68-year-old lady bags Sociology degree at US institution, earns top student award
Patricia Reeves, 68, received the honor for best graduating student in her class and earned a degree in sociology from Simmons College of Kentucky.
At Simmons College of Kentucky, Louisville, an HBCU in the US, Patricia earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology. She was named the university’s 2023 valedictorian for her outstanding accomplishment.
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She said that because she was raised in a segregated household that did not value diversity, her graduation is a momentous occasion for her family.
My parents purposefully relocated to a city devoid of people of color the year I was born, along with their two kids. Patricia remarked, “Everything was segregated.”
“It was impossible for someone of color to rent or purchase a home in that city overnight. I didn’t grow up around individuals of color,” she continued. Patricia claimed that when she questioned her upbringing as a child, her mother told her that she would not comprehend.
Years later, though, a social justice program changed her life by giving her an education and a platform for change she never would have imagined.
According to Patricia, after completing those programs, they were given additional duties to complete using the knowledge they had gained. She went on to say that the challenge inspired her to return to school.
Patricia explained that she chose to enroll in a Historically Black College and University to pursue a bachelor’s degree because she already had an associate’s degree. She applied to Simmons College of Kentucky, Louisville’s sole HBCU, unsure that it was exclusively for Black students.
The administrators told her that everyone was welcome when she arrived, she added. She went on to say that her three years at the university were more than just academic.
Patricia said she was happy that her sister, who had a similar background to her own, was cheering as she crossed the platform to accept her degree.
Patricia said she is happy to have graduated from a school established by former slaves, even though she had a segregated upbringing. She stated that she intends to empower people and continue her education.
