Friday is graduation day for more than 1,800 students at Utah Valley State College. Some have come a long way with the love and support of family, others are off to get more education.

This will also be the first graduation of students who have received a four-year degree on the Wasatch campus of UVSC. Twenty-one students from the campus will graduate with bachelor's degrees in elementary education.

Frankie Jensen, 56, has been working on her bachelor's degree at the Orem campus since 1997. She went to school to learn more about computers. She's leaving with a bachelor's degree in paralegal studies, but she says the most exciting part of her graduation will be seeing her two children -- Jacob Jensen, 26, and Vicki Peterson, 34, -- get their bachelor's degrees at the same time.

"I think it's great. She's worked so hard at it. She's inspired me to finish my degree," said Jacob, who will have a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. Vicki will get a bachelor's degree in accounting.

All their degrees are coming from the school of business, so they'll be at the same graduation ceremony. Vicki said she waited an extra semester to graduate, so she could graduate with the other two. She's a single mom with two kids, ages 10 and 13. She said her mother has helped her stay in school.

"She just keeps plugging away at it. It has just been a real inspiration. It's worth it, even if it takes a long time," Vicki said.

Frankie said having her children at school with her has pushed her. There were times when she wanted to quit, but thought that if she quit the other two would find an excuse to quit. But now she has shown her kids that they can get a degree, no matter how late they start.

"Even though it takes 10, 20 years, it can be done," Frankie said.

She hasn't quite decided what to do next. She will probably stay at UVSC, where she works full time as a secretary.

"It's such a shock to actually get finished," she said.

Another family will end its UVSC career on Friday.

Judd Fitzgerald, 25, and his wife, Haley, 22, will graduate together. Judd has always wanted to be a doctor, and now he is one step closer, with a bachelor's degree in biology. Haley's degree will be in behavioral science.

In the fall Judd will start medical school at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Judd has been a student senator for the School of Science and Health. With that he's been able to represent student viewpoints on committees, and he has been able to lobby for the school at the state capitol in Salt Lake City and nation's capitol in Washington, D.C.

J.P. Spagnolo, coordinator of the student senate, said Judd is cheerful and dedicated, but also social.

"It's amazing to see a person that's that well-rounded," Spagnolo said.

In addition to the graduating students, UVSC will award four honorary doctoral degrees. One to Jeff Alexander, a Provo businessman and former majority leader for the Utah House of Representatives; one to Melanie Bastian, former member of the UVSC board of trustees; and one each to philanthropists Mary Lou and Ira Fulton.

Brittani Lusk can be reached at 344-2549 or at blusk@heraldextra.com.

Graduation statistics from Utah Valley State College:

The school is awarding 936 bachelor's degrees, 872 associate degrees and 12 certificates and diplomas for spring graduation.

In the past year, the college has awarded 3,527 degrees, but some students could have received more than one degree.

Of the 3,527:

1,500 were awarded to women

1,873 were awarded to men

Also:

58 were awarded to people of Asian descent

104 were awarded to people of Hispanic or Latino descent

13 were awarded to African Americans or people of African descent

29 were awarded to American Indians or Alaskan Natives

16 were awarded to Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page C1.