March 8, 2010
by Genevieve Jerome | Print Features Editor
City College student Heide Juchnik sits in her favorite spot, the courtyard by the Art Department. Photo by Windee Dawson
As I walk into the library I am greeted by a 90-pound woman with huge glasses and sparkling grey hair.
Heide Juchnik, an 81-year-old student at City College is a small, yet tough Japanese woman with a strong stance and gripping handshake. She is thought to be the oldest City College student.
Born in central Japan, Juchnik moved to Sacramento in 1957 along with her American husband whom she met while working as an interpreter for the 16th core headquarters for the army in CampSendai.
“At the time I was still working at Camp Sendai, but then at the time we couldn’t get married because we didn’t have a clearance,” says Juchnik.
It took Juchnik and her husband four-and-a-half years to get to California. Although Juchnik lost her husband to Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1998, she says she feels comfortable being on her own and living alone. She’s also thankful of the fact that they were married for 48 strong years.
“I promised my husband I’m going to do something about it. I got to come to college to learn how to write and [speak] English, to write a document and to speak well,” says Juchnik. “I still feel my English could be improved more.”
Juchnik has been attending City College since 2000, majoring in speech and has her AA in communications and social-science.
Juchnik once owned her own cosmetology business and says one of her main passions is doing hair because she likes to make people feel good. Along with hair styling, Juchnik also tends to her own vegetable garden, loves politics and reading. She even wrote a letter to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Darrell Steinberg, senate president of Sacramento. Steinberg wrote back to Juchnik commending her on her will power to stay in school at such an elderly age and told her what a role model she is to young women.
Some of Juchnik’s favorite classes at City College include political science, ESL and her Mexican-Chicano studies class.
“Heide is a model and inspiration to those who come to the college for personal enrichment. She is very well read and with her unique life experiences, she has much to offer a class. I find her insightful, engaging and personable; and I always enjoy our conversations,” says City College ESL instructor Deborah Loomis.
Juchnik looks forward to continuing at City College and making new friends.
If you happen to see Heide Juchnik walking around campus, or reading the “New Yorker” at the library, don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with her as she says she always loves meeting new people.
“Something about City College has a dignity,” say Juchnik regarding why she continues to go to City College.
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