Lajes members earn degrees, encourage others

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Angelique N. Smythe and Staff Sgt. Erica Horner
  • 65th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
LAJES FIELD, Azores --  Today, 76 Lajes Airmen graduated with their Community College of the Air Force degrees. Seven will receive other associate's degrees, six have completed their bachelor's degrees, and six more have earned their master's degrees.

One graduate, Maj. Randall Schmedthorst, 65th Air Base Wing safety, earned a master's degree in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma.

"It's awesome," he said. "It's something that's been hanging over me pretty much the whole time I've been in the military. Now I've finally got it done, which gives me a massive sense of accomplishment."

Schmedthorst said a human relations degree wasn't his first choice when he sought out a master's degree several years ago. After commissioning into the Air Force with a bachelor's degree and completing pilot training, he began working on a History of Airpower master's degree with the American Military University.

"It was something I was interested in," he said. "It had history, and it had flying -- a great combination, but the books were 500 to 600 pages long. After about the third or fourth class, it kind of fizzled off and I never got around to finishing it."

Even though he tends to procrastinate, Schmedthorst said he believes prioritizing is very important in order to accomplish goals. At the time, however, his priorities were flying F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft as well as being a husband and a father.

"I let those priorities take over getting the degree done," he said.

Upon arriving to Lajes, completing his degree was placed back on top of his list as he considered the greater chances of promotion with a master's degree.

"I think the kids are just about as excited as I am (about completing the degree) because I actually have time for them now," he said. "Before, I'd come home, I'd have to study, I'd need to do this or do that. Now, I come home and say, 'Hey, what do you want to do?'"

Schmedthorst encourages everyone to make that conscious decision to complete their degrees now while Uncle Sam is paying the cost.

"You're never going to be less busy than you are now," he said. "You're always going to be busier at each assignment you go through, and as you get higher in rank, you'll get more responsibility. It's just a matter of sitting down and saying, 'I'm going to do this.'"

"The more education you get, the more marketable you are," he said. "You should always be growing. Challenge yourself to grow; don't allow yourself to become stagnant."

Another graduate, Romina Newman, a military spouse and academic advisor for a university here at Lajes, also encourages graduates to continue their educational journey.

Newman, wife of Capt. Walter Newman, 65th Logistics Readiness Squadron, was born in Lima, Peru, and attended the Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas (University of Applied Sciences) there for two years.

After moving to the U.S., she attended West Virginia University. Upon graduating, she moved with her husband to Clovis, N.M., but found no fashion design industry for the degree which she'd earned.

She then pursued a master's degree in Sales and Marketing from CEU Business School of Madrid jointly with Instituto Europeo de Posgrado (European Institute of Graduate Studies).

"This degree certainly helped here since part of my job is being the marketing representative for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University," said Newman. "I am also the academic advisor for all ERAU students at Lajes. I really enjoy my job because I am a firm believer that having an education is fundamental."

Newman said education has opened many doors for her, and she finds her job as an academic advisor to be very rewarding.

"The sense of accomplishment a student feels when they get their diploma is amazing, and it is an honor to be a part of that," she said.

Newman said active duty students are an example because they usually work long hours and various shifts. Many of them have families as well as other responsibilities, yet they still manage to complete their school work and take full advantage of the educational benefits.

Newman said it's important for military spouses to have higher education as well.
"Being a military spouse is not easy in the professional aspect," she said. "Lots of us leave our careers aside to support our husbands or wives. Having a good education has helped me get various jobs while moving around. I see it as an opportunity to explore different industries and make my professional experience wider."