Interruptions are not unusual in Graduate student Heather Matthew’s life, but two weeks ago she had an interruption in her schedule that she gladly accepted.

Matthews, along with 18 California State University students, was honored with the 2006-07 William R. Hearst/ CSU Board of Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement on Sept. 19 at the chancellor’s office in Long Beach.

“It was a pleasant experience meeting all these people with different stories and situations,” Matthews said. “I felt honored to meet with the trustees.”

The prestigious award is given to students in the CSU system with excellent academic records, exemplary community service and noteworthy personal achievements, said Paul Browning, CSU media relations specialist.

The founder of the Hearst newspaper chain established the William Randolph Hearst Foundation 1948 for philanthropic purposes and partnered with the trustees in 1999 to create the award for CSU students.

The award provides $3,000 to each of the students. But Ali C. Razi, a retired trustee, endowed a special scholarship fund to recognize this year’s top scholar.

The Razi scholar receives $6,000 scholarship. Two students were awarded this year ?” Anna Sorensend of Chico State and Texas Keo of CSU Stanislaus.

While only one nomination is allowed from each CSU campus, not every university will have a winner, Browning said. There were only 19 winners from the 23 CSU campuses this year.

Browning said the students received a standing ovation from all the trustees at the end of the ceremony.

“It felt really good to be representing Sac State,” Matthews said.

Jackie Morris-Henderson, Sac State’s scholarship coordinator, said all the money will be applied toward Matthews’ educational expenses.

“Everyone’s just ecstatic for her,” Morris-Henderson said.

Morris-Henderson said since she has started working in the scholarship office in 1998, Matthews is the fourth winner of the award.

Matthews, who is studying career counseling and is a single mother, didn’t always know her life would take on the path that it has.

After receiving her bachelor’s degree in social psychology from University of Nevada, Reno, Matthews got married and had a son.

Matthews said she decided to take a break from school to raise her son and enjoy being a wife.

However, she said she later realized the importance of getting into a profession that used her skills and changed people’s lives.

Although Matthews had experience as a social worker and has always enjoyed helping people, it wasn’t until she took career counseling courses at American River College that she knew that’s what she wanted to do.

“It’s very positive,” Matthews said. “I felt that it’s rewarding to help people find what kind of career they want to do. It’s such an important aspect of their lives, I want to help people through the process.”

After putting her education on hold to raise her son and after losing her job due to car accident injuries, Matthews decided to return to school for further education. Upon entering Sac State to pursue a master’s degree in career counseling, Matthews visited the scholarship office and the Institutional Scholarship Application Process, in which the scholarship office searches for available scholarship opportunities and matches the applicant up with all the scholarships he or she qualifies for, Morris-Henderson said.

Although Matthews, who is 49 years old, said she knows she’s not the typical college student, she never felt unwelcome in her classes.

“In my field everyone’s very accepting and helpful toward one another,” Matthews said. “Even the younger students, I don’t notice any difference.”

Matthews said she always encourages people to go back to school and pursue their dreams. Many people are stressed out being stuck at a job they don’t enjoy, and it’s just not worth it, Matthews said.

It’s a competitive world and education and degrees are necessary for people to succeed, she said. “This is something I will never forget,” Matthews said. “I will always remember it as a high point of my life.”

Mary Chou can be reached at [email protected]