GRANDMOTHER RECEIVES NURSING DEGREE

Sandra Eaves is a nurse now.

"It's a lifelong dream come true," said the 48-year-old grandmother who graduated with an associate degree in nursing at Southeast Missouri State University Saturday.

She isn't through yet.

"My goal is to obtain a bachelor's degree, master's degree and possibly even a Ph.D," said Eaves, who works at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

On hand to watch Eaves receive her nurse's pin and diploma were five generations of her family -- grandmother Phelia Watson of Charleston; parents, Mrs. and Mrs. Jesse R. Perry of Charleston; sons, Thomas Michael Gideon of Memphis, Tenn., and Christopher Ryan Gideon and his wife, Liana, of Cape Girardeau, and granddaughter, Haley Rae Gideon, daughter of Christopher and Liana.

Also in attendance at the graduation were Eaves' husband, Garland Eaves; her brother, Jesse Perry of Charleston, and two sisters, Linda Walker and Denise Daughhette, both of Cape Girardeau.

Eaves, an honors student with a 3.92 grade point average, was one of more than 500 graduates who participated in commencement exercises held at the Show Me Center Saturday afternoon. A total of 470 undergraduates and 36 graduate students received diplomas.

Eaves' love of the medical field came early in life.

"When I was 6 years old, I attended a one-room school," she said. "Our school health nurse was a lady by the name of Clara Drinkwater Neuman. I knew then I wanted to be a nurse like Mrs. Neuman."

Mrs. Neuman is responsible in more ways than one for Eaves' nurse's degree. A nursing scholarship, provided by Mrs. Newman, helped Eaves financially in school.

Eaves started working in the health field as a senior at Kelly High School, when she was nurse's assistant, working the 3 to 11 p.m. shift five days a week. Following graduation from high school, she began working at a nursing home in Charleston.

It wasn't until almost three years ago that she decided to pursue her college education.

"Always before something got in the way," she said. "I had children, I became sick. I'm a survivor of breast cancer."

Eaves' breast cancer was discovered when she went overseas to be with her husband in Saudi Arabia. Garland Eaves worked as a steel fabricating engineer.

While living in Saudi Arabia, Garland Eaves suggested that she enroll in school to become a nurse.

"But, I won't graduate until 1996, and I'll be 48 years old," she said. "My husband asked how old I would be in 1996 if I didn't go to school. He then suggested that I be 48 and a nurse."

Mrs. Watson, Eaves' grandmother, urged her on.

"I'll be at your graduation," she said.

She was.

"My ultimate goal is to help people," Eaves said. "Using the experience of my own breast cancer, I can share with people that I know what it feels like to hear a diagnosis. That's what I want to do...help people cope and understand," she said.

Christie Johnson, student representative to the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents, addressed the graduates during ceremonies Saturday afternoon.

Johnson, whose two-year student regent term will end Jan. 1, 1998, will graduate with an accounting degree in May 1998.

Johnson, of Cooter, talked about objectives and goals during her commencement address.

"You have learned to have objectives and goals here," she told graduates. "And, you have learned that life is not the same for everyone."

A freshman required course, GS101, otherwise entitled "Creative and Critical Thinking" challenges students' thinking, social, and reasoning skills, said Johnson.

"It's a course designed to drill university studies and objectives into your mind, to help broaden your horizon." said Johnson.

"My point is that when you attended GS101, you were a freshman -- a time when you were full of uncertainty and dread and excitement," she said. "Now look how well things turned out."

Concluding, Johnson added: "When you leave here today, you'll be freshmen again, in another sort of way. Just remember what you learned in GS101 and take confidence in knowing how well things are going to turn out."