Sam Kaplan, 72, became the first of his seven siblings to earn a bachelor’s degree after receiving his diploma in Cinema and Media Arts from Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Kaplan’s 99-year-old mother cheered from the crowd during his graduation ceremony.  The father of five had worked in various roles including running a cleaning service, a telemarketing company, and a part-time taxi driver. At 68 years old, Kaplan decided to go back to school. “I was riding down the highway and heard on the radio they were offering this degree,” Kaplan told FOX 5 Atlanta. “The next exit was Collinsville, so I exited off and five minutes later, I was registering for class. Kaplan graduated summa cum laude and plans to write more screenplays in the future. His graduating class applauded non-stop as he received his diploma.

(Picture Courtesy: Georgia Gwinnett College)