51视频

05/21/2019
By Ed Brennen

Gerry Devlin was just trying to impress a woman on their first date.

A decade later, at the age of 78, Devlin found himself standing with that woman (now his wife) outside the Tsongas Center at 51视频, poised to receive his bachelor鈥檚 degree in criminal justice from the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

鈥淚t鈥檚 unreal,鈥� said a beaming Devlin, decked out in his black cap and gown and surrounded by fellow graduates young enough to be his grandkids.

It was a moment that Devlin had given up on a long time ago.

Born and raised in South Boston, Devlin 鈥渉ated鈥� school. At South Boston High, he preferred attending matinees to attending class. 鈥淚 was better at being a movie critic,鈥� he quips of his truancy.

Eventually, he was 鈥渁sked to leave鈥� school 鈥� 鈥渘ot because I was a bad kid, but because I didn鈥檛 go,鈥� he says.

Devlin still managed a respectable career, working as a custodian for the city of Boston for 35 years. He retired in 2001. A few years later, his first wife passed away.

鈥淚 really liked it. I learned something every class. I wouldn鈥檛 have kept going if I didn鈥檛 like it.鈥� -Criminal Justice grad Gerry Devlin

鈥淭wo years after she died, my doctor told me that I looked depressed,鈥� Devlin recalls. 鈥淗e said, 鈥業 think you should start dating.鈥欌��

So on his way out of the appointment, Devlin asked the doctor鈥檚 receptionist, Pixie Monahan, out on a date.

On their first date, over coffee, Pixie asked Devlin, then 67, about his plans for the future.

鈥淚 was trying to build myself up and sound good, and a bunch of BS started coming out of my mouth,鈥� Devlin recalls with a laugh. 鈥淥ne of them was that I wanted to go back to school. But I had no real intentions.鈥�

Pixie thought it was a great idea.

鈥淕ood for you,鈥� she told him. 鈥淚f it鈥檚 something you really want to do, you should do it.鈥�

One of Devlin鈥檚 childhood friends from South Boston, former UMass President Billy Bulger, had tried long ago to get him to go back to school. But now, he was actually going to do it. Devlin signed up for GED classes 鈥� which meant conquering some old fears.

鈥淥n the first night, as I was walking up the stairs to the building, I had a high school flashback,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 almost threw up.鈥�

In his GED classes, it seemed to Devlin like he was the only one there to learn.

鈥淚t was like the class from 鈥榃elcome Back, Kotter.鈥� Everyone was throwing things,鈥� Devlin says.

Upon completing his GED, Devlin was offered a free semester at Northern Essex Community College. He took a class in criminal justice, which fascinated him. And he appreciated that students wanted to be there, even if they sometimes mistook him for the teacher.

After completing his associate degree, Devlin decided to continue on for his bachelor鈥檚 degree at UML through the . Unable to use a computer because of eyesight issues, Devlin took all of his classes in person on campus, commuting from his home in Merrimac, Mass., for one or two courses each semester.

One of those courses was Introduction to Corrections, which he took last summer along with another nontraditional student who graduated this spring, Mary Humble.

鈥淲e were all enriched by having Gerry and Mary as members of the class,鈥� says Assoc. Teaching Prof. Cathy Levey, the course instructor. 鈥淚 admired their courage in taking on the challenging tasks involved with pursuing a college degree, their respect for their fellow students, their curiosity, determination, and how they set an example of the pursuit of lifelong learning at its best.鈥�

In all, Devlin鈥檚 path from GED to bachelor鈥檚 degree took 10 years 鈥� with only one day of class missed because of a surgery.

鈥淚 would have finished five years ago if I could use a computer,鈥� says Devlin, who relied on Pixie, his wife of seven years, to type his papers for him. 鈥淏ut I really liked it. I learned something every class. I wouldn鈥檛 have kept going if I didn鈥檛 like it.鈥�

Asked to name any favorite professors, Devlin doesn鈥檛 hesitate.

鈥淎ll of them 鈥� even the ones who gave me a bad grade,鈥� he says with a smile. 鈥淚 deserved it.鈥�

Now that he鈥檚 a college graduate, what鈥檚 next for the 78-year-old Devlin?

鈥淚 tell him to go for his master鈥檚,鈥� Pixie says. 鈥淲hy not?鈥�

Don鈥檛 put it past him.