Donald Pfeiffer worked for Armstrong World Industries Inc. for 28 years before the company's downsizing cost him his job.
Graduates line up for their commencement ceremony Saturday at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.
Michael Medina gets a hug from son Michael Jr. on his way into his
commencement ceremony.
Jim Freeman plays the bagpipes as he leads the 2008 Thaddeus Stevens
graduates into Saturday's commen
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Kyle Nelson, who graduated
Saturday, found his future at
Thaddeus Stevens College.
Sandi Vito, acting state secretary of Labor and Industry and deputy
secretary for Workforce Developme
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Donald Pfeiffer was in his
mid-50s when he went back to
school. He graduated Saturday.
Missing the retirement package by six months — he wasn't quite 54 — the gregarious man returned to school.
Saturday, he graduated with about 250 peers at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.
"I've graduated and now I have 10 years to work until I can retire," he chuckled.
The best thing about being in college late in life, he said, was the "kids." He said he would often tell them he only had 10 years to work.
"I'd look at them and say, 'Oh, that's me. You have 40 years.' "
One of those students, Kyle Nelson, started a year early so he has a long career ahead of him.
He doesn't mind though, because high school wasn't working for him and he feels the early start program saved him.
Stevens partners with the School District of Lancaster to offer students who qualify academically an early start on their college career.
"My first year's credits went for McCaskey credits and for here," the quiet 19-year-old said. "I graduated there last year and here this year."
Nelson said high school was not for him because he felt like teachers and hall monitors were breathing down his neck to get him to class.
"Here, it's up to you to get to class. You have to be responsible for yourself," he said.
The John E. Barley Multipurpose Activity Center was packed for the 97th commencement. Tony Miller, building manager, said it was a record crowd.
"We could always accommodate everyone with a seat," he said. "Today, there must be 70 people [on the third floor] who are standing."
Sandi Vito, acting state secretary of Labor & Industry and deputy secretary for Workforce Development, told the graduates that the fastest-growing careers require associate degrees like they earned Saturday.
"Life is all about choices," she said. "Deciding to invest in yourself probably didn't come easily, but when you look back, you will see the investment was worthwhile."
Vito said more than 90 percent of Stevens graduates stay in Pennsylvania, helping to build the state's economy.
"Employers will see you as an asset," she said.
George Lower, a 1965 graduate of the architectural drafting program, received an honorary doctorate. A founding member of Reese, Lower, Patrick & Scott Ltd., he has supervised the design and construction of several public schools in the county and the Multipurpose Activity Center at Stevens.
Former state Rep. Jere Schuler also received an honorary doctorate and the honorary alumni award. Paul "Roy" Simmers, a 1958 carpentry program graduate, received the distinguished service award.
Donald Pfeiffer graduated magna cum laude in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration. He was able to qualify for a free education at Stevens because his job at Armstrong was in the boiler room.
"I had to prove to the state that I couldn't get a similar job anywhere because most similar jobs require refrigeration, too," he said.
"Coming back to school after all these years was scary at first. The math was really hard. It had been 38 years since algebra class."
But the real challenge, he said, was physics. "I got a C and I'm proud of that C," he said.
Pfeiffer said he feels good that he was a nontraditional student because he thinks he was able to help some of the younger students.
"Many of them were thinking they would just get their certificate, but I told them to look at me. If it's important to me, it should be important to you."
Kyle Nelson, who got his degree in cabinetmaking and wood technology, agreed the degree was the way to go.
The hardest thing for him was the transition from high school to college, and not having a car.
"College is a lot harder," he said. "But it was definitely worth the work."
"This has been fun," Pfeiffer said. "I wouldn't give it up for anything. It was great being around the kids."
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology announces graduatesGraduating from Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Saturday were:
Zachary Akers, Angel Alvarado, Jacob Andress, Joseph Arico, Anthony Arnodo, Paul Auchenbach, Saleem Barcznski, Jason Barr, David Bartlebaugh, Daniel Beatty, Shane Bechtold Jr., Jonathan Beck, Dustin Belack, John Bennett, Joshua Benson, Matthew Bicher, David Bilger Jr., David Bitterman, Rachel Black, Tylor Black, Kevin Bollinger, Robert Borys Jr., Jadon Bowles, Nathan Breininger.
Angelo Carrion, Matthew Casamento, Anthony Cashin, Peter Cassarly, Justin Cassel, Justin Chambers, Jason Chapman, Joshua Cherish, Dominick Clark, Joseph Clement, Derek Coleman, Angel Colon, Daniel Culton, Chris Danig, Nathan Davey.
Brandon Davis, Charles DeSantis, Benjamin Detwiler, Adam Diehl, David Diggs, Cory Dobak, Jonathan Dodds, Thomas Donan, Dante Donia, Joshua Donmoyer, Jordan Doyle, Jeremy Dressler, Bryan Duncan, Jonathan Dunkle, Michael Dusablon.
Justin Eberly, Johnny Edelblute, Keith Eisenberger, Gary Ellis, Daniel Farrell, Joseph Feight, Schuyler Felty, Steven First, Cory Fisher, Emory Fleming, Roberto Flowers, William Ford, Ian Fox, Mathew Frankel, Shane Fraser, Brian Frey, Nathaniel Frey, Shane Frymoyer, Benjamin Gambino, Adrian Garrett, Craig Gatchell, Nathan Geesey, Kenton Gehman, Nicholas Geisinger, Andrew Gitlen, Roberto Gonzalez, Nathan Gordon, Luis Gracia, Michael Gulli, Alex Guzman.
Nathaniel Hagy, Ryan Hardy, Benjamin Hare, Donald Harrison, Jessica Harting, Quin Hartman Jr., Matthew Haverstick, Gregory Hawkins, Yianis Hazipetros, Jeanne Hendren, Brian Hennessy, Bradly Herr, Rogelio Herrera, Matthew Herrmann, Adam Hershey, Linwood Hill, William Hillegas III, Jeremy Honushefsky, Kevin Hoober, William Hopkins, Adam Horning, Nicholas Hove, Brian Humphreys Jr., Vincent Inverso, Michael Jeffers, Adam Jensen, Milton Johnson, Dion Jones, D. Alex Jones.
Michael Jones Jr., Dylan Kaschak, Zachary Kauffman, Bradley Kaufman, Matthew Kawecki, Chad Keebaugh, Michael Keller, Tyler Kelley, Joseph Kemmerer, Miles Kilby, Dana King, Kenneth King, Brandi Kline, Kaleb Klosky, Timothy Knapp, Nigel Koppehele-Shaak, Dayton Kreider, Stephen Kremmel, Eric Kupp.
Adam Lafferty, Jonah Lake, Zane Lamens, Ryan Lebus, Andrew Leonard, Justin Lewis, Thomas Liles, Jeffrey Livengood, Bradley Lobichusky, Dakota Longenecker.
Christina Lopez, Bryan Lownes, Joseph Lubberman, Justin Luckhardt, Patrick Luncynski, Alessandro Manzi, Craig Martin II, Alan Massenburg, Christopher McCaffrey, Christian McClellan, Jeffrey McComsey, Kristen McGinnis, John McKinney, David McLaughlin, Michael Medina, Zachary Mellinger, Frank Meloy, Michael Merrell-Thomas, Brian Mertle, Timothy Meyers, Jacob Miller, Adam Miller, Jeffrey Miller, Albert Miller, Tyree Mitchell, Mikael Mooney, Caleb Moyer, Donald Myers Jr., Kyle Nelson, Brandon O'Reilly.
Eric Pajrowski, Brett Parker, Jordan Partner, Ross Patterson, Michael Perry, Donald Pfeiffer, Jamil Phillips, Chad Pickel, Kyle Pine, Josh Piper, Rene Placido, John Posselius, Daniel Prenger, Ryan Prenger, Joshua Price, Kyle Quigley, Jessica Ramirez, Tyler Reburn, John Reheard, Jared Reich, Scott Renninger, Mark Reppert, Derek Rhoads, Robert Ringler III, Joshua Rittenhouse, Kyle Ritter, Jason Rodriquez, Levi Roop, Troy Rozell, Adam Rudenos, Brandon Rudolph, Joseph Rule.
Jorge Salinas, Quabeer Saunders, Adam Schaeffer, Brinton Schlegel, William Seitz, Graham Shackford, Bradley Sheffler, James Simon, Scott Simpson, D. Robert Simpson, Ryan Slater, Rafe Smith, Daniel Smith, Trent Snyder, Joshua Spiroff, Matthew Spotts, Daniel Steech, Lisa Stephon, Steven Andrews, Ian Stewart, Matthew Stoltzfus, Jacob Stoltzfus, Luke Strain, Craig Strait, Kyle Thompson, Christopher Tilstra, Alexander Tornabe, Roberto Torres, Zacharias Tosten, Charles Trost, Mickey Trout.
Michael Umble, Jason Valentino, Doug Vance, Joshua Villalobos, Robert Warsing, Brian Waters, Nathaniel Weaver, David Wehry Jr., Brent Willison, Ian Wilson, Anthony Wilson, Jeremy Wise, Michael Wood, James Wright, Joel Wunderlich, Brandon Wynne, Nathan Yeagley, Derek Zellers, Jacob Zug.
Cris Foehlinger is a staff writer for the Sunday News. Her e-mail address is cfoehlinger@lnpnews.com.
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