For Lyn Thomas, a nanny of 30 years, no matter what job she held, a higher education was always something she dreamed of.
Now as the proud owner of an associate’s degree, Thomas has plans to attend Hunter College where she’ll work towards her bachelor’s degree.
When she was 18, Thomas moved from the Caribbean island of Grenada to to New York to be with her mother. She eventually found work cleaning houses and working as a nanny.
Though she dreamed of completing school, one thing led to another and decades passed.
It wasn’t until Thomas was 48 years old that she earned her GED, and then just a few years later at the age of 51 she earned her associate’s degree in public health from Borough of Manhattan Community College.
Thomas was even on the dean’s list!
“I worked very hard for this,” Thomas said. “I didn’t have a high school diploma. Because I’m a go-getter, you can’t tell me no. I will do it.”
While she’s older than the average college student, Thomas is just getting started. She has plans to continue her education at Hunter College in hopes of achieving her ultimate goal of providing her community with access to better health care and healthy food options.
Dear Lyn, you’re showing others that age can’t prevent a person of accomplishing their dreams. Keep up the hard work.
