TYLER, Texas — After seeing her children reach their educational goals, Mary Ruth “Ruthie” Graham made her dreams come true as she walked across the stage to earn her bachelor's degree in nursing on her 72nd birthday.
Graham graduated from UT Tyler on Friday, Dec. 8 during the university's fall commencement ceremony.
“I’d wanted to complete college all of these years, and this was my opportunity,” Graham said. “I knew it was my time.”
One of her favorite quotes is, ‘She believed she could, so she did.’ “Keep going forward, one step at a time, and you’ll never regret where you end up.”
Her aspirations of becoming a nurse date back to when she was 6 years old and she dressed up as a nurse, including a white dress and cap.
After graduating high school, Graham married Richard Graham and helped him through his bachelor’s degree and officer candidate school, according to the university's statement.
While he served as an active duty fighter pilot in the Navy for nine years, Graham gave birth to four children. She was inspired and grew close to her bedside nurses.
She wanted to help other women as they helped her. So, she earned her RN license in 1994 and worked for 13 years in labor and delivery.
At this time, she was also helping her children obtain their degrees, including one RN license, four bachelor’s and two master’s, and one currently in pursuit of her PhD.
“I saw my kids pursue their educational goals, and it inspired me to do the same,” she said. “They taught me that it was possible, that it could be within my reach too. I genuinely believe that anyone can complete college if they attend class and put their mind to it.”
Her journey to a bachelor's degree in nursing started in 2016, and she took one class per semester while also helping to homeschool three of her six grandchildren.
“UT Tyler made the program very accessible,” Ruthie said. “I was able to take my classes from anywhere—in a camper, on a cruise ship, in my office or even lying in bed. I couldn’t have done it if the program wasn’t so flexible and the professors so understanding.”
Dr. Barbara Haas, UT Tyler School of Nursing dean, said the school is honored to celebrate Graham's extraordinary achievement.
“Her journey speaks to the power of determination and the pursuit of lifelong learning. She exemplifies the spirit of tenacity needed to achieve one’s dreams.”