80-year-old graduates from college 50 years after her academic career was derailed
An 80-year-old woman has graduated from Ohio State University after illness and other responsibilities forced her to drop out 50 years ago.
Olivia Burnett walked for graduation at the Schottenstein Center Sunday, receiving her bachelor's degree in child and youth studies from the College of Education and Human Ecology. She was just a few credits shy of graduating in 1973, but had to quit school after having extensive surgery and then having to take a job to provide for her family.
"I just wanted to finish what I started. I love being here at Ohio State University," said Burnett, who has five children, 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Burnett said she quilts, makes jewelry, and is writing a cookbook in her retirement.
"I'm an eager learner − always have been," she said.
After leaving Ohio State in 1973, Burnett moved to California with her children, where she was a social worker and continued to take classes at American River College in Sacramento and Solano Community College in Fairfield. She now lives on Columbus' south side.
Last year, Burnett's granddaughter, Falencia Miller − herself a 2011 Ohio State graduate and former member of the fencing team − contacted the College of Education and Human Ecology to see what it would take for her grandmother to graduate. College staff were able to help Burnett transfer credits from the other institutions she attended, so she didn't need to take any additional classes, according to Ohio State spokesperson Robin Chenoweth.
Miller, who is 32 and lives in Georgia, said that her grandmother has always encouraged her grandchildren to be curious.
"She's extremely intelligent, and has a big heart," Miller said. "She can't ignore ignorance. She's always going to go out of her way to educate."
Burnett said she had chosen to major in child and youth studies because of her own kids.
"When you end up being a single parent, you want to learn all you can about (your children). You want to know how they grow; you want to know how they learn," she said.
Burnett said that her own mother also attended Ohio State.
"Back then, Black (women) usually did day-work, or worked in restaurants. And she had a health issue," Burnett said. "And I talked her into coming to Ohio State University. And she got an associate degree in sociology. ... That was the thing I was most proud of in my life: I pushed my mom to do that."
The new graduate said that education had been an important force in her and her family members' lives.
"I think we're better people. We're people who want to know what's going on in the world and be part of it," she said. "I marched on the South African Embassy, many years ago, during apartheid."
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She said that recent attempts by politicians to excise the brutality of slavery and racism in history books "gets me going."
"Give me a break. It happened. We're not perfect. We move on and try to be better people," Burnett added.
To those thinking of going back to school to finish lingering degrees, she shared this message:
"Don't give up. Dream, because if you look in the right direction, things will happen," Burnett said. "(Education) will make you a much more grounded person. It'll make you a much more interesting person."
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Peter Gill covers immigration, new American communities and religion for The Dispatch in partnership with Report for America. You can support work like his with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America at: bit.ly/3fNsGaZ.