If You Can Do It, I Can Do It
For Nicholas Royster, leaving college wasn't about giving up.
It was about showing up.
When his daughter was born in 2002, school took a back seat to providing for his growing family. He went to work, later balancing demanding jobs in manufacturing while building a career that would eventually span nearly twenty-five years. Although he never stopped loving learning, supporting his family came first.
"I never regretted being there for my family."
The dream of finishing college, however, never disappeared.
Years later, Nicholas tried to return but became discouraged after being denied financial aid. Frustrated, he stepped away once again. Still, the unfinished degree remained quietly in the background, waiting for the right season.
That season arrived through an unexpected partnership.
When his wife, Christina, decided to return to school to pursue Human Resources, Nicholas made a simple promise.
"If you go, I will go too. We'll do it together."
Together, they enrolled in Guilford Technical Community College's Human Resources Management program and transformed their dining room into a classroom. They studied side by side, compared assignments, celebrated each other's successes, and leaned on one another's strengths. Christina brought years of HR experience. Nicholas brought his natural ability to break down complex ideas and help others learn.
The partnership strengthened far more than their grades.
Working in manufacturing, Nicholas had long been the coworker people sought out for help. Whether explaining company policies, solving computer problems, or helping colleagues navigate workplace systems, he naturally gravitated toward serving others. Studying human resources simply gave him the knowledge to strengthen work he was already doing.
"I enjoy being that person others can rely on."
Returning to school also revealed something about himself.
He rediscovered his love of learning, maintained a 4.0 GPA, and developed a level of focus and discipline that surprised even him.
But perhaps the greatest impact happened outside the classroom.
His daughter decided to return to school herself. His grandchildren now see both grandparents studying together. Even coworkers have been inspired by his example.
One colleague summed it up best.
"If you can do it, I can do it."
That simple statement reminds Nicholas that education is rarely an individual achievement. Every person who chooses to keep learning quietly gives someone else permission to believe they can do the same.
Today, Nicholas is completing his associate degree and plans to continue toward a bachelor's degree as he prepares for a career in human resources—a profession centered on helping people grow.
His story reminds us that sometimes the most powerful form of leadership isn't standing in front of others. It's allowing them to see what's possible by simply continuing your own journey.
Nicholas Royster is one of fifty adult learners featured in Beyond the Degree: Stories of Adult Learner Comebacks and What They Teach Us. Read his complete story in his own words, and discover what these remarkable comebacks teach us, in the book from the Center for Academic Innovation.