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Mother-Daughter Duo to Share Graduation
Honors on Mother's Day
When Queens Village resident Carmen Ruiz-Caro sent her daughter
off to college four years ago, she never dreamed that she would
be right there with her, accepting a diploma of her own after
successfully completing her own bachelor's degree. Yet the scene
will play out this Mother's Day - Sunday, May 14, 2000 - as Carmen
and her daughter, Cindy, join 1,400 degree recipients at the
42nd annual commencement ceremonies at the C.W. Post Campus of
Long Island University in Brookville.
"When I began this degree it was a fluke," said
Carmen, 47, who will graduate with a B.S. in Educator in a Non-School
Setting. "I was visiting the campus with my daughter one
day when she encouraged me to check out the Adult Student Services
office. Within weeks I enrolled in a degree program and bought
a laptop computer so I could study alongside my daughter, and
I was on my way to achieving a life-long dream."
Although she had an associate's degree, the time never seemed
right for Carmen to go back to school for her bachelor's degree.
Heeding the advice of her daughter and a teacher-friend, Carmen,
who has a 3.75 grade point average, has a newfound respect for
herself and the teaching profession. "This program is so
interesting that I was able to see the system from the outside
as a mother and from the inside as an education student. I believe
that teaching should be the hardest career to get into and the
highest paid profession."
The recipient of the Educator in a Non-School Setting Award
for her outstanding scholastic achievements, Carmen said she
now plans to earn a master's degree in Computers in Education,
hoping that the curriculum and her love of computers will take
her to a new level both personally and professionally. "I've
held a few jobs over the years, but I want to concentrate on
my studies now," said Carmen, who recently obtained a part-time
job on campus in the Professional Experience and Placement office.
"I now have so many options in front of me that I feel very
empowered. I live by my motto: everything happens for a reason,
and only when it's supposed to happen. People think they can't
get out of a rut, but they can; they only think they can't. Financially,
education is a hardship, but God will provide as he always has."
Cheering on her mother this Mother's Day will be Cindy Caro,
an undergraduate film major who will be graduating with honors
and is being inducted into the Phi Eta Honor Society. On the
advice of her mom, Cindy, who has worked in the Department of
Theatre, Film and Dance for four years while pursuing her degree,
recently submitted a photograph to a contest and was informed
that as a semi-finalist she will have her photo published in
the Anthology for the International Library of Photography.
"My mom always encouraged me. While she said she just wanted
me to be happy in life, she made sure that I became a well-rounded
person by attending college. With very little financial support
from outside, my mom put me through college. From filling out
the forms, to staying up late studying with me, to driving me
to campus when I had no car, my mom has always been there to
support me -- even when I wanted to pull my hair out," said
Cindy, who will celebrate this Mother's Day in style. "I
couldn't be more proud of anyone than my mother. She is my best
friend."
Carmen concurs, adding, "My daughter is my number one
fan, and I am hers. I couldn't be prouder of our accomplishments.
We hope to use our degrees to help people, especially those who
share our Latino heritage."
C.W. Post's commencement ceremonies will be held on Sunday,
May 14, 2000. C.W. Post is a campus of Long Island University,
the eighth largest private university in the United States.
C.W. Post's 11,000 students can choose from a broad range of
undergraduate and graduate offerings, as well as extensive continuing
education programs. C.W. Post has awarded more than 80,000 degrees
in its 46-year history. The campus is located on Northern Boulevard,
(Route 25A) in Brookville.
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