Q & A with Heather Perrier, MS – Director of Education for the Optimum Performance Institute

Heather Perrier, Director of Educational Services for the Optimum Performance InstituteQ: Heather, what have you learned from participants that have attended various OPI programs?

A: I have learned that even great change IS possible. The path to get there however requires patience, practice and perseverance.

Q: What strategies do you use and employ in the Department of Education at OPI?

A: Our philosophy is that success can be built with the right tools. Our strategies are all aimed at providing participants with these tools. One way in which we do this is through our workshop series; The Student Success Seminar.

Through lecture and experiential practice, participants learn how to review a syllabus, schedule class assignments, create appropriate study schedules and guides as well as tips for taking notes and exams. Participants also meet with the counselors in the department on a one-to-one basis to learn how to review their degree requirements and make an academic plan for themselves.

When it comes time for participants to register for classes they learn how to choose the courses that work best for them by considering the time of day they are most alert, their learning style, their degree requirements and the instructor’s teaching style. Participants continue to be closely monitored throughout the time they are in their classes by weekly check-in meetings with our department and study hours at the office.

Q: How have you motivated, inspired and supported OPI participants?

A: I have been a cheerleader for countless participants. I try to reinforce the belief within them that they are indeed capable. I encourage them to keep pushing forward by reflecting back to them what they have already accomplished. Focusing on the obstacles that got in the way in the past and addressing them head on, such as anxiety, depression, absences, lack of study skills and other challenges that may have prevented them from reaching their goals. I also have an open door policy so they know I am available for support at any time if they need it.

Q: What changes have you seen in participants?

A: Participants tend to metamorphosize after being apart of OPI programs. Most notable is an uplifted mood and a new sense of hope for the future. This usually occurs once they find something they are passionate about and immerse themselves in it.

For other participants they experience this hope after having passed a college course for the first time. Something inside of them shifts and they gain a new perspective of what their life can become.

Q: Any follow up from participants after they’ve left the program that you’d
like to recollect?

A: Many participants have returned to the university they previously attended and now excel. Others have stayed in the area and continue to go to community colleges but are adding more credits to their course load every semester because now they have the tools to balance school with the rest of their lives.