I never expected to be a “senior” senior at Le Moyne College. My first introduction to the college was in the 1970’s. I was a two-year alum from Nazareth College in Rochester and part-time student at University of Michigan, while my husband did his graduate work.

We had moved to Syracuse and soon were raising three girls. As a former kindergarten teacher, I signed on to teach religion to students in release time programs. The Syracuse Diocesan Religious Ed office developed a summer session to better equip teachers in parish programs.

Working with Le Moyne, we launched a summer session, bringing in guest lecturers from Fordham, Catholic University, and Georgetown. I joined these classes and soon became engaged in the Jesuit Catholic educational experience, an initiation to continue in a life-long learning curve.

I enrolled in more theology classes part-time and in my non-student life, with three children, became a free-lance writer, launched a city magazine, (using Le Moyne interns), became a partner in an advertising agency, and eventually opened a Public Relations firm.

Fast forward (and it was fast) to the 2000’s. My children had finished college, were married, and raising grandchildren. I was appointed to the Board of Regents at Le Moyne. The pull of their academics drew me back again to review their catalogue. I approached the Continuing Ed Department whose staff made re-entry seamless. I wanted to continue with theology, now the Religious Studies program, and was encouraged to matriculate.

I now am senior and will graduate with that degree in Religious Studies this month. I have loved it all, the classes, the atmosphere, the flexibility of online study and curriculum autonomy.

This journey was long, but not arduous. I have friends who were intrigued, curious, “could never do this.” I could never close the door on learning.

And I loved the students. They are bright, engaging, questioning, funny, and initially were sure I was a professor. I reminded them, when I missed some current social media buzz, that I was not totally uninformed. I have grandchildren older than everyone in class.

My last class, an elective, was with the brilliant and talented Sean Kirst, a columnist who captured the heart of Central New York in all his writings. He challenged the students in this class to direct their energies to finding stories. Life going on around us is teeming in tales that reveal signs of goodness, of justice, love of family, sorrows and survivals, waiting to be told. I am excited about continuing to write.

The younger graduating seniors are ready, but apprehensive about their futures. They have the confidence in their parchment and the self-confidence that comes with youth. They are heading to work in the challenges of a divided world. They will change that world. Le Moyne has a history of alumni who have paved the way:

Sempre Avanti, Always Forward.