A 48-year-old events management student graduated from Nescol today to and encouraged others to get into education whatever their age.
Mercy Brown moved to the UK in 2013 from Nigeria, where she had completed marketing at the equivalent of HND level.
But her studies in Nigeria had to be put on hold as the cost became too much for her family to afford.
Determined to finish studies
However, she was always determined to return and finish her education, after settling in the UK.
She said: “I’ve always wanted to go back to education and work towards a degree but, due to work and other commitments, I didn’t have the opportunity.
“I reached a point in the midst of the storm of the pandemic, when I realised I needed a change of career as I wanted more out of life.”
Mrs Brown made the decision to study HND Events Management.
‘Menopause made me feel like I was dying’
However, the course was not without its challenges.
While studying Mrs Brown had to deal with the ups and downs of menopause.
In April, she said an especially low time in her life, when she said: “It made me feel like I was dying.”
She said she was awake for three days in a row – making studying impossible.
Supported by lecturers and family
Throughout her course, Mrs Brown said she was kept going by the support of her lecturers and family.
She said to one of her lecturers: “I am going to finish these even if I have to crawl.”
At her graduation ceremony on Wednesday, she was supported by her brother and her son who came to watch.
She added: “If anyone else is thinking about returning to education, I would tell them to go for it!”
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