On June 3 as the Greenfield Community College graduating class of 2007 stand ready for their diplomas, there will be many stories of achievement and triumph to be heard. But four women in particular have stories of success that are just beginning.

Teresa Berra, 36, Cyla O'Conner, 32, Kerry Valentine, 29 and Rita Corey, 32, are all graduating from the GCC math and science department next week and all four have been accepted to Smith College in Northampton as Ada Comstock Scholars. Not only are they a few years older than the average college student, but they are women excelling in fields traditionally dominated by men.

The competitive scholar program at the all-woman college helps students who are nontraditional students earn a degree by offering them a flexible schedule. The program accepts applicants who are 24 years old or have a dependent other than a spouse or who are veterans.

All four women tried school at a younger age, but were not able to succeed for personal reasons. They all ended up in the restaurant business, where they realized the importance of having an education in order to have a more fulfilling life.

Berra, 36, of Conway, plans to enter the engineering program at Smith. Her college career started soon after high school when she went straight to Hampshire College. But said she was too irresponsible at the time to succeed and eventually dropped out. She recently she went through some life changes that made feel the need to finally finish her education.

"I've grown up a lot. I've discovered how important it is to have an education and I have a very supportive partner," Berra said.

She started out at GCC not knowing what she wanted to major in, but kept taking more and more challenging courses and eventually ended up in the engineering program. It has been the academic challenge that has driven her and she hopes to be even more challenged this fall at Smith.

Corey, 32. of Hatfield, had a similar experience. She went to school in New York at 18, but said she had a lot of personal problems that got in the way of school. When she finally decided to go to GCC, she was just planning to take a dance class.

"Didn't feel very smart; I didn't feel very confident," she said about why she didn't take any academic courses.

She realized what she could accomplish if she worked hard and is now graduating in liberal arts with a concentration in math, which she plans to major in at Smith.

Valentine, 29, of Amherst is planning to major in chemistry at Smith. She too entered college right out of high school, but it just didn't work out.

"I wasn't ready for it and I didn't like it," Valentine said. She worked in massage therapy for a while and then moved to Massachusetts from Florida and began working in the restaurant business. She said she knows she could make a decent living if she stayed in the business, but didn't feel that it was a fulfilling life. She wanted to educate herself and broaden her possibilities in life, which is why she started at GCC with an initial plan to attend the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. She never even dreamed of applying to Smith until her teachers convinced her she has what it takes.

O'Conner,32, of Amherst is the only one in the group who has a child. She is a married and has a 9-year-old. She is originally from Brazil and when she came to the States, she tried attending a community college in Long Island, New York, but it just didn't work out.

"I always wanted to do it, it just wasn't the right time. I had a child and being from another country, it took a long time to get to the point where I was ready for school," O'Conner said.

She originally started out trying to do architecture, like her father, but realized her strength lied more in math than in art and drawing, so she decided to dedicate herself to engineering instead.

She is interested in sustainable building and hopes to use her skills to help shape the future in a more eco-friendly design.
Some people may think that getting a degree a few years out of high school is difficult, but these girls prove that's a myth.

Corey said her age and experience is an advantage, not an obstacle. The first time she tried to go to school, there were other issues in her life that kept getting in the way and it was hard to make the decision to stay home on a Saturday night to study. That's not a problem now.

"I had problems and that just got in the way of schooling," she said. "Now school is the most important thing for me and learning is the most important thing. I think it's a really great experience. I like being older now. I feel like I have a lot more to offer and to learn."

O'Conner said going to college at her age is a sacrifice of comfort and security because she could be spending that time making money instead. That's a hard choice, especially as a mother, and it means that if she is going to take a class she better have her whole mind and heart in it.

The women are nervous about starting at Smith, but they are confident too. Each woman said she was thankful for everything she got at GCC including three friends who will be familiar faces at her new school in the fall.

"I am so proud of all of them," Berra said of O'Conner, Valentine and Corey. "And I can't wait to be with them at Smith."

For more information, contact Peter Rosnick, co-chair math department, at (413) 775-1446.