"Age Fails to End Dream"

Age Fails to End Dream
Holyoke Union News, February 11, 1999
by Nancy Gonter, Staff Writer, South Hadley

They balance their quest for education with jobs and the demands of their families, but despite the challenges, three Holyoke women are fulfilling their dream of attending Mount Holyoke College. As Frances Perkins Scholars, a program designed for women older than 25 interested in pursuing a liberal arts education, Annemarie G. Murray, Arlene A. Glanville and Fiorella M. Swanson are starting over. They graduated from Holyoke Community College together and will graduate Mount Holyoke College together in 2000.

Fiorella Swanson, Annemarie Murray, & Arlene GlanvilleFor Murray, 33, her decision to return to school was fueled by a desire to have a successful career and to improve her life. I was divorced and needed to start a life for myself and my two children, my two boys," said Murray. Murray is a history major with aspirations of law school. She wants to work with families in crisis. Glanville, 54, a mother of six, said she never considered college until she lost a son three years ago and "needed something." She followed the advice of a friend and started taking classes as HCC. "School was my salvation," said Glanville. Glanville received a full scholarship to Mount Holyoke College through the Harriet Newall Scholarship, an award given to only one graduate of HCC a year. She is majoring in sociology and leaning toward a career in social work. Swanson, 36, a mother of a 12-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son, planned to complete college when her husband retired from the Army. An accident forced him to retire early, and the family ended up moving to Massachusetts from Fort Knox, Kentucky. She took classes at HCC and the whole time, she says her counselors told her to look into Mount Holyoke. "I tried and here I am," said Swanson, sitting at a table in the college's Blanchard Campus Center. She is majoring in international relations and plans to work for an international organization, like Amnesty International or the Italian Consulate, after graduation.

The road to Mount Holyoke College has not been easy for the women. Murray and Swanson had to find day care for their children. Swanson also works part-time at Store 24. At times, Murray said she's had to meet with professors at 9 p.m. because of her limited time schedule. All shared fears about returning to college when they were older. After Glanville's first class at HCC, she went to her car and cried, asking herself why she went back. But all stuck with it.

All three credit their professors and advisors at HCC with helping them pursue their education and encouraging them to apply to Mount Holyoke College. "Any time I need any extra academic support or I feel a little short on self-confidence, I return to HCC and talk to my former professors," said Murray. Said Glanville, "I think (HCC) laid the foundation. I feel like I owe them a great deal." Being older than the traditional students also took some getting used to, said Glanville and Swanson. "I was worried that the younger students wouldn't accept me," said Glanville. However, they said it was just a matter of time before they realized they belonged at the college. Murray said she enjoys the age difference and said some of the younger students offer to baby-sit for her. Fondly referred to as "FPs," the women agree that they get support not only from Fellow Frances Perkins Scholars, but also from the faculty. "If there is a problem at home or with their children, they say they know they have a group they can turn to.

The Frances Perkins program was created in 1980 to allow women students of all ages to receive education. The program is named after Frances Perkins, a member of Mount Holyoke College's class of 1902 and the first woman cabinet member, secretary of labor under Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Many of the Frances Perkins Scholars went to college after high school, but for various reasons could not complete their educations, according to Carolyn Dietel, associate director of the program. She said about 154 women are currently at the college through the program. The average age of an "FP" is 36, but there are a few in their 60s. "We have a different kind of admissions process, but one that is equally rigorous," said Dietel. While potential Frances Perkins Scholars do not have to take the SAT, they must go through an interview and write an essay.

Kay Althoff, director of the Frances Perkins program and a 1984 graduate of Mount Holyoke College as a Frances Perkins Scholar, said the faculty enjoys having them in the classroom. An associate professor of sociology and Glanville's advisor, Kenneth Tucker said, "I think it's great to have these older students in the classroom. Oftentimes they are more enjoyable. They usually bring their experiences to class, and in sociology it can be really helpful."

Glanville, Murray and Swanson agree that their families have supported them in their efforts to earn their degrees. Murray said she has also been a role model for her sons because "they've seen Mom in a book for the last 2 1/2 years." She said she's sacrificed sleep to have time to play with her children and that ultimately, her education is for them. Glanville said she gets the most support from her 18-year-old daughter, Annie, who is a freshman at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. "We're both excited to begin our second semester. We feel more in tune with it now, and we're a lot more sure of ourselves," said Glanville. Swanson's son, Glenn, 9, said he likes having a mother in college. A native of Italy, Swanson met her husband when he was stationed there. Besides English and Italian, Swanson can speak Spanish and French. She learned English quickly when she came to the United States because she "had no choice. Nobody speaks Italian."

Gail Indyk, director of New Development, New Careers at Holyoke Community College, said she helps older students make a transition from "worker or housewife to student." "A lot have been out of school for a long time, but take Arlene, she turned out to be one of our most wonderful students," said Indyk. Last spring, she said 10 women were accepted into the Frances Perkins program at Mount Holyoke College. "Usually, they say to us they're really thinking about a four-year school, we encourage them to investigate where they would like to go and encourage them to take classes to get them," Indyk said, adding that if their choice is Mount Holyoke College, she encourages them to take honors classes.

In 1979, the program started as "Women in Business," said Indyk. Four years ago, its name changed to "New Directions, New Careers" and although men are now admitted into the program, she said it still is more than 90 percent women. "When you start your education at age 35 or 40, it has a whole different meaning," said Indyk.