This great-grandma left her studies in 1962 to raise her four children after a divorce, but then after 50 years, she completed the task she had put on hold!
94-year-old Amy Craton, who couldnot complete her education since last five decades, recently celebrated receiving her graduation degree, which she earned with a perfect 4.0 grade point average — thus becoming the school’s oldest student to graduate, and university officials believe she could be one of the oldest students in the nation.
Craton a student of Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), joined the course Bachelor of Arts in Creative writing in English in the year 1962 and finally completed in November 2016.
“It feels good to graduate, to finish that part of my life, but I feel that I’m still on the road,” she said in an interview released by her school, Southern New Hampshire University. “I have much more to learn.”
The main reason for the gap of five decades was her responsibility of taking care of her children, she could not complete the course earlier.
Amy is a lady of commitment, whatever she takes up she completes the task. Instead of browsing the internet and wasting time she took up online study to complete the course, in spite of a a time difference of six hours. She persisted and finally completed her graduation.
“I couldn’t see just sitting there watching Netflix all the time,” she said in a video provided by SNHU.
In order to honor Amy Craton, SNHU president Paul LeBlanc came over to personally award her the degree at the surprise graduation party exclusively at Hawaii at Honolulu, which was attended by the alumni of the University.
Amy Craton, who is now hard of hearing, took the graduation certificate in her wheelchair. She said that she took up this university as she spent her childhood days in New England; this was to cherish her childhood summer vacations.
Craton grew in Malden, Massachusetts, and in her adulthood she moved to California and had children. She was working as an administrative assistant and later she shifted to Honolulu, Hawaii where she settled for her rest of her life.
She also showed interest to continue with her Masters’ degree with the University.
This undying will and perseverance is something which each and everyone must have. Keep marching ahead!
