A nontraditional student has been chosen to uphold the traditional roll of standard-bearer for the School of Journalism and Communication at graduation. Chris Boyd, 45, will carry a banner in both the main graduation ceremony and at the school’s commencement, where he will lead the procession of graduates.
“I was taken by surprise,” Boyd said. “I got really emotional. Things like that just don’t happen to me.”
Boyd, who manages the main floor of the University Bookstore, received the news at work, hand delivered by Greg Kerber, assistant dean for student services in the journalism school.
“Chris is being recognized for his devotion and the time he’s put into achieving his Bachelor of Science degree, which has been his objective for a long time,” Kerber said. “He’s become an excellent documentarian in the process.”
“I’m really excited to finish my 10 years as a student with this honor,” Boyd said. “It really makes it feel special.”
Boyd, who grew up on a Blackfeet reservation in Montana, moved to Eugene in 1992. A few years later at age 34, he decided to go back to school to earn his Bachelor of Science degree in journalism with an emphasis in electronic media.
“When I worked for the University of Montana, I produced a training film to help train employees in food service, and it made me interested in producing film,” Boyd said.
As an older nontraditional student, Boyd said he faced many challenges along his 10-year journey. One of the biggest, Boyd said, was financial. He has worked at the bookstore for the past nine years, while taking one or two classes when he could afford to go.
Another challenge was dealing with the age gap. This became apparent in Writing 121.
“I remember walking in, and all of the students were freshmen right out of high school,” Boyd said. “I remember feeling old, and looking around and going ‘Gosh, I’m old enough to be these students’ parents.’”
When Boyd found himself questioning whether he was on the right path, he remembered his mother’s accomplishment of returning to school in her 40s, while raising three teenagers on her own.
“When I would think of her, and what she had to do, my situation was nowhere near that. It made my situation look silly,” Boyd said. “I really couldn’t complain or get down on myself. So, I continued to plug along and work on my classes.”
Dan Miller, an assistant professor in electronic media, describes Boyd as an intelligent and creative student, a great peer mentor and a person who is well-liked by everyone who meets him.
“Chris was one of the best students I ever had. He’s a responsible and collaborative student. A great researcher and documentary filmmaker and has distinguished himself in the class,” Miller said. “Chris is a gentleman, a scholar and one of the most talented individuals that I’ve had the honor to know.”
After Miller’s TV Documentary Production class, Boyd and a fellow student continued to work on their documentary, “My Sacred Home: Many Nations Longhouse, and the University of Oregon,” which aired on OPB last November. It was a 10-week assignment that turned into a project that lasted for more than a year.
“It was a testament to dedication,” Boyd said.
Boyd finished his classes winter term 2006 and recently received his diploma in the mail. When he opened his mail, he said, it hit him that his long journey had finally ended.
“My arms immediately got goose bumps. I got emotional. I was just looking at it, staring,” Boyd said. “This was my diploma. I’m done.”
In fact, Boyd stared at his diploma so long that when he left the mail center and returned to his car, he found a parking ticket. “I wasn’t even mad,” Boyd said. “That was a small price to pay for getting my diploma.”