05-03-2025
80-year-old NC A&T State University graduate proves value of perseverance
GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — A Randolph County entrepreneur and community leader refused to give up on the one goal that took a little longer than expected.
After persevering through a series of setbacks, she's finally donning a university cap and gown.
Vera Andrews has excelled in school from a young age. She became the valedictorian of the class of 1962 at Randolph High School in Liberty.
Andrews wanted to take learning to the next level at North Carolina A&T State University.
'My goal was to go to college, but as life presents itself, everything don't fall into place, so I took another route,' she said.
Her first husband died in 1977. She started at NC A&T in 1978.
Life circumstances beyond her control over the years meant going to school when she could attend.
'Stopped again, and I went back. Stopped again, and I went back,' she said.
In 2022, she was determined to stop that cycle.
'One day I said, 'I'm going to take a day off of work, and I'm going to go to A&T, and I'm going to find an advisor, and they're going to help me,'' she said.
It turns out that Andrews went back at the right time.
The advisor informed her that she already had 100 hours on her record and only needed 20 more to graduate.
'I said, Wow! Bravo! Splendid! Hurray! And I went for it. I went for it. She said, 'We have money for you'…I said that's even better.'
Through Aggies at the Goal Line, a program that helps returning students earn a bachelor's degree, Andrews was able to finish what she started.
Andrews graduated from North Carolina A&T in December 2024 at 80 years old with a Liberal Studies degree.
She says it's not just an accomplishment that means a lot to her but to her entire family too.
'There are 13 of us, and my father died at a young age,' she said.
'My dream was to always finish college.'
'It means a lot that my siblings that sacrificed, and not only the two that are here today, Freeman and Clementine, but the other older ones, they also quit school so they could help mama raise us, so it's very important to me to finish the goal that I started out a long time ago.'
Earning a college degree is the icing on the cake for a woman who is beloved in Randolph County and has already brought so much to the community.
Many know Andrews as the owner and operator of Vera's Kiddie Kare.
'I served from 1985…started off in home daycare and ended up in 2021 – that many years of service to the community.'
The Liberty Heritage Museum recently honored Andrews for her service to the community.
Her husband, children, and siblings have supported her through this journey and celebrated the milestone with her.
'For her to graduate, is God just blessing her with something that's just for her as much as she's stood by all of us and helped us through our trials and tribulations. This graduation was something that God allowed just for her, and we are so happy and so proud of her,' Andrews' daughter Renee Matthew-Jones said.
'Never give up. Never. Sometimes you have to rest if you must, but don't quit,' Andrews said.
Andrews recently turned 81.
She hopes to use her degree to open a center that will address drug addiction, domestic violence and housing needs.
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