University Park, Pa. -- Jacqueline Vaux began working on an assembly line job when she was 20 years old. A single mother of a one-year-old in the small Pennsylvania town of Osceola Mills, Vaux needed to make a living, and she quickly became accustomed to the decent paychecks the company offered. While working the production floor, she had ideas she wanted to share with management. "I had good ideas," Vaux said, however, "being a production worker you got the impression that people thought you were stupid. I just dreamed of leaving and getting a college degree."
Vaux didn't find much encouragement in the culture of the factory workplace. "Co-workers would just say, 'Oh, you're in here for life ... you're never going to quit," recalled Vaux. But Vaux kept hold of her aspiration, even attending a women's career seminar held at Penn State. "After that seminar, I got serious," she said. Then, when the company offered her a layoff, she thought: "Here's my chance."
At age 31, by now living in Bellefonte, Vaux began her college degree. Four years later, with a son in 10th grade, Vaux is a Penn State Schreyer Honors Scholar graduating this month with a double-major in criminal justice from the Altoona campus and health policy administration from University Park. "This is the best thing I've ever done," she said. "My son is really proud of me and understands the importance of education."
Vaux is part of a growing group of adult learners. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, adult learners will number 6.8 million by 2013. Between 2001 and 2003, the number of adult learners in Pennsylvania increased by 7 percent. At Penn State last year, the adult learner population comprised 22 percent of total campus enrollments.
It's stories of some of these other adult learners that has given Vaux inspiration, and now she is invited to speak about her experience and challenges.
What was her biggest challenge? The computer. Vaux didn't even know how to turn one on, much less send an e-mail or set up a document. "I was afraid to ask, because I didn't want to seem stupid. It would take me so long to do any assignment," she said.
Vaux has come a long way from that initial obstacle. This year she was a recipient of one of 10 Outstanding Adult Students in Higher Education Awards presented by the Pennsylvania Association for Adult Continuing Education. The awards recognize adult students who have shown success in coping with numerous roles, have overcome difficult circumstances to pursue higher education needs and have taken innovative approaches to reach their goals. Vaux is now using her double-major of health policy and administration, and criminal justice to explore a career in risk management, talking to professionals in the field about career advice.
In the meantime, her family will be attending the graduation ceremony at the University Park campus on May 13.
"I've had a great time," said Vaux of her experience. "It's been nothing but positive."
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For more information about this weekend's commencement ceremonies, visit http://live.psu.edu/story/17501 online.