Beatrice Lillie Earns College Degree At Age 80 From HCC

HOUSTON — Beatrice Lillie has had numerous successes in all of her 80 years, and now she can add a college degree to the list. Lillie proved that age is just a number when she walked across the stage at Houston Community College to receive her associates degree in business management in May.

Lillie earned her degree from HCC's Business Center of Excellence, which offers AA and AAS degrees with certificates in several specializations, and it is an achievement she has always sought.

"I would not have believed it, I don’t think, although we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us," said Lillie, adding that she and her classmates cheered each other on until the very end.

Lillie, who now does a lot of volunteer work in her community, has enjoyed a fulfilling career with the Harris County Probation Department, has also worked as a cosmetologist and owned her own answering-service business.

However, a college degree just didn't seem to be in her future. Friends and family who believed in her encouraged her to take the big step to enroll at HCC.

One of those cheerleaders was Pastor Maceo Dillard Jr., who works with seniors like Lillie at the Northeast Houston Multi-Service Center, where she also volunteers.

Dillard, who has seen her spirit of volunteerism with other seniors, encouraged Lillie to take the plunge and go for that elusive degree she'd always wanted.

"I said ‘Go for it. You can’t win if you never try,'" Dillard said. "It's important for people to keep going and engaging their minds, instead of just sitting back."

Though Lillie received encouragement from her supporters, she was also an inspiration to others, especially her own grandchildren, most of whom are enrolled in college now and who attended her HCC graduation ceremony.

With her new degree, Lillie is now computer-savvy, she says, but is content spending her time volunteering with seniors at the Northeast Houston Multi-Service Center, where Dillard continues to be a mentor.

Lillie said she plans to use her new skill set in her volunteer work and has no plans to pursue a new career.

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