Despite downturn, a ray of hope from community colleges

The good folks at the Merced County Times weekly newspaper have asked me to do some scribbling for them. Among other assignments, I recently interviewed departing students and others at Merced College's 2009 graduation ceremony, including this tidbit tucked into Jonathan Whitaker's comprehensive article:

"I'm going to be the first in my family to get a degree," said Maria Ceja before the ceremony began. "It took a long time, but I feel proud of myself. I'm halfway there, I still need a step up."

The 29-year-old from Planada was getting her Associate's degree in child development, although she said she still needs some transfer classes before she can head to San Joaquin Delta College for a B.A. in the same field.

The working mom is a teaching assistant at a daycare center in Merced, and her husband, 11-year-old daughter, 7-year-old son and her own parents were in the stands to celebrate Ceja's achievement.

Her younger sister, Daisy Murillo, also was there to watch Ceja graduate. She said she was impressed with her older sister's dedication to get a degree.

"I didn't think she was ever going to do it," Murillo said. "A few units here and there. She has to take night classes. It takes hard work to juggle between school and work and kids."

The college, by the way, is not to be confused with UC Merced, where Michelle Obama gave the inaugural commencement speech, an event that inspired much media fanfare.