About 340 under亚色影库s are expected to walk across the stage and receive their Nebraska Wesleyan University diplomas on Saturday, May 17.
For most of those 亚色影库s, it was a four-year journey. For one member of the Class of 2014, it took a bit longer 鈥 81 years longer.
In August 1933 Ruth (Bryant) Cameron moved from her home in Syracuse, Neb., to Nebraska Wesleyan with every intention of pursuing a traditional college experience. For three of those years, her experience was very typical: she majored in violin and took private violin lessons that were held in her professors鈥 homes. She was also active in many student organizations.
Then life took a turn.
鈥淲hen her mother became ill, the additional cost of her violin lessons was a significant factor in her withdrawal from school,鈥 said Elizabeth Otto, Cameron鈥檚 daughter. 鈥淪he was also hesitant about the senior recital, the performance of which was required for graduation.鈥
Cameron left NWU just one semester short of graduation.
Life eventually took Cameron and her husband, Jim, from one coast to another; first to Massachusetts then to California where she found work at the University of California鈥揜iverside. Fine arts continued to play an important role in her life.
鈥淪he played violin in the Riverside Symphony,鈥 said Otto. 鈥淪he enjoyed many opportunities to paint stage scenery, design needlepoint, and design and sew seasonal hanging banners for Riverside鈥檚 First Methodist Church.鈥
Otto remembers music playing an essential role in their family鈥檚 life.
鈥淢other played the piano almost daily,鈥 she recalled. 鈥淪ome of the melodies came from tunes she wrote. I often saw her stop in mid-task to play the piano.鈥
Her life was filled with many blessings, said Otto. But one thing continued to weigh on Cameron鈥檚 mind.
鈥淚n the way that an unresolved situation sits at the back of one鈥檚 mind, the departure from the university without gaining the degree haunted her,鈥 said Otto. 鈥淪he hesitated to contact the university, not knowing what to ask or what might be possible. She spoke of the loss more frequently during the last 10 years.鈥
That led Cameron鈥檚 son-in-law, Dale, on an adventure. He contacted the university in August. His request went before the university鈥檚 Executive Committee, which reviews curriculum exceptions and decisions and approves life-long learning portfolios.
鈥淲e pulled her records which were on micro film and went through them,鈥 said University Registrar Nancy Schilz.
The records were shared with faculty in the music department who took an in-depth look at Cameron鈥檚 records and experiences.
鈥淲e looked at the courses that Ruth had taken. They were pretty comparable to what a Bachelor of Arts degree would be today,鈥 said Sam Zitek, associate professor of music. 鈥淪he was short on some things, but we have the option of accounting life experiences.鈥
鈥淚n our view she had plenty of life experience in music that took care of whatever coursework shortcomings she had,鈥 Zitek continued. 鈥淭he music faculty thought it would be wonderful to award her with the diploma after all these years.鈥
Following approval from the music department, the request went back to the Executive Committee for final approval, and in December Cameron鈥檚 family was notified that she was an official NWU 亚色影库.
Unbeknownst to 97-year-old Cameron 鈥 who now lives in a retirement center in Seattle, Wash. 鈥 her family planned a special surprise graduation party where they presented her with her diploma.
鈥淪he first read the letter and was very surprised and deeply pleased,鈥 said Otto. 鈥淢y brother then handed her the diploma鈥攕he gasped and was moved to tears. It was at that moment that she realized that full recognition of her work at NWU and her life contributions were recognized and affirmed. We were all very moved.鈥