By Amy Toosley

Linda McMurray, G.G., of Gobles, Michigan, has been selected as GIA’s 2005 Outstanding Distance Education Graduate of the Year. McMurray, who previously owned a small Jersey dairy farm with her husband, completed the program after studying for six months with an excellent academic record, last July.

McMurray and her husband, Ron, bought their dairy farm to fulfill a lifelong dream: “I always wanted to milk a cow and thought if I had one, I could have a whole farm,” she said.

But her husband was diagnosed with cancer at the height of their dairy farm venture and McMurray knew she couldn’t handle all of the work on her own. They were forced to sell and she had to find a career in which she could work independently.

“Ron and I discussed how I would make a comfortable living if something happened to him,” she said. “It had to be something I loved as much as I loved milking those cows. I always had a great love for gems and jewelry, and the more I learned about GIA through the Internet, the more I knew this was my destiny.”

Her husband is now in remission and McMurray, armed with her GIA diploma, owns a successful jewelry business, Best Cut Gems, and teaches gem faceting. She also identifies and appraises heirlooms for people who cannot afford appraisal services. Being her own boss and living her passion every day is another dream come true, McMurray said.

“Linda is GIA’s outstanding graduate because she exemplifies the attributes the Institute embraces, both in its students and in professionals throughout the industry,” said GIA Vice President of Education Brook Ellis. “She has a passion for gems and jewelry, a strong work ethic, and she is very considerate of others.”

The award, presented annually by the Distance Education Training Council (DETC), is given to one exceptional GIA Distance Education student who has achieved extraordinary standards of academic and personal excellence. DETC is the national organization that sets standards for and accredits GIA’s Distance Education courses and programs.

“I am able to make an income doing what I enjoy, and I can improve my personal salary according to my ambitions,” she said. “GIA’s training provided me with the knowledge, skills and contacts that have enhanced my business.”