Wayland degree fulfills dying woman's dream
___By Teresa Young
___Wayland Baptist University
___PLAINVIEW--Donetta Stewart's one major dream while enduring chemotherapy and cancer treatment was to receive her college degree.
___On a Saturday in September, that dream came true when Wayland Baptist University presented a bachelor of business administration degree to Stewart, a 23-year-old student at
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DONETTA STEWART receives her diploma from Mark Murdock, while her husband, Larry, stands by.
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the Plainview campus, in a special ceremony just one day before she lost her battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
___During the brief ceremony, nearly 65 friends, church members and former teammates gathered to witness Stewart's graduation. Wayland President Paul Armes called Stewart and her husband, Larry, "examples of everything that is good about Wayland."
___A survivor of lymphoma while a young child, Stewart was diagnosed with leukemia in the spring of 2000. She underwent chemotherapy that took a toll on her physical strength. She also considered other treatments, including a bone marrow transplant, but odds of success were low and a suitable donor could not be found.
___Carrying a portable morphine pump, Stewart had enrolled for 13 hours this fall semester to complete the 10 hours she lacked toward her degree.
___Fellow Wayland student Daniel Almsted approached Armes about the possibility of awarding the degree early in light of Stewart's special circumstances.
___Armes and other administrators received the idea enthusiastically. "One of the neat things about Wayland is that we're willing to be creative when it comes to special situations," Armes explained.
___Trustee Chairman Mark Murdock approved the action and offered to be present to confer the degree the way he normally would do at a regular commencement ceremony.
___Officially, Stewart's transcript will reflect hours credited for "life experience," a common practice with the university's bachelor of science in occupational education degree, primarily awarded at Wayland's 11 external campuses.
___"This is our acknowledgment that not only is she an excellent student but she is very deserving of this honor," Armes said. Stewart had maintained a 4.0 grade point average in her last three semesters, despite undergoing rigorous treatments.
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