May 12, 2002 - When Debra Cassidy decided to go to college for the first time at the age of 42, she knew her husband and five children would be profoundly impacted. What she didn't know was that her education would become somewhat of a family effort.

"They were all very encouraging," says Cassidy, who is now 47 and about to graduate from the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University in Brookville, N.Y. with a B.S. in psychology. "As time went on, the kids and my husband started to help with the housework. And my children and I would study together, help each other out, which was fun. It was a slow transition and it was not without bumps, but for the most part things went really well."

In 1997, Cassidy felt that she needed a change. Although she still relished in the "all-consuming pleasure" of raising her family, she was anxious to explore the world beyond her Massapequa home. Cassidy decided against going to work because she didn't want to be away from the home when her children arrived home from school. So, she enrolled in the psychology program at Nassau Community College and worked her classes around her kids' schedules.

Cassidy was so successful at Nassau that she was named valedictorian of the Class of 2000. Two years later, she was nominated for the same honor at C.W. Post. Although that designation ultimately went to another student, Cassidy will receive several academic awards.

"Debra is an outstanding student, ranking among the top 10 percent of undergraduates I have taught in over 30 years as a professor," says psychology professor James M. Woodcock. "I can always count on Deb to be a lively contributor to class discussions."

In the fall, Cassidy will begin a master's/doctoral program at the Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies at Adelphi University.

"I didn't realize when I went back to school how much I was going to enjoy it. It has added a dimension to my life that I didn't know was missing," she says. "I was very happy and would have remained very happy doing what I had always done. So, it's like the present you didn't know you wanted until you got it." Ultimately, Cassidy plans to practice in a clinical setting and teach on the college level.

Cassidy will join 1,500 graduates at C.W. Post's 44th annual commencement exercises on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 12, 2002. C.W. Post is one of six campuses of Long Island University, the eighth largest private university in the United States.