Going back to school at age 51, Jim Schiefelbein found juggling his time between work, class and family a “whole different kettle of fish.”
When Schiefelbein enrolled at UCLA Extension to improve his consulting skills and learn more about the practice, about three decades had passed since his undergraduate years at Georgetown University.
“I was in a transitional point in my career when I came here,” said Schiefelbein, who graduated from the program Friday with a certificate in marketing and new media fundamentals. “(UCLA Extension) helped keep my jaw sharp and gave me some validation in my consulting work.”
About 700 UCLA Extension students were recognized in more than 120 different subjects Friday during an annual certificate graduation ceremony at Royce Hall, said Michelle Stiles, associate dean of UCLA Extension. Close to 2,000 students graduate from the school each year, she added.
UCLA Extension is a continuing higher education school that allows students to build on their prior education or pursue a different field of interest, Stiles said. About 100,000 students are enrolled in the school.
UCLA Extension has an open enrollment policy and allows students to graduate at any point during the year. Classes are flexible and are primarily offered in the evening and over weekends to accommodate the jobs or extracurricular activities extension students typically have, Stiles said.
The UCLA Extension graduation ceremony started about five years ago when students showed interest in the idea, Stiles said.
Helen Williams, program representative at UCLA Extension, said the ceremony is a way to let students know they are part of the UCLA family.
On Friday, eager graduates dressed in formal attire or traditional caps and gowns jostled in their seats before Stiles began the ceremony.
Schiefelbein flew back to L.A. from his business and residence in Chicago for the weekend to attend his graduation because he said it was important for him to celebrate the event at UCLA. His family and friends watched the ceremony in Chicago on the graduation’s live stream.
In an uplifting speech sprinkled with jokes, Fernando deMoraes, president of the interior design firm Creative Resource Associates and one of the graduates at Friday’s ceremony, advised the audience to use the skills they learned at UCLA Extension in professional “battles” ahead.
“You have an obligation to share your knowledge with others, just as those who have touched your lives,” said deMoraes, a certificate holder in architecture and interior design at UCLA Extension.
deMoraes was honored the Professional Achievement Award because of his teaching position with UCLA Extension and his active membership on the UCLA Architectural and Interior Design Guidance Committee. He said the school gave him confidence and professional skills, helping him land his first job at a design firm in Los Angeles.
One by one, department directors walked to the podium to recognize the graduates, who waited in the audience with family members and friends.
With her husband and two children next to her, Sherri York, was recognized for her feature film writing certificate at the ceremony. York, 54, said she chose to pursue a screenwriting certificate because she wanted to polish her writing skills. She added that her classes helped her write a comedic screenplay.
“I don’t think people should ever stop formally learning because we can always transform our academic and creative skills,” York said.