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Assistant Director of University Advancement Gail Wiegner never gave up on the idea of getting her undergraduate degree. It just took longer than she thought – a few decades.
Wiegner first enrolled in Boston College during the 1970s, but didn’t stay. She wound up working in the human resources and technology fields, where she gained considerable management experience. When she returned to BC 10 years ago, and discovered the University’s tuition-remission benefit for employees, she thought “Why not?” and became a part-time student in the Woods College of Advancing Studies.
It took eight years for Wiegner to earn her bachelor’s degree in corporate systems, but she is now a full-fledged BC alumna.
“I did it a course at a time, because there were a lot of things I had to handle – not only my job but home life as well,” said Wiegner, interviewed at a June 18 reception honoring the more than 60 employees who completed undergraduate or graduate degrees at the University this year. “But I felt a real sense of purpose, and it helped me to just keep focused. Was it all worth it? Definitely.”
For some employees, like Wiegner, the tuition benefit program provides the means to obtain the undergraduate degree that, for one reason or another, had eluded them. Others see the opportunity to build on their educational and professional credentials. All face the challenge of balancing studies with work and other commitments, over what can be a period of several years. But they also find a deeper connection to, and appreciation of, Boston College.
“In all honesty, it’s a forward step I never thought I’d make,” said Assistant Manager of Housekeeping Kenneth Coleman, who completed his bachelor’s in corporate systems after seven years. “I got to meet so many great people – students, faculty, advisors, administrators – I probably wouldn’t have otherwise. It made working at BC a whole different ballgame.”
At the reception, University President William P. Leahy, SJ, offered a toast to Coleman and other employee graduates, praising them for their “investment of time and energy.”
“Nothing happens easily when you’re engaged in a full-time job, and have other responsibilities,” said Fr. Leahy. “Boston College is proud of your dedication to furthering your education, because your investment helps us to deliver on our institutional promise, and fulfill our motto of ‘Ever to excel.’”
Full-time BC employees are eligible for 100 percent tuition-remission for undergraduate courses taken through the Woods College and the evening Summer Session; the benefit also applies at the graduate level for up to six credits per semester, and six during the Summer Session (a total of 18 credits per academic year). As noted in the University’s employee handbook, the tuition benefit is granted “with the understanding that class and study hours do not conflict with regular work schedules.“
“Our focus at BC is developing the whole person, and the tuition benefit program fits in with furthering that ideal,” said Vice President for Human Resources David Trainor, who also spoke at the event, in an interview. “Whether someone got the bachelor’s degree they never had, or earned an MBA or a PhD, it’s a continuation of their life journey, their personal development. BC is invested in that growth in a very real and tangible way, because employees who take classes at BC gain a better understanding of the University, and what we do for our students every day.
“That’s why it was important to acknowledge the achievements of these employees, and the sacrifices they and their loved ones made.”
For Coleman, a 27-year BC employee, it was a loved one – his wife Stephanie – who inspired him to pursue his degree in the first place. “She told me, ‘You’re a smart kid, you should try it,’” he said. “The more I went to the classes, the more I liked it.”
Custodian Walter Carberry found a similar kind of inspiration at home to study for his bachelor’s in corporate systems. “I thought it would be a good example for my kids – that you never stop learning, and that you can achieve a goal if you set your mind to it.”
Keeping up the commitment takes a lot of effort, say the employee graduates, but fortunately there are many others in the same situation to provide moral support and other kinds of assistance. Carberry got to know Coleman during their studies, for example, which proved to be beneficial for them both.
“If Ken missed a class, I could share my notes with him, and vice-versa,” said Carberry. “It’s nice to know you’re not in it all on your own.”
To Kathryn Tosi, a financial analyst in the Office of the Provost, the prospect of pursuing an MBA at BC had more than a few attractions. “The tuition remission was a big plus, of course, and so is the fact BC offers a great education,” she said. “I’m a driven person, and I feel like I have to push myself, so this seemed too good an opportunity to pass up.”
Wiegner, Coleman, Carberry, Tosi and other employees found that being a student opened up other aspects of the University community to them, so they were able to see for themselves that the quality of teaching at BC is as good as advertised.
“James Menno [of the Woods College faculty] was probably the most engaging professor I had, someone who helped you get into the flow of the class,” said Wiegner. “[Philosophy Professor] Peter Kreeft really challenged me to think – he doesn’t make it easy on you, but you learn a lot.”
“I met a ton of people, and made some friends,” Tosi said, “but I also got an insight into what it’s like to be a student here. So I feel I can now speak better to what we do at BC.”