Older Student Receives High School Credential at ECC

Proving it’s never too late to change your life, Milton Pittman, 74, has earned his High School Equivalency diploma at Edgecombe Community College.

College and Career Readiness (CCR) programs at Edgecombe Community College provide instruction, training, and credentials to individuals of all ages, from sixteen years and up. Though it’s a challenge to describe a “typical” CCR student, it is not typical to see a student over the age of 70.

Milton Pittman is proof that we’re never too old to learn. At 74, he has earned his High School Equivalency diploma. “I attempted this process several times over the past 20 years,” he says. “However, this time around I felt that I had a level of support that had not been present for me during the previous attempts.”

After earning barbering and cosmetology credentials more than 30 years ago and successfully operating a hair salon in the Enfield area for a number of years, Pittman realized that completing his high school education needed to be a priority.

In classes with students who were young enough to be his children and grandchildren, he was often a voice of encouragement to those students when they shared personal and academic challenges.

“I see this moment as a life-changing event, and even at my age, I now have options that I never had before,” he observes.

Pittman plans to transition into full-time employment with a local company and return to learning to play the piano. He put those lessons on hold to pursue his high school diploma.