VIDEO — ‘True Inspiration’: 79-Year-Old Georgia Woman Graduates from College

An extremely sharp elderly woman in Atlanta, Georgia, is being praised for achieving her academic dreams, even when it seemed it might not happen.

Seventy-nine-year-old Patricia Sias Ellis recently earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Clayton State University, WHAS11 reported on Friday. The outlet said she would receive her degree during graduation over the weekend.

Ellis put college on the back burner after high school to take a job and raise a family, watching her husband and son graduate from Morehouse College. However, her dream never died and it was her son who encouraged her several years ago to take it up again.

The graduate said she took a few classes at a time. Even though it took her a while, she made it to the finish line.

An image shows the beaming Ellis:

As another testament to her drive and perseverance, Ellis’ doctors found a large tumor in her kidney in 2024 but she was not about to let her dream of a college education become unreachable and recovered from surgery.

On her college journey, Ellis gained friends and became a bright light to other students studying alongside her.

Clayton State University President Dr. Georj Lewis said, “She lights up the room. When she crosses that stage, everyone is probably going to stand up. Because she’s hard not to know.”

Ellis is now considering pursuing a master’s degree. She said of her recent achievement, “I feel like the Lord is blessing me with the best years of my life.”

Social media users showered praise on the graduate, with one person writing, “Patricia, you’re a true inspiration. Congratulations on your graduation!”

“Congratulations!!! You are an example for other people and that’s great. Stay positive as you start a great career,” another person commented.

“Beautiful lady, better late than never. You are an inspiration. Kudos!” someone else said.