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By returning to school, one GTC grad found a new career and inspired her whole family
By Journal Times staff
By Dustin Block and Phyllis Sides
SOMERS - Robin Benson turned a loss into a gain - and helped her entire family in the process.
The 48-year-old Racinian lost her job at Ametek to downsizing about two years ago. Stuck mid-life with a career crisis, she decided to try college - something she'd always been interested in, but never thought possible.
As part of losing her job, she was able to attend Gateway Technical College's accounting program for two years. Tuesday night, she graduated with an associate's degree. She also delivered the student speech at the commencement ceremony at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
But her story, wonderful as it is, doesn't stop with a cap and gown or a diploma. With her accounting degree, Benson was the first person in her family to graduate from college. Now, it seems, she won't be the last.
Her three children and two stepchildren are all taking about going to college or finishing up degrees they started. And, her 19-year-old grandson, the oldest of 11, wasn't sure if he wanted to go to college - until he saw grandma getting her degree.
Finally, her husband is also heading back to school to get his high school equivalency diploma. At Benson's insistence, he's going to Gateway for classes.
"I would highly recommend Gateway to absolutely anybody," said Benson, adding in jest that she wished she could sell everybody on the technical college. "The first semester was a struggle, but I went back ... the instructors are amazing. They really made sure everybody made it through."
As for the obvious question, yes, Benson has a job. She works for Credit Management Control in a position that lets her work with numbers and customer service. She called the job "absolutely amazing."
Jayne Herring, Gateway's marketing director, said Benson's story spoke to the technical college experience. The average Gateway student is 30 years old and is living a full life while seeking a new direction.
"So many of our graduates have incredible stories," she said. "These people are balancing family, part-time work, full-time work and doing extremely well. It's that success thing. It's pretty special."
962 graduates Benson was one of 962 candidates for graduation who were honored during commencement ceremonies. Gateway only holds one graduation a year, so the ceremony included students who completed two-year associate and one-year technical degrees following the winter and spring semesters.
The class was slightly larger than last year's class, which had 923 graduates. Nursing, criminal justice and computer degrees remained the most popular degrees this year.
Kara Schmidtke received the 2006 Distinguished Alumni Award.
The commencement address was delivered by state Commerce Secretary Mary Burke. She was appointed by Gov. Jim Doyle in January 2005.
Special escort
Graduates of Gateway's protective services program got special escort Tuesday evening.
Members of the Kenosha Area Pipes & Drums Association led the protective services graduates to their pre-graduation line up. Protective services includes fire service, police service and criminal justice/law enforcement programs.
The pipers and drummers also led the graduate procession from the fieldhouse to the President's Reception following the ceremony.
"It's something new we're trying," Herring said. The tradition of bagpipes being played at the funerals of firefighters and police officers goes back more than 150 years, when the bagpipe was played at Celtic weddings, funerals and dances, the commencement booklet says.
During the 1800s many Irish immigrants became firefighters and police officers. It wasn't uncommon for several firefighters to be killed at fires. Bagpipes were played at Irish funerals, and the tradition began.
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