CUYAMACA COLLEGE (Press Release) – Of the more than 2,100 students who received their degrees or certificates from East County’s two community colleges last week, few have worked so hard and so long for that sheepskin as Patty Tackett. A groundskeeper at Cuyamaca College, Tackett became a part-time ornamental horticulture student in 1997 to gain more knowledge about her work. Mostly taking one class a semester, it took her until 2001 to earn enough credits for a certificate of achievement in landscape design and technology and irrigation technology. That done, she decided to continue on to earn her associate in science degree.

It was slow going for someone who had been out of school for more than a quarter century. But Tackett persevered. When her name was called to collect her diploma along with 450 associate degree graduates and 129 certificate recipients at last Thursday’s commencement ceremony at Cuyamaca College, the honors graduate had her own cheering section among the faculty.

“It took me a long time to get there, but my instructors were so encouraging all those years,” the 57-year-old Spring Valley resident said. “It was kind of overwhelming to hear them cheering.” Tackett, who previously worked 20 years in retail management, came to Cuyamaca when she returned to the work after taking off for five years to be with her two children.

“I didn’t know very much when people who saw me working started asking me questions about the trees and irrigation,” she said. “I figured I’d better learn and since Cuyamaca has such a great ornamental horticulture program, it seemed like the thing to do. I found I really liked it and from there, just kept going.”

She chuckles when asked if she thought it would take as long as it did. “I just told people I was on the 20-year plan,” said Tackett, who started a landscape consulting business about eight years ago for residential properties. Tackett has used her landscaping and irrigation knowledge to design and retrofit areas around the verdant campus to make the landscaping more water-efficient. She said she is now looking into enrolling in the ornamental horticulture program’s new sustainable landscaping program. 

Another standout student at Cuyamaca’s 33rd commencement was East County native Tyler Uhlig, who graduated with a 4.0 grade point average and earned the honor of giving the valedictory speech. A mid-year graduate who is currently attending San Diego State University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Uhlig plans to eventually earn a post-graduate degree in human factors or ergonomics.

He spoke glowingly of psychology instructor Steve Weinert, who sparked his interest in psychology. He also compared his student experiences at Cuyamaca and SDSU. “At a big university, you almost never see a single mom getting her degree. You almost never see someone who may be twice my age taking classes in subjects they’re truly interested in just for the knowledge,” he said. “Here the goal is not simply get you out as quickly as possible, but rather to groom a group such as ourselves to be able to make more educated choices in the future.”

Cindy L. Miles, chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, reminded graduates that studies show that their degree or certificate means their income will double in their lifetime. “You made it!” she told the graduates. “I promise you that you won’t regret all the effort you’ve made.”

Giving the keynote speech at Cuyamaca was Scott Himelstein, president of the California Community Colleges Board of Governors, which sets policy and provides guidance for the state’s system of 112 community colleges. Currently the director of the Center for Education Policy and Law at the University of San Diego, Himelstein was the former deputy secretary and acting secretary of education for the state of California from 2006 to2007. Himelstein referred to a commencement speech that Apple Inc. founder Steve Jobs gave in 2005 at Stanford University. Himelstein talked about Jobs’ tumultuous early years with Apple, including the time he was fired as head of Apple’s Macintosh division. “Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick,” Himelstein said. “Don’t lose faith. Jobs said the thing that kept him going was that he loved what he did. Now you Cuyamaca College graduates need to find what it is you love and go out and do it.” 

*
Preceding provided by the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District