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Sheryl Royster is part of a small group of older adults earning degrees at Bridgewater State University, where about 1 percent of students are 50 or older.
Sheryl Royster will graduate from Bridgewater State University with a degree in Sociology and a minor in African American Studies. Courtesy
For decades, Sheryl Royster put college on hold while raising children, caring for loved ones, and navigating financial hardship.
Now, at age 76, the Brockton great-grandmother will graduate from Bridgewater State University with a degree in Sociology and a minor in African American Studies — a milestone more than 50 years in the making.
The most surprising aspect of finishing her degree later in life was discovering that she still had a hunger for learning.
“I thought at this age the brain would shut down,” she said, lightheartedly. “But I’m like a sponge. The more [my professors] give me, the more I want.”
Royster is part of a small but steady group of older adults pursuing degrees at BSU. This spring, the university has 42 students over the age of 50 graduating, including seven in their 70s, according to David D. Crane, dean of the College of Continuing Studies. Royster and another woman are tied as the university’s oldest graduating students this year.
“While Sheryl is certainly among our older graduates, she is not alone in earning a degree later in life,” Crane said. “BSU is committed to making sure that every student has the opportunity to get their degree in a way that fits their life and their needs.”
Royster, who is due to graduate on May 15, has a particular passion for studying the plight of homeless individuals and racial inequality.
“I don’t know why I have this degree or what I’m going to do with it yet,” said Royster. “But when the door opens, I will step in, and whatever I’m supposed to do with it, I will do because I’ve been given an opportunity that not everyone gets.”
Royster originally arrived at BSU seeking an African American Studies major, only to learn that the university offered it as a minor. Unsure what direction to take, she gravitated toward sociology after advisors encouraged her to build on her life experiences.
Then, in a twist that Royster described as fate, a former student she once taught while substitute teaching helped guide her to the university’s African American Studies minor.
“It all came together,” she said. “You have to thank people. I didn’t get here on my own.”
Royster attended classes alongside students young enough to be her grandchildren. Her classmates helped her with technology — like building slideshow presentations — while she shared life experiences they couldn’t get from textbooks.
“They learned, and I learned,” she said. “We learned from each other, and that’s what it’s supposed to be — generational understanding.”
University officials say students like Royster help shape the classroom experience for everyone around them.
“We all know that diversity is essential to learning,” said Dr. Brian Payne, interim dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. “Older students like Sheryl bring in a whole new set of perspectives that simply cannot be duplicated without them.”
Sheryl Royster poses with her 11-year-old great-granddaughter, Aixa. Courtesy
Her educational journey has already shaped the next generation of her own family.
Royster is raising her 11-year-old great-granddaughter, Aixa, whom she became guardian of when the girl was 5. Watching her study and attend classes changed the way Aixa thinks about education.
“Not until she came to BSU and sat in class with me did she realize education is really important,” Royster said. “Now she wants to help people, too.”
Aixa, who has a special interest in engineering, attended the university’s Legacy celebration and will also be at her great-grandmother’s commencement ceremony.
“She was coming whether anybody else was coming,” Royster said.
When Royster walks across the graduation stage at the Xfinity Center, she’ll also carry the memory of the women who inspired her: her grandmother, who always encouraged her education, and her mother, who earned her nursing degree at age 47.
Royster’s main message for anyone who is thinking about furthering their education: “It’s never too late. If you really have that goal and it’s meant to be, keep going.”
As for the future, Royster has some plans. Ideas include a trip to New York, a West African dance class, and some much-needed rest and relaxation.
“I’m so tired now, I don’t even know how I’m going to celebrate,” she quipped. “But I know I’ll probably go to the beach, with a big hat.”
Morgan Rousseau is a freelance writer for Boston.com, where she reports on a variety of local and regional news.
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