South Florida woman graduates from college at the age of 96 with 4.0 GPA

South Florida woman graduates college at 96 (Courtesy: Christine Edwards, MD)

PARKLAND, Fla. – A South Florida woman is proving you are never too old to achieve great things as she graduated from college at the age of 96.

Violet Edwards first attended the College of New Rochelle in New York state in the early 1980s.

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She was forced to leave school early, because she had to work to help pay for her daughter to go to medical school.

After working at her daughter’s medical practice for decades and helping raise her grandkids, Violet got the itch to go back and finish her degree.

She learned the College of New Rochelle had closed, but her records were transferred to Mercy College in New York City.

About a year ago, Edwards started online courses at Mercy College and graduated last month with a 4.0 GPA.

Edwards completed her coursework while fighting breast cancer. She underwent surgery, and had her final radiation treatment on Tuesday.

South Florida woman graduates college at 96 (Courtesy: Christine Edwards, MD)

Edwards, who moved to the United States from Jamaica in 1973, received a proclamation from the Jamaican Consulate General about her academic achievement.

South Florida woman graduates college at 96 (Courtesy: Christine Edwards, MD)

There was also a party to celebrate her at the Aston Gardens retirement home in Parkland where she lives.


About the Author:

Steve Owen is the Assistant News Director at WPLG, and helps lead the daily news operations.