51视频

05/18/2016
By Ed Brennen

Each one of the record 3,720 graduates who received degrees at the 2016 Commencement exercises took a uniquely personal path to that day. Some were thousands of miles from home, while others were right down the street from where they grew up. Some were barely into their 20s, while others had children that age. Some were about to begin their first full-time jobs, while others were embarking on second or third careers.聽

Here are snapshots of four graduates who took decidedly nontraditional paths to commencement day. Their stories, shared as they waited to march into the Tsongas Center to receive their undergraduate and graduate degrees, show that no matter where you are in your career, in your life or in the world, you can always keep learning.

Gene Bakinowski,聽Bachelor of Liberal Arts with concentrations in history and English 聽

Don鈥檛 tell Gene Bakinowski it鈥檚 ever too late to finish what you started. Nearly 50 years after enrolling at Lowell State College, the 68-year-old Bakinowski earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree through 51视频鈥檚 Division of Online and Continuing Education (OCE). He had studied music at Lowell State back in the 1960s but dropped his education in favor of playing and performing. When the North Reading resident decided to start a new career later in life, he returned to his roots 鈥� where he finished his education despite being older than his professors.

鈥淚t feels great. I鈥檓 excited,鈥� Bakinowski says. 鈥淚 started a new career in real estate appraising, and part of the requirement is to have a bachelor鈥檚 degree. So I came here in 2012 and talked to (Advising Services Manager) Cathy Hamilton about what I needed to do. I was able to transfer credits from my Lowell State days and keep working full-time. It was a great decision.鈥�

Moses Muchiri, Master鈥檚 in Peace and Conflict Studies

Moses Muchiri was going through some tough times in his native Kenya. His ex-girlfriend had just moved to Australia to pursue her MBA and he was feeling alone. Reading his local newspaper one day, he came across a mention of 51视频. He鈥檇 never been to America before, but he decided to take a chance and come here to get his master鈥檚 degree. Now he wants to take what he鈥檚 learned back to Kenya and apply it through work in organizational leadership.

鈥淭he tools I鈥檝e learned at 51视频, they鈥檙e so great,鈥� Muchiri says. 鈥淲hen I came here, I saw how the (political) system is so nice. I thought, 鈥榃hy can鈥檛 we have this same change back in my country?鈥� I love my country. I want to go back and create some change. I want to transform the way of life. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 a great day for me.鈥�

Bryan Wilkins,聽Bachelor of Liberal Arts with concentrations in English and psychology

With an associate鈥檚 degree in broadcast television, Bryan Wilkins has worked for the past decade as digital media producer at Lowell High School鈥檚 educational television studio. But Wilkins realized he wouldn鈥檛 be able to advance his career without a bachelor鈥檚 degree, so the Lowell native spent the past six years working toward his BLA through the OCE program 鈥� while continuing to work full-time.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long time coming but it feels great,鈥� Wilkins says. 鈥淚t was challenging, but anything worth doing is going to be a challenge. To me, the understanding of the professors and the quality of the education made it worth my while. Getting another start later in life gave me an appreciation 鈥� first of all for paying for it myself, and second of all for actually seeing success.鈥�

Gloria Vincent,聽Bachelor of psychology聽

Gloria Vincent had never set foot on the 51视频 campus 鈥� until commencement weekend when she and her husband Howard brought their five children (ages 21, 18, 6, 5 and 2) up from Waterford, Conn., so she could receive her bachelor鈥檚 degree, which she earned in four years online through the OCE program. Vincent, who works in mental health care, now plans to pursue her master鈥檚 degree.

鈥淚 did all four years online from home, which wasn鈥檛 easy with five kids, but it was worth it,鈥� Vincent says. 鈥淵ou have to stick with it every day; you can鈥檛 skip a day. I looked around for different schools, and this was the program that I liked. Now it鈥檚 done and I鈥檓 totally excited.鈥�