PHOTO BY john kish iv
Laura Queen was the mom of 3-year-old Rhiannon when she graduated with her B.A. in psychology.
Today Rhiannon is a 20-year-old sophomore at Gwynned Mercy College, who grew up surrounded by books and papers and a mom who immersed herself and her daughter in academe. “I would put her on the floor in a library conference room, on a blanket with her toys, and run to make copies or get books for my research,” recalls Queen of the days before laptops and the Internet. “She would ask me in the morning, ‘Mommy, are we going to school today?’ She has only ever known me as a student, and has always been a part of my academic life.” A couple years after Queen graduated, that marriage dissolved, but by then she was back in working-student mode, determined to move further in her career than she had originally dreamed — on a somewhat different path — and happily remarried and with two stepchildren. Queen didn’t stop with her bachelor’s degree. From Moravian, she went on to earn her master’s degree in HR administration from West Chester University, and is just weeks away from defending her dissertation for her Ed.D. in human and organization learning from The George Washington University. “I always have tried to make learning fun,” says Queen. “It’s about integrating your learning into life, and seeing every aspect of the world as an opportunity to learn something new. Shed the notion that education is something done to you … invite learning as an aspect of your existence that is inspiring, and share it with others.” One of the newest alumni to join Moravian’s Leadership Council, Queen anticipates how membership will allow her to work directly with students. Through the externship program,
SPRING 2013
Laura Queen ’96
for example, she will host students for day-long experiences through which they will learn about her job responsibilities and work environment. “Alumni go out into the world and bring back knowledge and experiences to help provide for others. This alumni stewardship is so important,” says Queen. “Laura will be an asset to the Leadership Council because she has a genuine interest in helping others and a sense of gratitude and pride for her experience at Moravian,” says Julia Gasdaska ’07, assistant director of leadership giving and liaison to the council. “Laura is a great role model because she has made education a priority in her life; she is especially inspiring to those of us who are worried about following a preconceived traditional path to success. Her advice is ‘follow your heart,’ which shows she understands there is not one specific plan that works for everyone,” adds Gasdaska. “Laura is proof that when it comes to pursuing an education, there isn’t just one window of opportunity, there can be many, at different times in our lives, if we challenge ourselves to pursue them.” Queen calls Moravian the most formative of her multiple academic experiences and her touchstone, and she is proud to contribute to the common relationship that has been created for current students by those who have gone before. “Moravian is like a family,” says Queen. “Its intimacy transcends the sticker on the back of your car, and the common story between Moravian grads transcends time.” W
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