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After a seven-year journey at two colleges, the 51-year-old received an associate’s degree in general studies this month through the University of Bridgeport’s IDEAL program.
"I think my kids already have respect for me, but I wanted to set a good example for them," Valeri said. "Hey, I didn’t want to be the only one in the family of five without a college degree."
Valeri could have attained her degree long ago. But instead of going to college out of high school, she went to work in the office world. "My sister went to UConn," she said. "I think I could have gone then, too. My boyfriend at the time took me to Saturday Night Fever, and it was all over after that. The women in the film worked by day, then went to the disco at night. I thought that was a great life. Back in the 1980s, there were good day jobs for woman and you made a decent living."
She gave up her office career when she had a child in 1990, and worked part-time for a few years. The thought of returning to school stayed in the back of her mind throughout, though. "My husband and I were at a fund-raising event and we won a three-credit course to Western Connecticut State University," she said. "That got me started. It was love at first write. I had an honors course and the professor said I could be a great comic writer. I felt like the sky’s the limit."
Almost as soon as Valeri started, the economy soured. Her husband’s real estate business slowed, and she returned to work for three years as a geriatric case worker. It cost her the time she needed to work toward her degree. The silver lining in this was that she found a field she enjoys. The majority of her courses have centered on geriatrics. She needs to complete three more classes to obtain her certification in gerontology.
"It’s something I really enjoy, and there are a lot of job opportunities in that field," she said.
She enjoyed the experience in UB’s IDEAL program. "The professors were very professional," she said. "I don’t feel like I got shortchanged in any way. I feel like I had a true college experience, and the staff has been very supportive of the adult learner."
The journey toward a degree played out much longer than Valeri could have envisioned. What is important, however, is that she got it done.
"It’s quite gratifying to know that intellectually, I have that piece of paper," she said. "I feel like I’m on the same playing field as my peers now. It’s very gratifying and humbling. I’m so grateful, it’s hard to describe."
