Alvina Swanson, a resident of Dallas, achieved a goal she never thought she would achieve in December: she graduated from college.
The smiling grandma, who was 53 years old, declared, “I am a delayed college graduate.”. “It made me feel accomplished, like yes, I did this, and I did it as an old lady!”
Although Swanson did not return to college for over 30 years, she finally earned her bachelor’s degree from UNT Dallas.
“I graduated from Dallas Skyline in 1989,” Swanson remarked, gazing at her high school graduation photo. Life intervened, and she had children and a job before returning to her studies at UT Arlington. “And school became a backburner.”
Paralyzed in a car accident in 2017, Swanson’s son Jzalil was eleven years old at the time. Swanson was moved by his courage in the face of hardship and his forthrightness.
His words to me were, “You’re a college dropout, and you’re always yelling at me to strive for greatness. Despite the emotional toll, Swanson was able to earn her high school graduation. I thought, Man, he’s totally right. Our children are under pressure from us, but we aren’t modeling the behavior we hope they will emulate.
Swanson decided to give it another go after her confrontation with her son. Prior to enrolling at UNT Dallas, she earned an associate’s degree from Dallas College.
According to Swanson, “I was excited” when she received a 3.0 in the first semester. I thought, oh, I got a B and a C. Of course!
Her GPA improved to 3.5 the following semester.
Okay, I thought, what the heck, let’s give it another go. “I got a 4.0 this semester,” Swanson announced. At UT Dallas, she was a member of several student organizations including a sorority. “So I did my full college experience, what I thought I’d missed in 1989.”
In January, Swanson will go back to school at UNT Dallas to get a master’s degree in public service leadership. She has a strong desire to assist areas who are facing economic hardship.
“That’s the only thing we’re gonna be able to fight poverty, fight injustices,” said Swanson. “We need to get this information down pat. We will never be able to fit the parts together if we refuse to learn what we need to know.
At the end of her time at UNT Dallas, Swanson had a 3.57 GPA.
There is no such thing as an age for education, Swanson remarked. “Whoever sees this, just don’t give up.”
