101-year-old college student proves age is just a number

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT/Gray News) - Sarah Simpkins has always wanted to earn her college degree, and at 101 years old, she decided there was no time like the present.

“So that I might inspire somebody else,” Simpkins said. “I returned to school. It was never out of my mind.”

Simpkins just finished the first semester of her Early Childhood Education program at Brightpoint Community College in Chester, Virginia.

“Enjoying every step of it,” Simpkins said. “Being with the other students.”

In-person art classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays were her favorite.

“When I go to do the homework, that’s easy,” Simpkins said. “Piece of cake.”

Her granddaughter, Halimah Shepherd-Crawford, is also enrolled at Brightpoint Community College and helps Simpkins with her homework.

“I study the assignment, explain it to her and then she gives me her answers,” Shepherd-Crawford said. “I’m her hands and eyes, but it’s her brain. She’s still super sharp.”

The grandmother-granddaughter duo will both graduate in May.

“It’s special because we both will finish together, and we’ll both walk across the stage together,” Shepherd-Crawford said. “It made us work harder. And that was our motivation. We’re gonna do this together. We’re gonna finish together.”

Simpkins, a former semi-professional bowler, moved to Virginia from Brooklyn, New York, at the age of 96 to live with her granddaughter.

For Simpkins, age is just a number.

“It feels like 42,” Simpkins said when asked how old she is.

She applies that youthful mentality to everything she tackles.

“My grandmother’s just an inspiration,” Shepherd-Crawford said.

Simpkins dropped out of Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina, at the age of 20 after she got pregnant.

“So I went on, and I got married,” Simpkins said.

She focused on growing her family and had 12 children. But she never lost sight of her goal.

“It’s something that I had to do,” Simpkins said. “I’m very, very grateful that God has enabled me to do this.”

Simpkins’ dedication paid off. She finished her first semester with a 3.5 GPA.

“I wanted to do that just to prove to me that I can do it,” Simpkins said.

She will be 102 years old when she receives her diploma in May.

She describes herself as happy and joyful and credits her positive attitude for longevity.

“You know what, I never plan that far ahead,” Simpkins said. “Living in the moment.”

Simpkins can take classes at no charge, thanks to Virginia’s Higher Education Act of 1974, which allows seniors over 60 to pursue higher education either for credit or by auditing classes.