Ken Lewis walked across the stage at on Saturday, concluding a 53-year journey to earn his college diploma.
Lewis, 71, first enrolled at the Walnut Ridge university in 1973, when it was known as Southern Baptist College. Although he accumulated numerous college credits over the years and built a career in computer programming, Lewis never completed a degree. Determined to fulfill a lifelong ambition, he returned to Williams Baptist to finish what he started more than five decades ago.
“I wanted a degree that I never accomplished,” Lewis said. “And now I’ve got it.”
Born and raised in Walnut Ridge, Lewis now resides in Eaton. He noted that earning his degree was about more than the academic achievement—it was about completing something that had remained unfinished for so long.
“It feels like a great accomplishment,” Lewis said. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, something I needed to feel like I have accomplished instead of just all these college hours. Now I’ve got a degree to show that I’ve got college.”
Lewis was recognized during graduation by university president Dr. Stan Norman, who praised his persistence and the example he sets for others pursuing lifelong learning.
“Mr. Lewis sets a wonderful example and shows us that learning should continue at every stage of life,” Norman said. “He epitomizes what we call the ‘Williams Way’ through his unwavering tenacity. He was determined to complete this goal in life, and we congratulate him on this achievement.”
The ceremony, held May 9, celebrated Lewis’s accomplishment alongside the university’s graduating class. Lewis’s journey serves as a reminder that it’s never too late to pursue a dream.