TAMPA, Fla. — Many students in the Tampa Bay area will graduate from college this week and begin another chapter of life. For one soon-to-be grad, she found a new direction after a personal tragedy.
For Charlene Barnes, the homework, tests, and lots of studying were worth it.
“There were times that I was thinking, 'oh, I don’t know if I can do this because it was a lot of hard work,' but it was absolutely worth it in the end,” Barnes said.
Barnes enrolled in the Accelerated Second Bachelor’s Degree program at University of South Florida (USF) studying to become a nurse. At 68 years old, she’s the spring semester’s oldest graduate.
“For anybody, going back to school, it’s great,” Barnes said. “Very rewarding, and it’s a life-changer I think.”
Barnes got her Bachelor’s Degree at University of California San Diego almost 45 years ago, and her career specialized in technology in financial services. However, her mission to learn became personal.
“My son died of bacterial meningitis in 2015,” Barnes said. “He went to the hospital because he had flu-like symptoms, and they diagnosed him with the flu and sent him home. The next morning, he was dead.”
Barnes wanted to know why it happened, how it happened and how the hospital system worked. Now, she’s set to graduate, looking to continue on in the public health arena.
“I had never thought that I really liked being a student,” Barnes said. “I didn’t the first time around, but the second time really I found it a lot more engaging. You have a lot more time. Your priorities are different. I wanted to learn.”
For those who see themselves in Barnes and are interested in returning to the classroom, she would tell them to go for it.
“You know, you can never stop learning,” Barnes said.
USF will award more than 6,400 degrees during spring commencement scheduled for May 6 through May 8. Ceremonies include recipients of approximately 4,843 undergraduate, 1,295 master’s, and 297 doctoral degrees.
