Student finds life's work, after 28 years of searching

YouNewsTV™

Story Published: Jun 7, 2007 at 4:24 PM PDT

By Andy Peterson

Video

Four years of college are enough for most people, but one Eugene woman will graduate on Sunday, nearly three decades after first heading off to school.

There are 50 graduates in this year's Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at Oregon State, and probably 50 different stories.

"There are many students that always wanted to be a vet; they go through undergraduate, they apply right away," says OSU Associate Dean Dr. Susan Tornquist. "But there are many people that also give it some thought, try out something else, and come to us a little later."

Or a lot later, like in the case of Linda Davies. Linda's college career began in 1979, here at the University of Oregon, as an undergrad majoring in Biology. It ends on Sunday, after nearly 28 years.

"I guess I'm just a life-long learner," Davies says. "I just like the challenge, you know, I like being able to learn new things and to kind of put myself out there. And now I get to like being called Doctor."

Davies earned her biology degree in 1983, then a teaching certificate, and taught in Eugene schools for years. She took a break mid-way to earn a UO law degree in 1997, but she soon decided that law wasn't for her. So she returned to teaching, before entering OSU, and Veterinary Medicine, in 2003.

She says that she almost took the last route first, but at the time, women weren't often getting into the business.

"I sort of got talked out of it in some sense," she says, "and I guess I'm glad in a way, because I feel like I'm a better student now, and I'm better suited for this position given the things I've been through prior to this, than I would've been 20 years ago."

It seems that, at long last, this teacher-turned-lawyer-turned doctor has finally found her life's work.

"What don't I love?" she asks. "It's an awesome job to have."

In her spare time, davies is also an author. she tells us she's almost done writing her third book, in a trilogy of science-fiction novels.

Current Weather

Current Temp 64 °F

Mostly Cloudy

Video

More Weather

Current Weather

More Weather

YouNews

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.