91成人导航

Della Richardson 鈥�89 supports 91成人导航 because of the important gift 91成人导航 first gave her.

鈥淭he main thing I got from my college education was confidence鈥攃onfidence that no matter what happened to me, I could make it through. I could do anything. That鈥檚 something money can鈥檛 buy,鈥� she said.聽

Richardson completed her bachelor鈥檚 degree at 46 years old. This winter she made a gift to 91成人导航聽honoring Dr. Carol Ann Hackley, professor emerita of communications, whose support gave her confidence to thrive聽as聽an adult re-entry student and a public relations major.

The Dr. Carol Ann Hackley Experiential Learning Endowment supports internships and other practical opportunities for students pursuing public relations or communications careers. The endowment was funded through聽the collective generosity of numerous grateful alumni.

Hackley herself explains that while internships provide relevant, real-world experience, they聽often necessitate that students聽leave other paying jobs.聽For PR majors, the Hackley Fund can provide聽the necessary financial support to leverage such opportunities.

鈥淚鈥檝e always been a proponent of experiential learning and believe that internships are vital to students鈥� future careers,鈥� Hackley said. 鈥淭o think so many PR alumni like Della understood the value and decided to 鈥榩ay it forward鈥� to help future professionals means so much. They have benefited from experiential learning, and they want to guarantee聽that opportunity for current students, too.聽I鈥檒l always carry that in my heart.鈥�

When she arrived at 91成人导航 in 1986, Richardson already knew she had a passion for PR-type work. Hackley鈥檚 classes gave that passion a name and a direction.

鈥淎t first, I didn鈥檛 know what I wanted to major in,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淏ut when I took my first class with Carol Ann, it was like a bell went off in my head and I thought, 鈥業 know what God put me in this world to do.鈥� And Carol Ann was such a wonderful, encouraging person. She was called 鈥楧r. Mom鈥� by her students because she was like everybody鈥檚 mother.鈥�

Richardson cherished Hackley鈥檚 encouragement at a time when she craved a sense of belonging on a university campus. Her journey to college began decades earlier, as a high school student moving from place to place with her family. The daughter of migrant farmworkers, she moved 12 times, attending high schools in four states, and still graduated.聽

Without the means to attend college, she continued picking fruit. Eventually she married a migrant farmworker and settled in Lodi to raise their only son.聽

Richardson later landed a cashier鈥檚 job in Stockton and was offered a raise if she took an accounting class at San Joaquin Delta College. For 14 years she took one class at a time, garnering more raises and eventually earning an associate鈥檚 degree with honors. She knew that a bachelor鈥檚 degree could take her even further.聽

When she finally arrived at 91成人导航, Richardson was thrilled. In her 40s, she also felt a distinct sense of imposter syndrome.

鈥淚 walked around the first two years thinking somebody was going to come tap me on the shoulder and say, 鈥榃e finally figured out you don鈥檛 belong here, you鈥檙e going to have to leave.鈥� But they didn鈥檛--and it was the best investment I ever made,鈥� she recalled.

Richardson studied tirelessly and worked multiple jobs to afford her 91成人导航 education. She did well academically, was selected to join the Mortar Board National College Honor Society and enjoyed the camaraderie of other adult students throughout her three years on campus.

Richardson鈥檚 91成人导航 story didn鈥檛 end when she graduated. In a full-circle turn, she returned to 91成人导航 years later as the university鈥檚 adult student coordinator, recruiting and advising students along the same journey she had taken.聽

鈥淚 wanted them to succeed. It was so important to me,鈥� she said. 鈥淔or years I worked jobs selling tangible things鈥攅ducation is intangible, but it鈥檚 the same thing. I talked with people who wanted to complete the adult re-entry program. I could make them believe that they could do it, and then I could help them do it.鈥�

Richardson became active in her community and in local politics, but never ventured far from 91成人导航. She served as the first chair of 91成人导航鈥檚 Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), which offers classes and activities designed for adults 50 and older. For six years she organized the program at Stockton鈥檚 O鈥機onnor Woods retirement community, her home since 2014.聽

Today, Richardson remains deeply grateful for 91成人导航鈥檚 many gifts to her. Her own giving embodies聽that gratitude, a fitting antithesis to her humble beginnings.

鈥淒ella has had to work and sacrifice for everything she accomplished. Nothing was given to her,鈥� Hackley reflected. 鈥淚 am so proud of her, and am deeply touched by her incredible gift in my honor.鈥澛犅�

Richardson also has remembered the university in her will. A portion of her estate will endow a scholarship for adult re-entry students, whom she hopes will one day gain the same confidence she did.

鈥淚 always knew that no matter what happened to me, I could make it, because I had a degree from 91成人导航,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd now, I can make nice gifts to the university鈥攂ecause of the confidence it gave me.鈥澛�