Editor’s Note: Reporters and photographers are welcome to attend UCCS graduation ceremonies scheduled for 10 a.m. May 18 at the Colorado Springs World Arena. Please call Tom Hutton, (719) 351-6519 for assistance. High-resolution photographs of Lucero are available at http://pressreleases.uccs.edu.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Twenty-three years ago, Melissa Lucero, an administrative assistant at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs was a pregnant first-year California community college student.
She quit school, went to work full-time and leaned heavily on family for support. Times were tough as she struggled to raise the four-pound, one-month premature boy with the help of her grandparents.
But Lucero, now 43, isn’t looking backward. On May 18, she and son, Jeff Tejada, will both participate in UCCS commencement exercises. Lucero will earn a bachelor’s degree in communication and Tejada a bachelor’s degree in political science. Though Lucero must still take a summer class, she will participate in ceremonies with her son, now more than six feet tall and weighing more than 200 pounds.
Commencement ceremonies are scheduled for 10 a.m. May 18 at the Colorado Springs World Arena. There are 1,258 students who will graduate, a record. About 870 are expected to participate in ceremonies.
“I’m a little late,” Lucero said. “My goal was to finish by the time I was 40. When I found out Jeff was going to graduate, I knew I had to step it up.”
Lucero worked with her supervisor, Cindy Corwin, director, Human Resources to squeeze in as many classes as possible to complete the degree she started at another university in 2005 and continued at UCCS after her 2008 arrival. Balancing the demands of five children and a full-time job processing payroll, administering CU Jobs postings, and assisting classified staff members was a challenge.
Lunch hours and weekends were sacrificed. Work hours were adjusted and Lucero found herself staying late as well as studying alongside her four younger children still living at home. While hectic, Lucero knows that she established a strong role model for her children.
“I enjoyed my classes but I want my lunchtime and weekends back,” Lucero said.
Her advice to others considering starting a degree or finishing one started years ago is simple. Talk to your supervisor about a flexible schedule and have a support system.
“I almost quit lots of times,” Lucero said. “I’d tell my husband I was going to skip class and we’d go out to dinner or something. His response was ‘go to class, we’ll go out tomorrow night.’ That kind of support kept me working toward my goal. I’m thankful I had it.”
UCCS, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in Colorado Springs, is one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The University offers 36 bachelor’s degrees, 19 master’s degrees, and five doctoral degrees. The campus enrolls about 9,300 students annually.