Mother, daughter both earn degrees
A proud mother riddled with joy, Sandy Allen jumped up and snapped a photo as her daughter, Shelby, was announced during Penn State Fayette Campus’ commencement ceremony last Saturday. But then, it was her turn.
The 51-year-old mother of three graduated alongside her 20-year-old daughter.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine this,” said Sandy. “It was exciting and it was nice to be a part of this with Shelby. I’m so proud of her.”
Sandy, of Smock, graduated in December with a bachelor of arts degree in human development and family studies, while her daughter graduated last summer with an associate degree in letters, arts and science.
However, both got to walk for graduation together.
“It was a different but a very good experience,” said Shelby, who has gone on to California University of Pennsylvania, where she is majoring in communication studies.
Sandy is employed by the Private Industry Council and works at Career Link in Uniontown. There, she helps people who have been laid off work or are seeking a career change to find jobs, something Sandy can relate to and something she wants to do.
“I was ready for a career change,” said Sandy, who had spent the past 11 years running the Happy Heifer Lounge and helping with the family businesses Allen’s Haunted Hayride and Allen Home Dairy.
Now, Sandy hosts job workshops and outreach programs for high school students, something she really enjoys. “This is what I wanted to do, to help people,” she said.
Just as the mother and daughter graduated at different times, they began separately as well. Sandy began when Shelby was a senior at Uniontown Area High School and admits that being a nontraditional student can be challenging but rewarding.
“At first I felt a little peculiar because my children’s friends would be in my classes, but they thought it was pretty cool to have Shelby’s mom in class,” Sandy said.
Sandy and her daughter tried to take at least one class together each semester, and she admits that Shelby did a little better in those classes because of the competition. Shelby remembers an adolescent class she had with her mother.
“The professor asked for comments and it was so weird talking about growing up and my experiences with my friends with my mom sitting there,” she said, adding, though, that having Sandy in class was fun.
Sandy also had a chance to help other students with problems on and off campus.
“A lot of the kids talked to me, kind of like a surrogate mother, as a sounding board for their troubles,” she said.
The kids acted as a sounding board for her as well, helping her through college nearly 30 years since she graduated from Uniontown High School
In the end, both mother and daughter agreed the experience was a good one.
“It really benefited and enhanced my life. It was exciting,” Sandy said.