“One graduate’s story: Part-time college, full-time life” |
| One graduate’s story: Part-time college, full-time life Posted: 17 Dec 2010 07:09 PM PST Chris Matteo works two jobs, one full-time as a janitor at Iowa State University, one part-time as a waitress. She has been attending classes at ISU for the past three years. She's remodeling a 100-year-old house in Boone, and she's the single mother of two teenage boys. If you ask Matteo when she sleeps, she just laughs. "I'll tell you, I don't have any trouble drifting off once my head hits the pillow, that's for sure," she said. Matteo will earn her bachelor's degree in liberal studies today. For the last three years, she has clocked out of her job cleaning floors and restrooms in the university's Communications Building and walked across campus to class, earning the 72 credits she needed to complete her degree. Matteo's journey to a college degree started a long time ago, when she graduated from Boone High School in 1986. She attended Des Moines Area Community College and worked three jobs, with a goal of attending Drake University Law School. "I wanted to be a divorce lawyer," Matteo said. "I would hear about all the dead-beat moms and dads, and I wanted to go after them, and make 'em pay." She was admitted to Drake, but ended up ineligible for student aid because her father claimed her as a dependent on his income tax. She didn't want to go into debt, so instead she found jobs working in customer service and bartending. Instead of college, life happened. Matteo married, had two sons, and worked her way through a series of jobs, many times two or three at once."I don't sit well," she said of her busy schedule. When her marriage ended in 2006, the stress of supporting two children alone and working all those extra hours began to take a toll. "I was trying to find a better paying job," Matteo said, "and again and again I would hear, 'you don't have your degree.' I'd apply for a secretarial position and find out over 200 people had applied. I didn't have a chance." For the last three years she has juggled the responsibility of single parenting, two jobs, a home remodel, a class schedule and homework in order to graduate. She doesn't claim it was easy, by any stretch, but she thinks it can be done by anyone who has a college degree on their list of goals. "You have to have your mind-set," she said. "If you're wishy-washy, it isn't going to happen. It's a lot of work, and there are sacrifices you are going to have to make." Matteo said it's a relief to be done. "I haven't had a life in I don't know how long," she said. "I missed a lot of my sons' activities, and that was hard to give up. I'm looking forward to just going home after work and being carefree instead of going to class." She laughs again. "I'm really looking forward to not freezing my buns off walking across campus this winter." Next up, Matteo said, is finishing a kitchen remodel that has been awaiting her full attention. The fridge is in the living room, the dishwasher is in the dining room and the stove is in the kitchen, she said. As for her degree and her career, Matteo isn't sure what comes next, but knows she'll be keeping plenty busy while she decides. "I did this for me, and to improve my job status," she said. "I will always have goals." ISU commencement today ISU News Service An estimated 1,689 students will receive degrees from Iowa State University during winter commencement today. Undergraduate and graduate degrees will be presented in one combined ceremony, which will begin at 1:30 p.m. in Hilton Coliseum. An estimated 1,319 bachelor's, 256 master's and 114 doctoral students will complete their degrees. ISU alumnus Richard (Ric) Jurgens, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Hy-Vee Inc., will address the graduates. Jurgens is chairman of the Food Marketing Institute and a member of the board of directors for Topco Associates LLC, as well as its past chairman. He is a member of the Iowa Business Council, the College of Business Dean's Advisory Council and the ISU Foundation Order of the Knoll. Jurgens is the recipient of many awards and honors, including the Iowa Governor's Volunteerism Award, the Citation of Achievement Award, the Heart Award from Variety the Children's Charity, the Iowa Grocery Retailer of the Year Award for 2009 and the John D. DeVries Service Award from the College of Business. Tickets are not required for the graduation ceremony. Following commencement, all graduates, their families and friends are invited to a reception from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Alumni Center, 420 Beach Ave. Refreshments will be provided. ISU graduation goes green This year, the scholarly robe on some of the graduating students may have spent a previous life as a plastic bottle. The Iowa State University Book Store now offers recycled graduation gowns. The academic regalia, manufactured by Virginia-based Oak Hall Cap & Gown, are made of 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. This new line of graduation wear is made of fabric spun from molten plastic pellets. It takes an average of 23 bottles to make each gown. The manufacturer said the "green" gowns are made of soft, comfortable fabric, virtually indistinguishable in color, feel or fit from traditional polyester material. The gowns cost a few dollars more than the traditional gowns. Graduates who don't want to keep their gowns can return them to the book store to be recycled after the ceremony. The following are comments from readers. They do not necessarily represent the views of The Tribune or Amestrib.com. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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