University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

Published: May 15, 2003

By DONNA LONGENECKER
Reporter Assistant Editor

This commencement season is turning into a family affair for the Callocchia family of Williamsville and the Stone family of North Tonawanda.

The Callocchia family graduates: (from left) Patrick (Law School), Thomas (Williamsville South High School), Karen (Millard Fillmore College) and Frank (School of Management).

Karen Callocchia and two of her sons donned caps and gowns in commencement ceremonies for UB this past weekend; a third son, Thomas, is set to graduate from Williamsville South High School in June.

And while marriage can make for strange bedfellows, it also can make for great classmates. Just ask Robert and Nancy Stone—husband and wife—both of whom graduated on Saturday from the School of Social Work.

With four graduations in the Callocchia family and mom working full-time, things have been a little hectic around the old homestead. Karen says her husband, Domenick, has been the anchor supporting the family during all the fanfare.

"It was difficult at times—with traveling for my job and keeping the house somewhat normal—but all of the kids, and especially my husband, stepped up to fill in. He has always been very supportive in my life," says Callocchia.

Frank, the oldest son at 25, graduated from UB Law School; Patrick, 22, received a bachelor's degree in business and plans to go on to graduate school in the fall. Thomas, 17, will attend Penn State in the fall.

"I am so very proud of all of my kids," Callocchia says. "They have always kept on track, even when they made college adjustments. They all have struggled through the hard courses and kept on going. As parents, we couldn't have asked for any better kids to love," she adds.

Callocchia, 50, is a sales manager with Masterfoods, the company that makes Snickers candy bars and M&M's. And although she's survived the past few restructurings at the company, those changes inspired her to obtain a bachelor's degree to hedge against the possibility that her own position may someday be eliminated.

"My initial motivation," says Callocchia, "was to increase job marketability if I did not make the next company reorganization. But it then became a personal goal. I am ecstatic that it's over and look forward to finishing tasks started almost four years ago."

She will continue in her position at Masterfoods. Most of the courses she took in her special studies major were job-related, yet, says Callocchia, "I kept learning there is still so much more to know in this world."

Married for five years, Nancy and Bob Stone met at Family and Child Services, where Nancy worked as a secretary and Bob was a case manager. At his encouragement, she began to work toward her undergraduate degree in social work.

Bob received his master of social work degree through the school's three-year, part-time program, and Nancy received her master of social work degree through the school's full-time Advanced Study Program, a program that allows students who completed a bachelor's degree in social work within the past six years to complete the requirements for the master's degree in one year instead of two.

So what was the most difficult part of both being in school at the same time?

"It was definitely competing for the one computer at home when we both had papers due at the same time," Nancy said. And the competition for computer time took place despite the fact that, although both pursued concentrations in mental health, they never took a class together.

They weren't just a husband-wife team in pursuit of their master's degrees: The effort was a family affair as well. Nancy, who has two teenage daughters, had to have two eye surgeries this year. Her daughters helped her with assignments by reading to her, and Bob helped her type her papers.

"The family really pulled together in order to get everything done," she said.