Selfie time! Grizelle-Reid with Valencia College President Dr. Kathleen Plinske at the graduation ceremony. (Photo/Valencia College)
Paul Grizelle-Reid is the Valencia College Class of 2025 oldest graduate.
At age 82 years old, it isn’t even close.
And he’s not done—through the Direct Connect program, he’s now working toward his bachelor’s degree in English literature at UCF.
An ordained priest, he joined the Army as a military chaplain in 1977, then traveled about working as a volunteer in the ministry.
According to the college, he recently moved to Poinciana to help his brother, who had Parkinson’s disease. During that time he enrolled in a Valencia College Spanish class. The school said he found the class interesting and challenging and, ultimately, decided to work toward earning his associate’s degree. He took nearly all of his classes in person at Valencia’s Poinciana Campus where, according to the school, he became so enchanted with collegiate learning that he traveled to Ireland with classmates for a study-abroad trip.
Paul completed his associate in arts degree coursework in the summer term, and Wednesday celebrated the achievement at Valencia’s commencement ceremony. Now he’s working toward his bachelor’s degree in English literature at UCF - and enjoying the ride to the UCF campus each day with his Valencia College classmate and good friend, Milan Jacobs, who also graduated on Wednesday.
(Thanks to Valencia College for sharing this wonderful story)
