Learning never stops for a senior citizen student from the University of Santo Tomas.
Roberto Solis, 63, was among the journalism majors who had their final thesis defense on December 7 in UST’s España campus.
UST Faculty of Arts and Letters student publication The Flame reported his achievement on Saturday.
Solis, who is a retired fur expert and fashion adviser, presented his research titled “Fashion journalism: An analysis of stories on the SONA outfits from Aquino III to Marcos Jr. administrations” as a final requirement for his thesis subject.
Solis first enrolled in UST’s journalism program in 1979 but had to pause his academics for a while to prioritize his work and other responsibilities.
Forty-five years later, he is now closer to becoming a degree holder.
“Education has always been a dream I held on to. Even when life got busy, I knew I wanted to finish what I started. Over the years, I gathered not only experience but also the determination to return and prove to myself that it’s never too late to learn and finish what I’ve started 40 years ago,” he told GMA News Online.
“Now that it’s almost graduation, I am super excited and emotional as it has been my long dream to graduate and have my diploma,” Solis added.
The former Tokyo-based singer hopes that people, despite their age, continue to chase their dreams.
“It’s never too late to chase your dreams. Age should never be a reason to stop learning, growing, or reaching for something you’ve always wanted,” he said.
“Life doesn’t have a deadline when it comes to achieving goals. Whether it’s finishing your studies, starting a new career, or discovering new passions, what matters most is your willingness to take that first step,” Solis added.
He encouraged everyone to believe in themselves and stay determined because every “small effort brings you closer to your dream.”
“If I can do it, you can too!” he said.
—MGP, GMA Integrated News
