Hard work paid off for staff members who received diplomas

Hard
work paid off for staff members who received diplomas

…………………………………………………………………

BY DANA BENSON
Rice News Staff

This May, students
donned their caps and robes to receive degrees with proud
smiles on their faces. Yes, this was the scene at Rice’s
commencement, but also at colleges and universities across
Houston, where several Rice staff members earned academic
degrees.

Perhaps there
was a little extra pride evident in Rice’s staff members
who received their degrees. Many of them balanced school,
work and family or returned to school after long absences.
But the hard work was worth it, the graduates said, when
they proved to themselves and to their family and friends
that “anything is possible.”

“Being
a father, student and employee all at the same time is one
of the most difficult things anyone can do,” said Mauricio
Benitez, department coordinator in bioengineering, who received
a bachelor of science degree in psychology from the University
of Houston–Downtown.

Benitez, who
previously worked in the human resources department, said
that many days he would leave home at 7 a.m. and wouldn’t
return until 10 p.m. But, he said, “With the help of
family, friends and co-workers, I knew it was possible to
accomplish my goals and pursue new ones.”

Janis Cain,
assistant to the vice president for public affairs, not
only balanced school, work and family life, but her return
to school also came after a long absence. “I wanted
to drop out a number of times,” said Cain, who earned
a master of science degree in occupational technology from
the University of Houston. “I kept going to prove to
myself and my children that anything is attainable through
hard work and perseverance.”

Russell Price,
maintenance manager in facilities and engineering, earned
his bachelor of science degree in civil engineering/construction
management from the University of Houston. He also was motivated
by his family, setting a goal of graduating at the same
time as his daughter, who earned a degree from Stanford.
But Price said the environment in which he works also was
a motivating factor.

“I’m
one of those fortunate people who came up through the ranks
for a long time and have done well in my career,” said
Price, who has been at Rice for 22 years. “Most people
in my position already have a degree, so a lot of people
maybe assumed that I already had one. And because I work
at a university, I’m actively involved in the campus
community, so I felt like I needed to work on my own education.”

Price hopes
that his own achievement will inspire others as well. “The
most rewarding part of this is that if I can do something
like this, other staff members maybe will be motivated by
it. I’ll be 55 next month; if I can do it at this age,
why can’t they?” Price said.

Benitez echoed
similar sentiments. “By being the first college graduate
in my family and hometown in El Salvador, I know I can be
a role model for those who want to pursue the same goals.
Despite all the obstacles, my motivation was that my children
will see what I accomplished and they too will pursue their
dreams.”

Tiffany Ware,
executive assistant in the provost’s office, also hopes
to serve as a role model. After receiving a master’s
degree in liberal arts from Houston Baptist University,
she became a part-time instructor at the Houston Community
College. “What makes teaching at Houston Community
College so wonderful is the fact that I graduated from there
10 years ago with an associate arts degree. I am able to
give back what was instilled in me and be a ray of hope
for those who are following in the path I not long ago walked.”

The Rice staff
members who earned degrees attributed much of their success
to the supportive environment here. They cited supportive
co-workers and supervisors, availability of flex-time when
needed and tuition reimbursement, when applicable.

Now that they
have their degrees, they plan to put their knowledge to
good use in their positions on campus. Elizabeth Gbordzoe,
assistant transportation manager who earned her master’s
in business from the University of Phoenix, said she will
use the skills she acquired to “perform and manage
effectively and efficiently. I have become more proactive
in planning, executing and communicating my daily tasks
and working better with my staff and people with whom I
interact.”

Price chose
his major of civil engineering/construction management because
of the construction boom on campus right now. While he knows
how to maintain an existing building, he wanted to learn
about the building process, and, he said, “It was rewarding
in that regard.”

Now that these
staff members have earned their degrees and are putting
them to good use here, they should be proud. But there’s
another emotion they feel as well. Price summed up how he
felt upon receiving his degree: “I felt relief.”