NEWS RELEASE
Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu)
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466
http://www.nsula.edu/news
5/09/2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES – A few days ago, Lora Hayes allowed herself to have a brief private celebration. Hayes had a very good reason to celebrate as she got the grade she needed in her final accounting class at Northwestern State University to allow her to complete her bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration. Hayes, a resident of Natchitoches, was one of 819 students to receive a degree from NSU last week
Hayes, an adult learner who is in her 40’s, worked on her degree over a 10-year period. Having a college degree would help her in her job as an accountant in Northwestern’s Office of Electronic and Continuing Education. Hayes also had a more personal reason for getting a degree.
“I did this to be an inspiration to my kids because the only way to better yourself is to get an education,” she said.
Hayes is the mother of six children between the ages of 14 and 30. Her oldest child dropped out of school, but was inspired to go back and complete his GED because of her determination. Hayes said he might go on to college.
“It was very hard at times,” said Hayes. “I had to miss out on some things because I had to work all day and sometimes at night to make up for time I missed while I was in class. All the sacrifices are worth it if I am an inspiration to my kids. They are extremely proud of me.”
While taking classes, Hayes got used to standing out among a group of young people.
“When I took a class, sometimes I would look around and say to myself that I was the oldest one in the class,” she said. “Usually it was OK, but once when I was taking a math class, I asked a question and I heard a student say ‘That’s so easy.’ I told her it was if you had taken math last year, but it been a while since I had.”
Hayes said it was a special moment when she saw her last grade.
“I have never been so excited as I was then,” she said. “I walked back to the office, shut my door and screamed because I felt so good. Then I had to go and tell my co-workers that I had finished.”
Now that she has completed a bachelor’s degree, Hayes wants to continue learning. She plans to attend graduate school at Northwestern and earn a master’s degree in adult education.