Three very different women -- a holistic believer, a bonafide workaholic, and a retired publishing executive -- thought making good friends in an online-based school was near impossible. What these Master's of Art in Professional Studies (MAPS) students at Thomas Edison State College (Trenton, NJ) discovered at the end of the program, however, are friendships that went beyond the realm of academics. During their scholastic journey, they formed a clique called the Ya-Yas.

Who's Who in the Sisterhood
Meet Susen Edwards, who founded the Somerset School of Massage Therapy with her husband. In 1998, the two sold the successful business, but she still consults with the new owner while running her own private massage therapy practice. Plus, she does technical writing on the side.

As if that wasn't enough, this holistic health and fitness fiend ventured onto distance learning in search of a new career or business venture. "I like to work independently and I dislike driving," explains the 54-year-old zen enthusiast. "So I knew [online classes] was the way I wanted to proceed."

Susen was able to use her past work experiences in the virtual classroom during an independent study in adult education. "My thesis was a business plan for a start-up company that would sell massage therapy curriculum to private schools and colleges," she says. "I learned a lot about myself professionally and personally. I've been able to reflect on past successes and challenges. I feel well-prepared for my future, whatever that may be."

Linda Hecker, on the other hand, didn't have a particular goal in mind when pursuing online education. "I felt that a [master's degree] was just something I needed," she explains. "But I had little experience with the Internet, so that aspect was a little intimidating. The idea of not having to be in a particular place at a specific time was enticing. The flexibility of scheduling was also a huge bonus."

The mother of two, who describes herself as a control freak when it comes to school and a workaholic, actually arranged to present her thesis on her 50th birthday. "I'm 50 and proud of it," she exclaims. "I couldn't think of a better present to give myself as I turned a half century old, than to earn my master's on the same day."

Now that Linda has completed her degree, she still finds it hard to find spare time with other projects -- a new job and her son's wedding. "Juggling is a fact of life," attests the new director of dental hygiene at Burlington County College (Pemberton, NJ). "Sleeping past 5 a.m. is sleeping in for me. I eat lunch at my desk while working, and I make the best effort to cross things off my to-do list. And, I'm still constantly shuffling the deck of priorities and coming up with a different task on top."

For Virginia Lofft, a retired editorial and publishing executive for six national business publications, the driving force to earn her master's degree at age 70 was intellectual curiosity. "I thirst to know the 'why' behind both abstract and concrete ideas," she explains. "I enjoy stimulating conversation with sharp minds and well-honed wit and humor."

Although the seasoned traveler and former editor of an award-winning New Jersey newspaper initially feared that online sessions would be sterile and lack the stimulation a student would receive in a face-to-face classroom, she discovered that online discussions are very deep and spirited. "As individuals, we weave a wonderful mix of attributes into the fabric of the whole," she surmises. "Linda brings bubble, timeliness, and ambition. Susen is succinct and thoughtful with an eye to the big picture and the ability to marshal detail and follow through."

Not only has the online classroom fueled Virginia's hungry mind, she has also had the opportunity to learn the tools of fiction writing during her independent study with the guidance of a professor who is a published novelist. "From early childhood, I knew I wanted to write," she points out. "[Now I can] fulfill my ambition to write a novel."

Ya-Ya Formation
So just how did these three very different women with diverse personalities, professions, and experiences come together to form their circle?

Susen recalls, "We were together in a class and began relying on one another to keep the discussion board going. Class became very lively and a core group of us became very active in discussions." When college officials noticed how involved the group of students were, they invited them to a face-to-face meeting to reflect on the MAPS program.

From then on, the MAPS students began meeting once or twice each semester at the college, as well as an occassional dinner and brunch.

A classmate dubbed the group of women "the Yaya Sisterhood" after the Sandra Bullock movie, and the name just stuck. "One of my other classmates, a woman who lives in Greece, told me that the word 'yaya' means 'grandmother' in Greek," Hecker says. "If that connotes 'revered and wise,' I'll take it!"

Although they certainly come out revered and wise in message boards, the computer screen neglects to depict the students' appearances. In fact, Lofft went to her first gathering with some preconceived notions about what the other Ya-Yas might look like. "Of course, I had it all wrong," she recalls. "One of our [members] actually looked at me and said, 'I had no idea you were so old!' See what happens when your mind comes through instead of your appearance?"

Linda, Susen, and Virginia, along with a handful of other Thomas Edison MAPS students became a clique instantly. Although they differed in age, background, ethnicity, geographic location, and opinion, they've been bound by the desire to learn. Member Bridgette Laramie, a special education teacher from Oklahoma said, "These are the women I got smart with."

by Ysolt Usigan