74-year-old USF grad hopes to pave way for "non-traditional students"

Kathleen Doermer put off finishing college for a few years when she got married and had kids. But a few years suddenly turned into more than 50.

What's happening: At 74, Doermer is the oldest student graduating from the University of South Florida this spring — one of 7,100 students getting degrees Friday through Sunday.

• Now that she's finally graduating, Doermer's eyes are open to the value of getting an education and to campus diversity.

Flashback: Only nine students in her St. Petersburg all-girls' high school graduating class went to college in 1966. She was one of them, heading to Florida State, where a trimester cost around $90.

• She dropped out two years later, got married, raised three daughters and had a successful real estate career. But in 2019, something clicked.
• "I got hit with this bolt of lightning and thought, 'You could finish now,'" she told Axios.
• Three and a half years later and $860 per course, Doermer says her bachelor's in social sciences was all worth it.

The big picture: It's been a tumultuous year for higher education in Florida. Doermer's colleagues may be some of the last at USF to study diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and critical race theory.

• The state Legislature passed a bill Wednesday that carries out Gov. Ron DeSantis' plan to block state colleges from having DEI programs.

Catch up fast: Three student protesters and a staff member were arrested in March while trying to meet with USF president Rhea Law to urge her to defy DeSantis' anti-DEI agenda.

• The arrests sparked more protests and calls for the USF police chief to be fired.
• The staff member was fired last week and the students face expulsion, per Creative Loafing.

What she's saying: Doermer said being at USF's St. Petersburg campus taught her the value of a diverse environment, and she wants other people in her generation to understand that too.

• "My peers don't know what they're talking about, and so they judge," she said. "I've been on campus with these kids. I see how sad they are. …. The lives they live are extremely difficult."

What's ahead: Doermer said she wants to eventually testify in court on behalf of diversity in higher education. And she wants to help other students like her get their degrees.

• She hopes to create a position at USF to be a liaison for what she calls "non-traditional students," those who want their degrees but might be too intimidated to go back to school
• "I can show you because I had to go through it," she said. "The only question is, 'How hard do you want to work?'"