Grandfather, 88, graduates college alongside his granddaughter

SAN ANTONIO — The graduation ceremony at The University of Texas at San Antonio featured an unlikely pair: a granddaughter and grandfather graduating together.

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23-Year-old Melanie Salazar graduated with a bachelor of arts in communications at the same time her 88-year-old grandfather, Rene Neira, received a degree of recognition in economics, ABC News reported.

The school celebrated the pair’s achievement with a tweet saying “Family Goals!”

While the two graduated together, they had not planned initially for the graduation to be a family affair. Salazar told Today.com that her grandfather postponed his education to build a banking career and support his family, while always saying his life’s goal was to earn a degree.

Neira had been taking classes occasionally as he tried to earn a degree, but in 2017 enrolled with his granddaughter at the University of Texas at San Antonio, ABC News reported. While they never shared a class together, the pair did carpool and study together.

Salazar posted pictures of the two of them on Twitter as their college journey was just starting, saying “I’m so proud of my grandpa for finishing his first day…82 years old and not giving up!”

Unfortunately, Neira suffered a minor stroke and had to take a leave of absence from school at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, ABC News reported. Because his health is failing and he had difficulty navigating the classes online, The University of Texas granted the family’s request to grant Neira a degree of recognition.

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