Religion Couts at all times dreamed of pursuing a university diploma, however “the timing was by no means proper.”
Couts, 50, had her first baby throughout her senior yr in highschool and enrolled in neighborhood faculty in Las Vegas.
However being a single father or mother was “overwhelming” and faculty light out of the image as Couts labored to help her rising household, which incorporates her son, Hunter Wetzel, 22.
However on Friday, Couts lastly realized her dream and obtained her bachelor’s diploma in social coverage and public service from the UC Irvine’s Faculty of Social Sciences. She additionally obtained a number of awards and honors, together with the Chancellor’s Award, the Schonfeld Scholar Award and the UCI Alumni Assn.’s Distinguished Anteater Award.
The timing couldn’t have been higher.
Wetzel obtained his bachelor’s diploma in anthropology on the identical day from the college.
Couts stated the expertise of graduating alongside her son was surreal.
“I’m simply making an attempt to be just a little bit within the second proper now,” she stated.
For some, the concept of attending faculty with a father or mother may be terrifying — an encroachment on the liberty faculty typically represents.
However for Wetzel the expertise was rewarding.
“I simply at all times thought she was very like right-brained — actually emotional, actually empathetic, good at problem-solving, that kind of factor. However not tremendous guide sensible,” he stated. “And this complete factor has taught me that she really will get each.”
However Couts’ penchant for teachers didn’t shock Wetzel.
“I might say I’m impressed, nevertheless it’s 100% anticipated,” Wetzel stated. “I knew she’d be capable to do it. I anticipated nothing much less of her.”
She by no means cramped my type, he stated, though he acknowledged that had his mother began UCI when he was a freshman he may need felt totally different. Couts started attending UCI when Hunter was a junior.
Couts agreed.
“As a freshman, it might have been a tough no,” Couts stated, laughing. “Completely not. Mother can’t come to varsity.”
But it surely was Wetzel’s entrance into faculty that spurred Couts to reenter academia and chase the objective of a faculty diploma.
Shortly earlier than Wetzel began at UCI, Couts started taking lessons at Saddleback School after an almost two-decade break.
When it got here time to use to switch faculties, Couts chosen California State College, Fullerton, UC San Diego, the place she was provided a full-ride scholarship, and UCI.
She chosen UCI to keep away from an extended commute from her house in Rancho Santa Margarita however first acquired permission from her son.
“The primary factor was, I used to be like, ‘Mother, I’m going to want area,’” Wetzel stated. “‘I’m going to be with my buddies for essentially the most half.’”
However the mom and son discovered one another as helpful examine buddies, trying over one another’s assignments and giving suggestions.
“Each time I got here house for a household dinner, these two have been studying one another’s papers and I couldn’t speak to them for half-hour till they have been finished,” Karlee Wetzel remembered.
“She labored so extremely arduous it’s loopy,” Hunter Wetzel stated of his mom.
For Couts, the expertise of working alongside her son has opened her eyes to alternative ways of working and to “perhaps simply having fun with it just a little bit extra and never being so critical about every part.”
As for the longer term, Hunter Wetzel plans on following one in all his siblings into the online game trade together with his growth firm Runstar, which he began with childhood buddies.
And Couts will not be stopping at a bachelor’s diploma — she might be pursuing her PhD in greater training and scholar growth and plans to give attention to serving to nontraditional college students like herself.
