Phyllis Bruce-Cuffy '28: A dream worth pursuing

Phyllis Bruce-Cuffy '28 sometimes gets a question when she meets people at UMass Dartmouth: "Do you work here?"

She's a student. And she has a full 18-credit courseload and extracurricular schedule to prove it.

The 64-year-old general business administration major lives in Ivy Hall with three roommates, spends time in tutoring, explores student organizations, and attends job fairs. This winter, she plans to add studying abroad in Germany to the list.

She's just begun her junior year—a milestone she happens to share with her granddaughter.

For Bruce-Cuffy, earning a bachelor's degree was always part of the dream. So was living on campus and making the most of her college experience.

Decades after first imagining that experience, she's here for all of it.

"It's my deferred dream. Never say never in life," she said. "Just because something didn't happen when you first imagined it doesn't mean the opportunity has passed. I wanted this experience for a long time, and now I'm giving myself the chance to enjoy it."

"Just because something didn't happen when you first imagined it doesn't mean the opportunity has passed. I wanted this experience for a long time, and now I'm giving myself the chance to enjoy it."

A college visit with an unexpected outcome

Bruce-Cuffy, of Sterling, Massachusetts, first visited UMass Dartmouth in February with her great-nephew, Malik Phillips '30, who was exploring his college options on a tour of the university.

She wasn't looking for a university for herself. Years earlier, she earned an associate's degree from Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill, MA, and hoped to continue her business education on campus. At the time, she was married, had a son, and the campus experience she envisioned never materialized. Listening to the presentation at UMass Dartmouth brought that ambition back. 

"I can't explain it. A nerve that was dead for 20-something years just kind of rose up," she said.

She began exploring whether she could enroll, applied, and on Aug. 31, she moved into Ivy Hall to begin her junior year.

Phillips is now a first-year student, too. His great-aunt is giving him space to enjoy his own college experience, although she's amused by the thought of how embarrassed he might be if they end up in a class together.

Making herself at home

Bruce-Cuffy has been getting to know campus the old-fashioned way, by walking around and talking with people, discovering opportunities, and making connections along the way.

Such exploration has brought her to events with the Charlton Women in Business and UMass Dartmouth's Mock Trial team, as she explores student clubs and organizations she would like to join more actively.

Back at Ivy Hall, she's experiencing another part of the college life she once imagined: sharing a home with fellow students. She describes her roommates as a "potpourri" of women whose diverse experiences and ambitions come together in a supportive home.

"We are different ages, and at different stages in our lives, but we are all women who have decided that we want more than what we currently have and are pursuing our goals with single-minded determination," said Bruce-Cuffy. "We have very different schedules, but we look out for each other and offer support wherever we can."

She has also found something to appreciate in the residence hall itself: places at the ends of the floors where she can pause and enjoy the beauty and peacefulness of the surroundings.

Asked what she likes best about UMass Dartmouth, Bruce-Cuffy points to the people. In the Charlton College of Business, she appreciates how naturally student support staff have welcomed her as a student.

"People have been so welcoming," she said. "The advisors at Charlton have treated me like any other student. They're here to help me succeed, and I've felt that from the beginning."

That support extends to tutoring, where Bruce-Cuffy spends time strengthening her understanding of her courses. Her goal is to know the material well enough to explain it to someone else.

She credits Statistics Professor Leili Soltanisehat's enthusiasm for the subject, time spent reviewing course expectations with Professor Bobby Hazelton, and the tutoring she receives from Finite Math Professor Debbie Correia. As she progresses, she's discovering connections among her courses and how they apply beyond the classroom.

"Tutoring and office hours have been lifesavers for me," she said. "Tutoring allows me to walk through the subject matter at a slower pace so that understanding and clarity are in the same place, and I get to do the work for myself with someone close by if I need clarification."

Making a return possible

For students considering their own return to college, UMass Dartmouth offers multiple programs that can help reduce costs.

MassTransfer provides a pathway from Massachusetts community colleges to a bachelor's degree, with benefits that include an application fee waiver and tuition credit for eligible students who graduate with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.

Eligible Massachusetts residents age 60 and older can also apply for a senior citizen tuition credit, worth up to $708.50 per semester, as of the fall semester of 2026.

Looking toward Germany

This winter, Bruce-Cuffy plans to participate in a study abroad experience in Kassel, Germany, fulfilling another interest that began long before she enrolled at UMass Dartmouth.

As a child, she became curious about the country and its language after a German woman moved in next door. She remembers wanting to learn German and imagining that she would someday visit.

Now, she'll have the chance to explore both the language and the country firsthand, earning six credits through coursework in German language and German culture, including art history and literature.

Building something for the next generation

Closer to home, she attends job fairs and expos to explore how she might use her business education. Her longtime interest in retail has expanded into questions about entrepreneurship and investing, particularly how people with limited resources can begin building financial security later in life.

As she considers what might follow her graduation in 2028, she's interested in learning how to build a business and helping others do the same.

"I imagine there are more people like me out there. And therefore, there may be an opportunity to help someone," she said. "If I could show somebody how to build something for themselves and invest in something without being out of pocket too badly, then that would be the ideal situation for me."

Her son and granddaughter—whom she describes as "my heart"—are part of her motivation to earn her degree. She hopes what she learns can help her leave something for the generations that follow, inspired by a Biblical passage that urges one to leave an inheritance for their children's children.

For now, she's pursuing that future one day at a time while enjoying the college experience she once put on hold: living on campus, meeting people walking through the quad, exploring new interests, studying abroad, and making plans for where her education might take her.