Besides receiving her diploma from Southeast Community College on March 16, Cindy Mathers is certain of one other thing that night: She’s going to cry.
Mathers, 46, is scheduled to earn her Associate of Applied Science degree in Computer Information Technology during the Lincoln Campus commencement at 7:30 p.m. in the Activities Center. She’ll be joined by son Ben Mathers and niece Melanie Hughes, who will earn degrees in Computer Aided Design Drafting and Office Professional, respectively.
For Cindy, graduation will mark the end of a journey that began in the Spring Quarter of 2002. That’s right, 10 years ago.
“The first day I walked into that Microsoft Word class I thought about quitting,” she said. “It was very difficult. When I came out to the campus, it was hard for me to make the decision to register.”
Cindy planned to go to SCC after graduating from Palmyra High School in 1983. She even applied for admission. But she couldn’t afford to go. Two years later she married Guy Mathers, and the couple began raising a family. Cindy’s plans for college were put on a 19-year hold.
“I thought it was more important to be a parent,” she said. “I wanted to see all of the kids’ accomplishments. I always worked my (class) schedule around what they were doing. I missed a lot of suppers because I always took night classes. But for the most part, I got to see my children grow up.”
Daughter Tosha is 26 and is a graduate of SCC. Ben is 22. Son Tyler is 20 and a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. All three are graduates of Lincoln Northeast High School.
Cindy said something Tosha had written in high school kept her motivated to continue at SCC.
“She wrote a paper about me,” Cindy said. “She wrote that she was proud that I was going to school. That made me feel really good.”
Cindy has always worked while attending SCC. For the past 14 years she has been a paraeducator for Lincoln Public Schools. She also holds a part-time job at Burger King.
During her 10 years as a student at SCC she’s taken one class per quarter every term but one, and she’s only missed class twice. Although she became more comfortable with college classes, Cindy said she still feels pressure.
“It’s nerve-racking,” she said. “You know you have to pass those classes. I probably put more pressure on myself than anything. But it’s been good at SCC.”
Cindy loves working with children and said that her ideal job would be to work with children and computers.
Ben is proud of his mother and feels honored to be walking across the stage with her.
“It’s great that she’s finishing,” he said. “You don’t ever want to start something that you don’t think you’ll finish.”
A drafting class at Northeast was the catalyst for Ben to enroll at SCC.
“Southeast had the best drafting program, and they emphasized design, which I really like,” Ben said. “I could always visualize things three-dimensional, and that has helped.”
Ben said he always liked working with his hands and making things out of K’NEX, LEGOS and Transformers. He’s designed a number of items in his classes and produced them in a rapid prototype machine.
“I’ve really liked my teachers,” Ben said. “It’s always a challenge in my field. There’s always something new. You’re never supposed to stop learning.”
Like her aunt, Melanie has had challenges leading up to graduation. She became a mother at age 16 yet still managed to enroll at Northeast Community College in August 2001, just months after graduating from Norfolk High School. But after one semester, Melanie decided to work and devote her time to raising daughter Mercedes, now 11.
“I remember one day at the park with her,” Melanie said. “She went down a slide all by herself, and I thought, ‘When did she learn that?’ That’s when I decided school could wait.”
Melanie’s plan was to return to NECC when Mercedes started kindergarten. But after getting married and having two more daughters, Marissa in 2005 and Makayla a year later, it was clear that going back to school still wasn’t a priority.
Melanie worked third shift for seven years, sacrificing some family time along the way.
“I wanted to show my daughters that as long as you push forward, anything is possible,” she said.
One day while Skyping with a friend serving in Afghanistan, Melanie realized she was doing the right thing.
“My friend said one day your girls will look back and say wow Mom, you gave us a good life,” she said.
In April 2008, Melanie restarted her journey toward a degree. She’s taken online business classes from SCC ever since. This Winter Quarter she moved in with her sister in Lincoln while taking a face-to-face class Monday through Friday.
“Fridays are all hugs and kisses,” Melanie said, “but it’s really tough on Sundays” leaving Norfolk.
Melanie said there have been times when she, too, wanted to quit school.
“I could have given up on school,” she said, “but I decided this was my time. And for me, the online classes have been excellent. That’s what’s made this all possible.”
After SCC, Melanie said she may transfer to Wayne State College to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Until then, she wants to savor the moment she receives her degree from SCC.
“It will be exciting,” she said. “When I hug my girls that night, that’s when the tears will come. My three girls have been my driving force.”
Cindy gets emotional just thinking about her graduation ceremony.
“There will be a lot of tissues used that day,” she said.