Extended Graduation

Robert H. Becker Arizona Summer Wildcat Linda Heinonen, 49, is the first student to graduate from the UA's Evening and Weekend Campus. She started taking classes in 1991 while raising her children and working full time.

Linda Heinonen has wanted a college degree ever since she graduated from high school in 1965.

Now, 32 years later, at age 49, Heinonen has achieved her goal.

She graduated from the University of Arizona's Evening & Weekend Campus last month after six years of taking three classes per semester.

Heinonen, who works full-time as the operations manager at Rauscher, Pierce, Refsnes Inc., a Tucson stock brokerage firm, is the first person to complete her degree through Evening & Weekend Campus since the program was officially established in 1994.

She also received the program's Student of the Year Award for her performance during the 1996-97 school year.

Heinonen, who spent 17 years raising her two children and volunteering full-time, was a member of the National Honor Society in high school and took college preparatory classes. By the time she graduated, however, college and financial aid had never been discussed at home or with school advisors.

"I didn't know it was available. That's the reason I didn't go," she said.

Heinonen began taking evening classes at Extended University in 1991, five years after she began working full-time.

She was one of the first students to enroll in the program at a time when interdisciplinary studies was the only major offered and classes were held at the Extended University building. Since then, the program has grown out of its old office and moved to the new Main Gate Center at 888 N. Euclid Ave.

In retrospect, Heinonen said she is "disappointed that it took the university so long to get the program off the ground," but she is happy with the program, especially now that they offer more classes and majors.

"I really like getting a traditional education as a non-traditional student," she said. "I think it's a wonderful program. "I'm glad it was offered to me."

Now the program also offers more undergraduate majors, including political science, general business administration and creative writing. Classes are listed in the UA Schedule of Classes and held in campus buildings.

The graduate certificate in gerontology and graduate-level studies in art therapy are also offered through the program.

Heinonen said she has also seen more traditional students in her evening classes, which are open to all UA students with an additional $13 per unit fee.

Judith Seger, the Evening & Weekend Campus academic advisor, said because most EWC students work full-time, and many have spouses and children, classes are offered at night and on weekends.

However, she said the students have to go through the same admissions process as other UA students.

Seger met Heinonen in April 1991, and now considers her a good friend.

She said over the years she gave Heinonen the same advice she gives other students: A student does not need to be a genius to get a degree from the UA, and they should study subjects that genuinely interest them.

Seger said she speaks from experience, since she was also a returning student who first went to Pima Community College before graduating from the UA.

She said Heinonen achieved an ease with the program as she began to appreciate the classes and professors.

"She is a very vocal person," Seger said of Heinonen. She said that, from the advisor's perspective, getting to know professors and participating in the learning process are some of the best ways to gain from the education experience.

Now that Heinonen has her degree, it's time for her to decide how she will use it.

"I've accomplished my goal of getting my degree," she said. "Now I have to regroup."

She said this will be the difficult part for her because she has spent so much energy focusing on school and work and has not had the mental energy to network and explore her options in depth. She said she will start looking into possibilities this summer .

The three areas of Heinonen's interdisciplinary major are English, communication, and her thematic area, volunteer administration.

Heinonen said she loves her job at Rauscher, Pierce, Refsnes, Inc. and her boss was the main reason she did so well in school.

However, Heinonen said she thinks there should be a reason to get a degree besides just getting a degree. For example, finding a new area of work.

That might mean Heinonen will turn her life-long love of volunteering and working in the community to work in volunteer administration or community relations.