Not your Typical Senior: Cynthia Bradley Inducted
into Alpha Epsilon Honor Society

La Salle University’s Cynthia Bradley is not your average college senior. At the age of 58, the Mount Airy resident and mother of two daughters will be completing her bachelor’s degree, after a nearly 30-year effort. For her outstanding GPA and involvement in numerous community service activities, Bradley was one of 43 seniors who were recently inducted into the University’s Alpha Epsilon Honors Society, which recognizes high scholarship and service.

“It was a real honor to be accepted into the honor society. It is something I always wanted but never thought I could achieve,” said Bradley. “A man asked me if I was here to see my daughter -- I had to tell him I was an inductee,” she said, laughing.

Bradley has a 3.77 GPA and has volunteered with Greater Philadelphia Cares, SHARE (a local food bank), Huntington Park Aids Fund, Friends of Wordsworth, Intercounty Development Corporation and at her church, the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration in Mt. Airy

“I started doing community service for personal and for social reasons. I have been very blessed in my life, and it is my way of giving back,” said Bradley.

It was 1978 when Bradley began her journey to obtain a bachelor’s degree. She received her associate’s degree in Communication from Elizabethan College. She then went on to Chestnut Hill College, but stopped. “Life got in the way,” said Bradley. “I got married, had children, and could not finish school.”

Twenty years later, Bradley’s youngest daughter went off to the University of Pennsylvania. “As we were filling out her forms, I found out this is something I could do too. I wanted to put down that I had a bachelor’s degree for jobs, so I figured I might as well go back to school,” she said.
           
In the fall of 2004, Bradley began classes at La Salle, majoring in Organizational Dynamics, while working full-time for an ad agency then. “It was great, most of the classes I took were held on Saturday mornings. There were a lot of online assignments and the classes would meet about three times a semester,” said Bradley.

Yet, she decided to change majors. “I was taking a lot of electives about world religion, but when I completed my electives, I figured these classes should count for something, so I switched my major to Liberal Studies.” By learning more about the humanities, Bradley said, “It made me realize how little I know. It gave me a new view of life.”
             
Dr. Vivienne Angeles, a La Salle Religion professor who taught Bradley in a course dealing with Judaism and Islam, said Bradley always exhibited an intellectual curiosity. “Cynthia was very into the course and was an engaging worker. She always came to class prepared and asked questions,” said Angeles. “She is a student that truly inspires a teacher and who I enjoyed teaching.

Upon graduation next May, Bradley said, “I would like to go into the non-profit sector, doing grant writing or some sort of development,” said Bradley. And don’t think she‘s done her education just yet. “I’m looking into graduate school for religious studies and philosophy,” said Bradley. “I need to keep up my momentum.”

“My family, especially my two daughters, has been very supportive. They always knew I was a nerd and had a huge desire to go back to school,” said. Bradley. “Family matters took precedence over school. Now, I have people routing for me. My family and friends know not to bother me if I say I can’t go out because of school.”
           
“If you have a sincere desire, anyone can go back to school, and get help. I don’t think people realize that financial aid from FASA and PHEAA is available,” explained Bradley, who also received scholarship assistance from the Charlotte Newcombe Foundation, which helps “mature” women seeking to earn college degrees.
           
Bradley will be graduating from La Salle at the school’s commencement on Mother’s Day, with her long-earned bachelor’s degree. Yet, for her it will not be a typical graduation day. “My daughter will be graduating from Penn that night. My graduation will be in the morning while her ceremony will be that night,” Bradley described.

“I feel like I’m starting my life over,” said Bradley as she reflected. “I don’t have babies to take care of anymore. I don’t see graduation as an end, but just as the beginning.”

-- Christine Denshuick