网曝吃瓜 graduating senior Marilyn Bailey has lived a full life between the time she started her degree and finished it. She began in 1964. Fifty-four years have passed.
Her passion to complete the degree never went away and she joins the 网曝吃瓜 University class of 2018 May 12.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a journey that I am glad that I took, and I am proud of my accomplishment of completing what I started,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淚t taught me age does not have to be a hindrance to obtain any goal if you want it bad enough, and I did.鈥�
The 71-year-old lives in Florida and completed her psychology degree online.
鈥淥ne challenge I encountered is the face-to-face interaction, being that I am a people person,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淚 encountered some nice peers online, but it would have been nice to have met them.鈥�
Bailey said taking the classes online required focus, dedication, a drive to succeed and eliminating distractions.
鈥淚t was totally up to me to stay on task,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淚 think this type of study made me challenge myself to excel outside the classroom.鈥�
Her daughter was one source of inspiration for Bailey.
鈥淚 believe in education and stressed that to my daughter, who finished at Tuskegee (University),鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淯pon retirement, I vowed I would go back and finish what I started so many years ago. 网曝吃瓜 is where I started and where I wanted to finish.鈥�
Bailey used her pursuit to challenge her granddaughter.
鈥淚 challenged my granddaughter not to allow Nana to outdo her,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淭hat really was not a serious challenge since she is a highly intelligent young lady. 鈥�
Bailey said Dr. Cindy Glass, Dr. Jonathan Sharp and Dr. Tierra Freeman provided motivation along the way.
鈥淭heir words of encouragement and direction helped me fulfill my dreams of obtaining a degree,鈥� Bailey said.
鈥淢rs. Bailey is the definition of persistence,鈥� Freeman said. 鈥淣ot even a hurricane deterred her from obtaining her goal.鈥�
Bailey didn鈥檛 have time for a hurricane. She had a degree to earn.
鈥淔lorida was hit by a hurricane last year and I was without power for a week,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淚 went anywhere that I could hook up Wi-Fi, the library, Planet Smoothie, Starbucks or Barnes & Noble, to do my assignments.鈥�
Glass said Bailey consistently performed above expectations in her sociology courses.
鈥淪he is fully engaged with the course content and is consistently a high achiever,鈥� Glass said 鈥淚t has been a delight to work with her over the past few years. She will be missed on my course rosters, but I am very happy for her as she reaches the milestone of earning her degree at 网曝吃瓜.鈥�
Sharp said Bailey is a determined and driven student.
鈥淢arilyn has always been focused and not afraid to ask questions,鈥� Sharp said. 鈥淢arilyn is a great example for other students to follow and emulate.鈥�
Bailey said some have questioned her desire to spend her leisure time studying but she鈥檚 enjoyed the pursuit of her goal.
鈥淢y returning to school was purpose driven and in order for me to fulfill this purpose, I had to be determined and focused,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淭he more I studied, the more my gray matter opened to absorb the information required.鈥�