I went in a frightened girl and came out a strong woman.

Alexis Vazquez Dedelow is an attorney with the law firm of Bosch & Banasiak in Hammond and majority owner/CEO of Hammond radio station WJOB. She graduated from Purdue Calumet with highest distinction in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.

(Reprinted with permission from 9/22/06 editions of the Calumet Press)

Twenty-some years ago, I walked across the stage of Bishop Noll Institute and received my high school diploma.

It should have been a happy occasion for my family. Instead, my parents were upset. At the wise age of 18, I had decided to decline my admission to Purdue University at West Lafayette and not take advantage of a couple of academic scholarships.

My choice was to get married and start a family.

Many friends, teachers, counselors and family tried to talk me out of marrying at such a young age, but try telling a stubborn, know-it-all teenager anything.

That could have been the end of my college career. But after struggling as a waitress and a bartender to make ends meet, I realized that only an education would improve things for my family and me.

That's where Purdue Cal came into play. By the time I started college at Purdue Calumet, I was a divorced mother working full-time, with a son to raise. Purdue Calumet was simply my chance for a better life.

Like a lot of others, I came to understand how fortunate I was to be able to get a good college education close to home.

As a non-traditional student, it took a while to get through my undergrad. And there were plenty in the same situation, clawing our way through college, raising families, and working full-time. It's us non-traditional students at Purdue Calumet who can most appreciate what the university has to offer - a chance for a better future.

During my rather long stint at Purdue Calumet, I remarried, gave birth during mid-terms and graduated expecting my third child. Purdue Calumet not only educated me - it also "enlightened" me. It gave me the tools to want more and expect more.

I went in a frightened girl and came out a strong woman.

Even while in law school, I would always go back to my comfort zone - Purdue Calumet, where I would spend endless hours studying in the cafeteria or the library. I'd look around at the students and wonder if they would one day look back and realize just what Purdue Calumet had done for them.

As Purdue University Calumet celebrates its 60th anniversary, I am honored to have been part of that tradition.

Congratulations, Purdue (Calumet), on a job well done.

Alexis Vazquez Dedelow is an attorney with the law firm of Bosch & Banasiak in Hammond and majority owner/CEO of Hammond radio station WJOB. She graduated from Purdue Calumet with highest distinction in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you, too, are a proud Purdue Calumet graduate, we'd like to hear from you. E-mail us for publication consideration here on the Purdue Calumet web site your story of how the Purdue degree you earned at Purdue Calumet has been a springboard to your success. E-mail us at: univrel@calumet.purdue.edu Relate recollections and anecdotes that made your Purdue Calumet experience special, memorable and beneficial. Also, be sure to include your year of graduation and the degree you earned. Please, limit your story to 400 words. We'll publish the best stories.