Off Campus magazine: June 2003

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A graduation first at Massey Albany

With one-third of the country's extramurals now living north of Hamilton it was only a matter of time before the Extramural Students' Society hosted a graduation dinner for students choosing to graduate from the Massey Albany campus.

Graduation dinners are a highlight of Massey's social calendar and this year's inaugural dinner at Takapuna on 11 April was no exception.
Over 90 extramural graduates, their families, friends and Massey guests, gathered to celebrate capping week.
Guest speaker was cereal king and Massey alumnus Dick Hubbard. He urged everyone to take risks, to celebrate their achievements, and to always eat a good breakfast.
During the evening, master of ceremonies and EXMSS president Liz Barker moved from table to table, prompting the graduates to give a potted history of their journey to enlightenment. Some of those tales are recorded here:

Pressing on

Although Fr Chris Brady has the contented look of someone who has reached their goal, he sees his double major in Social Policy and History as a step towards further study.
"The degree was a big step, but I'm already pursuing a BA Honours in Social Policy."
A chaplain at Massey Albany, Chris is working with youth at risk. He said later the graduation dinner was a great occasion.
"It was an excellent dinner, good value. Everyone really enjoyed it."

Always on time

Late assignments have never been a problem for Eric Yeow. The captain of a Singapore Airlines 747, Eric is used to timetables.
"I am a pilot. I must always be on time," said the 44-year-old Bachelor of Aviation graduate.
Eric completed his degree in three years and one semester. With 25 years' flying experience already behind him, he decided to study out of a keen interest in aviation and for personal satisfaction.

Something special

"Being part of a formal graduation is something special," says Rotorua graduate Donnarae Raukawa-Doughty, "especially as a mature student when you've made all the sacrifices along the way."
Donnarae's graduation was a whanau affair, attended by husband Amaru Morgan from Rotorua; daughter, a sister and two friends from Wellington; and nephew from Hamilton.
Donnarae began studying for her Graduate Diploma in Business Studies while working at Waiariki Polytech. Taking one paper a year for seven years, she majored in Human Resources and has since moved on to set up her own HR business.
"My studies built on all my workplace experience [in HR] and helped formalise what I already knew. I would recommend it to any mature person."

Family incentive

For Dunedin teacher Richard Knight, gaining a BEd was just a matter of finishing off studies he began 29 years ago.
In the early seventies, he completed most of his degree as part of teacher training. Three years ago, Richard discovered he needed just four papers to complete the qualification.
Impressed by the range of Massey offerings, he cross-credited his earlier papers and used some inter-family rivalry as an incentive.
"I have three daughters and two are at Otago University. I was determined to get my degree before them."
Richard says his mother, who now lives in Auckland, was also an inspiration. She attended the graduation along with his wife and daughter who travelled from Dunedin.

Personal satisfaction

A disastrous commune experience and juggling exams and childbirth were all part of Debbie Walsh's turbulent journey to a BBS in HR management.
While working full-time in 1992, Debbie began studying part-time. Along the way she had two children, sitting one marketing paper five days before a caesarian operation.
In 2001, Debbie decided to study full-time. Leaving her husband and six-year-old daughter at home in Whakatane, she moved to Albany for one semester with her 13-month-old son.
Bert Potter's Centrepoint commune offered cheap accommodation near the campus, but the experience was a disaster, she says. Yet, in two years, she managed to complete the final 13 papers.
Now a full-time HR consultant, Debbie has good memories of her time as a student despite the hectic times.
"I enjoyed the two years' full-time extramural study. And to graduate… the personal satisfaction has been huge."

Procrastination tip

The best excuse for a late assignment, says BBS graduate Jolene Rodley, is a very long story.
"That way the lecturer just gets bored and signs it off."
Jolene took her first extramural paper in 1997 while in the seventh form, and then studied full-time for several years.
Her last two years' study was part-time while working for IRD. Work wasn't the only distraction, as she was married in March.
"Getting organised for the wedding was the best procrastination in the world."

Confessional

Dr Stanley Winter Theron's graduation was the culmination of a lifelong interest in second language teaching, and came 50 years after he gained his first degree in South Africa.
Dr Theron already held a doctorate in biblical linguistics when he came to New Zealand five years ago.
A language teacher, he was looking for a qualification such as Massey's post-graduate Diploma in Second Language Teaching, and it lived up to all his expectations.
He also acknowledged the support of his wife Henrietta over many years of academic study. Despite a lifetime avidly pursuing knowledge, Dr Theron did have a twinge of conscience about the occasional late piece of work.
"Confession is very good for the soul, but not so good for the reputation."

Double graduation

Maire Ebbett (centre) was joined by two companions for a waiata to celebrate her BA in Psychology. In acknowledging the support of husband Graham during her long hours of study, Maire also paid tribute to his achievement: "he's graduated from an egg cook to quite a good cook".
An EXMSS executive member from Tauranga, Maire enrolled in 1995 and says she became something of a procrastination specialist over the years: "Housework is wonderful when you're supposed to be studying. Even the ironing's never been so good."