78-year-old woman earns bachelor's degree after years of pursuing higher education
Samford University
and last updated 2021-05-13 16:13:18-04
After a remarkable journey, a woman graduated from an Alabama university at the age of 78.
Vivian Cunningham received her bachelorâs degree in liberal studies at Samford Universityâs commencement ceremony last week.
The road to her degree wasnât an easy one. Cunningham first worked as a seamstress in Atlanta before moving to Birmingham as a single mother of two in the late 1960s, according to a profile published by the university.
At one point, Cunningham traded her sewing career for a custodial job at the Alabama Power Company in order to provide for her children. Over time, she worked her way up to the power companyâs mail room, eventually managing all the external mail.