Graduate fulfills education dream

By Sean Barron

The guest speaker urged YSU graduates to make contributions to their city, state and world.

YOUNGSTOWN — In her more than 65 years, Mary M. Kitchen has accomplished a lot, including being a 30-year hairdresser, owning a business, serving in the ministry and returning to Youngstown State University.

Well, she can add earning a four-year degree in early-childhood education to her list.

“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” explained Kitchen, of Youngstown. “Going back to school was a dream.”

So was walking to the stage and being handed her degree — something she did during Sunday’s Class of 2009 Fall Commencement ceremony at YSU.

Kitchen was one of an estimated 700 graduates to take home diplomas during the two-hour ceremony in YSU’s Beeghly Center.

Kitchen, who owns a hair salon on the city’s South Side, said one of her main goals is to help single parents having difficulty finding at a reasonable cost baby-sitting services for their youngsters. A short-term ambition is to perform volunteer work while looking for such opportunities, she said, adding that interacting with many women with degrees in education influenced her to follow suit.

A desire to assist people at the other end of the age scale motivated Joyce Martin of Austintown to obtain her bachelor’s degree in accounting — an achievement 12 years in the making.

Martin, who’s worked 34 years for the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, said she wants to make it easier for older people to prepare their tax forms.

“I feel bad for [many] senior citizens because they have no one to guide them,” Martin added.

A desire to retain marketability, as well as less job security today, prompted Martin to return to the classroom, she noted.

Martin described the afternoon ceremony as bittersweet, saying she’s grateful to have earned her degree, yet a bit sad the process has ended. Having made a lot of friends was another benefit, Martin continued.

Delivering the commencement address was Bishop George V. Murry of the Diocese of Youngstown.

Bishop Murry used an allegory of two ships on Lake Erie going in opposite directions to reach the same destination as a metaphor to illustrate the importance of having the right attitude in life. A good attitude usually will get you where you want to go; a bad one, though, will often lead to being “shipwrecked,” he told the audience.

The bishop urged the graduates to know and be their best selves, aim for positive results and make contributions to their city, state and world.

“No matter how much you strive for success, in most human endeavors, it’s results that count,” Bishop Murry said.

The graduates also should have a “burning desire” to contribute each day to their communities, he continued.

“Never, never douse that flame with complacency or indifference,” he implored. “It’s the foundation to a life well-lived.”

Giving a student reflection was senior Douglas A. Wojda, who received bachelor’s of engineering and science degrees in mechanical engineering and applied mathematics, respectively.

Wajda shared a few anecdotes and proffered to his fellow graduates advice from his parents.

“If you put in the extra effort, people around you will help you achieve your goals,” he said.

The ceremony also featured remarks from YSU President David C. Sweet, who touted the university’s partnerships with numerous local organizations and entities, such as the Youngstown 2010 land-use plan, Wick Neighbors and the Youngstown city schools. YSU also continues to work with St. Elizabeth Health Center on a variety of educational and research programs, Sweet noted.

Other comments came from Richard Crepage, president of the YSU Alumni Society; Scott R. Schulick, chairman of the board of trustees; and Ikram Khawaja, provost and vice president for academic affairs. The Class of 2009 will add to the university’s estimated 80,000 alumni members, Crepage pointed out.

Several musical performances were by the YSU wind ensemble.