Gardner woman graduates at the age of 61

By Owen Boss

GARDNER— Any recent college graduate will tell you that just making it through to graduation is a challenge, but for 61-year-old resident Sandra Poploski, the challenge was met and answered. While balancing a household as a single mother and overcoming several debilitating illnesses, she managed to complete her college education and is scheduled to graduate Suma cum laude on Saturday with a degree in Education and Business Management. “I’m finally completing my college education 44 years after I graduated from Gardner High School,” said Ms. Poploski. “I thought to myself, I have to work for another 10 years, and whether I end up being promoted in my job, this is just something I should have taken care of a long time ago.” Ms. Poploski was a member of the first-ever class at Mount Wachusett Community College when it originally opened in 1964. She said that back then attending the school was a much different experience than it is now, and that she only stayed for one semester because the college was still in its preliminary stages. “I stayed for only one semester because we really didn’t have a school back then,” said Ms. Poploski. “When I first started at the mount, the classes were being held at the Gardner National Guard Armory and because I had graduated 12th in my class in high school, I ended up teaching typing in the rifle range on cardboard keyboards.” After leaving the Mount, Ms. Poploski began working as a secretary at Fitchburg State College, and after 14 years eventually left to work at Mount Wachusett Community College as the executive secretary for the school’s Alumni Association. “When I worked at both Fitchburg and Mount Wachusett, I could have gone to school for free,” said Ms. Poploski jokingly. “I was working at all of these colleges that were offering me a free education, and now instead I have college loans to pay off at the age of 61.” The time Ms. Poploski spent pursuing her college degree was marked with many obstacles, including being diagnosed with polymyalgia gramatica, which is a debilitating disease similar to multiple sclerosis. “I was diagnosed about midway through my college career,” said Ms. Poploski, “My daughters were concerned that with the disease, I may consider stopping because it would be too much, but I decided to keep going because it was keeping my mind occupied.” Ms. Poploski currently works full-time as a compliance analyst for the Hanover Insurance Group in Worcester, and said that she was able to develop the skills she uses at work during her time as a single mother. “Just being a single mother for 24 years, you have to learn how to budget on a shoestring,” said Ms. Poploski. “It’s almost like your mini-managing your own household.” With the addition of a college degree to her resume, Ms. Poploski is hoping to use her education to advance her career. “All of these years I’ve been supporting my family and I really haven’t been able to plan for retirement,” said Ms. Poploski. “I’m hopefully going to be able to start a whole new phase of my life.” Ms. Poploski will formally receive her diploma at the Becker College graduation ceremony on Saturday. The event will be held at 11 a.m. in the Digital Credit Union in Worcester. oboss@thegardnernews.com

Appeared on Page 1 on 5/10/2008 (Vol. 206 No. 112)