American Teresa Lyles fulfilled her dream at the age of 68. She walked to it for four years and went on stage with her granddaughter to get her diploma.
The grandmother and granddaughter both graduated at the same time from University College in Tennessee. Teresa Lyles is 68 and her granddaughter Zuri is 22. Teresa has a bachelor’s degree in sociology and Zuri has a bachelor’s degree in medical management.
“I had already gone to this university when I was young, but I left it in 1970 because I needed to help my family,” Teresa told.
While the grandmother and granddaughter were in college, disaster struck the family: Teresa’s middle daughter, Zuri’s mother, passed away. “It shook us so much that I almost quit studying and my grandmother was depressed,” Zuri recalls. “But we continued to support each other. Despite everything, we tried to do all the assignments and not miss lessons.”
“I always wished to finish college, but I never had the chance to do it. I didn’t even think I could,” Teresa said. “I’m happy I did it with my granddaughter. We helped each other. It was difficult, but we had to go through with it.”
Zuri wants to enter graduate school. Teresa will continue to support her grandchildren but is excited to have earned her bachelor’s degree.
The University of Tennessee is more than 100 years old, and this is the first time a grandmother and granddaughter have graduated here at the same time.
