Charles "Chip" Bolcik studied abroad in Andalusia, Spain as a junior at CI.
By Daisy Ratzlaff
Forty-six years ago, Charles “Chip” Bolcik made the life-altering decisionto leave college and pursue a career in acting, convinced that he didn't need a degree to achieve his dreams. It was a decision that would haunt him for decades, filling him with regret for not completing his studies and a longing to study Spanish, a language he had fallen in love with during his first year of college.
“It bothered me the whole time that I didn’t have a degree,” he said. “My parents pushed me to stay in college, but I said, ‘I don’t need college.’ Looking back, it seems so foolish. I was 21 when I quit, and by 25, I was thinking ‘What did I do? Now I am too old to go back.’ It really ate at me.”
Growing up in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Bolcik's acting career began with Disney’s All-American College Player Program, where he earned college credits during summer work. After successfully navigating auditions among 12,000 hopefuls, he landed a role that launched him into a lucrative acting career.
“I was making a lot of money for someone who was 20 years old,” he says. “I bought a car. It was so cool. I decided I didn’t need college anymore.”
Bolcik’s career flourished, leading him to theater and later voice-over work for TV commercials. He met his wife while performing at a comedy club in New York, and they’ve been happily married for 38 years, raising two children together.
“We just had this really great life,” he said. “I owned an airplane, and we used to fly all over the country.”
Despite his successes, Bolcik felt a persistent embarrassment about not having a college degree, especially coming from a family that valued higher education.
“The two things that I never accomplished were my college degree and being fluent in Spanish,” he said. “I know how to skydive, I know how to fly an airplane, I know how to make compost, I know how to garden organically, I know how to pour cement, I know how to make pottery. There are so many things I have learned, but I was really embarrassed for 46 years for never getting my college degree.”
During his first year in college, Bolcik developed a passion for Spanish. This passion resurfaced two and a half years ago after a trip to Barcelona, Spain with his daughter, where he realized he wanted to speak the language fluently.
“That experience at the hotel made me go 'Next time I come here, I am going to speak to them,” said Bolcik. “So, when I came home, I signed up for a class and I loved it.”
His learning journey continued at Moorpark Community College, where he thrived, even amid the aftermath challenges of the COVID pandemic.
“Learning a language for me is like a game,” he says. “It’s really fun.”
After two semesters, he realized he could finish his degree and he enrolled at CI. During the Fall, Bolcik took six classes that included Biology and a lab, History, English, Healthy Aging, and a Medical Interpreting class in Spanish – all of which he calls his “favorite class.”
“Every class I take, I pledge to myself to really learn it. And as soon as I start a class, I think ‘This is so exciting. I want to change my major!’” he said. “Every class has been like that. I just love learning.”
Last Spring, Bolcik studied abroad in Andalusia, Spain, where he took five classes entirely in Spanish, including grammar, translation, linguistics, and two literature classes.
“I understood almost everything,” he said, beaming with pride. “I got straight As in Spain, and that showed me anything is possible."
He encourages everyone to consider studying abroad, emphasizing the invaluable perspective it provides.
“I would recommend it to everybody," he said. "It doesn’t have to be Spain. Just go do a semester abroad. It gives you a perspective on the world you can't get just being here."
Looking ahead, Bolcik plans to graduate with a major in Spanish this Spring and hopes to spend half the year in Spain.
“I really fell in love with Spain, and I'd love to be a tour guide there,” he shared.
Inspired by his academic success, he’s also considering graduate school at Middlebury College in Vermont, which offers a study-abroad year in Madrid.
Now at 66, and having been retired since 59, Bolcik has gained a fresh perspective on education. He strongly encourages others, particularly older adults, to pursue their educational dreams.
“Push through your fear. If I can do it, anybody can," he said. "When I was 20, I thought I wasn’t a good student, but now I know I was. It doesn’t matter what you study; what matters is that you do it. If you are thinking about quitting college, don’t. This is the most important thing you will ever do in your life. Don’t take it for granted. It is a gift you have. Stay in school. Take it from a guy who didn’t and regretted it for 46 years.”