A Glad Grad
Above: Helen Fink with diploma
and a congratulatory bouquet.
Right: Recent grad Helen Fink
with classmate Carol Herigan.
larly intimidating, she said, because
she had to learn how to study again,
and the philosophy of art class stressed
her out.
he second time Helen Fink
Fink, an Oak Park resident, needed
tried college, a note was
32 credit hours to earn a bachelor of
appended to a less-than-
fine arts degree, and she went to
Now you're a fiber artist instead of a
glowing transcript: "Not to
1948 because she really had no idea
school year-round, determined to
[seamstress]," Fink laughed.
be readmitted without parents' per-
what she wanted to do with a degree.
graduate in 1998. By the time she did,
Three of the women in the club
In 1965, she went back and ended up
mission."
her GPA was up to 3.0.
had enrolled in a fiber dyeing class at
Over 30 years later, Fink returned,
with a 1.2 grade point average. That's
Fink didn't let graduation stop her.
Wayne in 1995 and needed a fourth.
without permission, and made the
when the school added the caveat to
This summer, she is enrolled in an
They asked Fink.
dean's list three times in a row.
her transcript. Fink heeded the mes-
intensive landscape painting class at
"The next thing I knew, I was
"Sometimes you grow up. You also
sage, leaving with nearly three years
Wayne,
which gets her out to nice
back in school again," she said. The
intimidate the teachers at my age,"
under her belt.
parks
six
hours each week.
only thing was, Fink had to repeat
In the intervening years, Fink and
Fink laughed.
She's
also
working part-time inter-
her junior year with basic art classes
Last month, she donned a mortar
her late husband, David, had five chil-
viewing
people
for the biostatistical
— figure drawing and art history,
board and robe and joined 4,000
dren and worked together in his busi-
department at Henry Ford Hospital, a
among them — before the art
other graduates of Wayne State Uni-
ness. For the year following his death
job she did when her children were
department would admit her as a
versity in a ceremony at Cobo Hall.
in 1992, she continued working as a
young.
degree student.
Her family got there early enough to
manufacturer's rep and joined a group
Fink said she doesn't know if she'll
"I
was
accepted
into
the
art
depart-
occupy 15 seats in the front row.
called the Creative Sewing Club,
pursue
a master's degree. She's just
ment and was shocked to find out I
Befitting an art school grad, Fink, 67,
which united women from 20 to 90
having
fun.
had to take drawing. I could never
decorated her cap with feathers. It
who were drawn by their mutual love
"When I went back [to school], it
draw stick figures! The first class was
won a second-place prize from the art
of stitchery. She had found a well-
was a lark. I never finished before, so
hysterical. Sixteen out of 20 students
spring of emotional support and an
department.
why would I finish this time?
were there on art scholarships. I
"I walked in the room, and right
outlet for her creative energy.
"When I decided to go, I happened
learned to draw — not good — and I
above my head was my family. Let me
During those same years, a "closet"
to
go
the cemetery to visit my folks.
was running into interesting situa-
tell you, it was all I needed. I was so
craft that a lot of women practiced 40
When
I said I was going back to
tions. I took a design class and the
high. I was dancing in the aisles, hug-
years ago — sewing — had been ele-
school
for an art degree, I expected
ging and kissing everyone," she report- vated to an art and she had become an teacher had gone to camp with Marcia skeletons to come up and say, 'You'll
(Fink's daughter)."
ed.
"artist."
never make a living,' she laughed.
The art history classes were particu-
Fink dropped out of Wayne in
"Sewing had changed drastically.
JULIE EDGAR
News Editor
T
Helen Fink
has a new alma mater.
❑
6 /5
1998
57