An 81-year-old grandfather, Way Bandy, graduated from the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg (USF), nearly 50 years after he was last in school.
The 81-year-old grandfather of eight earned his bachelor’s degree on December 15, when he entered the graduation stage to receive his diploma. His wife, Nancy, and youngest son, Kyle, were cheering for him in the audience.
The ceremony came after a longtime promise to his mother, who died in 2003. “My mother, bless her heart… The thing she drilled into me as a child was, ‘The two most important things are your health and your word of honour. I want your word of honour that one day you’ll go back and get your degree,’ ” Bandy recalled to Good Morning America.
He also told the outlet that he dropped out of school to get married and start a family. But after his mother’s death, Bandy collected his college transcripts and applied to USF since he required one course to graduate.
After studying hard to pass his final exam in biology and learning about wetland environments, Bandy earned a B in the class.
“All of a sudden she was giving me a hug; we’re doing a high-five and a fist bump,” he said of the teacher, who graded his final exam in front of him. “I get in the hallway; I throw up my arms like I did a touchdown and I screamed, ‘Yes! I did it!’“
Bandy hopes to inspire other students, of any age and generation, to complete school if they have the opportunity to.
“Take your time, stay ahead of your goal, and promise yourself you’ll finish,” he advised.
“Whatever motivates you to do it, do it. If I can do it, anybody can, and I promise that from the bottom of my heart.”
The university also recognized Bandy as the class of 2019’s oldest graduate.
