(Cranberry Township, PA) An Allegheny County native who wore a pleated wool skirt to her Catholic high school in the year a band named the Beatles debuted on The Ed Sullivan Show will become the most-senior female graduate in Butler County Community College history May 18 when she crosses an outdoor stage – and with a 4.0 grade-point average.
Margaret Shutak, 75, of Cranberry Township, will receive an associate degree in psychology during BC3’s 54th commencement and join the college’s approximately 25,500 alumni.
“I don’t know what that is going to be like,” Shutak said. “The last graduation I was in was in 1964.”
That was at St. Joseph High School in Natrona Heights, where she wore a white blouse and blue blazer and earned a diploma.
Shutak completed requirements for her associate degree from BC3 in December.
“In my mind, I’m not 75,” Shutak said. “I didn’t feel that way in any class.”
Shutak will be among at least 503 graduates in BC3’s Class of 2022. She will graduate summa cum laude, a distinction for those with a grade-point average of 3.75 to 4.0, and as a member of Phi Theta Kappa, an international academic honor society for two-year colleges and programs.
“In my mind, I’m not 75. I didn’t feel that way in any class.”
BC3’s second consecutive outdoor walk-thru commencement begins at 1 p.m.
It will feature a series of mini-ceremonies of five successive groups of graduates divided among BC3’s academic divisions. Graduates and their guests will be seated in an area in front of the college’s Heaton Family Learning Commons.
“It’s definitely impressive”
Audrey L. Wilson, of Cranberry Township, was BC3’s most-senior graduate when she received an associate degree in graphic design at 74 on May 15, 2012.
William “Don” Thomas, of Saxonburg, passed Wilson when he received an associate degree in history at 80 on May 16, 2018.
“Ms. Shutak proves that there is no age limit on learning and success,” said Elizabeth A. Bolden, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges. “For Pennsylvanians, it’s always a good time to learn a skill, transform their lives or pursue a passion, thanks in part to community colleges here in the commonwealth.”
Administrators at Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges institutions as of May 9 reported spring 2022 graduation applicants as ranging in age as senior as 62 to 82.
One in five graduates in BC3’s Class of 2022 is 30 or older.
“Ms. Shutak proves that there is no age limit on learning and success.”
Shutak transferred several credits from Duquesne University to BC3 when she enrolled at the college at age 68 in 2015.
“You don’t hear much about people at that point going back to college to get an education,” said Joseph Hamilton, of Greenville, who will earn an associate degree in computer information systems-networking and cybersecurity and become the youngest graduate in BC3’s Class of 2022 at 18.
“It’s definitely impressive. Even if you are not going to college, you are always learning. How you choose to do that, whether that’s going to college or just living your life, more power to you.”
Shutak did both.
“She comes to everything”
She taught catechism and volunteered at a school library. She scheduled courses held at BC3 @ Cranberry in Cranberry Township and on BC3’s main campus in Butler Township to assure she could attend her grandsons’ football and lacrosse games, and swim meets.
“She comes to everything,” said grandson Leo Saver, 17. “She would never miss a single game of mine.”
“She always stressed about her homework,” said grandson Henry Saver, 15. “But no matter what, she would always make time to come to our games.”
Shutak’s family came first, said Lauren Buchanan, former director of BC3 @ Cranberry.
“Each semester we would sit down and pick what would work best for her,” Buchanan said, “because in addition to taking these classes, she is also a very active person with her grandkids.”
“Maybe four games a week to go to,” Shutak said. “Besides that, taking care of my house, making dinner, all the things that people do. That’s what I was doing besides studying and going to school.”
And earning an A in every class.
“I hadn’t done algebra in 50 years,” Shutak said. “Those teachers were good at helping me when I needed some help.”
“We’ll cheer for her”
Shutak on May 18 will wear a gold stole signifying her membership in Rho Phi, BC3’s chapter of the international academic honor society, as she crosses an outdoor stage in front of Joseph, her husband of 55 years and a Vietnam War veteran.
“The whole family is proud of her,” Joseph said. “We have a study with a door on it. I would just let her study.”
She will cross the outdoor stage also in front of Leo and Henry, for whom she cheered at Mars Area High sporting events.
“We’ll cheer for her at commencement,” Henry said.
“Just seeing my grandma, someone that age who just loves school that much, makes me just want to try and do better in school,” Leo said.
Shutak said she may pursue a bachelor’s degree in psychology through BC3’s bachelor’s degree-completion partnership with La Roche University.
Or she may not.
“Right now,” she said, “I am trying to enjoy my grandsons before they graduate and go off to college.”
