Bonafide

It's official. I'm now a university graduate. I know it. BYU knows it. And now the rest of the world can now it, too.

Before I had only pretended to graduate. I finished all of my coursework in August 2005 and I walked in the big ceremony and had my name read and shook hands and had my picture taken.

My graduation plaque from 2005

I had even applied to a few grad schools. Even though I was never "declined," my application was never accepted, either. At the University of Western Ontario, I couldn't pay my application fee because they only take money order, cash (in Canadian), or a check (in Canadian funds). For some reason I could not get any of those and every bank I went to down here turned me down...apparently American banks don't keep a stash foreign currencies. Who knew?

My situation at Clarion University is even stranger. I completed my application and sent it in. They sent it back completely unopened explaining that their program was full and how I was welcome to apply to get on the list for their upcoming year. I followed their instructions. Again, my application was returned unopened. I called the number they sent in my denial letter and asked about what happened. The lady I talked to said to write a letter explaining that I had talked to her, to send in my application again, and that I should be put on "the list."

Alas, my application came back to me again. Untouched. I was a little miffed because I did graduate magna cum laude, after all. Shouldn't they at least be a little interested in me? Apparently not.

So, I decided to stick around here and wait for Andrew to come home. I took Italian and a few other classes just for fun, as well as completed an internship that I loathed... When he came home we hit it off, and ended up married.

I guess all the struggles I had trying to get into grad school were to convince me to stay here and wait around.

And so, after I was married I continued taking a class every semester, delaying graduation over and over again.

This confused BYU to no end. I applied for graduation finally and officially for this April using my married name. Somehow I ended up in the program three times: twice with my maiden name and once with my married name.

I thought that for sure they would put my married name on my diploma since I applied for April 2007 under the name "Nancy Heiss."

Well, my diploma came in the mail the other day. It says "Nancy Layton." I'm still waiting to see if I get 2 more diplomas for the other Nancy Layton and Nancy Heiss that graduated along with me.

Holding my diploma from 2007 and tassel from 2005