UA Commencement: New Ph.D. is just 19 Ask about her harp playing, not her age LA MONICA EVERETT-HAYNES Tucson Citizen VAL CAÑEZ/Tucson Citizen UA student Vanessa Sheldon, 19, will receive her doctorate of musical arts tomorrow. Sheldon, who started college at 13, downplays her age: "I like people to know me for who I am and what I've done, not how old I am." Vanessa Sheldon's tiny fingers used to reach out to the harp's strings, eager to strum a chord. Her mother, a harpist, kept the gold-colored instrument in the living room, and Vanessa always managed to crawl toward it. The little girl's fixation never swayed. Tomorrow, at age 19, Sheldon will become one of the University of Arizona 's youngest doctoral graduates when she picks up her doctorate of musical arts in harp performance. "There is a perception that goes with harp," Sheldon said. "People think of angels, long dresses and beautiful music. I like the perception." Her friends and professors are impressed with her accomplishments and commitment. "Everything you ask her to do, she does," said Misty Williams, 21, a harp performance major who also graduates Saturday. "She really carries herself well," Williams said. "And she's a good role model for all of us." Williams said most are impressed with Sheldon's intelligence, maturity and record. Sheldon, who began her college career at age 13 at Cal State Los Angeles, is a member of two honor societies. Taking 20 and 22 units per semester - a full load is 12 to 16 - she received her bachelor's of music at age 15 and hurried to get her master's the following year. "I just wanted to get it over with and to get on with something else," Sheldon said. At UA, she was offered a three-year teaching assistantship with Carrol McLaughlin, professor of harp and director of HarpFusion, a performing group. Sheldon, who gave private lessons and tutored other harp majors during her three years at UA, graduates with a 4.0 grade-point average. Sheldon's next venture begins later this year. She has taken a part-time teaching position at California 's College of the Desert. There, she will continue to give private harp lessons and play chamber music and solos. "She is indicative of excellence at our university, and she brought a lot to our harp department," McLaughlin said. Sheldon's original composition, "Sebastian's Salsa," will be recorded on HarpFusion's fifth album. She also has performed with the group. "Our department is incredibly creative and world-class, so a synergy happened," McLaughlin said. "She'll have a brilliant career." Sheldon doesn't make a fuss about her tender years. "People don't know how old I am, and I don't go around telling them," she said. "I like people to know me for who I am and what I've done, not how old I am