring Dean Lariviere down, reminding him of his failings as he drove from his Surrey home to his job in a New Westminster warehouse.

?Douglas College has a huge billboard on Royal,? says Lariviere, 31. ?As I was driving by every day, thinking I had to go back to school, there it was, staring me in the face. Every time I saw the sign, it was a constant reminder that my life was going nowhere.?

Lariviere, who is a single father of a four-year-old son, knew education was his best option for a better future.

?Education is the key - I want to get paid for what I know rather than what I do,? he says. ?There is a world of difference between the kind of jobs I can get with an education versus manual labour, which is what I?ve been doing.?

An assessment test at Douglas College recommended that he take two courses in Developmental Studies (DVST) before starting College-level math. ?I had been out of school for such a long time that I needed a refresher on the material, even though I had my prerequisites.?

Too many students don't do as well as they could because they are missing some core study skills, or they just need to brush up on their writing or math skills, says Hilary Rourke, Coordinator of the Development Studies Program. Others need help with basic writing and math skills, or prerequisites for courses they want to take.

Lariviere started in the summer of 2000 with one DVST course in the evening, because he was working full-time. ?DVST got my foot in the door ? I liked the class and the atmosphere at Douglas College and that made me want to attend more classes.?

Lariviere rearranged his work schedule so he could take Spanish along with his second DVST course in the fall.

?I had two DVST teachers - one was a retired engineer who?d done a lot of work in his field and who really enjoyed teaching - the other was a younger woman who had a really strong grasp on the material. They were both available to help me with any problems I had.?

In the spring, he started College-level courses. ?DVST courses helped me plug any gaps I had. It brought all that old knowledge back to the surface. When I started academic math, I was able to jump right in and do what I needed to do.?

Lariviere?s marks are stellar. He has maintained a GPA just above 4.0 taking courses part-time while working two jobs ? one as a mobile equipment operator trainer with Leavitt Machinery and another in a warehouse. He moved to New Westminster to be closer to work and college, plans to earn his Associate Degree from Douglas College and set his sights on university. He might even get his Master?s degree and become a college instructor.

?Every day I go to work, it reminds me how important school is,? says Lariviere.

To find out more about Developmental Studies courses at Douglas College, contact the Program Coordinator at 604-527-5156.