Jackson Free Press

Ethel T. Williams Singleton, a 69-year-old Raymond resident and mother of 11, recently received a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Jackson State University. Obtaining a college degree is a dream Singleton has had for most of her life but was only recently able to fulfill.

"I got married and had children, so I couldn't go to college," Singleton told a JSU reporter.

In addition to taking care of her own 11 children, which include four sets of twins, Singleton worked with young people as a supervisor at the Mississippi Department of Human Services' Oakley Detention Center from 1997 until 2004.

Singleton decided to attend college in the late 1980s, earning an associate's degree in criminal justice from Hinds Community College in 1991. She retired in 2004 and returned to college at Jackson State to earn her bachelor's degree in 2010; however, she is not planning on returning to work with her degree.

"I just wanted my degree," Singleton told a JSU reporter. "It's a milestone that I had always wanted to accomplish."

All of Singleton's children, who range in age from early 30s to late 40s, have college degrees of their own, which Singleton always pushed and encouraged them to pursue. They were just as encouraging of their mother when she returned to school.

"I encouraged all of them to go to college and they encouraged me," Singleton told the Jackson Free Press. "They were all there on Saturday, they all congratulated me. From the start they encouraged me and said 'Go mom. Go for it.'"

Singleton is one of 550 students who participated in Jackson State's fall commencement on Saturday. She said that she felt comfortable with her classmates at Jackson State despite the age difference and felt accepted by them. Part of the reason she opted not to take online classes was so she could have the classroom experience.

"I wanted to feel what it was like to be one of the students, I didn't want to work on the Internet," Singleton said. "The instructors were wonderful and they were always involved with me. There was a lot of studying late nights and there was a lot of paperwork and research, but it was all worthwhile."

"I am very proud of myself," the grandmother of more than 30 told a JSU reporter. "I can tell my grandchildren, 'Keep going until you reach your goals.' If their grandmother can do it, they can do it."

"I'd like to thank the faculty for accepting me, pushing me, encouraging me and just telling me 'You can do it,'" Singleton told the JFP.