Evening Standard (London): I went to college with my mother

Imagine enrolling at university to find that your parents have, too.

As the number of mature students continues to grow, Sarah Richardson talks to three families who have made university a family affair

WHEN Jahan Cedenio started his Kingston University course in September 2004, at least there was one fellow fresher who knew how to put him at ease. While the 20-year-old was enrolling for his media and cultural studies degree, his mother, Pandora, was busy signing up for similar studies of her own in criminology with media and cultural studies. Jahan, who still lives with his family in Epsom, says he's "very comfortable" with his mother studying at the same university as him - but it was a bit of a shock finding out.

"I knew Mum was considering going back to college but I didn't discover she was going to Kingston until after I'd applied," he recalls. "I remember I was walking down the high street with my girlfriend and I asked her if she wanted to come to the induction session with me.

Suddenly my Mum chirped up: 'I'll come.

Oh, didn't I mention I've applied, too?' And that was the first I heard of it."

Jahan is used to seeing his mother around the campus and admits there are lots of advantages. "It's handy if I need a lift to or from university, or need some money," he smiles. "In fact having my Mum in lectures was more of a problem for other students than it was for me. At first a couple of students asked me who that mature student was they'd seen me with and when I said it was my Mum, I loved the look on their faces. I also quite enjoy living at home; it's much cheaper than halls."

A former psychiatric nurse, Pandora, 49, had been thinking about returning to education for some time.

"Apart from a refresher course for my nursing training about 15 years ago, I'd also looked at social science courses and became interested in the criminal justice system and public order issues," she says.

"Jahan is my youngest child and when he was starting to apply for universities I thought that nobody needed me anymore," she adds with a smile.

"I had been thinking about going back to school for a while and had looked at universities in London. But Kingston is just down the road for us - a short bus journey away - Jahan has been quick to help his mother as she contends with the complexities of using a computer.

"He gives me some pointers on using the internet and more complicated programmes, and it's great to have him on hand if I have any questions," Pandora admits. "In the first term we both attended the same media lectures, but while it was a new subject for me, Jahan has already done media studies A-level.

"If Jahan ever needs any advice or guidance, I'll always be there for him as well. But he hasn't so far. We occasionally sit next to each other in the library but really we lead separate lives."

While Jahan is a fulltime student, Pandora studies part-time just one-andahalf days a week, although she hopes to go fulltime in the next year or so.

The Cedenio family also has another affiliation with Kingston. Pandora's daughter, Javaria, 21, is an adult nursing student at the University's Faculty of Heath and Social Care Sciences and has only just moved out of home into her own place.

"Javaria is based at the other campus so we only really saw her in the evenings," says Pandora. "But if I needed a book from the library up there I asked her to pick it up for me!"

When Christine Fitzgerald and her daughter Michelle Kirby successfully completed their BSc (Hons) sports science degrees at the University of East London (UEL) last summer they had both enjoyed a busy and eventful three years.

Christine, 42, and Michelle, 22, had both worked part-time, as well as welcoming a new addition to the family - Michelle's daughter Elizabeth was born in 2002.

Christine, who lives in Dagenham, left school to go to work at 16. She worked fulltime in customer services for BT while bringing up her two daughters, Michelle and Donna, and became interested in health and fitness through her involvement in the girls' swimming club.

In 2001, she left her job and enrolled on the sports science degree programme at UEL.

During her studies, Christine worked part-time as swimming instructor at both Barking and Dagenham pools, was head coach at Dagenham Swimming Club and a science technician at Mayfield School. She also co-ordinated the Walk your Way to Health initiative run by the London Borough of Barking Dagenham to encourage healthier lifestyles, as well as teaching women-only swimming classes for the borough's sports development unit.

"Doing this degree has helped give me the drive, confidence and self-belief to achieve my goals," she says. "At first it was a shock to the system going back to university having been out of education for so long, but the tutors a classmates at UEL were very helpful and supportive.

I WAS worried that I w than everyone else, bu discover a mixture of ages and background interesting as we all h to share. It was great same class as Michelle and be a grandmother."

On graduating with a 2:1, accepted into the Metropol service and is working par neighbourhoods team in N Eventually she would like to work in child protection.

Michelle, who lives with her husband John and baby Elizabeth in Brentwood, was also accepted into the police after doing well in her Alevels but unfortunately she contracted glandular fever and it took her several months to fully recover.

"It was while I was laid up in bed that I decided to do the sports science degree instead," she says, "and I persuaded my Mum to join me."

"John and I weren't planning to start a family while I was studying but when I found out I was expecting Elizabeth, the college and our families were incredibly accommodating and helpful.

"I went to see my tutor and they allowed me to fit some of my assignments around her birth. Although it's been a lot of hard work looking after the baby as well as completing my coursework and dissertation, everyone has been really supportive - especially my Mum and husband."

Michelle graduated with a 2:2, while also working part-time as a swimming instructor at Dagenham swimming pool and at UEL sports centre, and is now training to be teacher.

She completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at UEL in June and now has a job in a secondary school in Dagenham.

"It's fantastic that Mum and I got our degrees together," she says. "Now I'm looking forward to a career in teaching."

'It was fantastic being taught by dad because we're so similar'

CITY solicitor Gemma Cullis, 32, has only praise and fond memories of one of her tutors on her Masters course at Queen Mary, University of London. After graduating with a 2:2 in psychology from the University of Southampton, she was accepted to take an MSc in management of intellectual property and a certificate in intellectual property law from Queen Mary, where her father, Roger, was a lecturer.

"Actually it was fantastic being taught by him because we're very similar," she says.

"He explained things to me in the way I would have explained them if I'd already known them."

As well as being a visiting lecturer at Queen Mary, Roger, 67, was also working as a chartered patent attorney and researching his PhD in law and technology for a thesis entitled Technological Roulette - a multidisciplinary study of the dynamics of innovation.

"Dad had hoped we would graduate together but in fact it took him longer to complete than he thought because he was ill with cancer and was only studying part-time," says Gemma. "He was finally awarded it earlier this year."

In the meantime, Gemma pressed on with her own studies. After her Masters she gained a Diploma in Law at City University and then a Legal Practice Certificate from the College of Law in Store Street.

"I was certainly inspired by my father, which is probably one of the reasons I chose Queen Mary," she says. "I had a holiday job working for him and I grew up wanting to be a trademark agent because I thought it was so interesting. My mother says I was brainwashed."

Gemma's work with City firm Reynolds Porter Chamberlain covers intellectual property, so her childhood interest is very similar to her current career.

Meanwhile, Roger continues to lecture at the Queen Mary in commercial law studies, work part-time and is a fellow of the Institute of Physics and of the Institute of Electrical Engineers. "Gemma was just one of the students in my class of 30," he smiles. "In fact, the only difference was that when the course tutors met to moderate her exam results I left the room.

"While I'm sure I did influence and encourage her interest in patent law, Queen Mary is a leading world centre in this area and so it was it great place for her to study."