Last month, Herschel Levin walked across the stage to receive his diploma from Lone Star College Cy-Fair. Instead of looking into the crowd to find his friends and family, he simply turned around to watch his father, 83 year-old Ken Levin, receive a diploma of his own.
Herschel Levin started at Lone Star when he was 16 years old and would have his father drive him to school. Rather than going home, Ken would stay in the student union to wait for his son to finish class. As he waited, he interacted with students. "I talked to students every day - we covered everything from school problems to their love life," he said.
Ken’s time on campus reignited his desire to learn. Ken started college in the ‘50s, but quit so he could take care of his family.
After discussing it with his wife, Judy, Ken decided to enroll in classes. And while most kids might be embarrassed, Herschel embraced his father’s decision. They met with a counselor and created a plan that would allow them to graduate together.
The father and son even took many classes together. "How many teenagers do you know who would want their parents on campus, let alone in the same class?" mother Judy asked.
Ken said graduating with his son was one of the proudest moments of his life. And when he walked across the stage, the crowd went wild. "It was pandemonium," he said. "All of my fellow students stood up, and they were followed by the crowd in the auditorium. They all started stamping their feet. It was rather thrilling."
The Levin duo isn’t done learning. They plan to attend Sam Houston State together in the fall.
To learn more about the Levins’ journey, click here.
