It took 47 years, but the 65-year-old LaGuardia Community College human services major will be among the 1,500 members of the Class of 2008 receiving an associate degree at commencement on September 18.

For Lee, a resident of Bushwick, the path that led to a high school equivalency diploma and finally an associate degree was filled with many detours. The first derailment came at the age of 16 when her mother died and she suddenly found herself on her own.

Lee had to quit school and, for the next 37 years, worked as a seamstress and as a matron on a school bus shepherding children with disabilities. But she always knew she would return and eventually get a college degree.

“The older I got, the more I realized that I could not do anything without a high school diploma,” she said.“Every application required that I fill in the date I received my high school diploma.”

In 1998, at the age of 55, Lee enrolled in LaGuardia’s GED program. After six weeks of preparation she took the high school equivalency exam and passed on the first try.  

With her new academic credential, she again sampled different administrative positions, including as a receptionist, for the Board of Education’s Food School and Nutrition Office, at a temp agency and at a paralegal agency. She also worked for two organizations that served the deaf population—LaGuardia’s Program for Deaf Adults and the New York Society for the Deaf.

“Since the 1980s when members of my ministry decided to learn American Sign Language in order to communicate with its deaf and hard-of-hearing congregants I have been interested in helping this community.”  

But in 2005, Lee decided that she had to enroll in college. She had obtained her GED in 1998.

“But in 2005 a GED was not enough. I had to have a college degree.”

Ms. Lee arrived at LaGuardia to get a degree as a human services/mental health major.“Some people think it is not a big deal, but I think it is,” she said, recalling the struggles she had with some of her math and science classes.“I really surprised myself every step of the way.”

Now that she has her associate degree, Lee is ready to set her sights on her next job.“Because of my interest in mental health, I would love to work with people with disabilities.”