For most of her life, LaFaye Price carried the quiet goal of finishing her college degree. That goal became reality this weekend when the 75-year-old Monroe resident walked across the stage at Fant-Ewing Coliseum and earned her bachelor’s degree in general studies from the University of Louisiana Monroe, making her one of the oldest graduates in the university’s history.
Born in Farmerville in 1950, Price moved to Monroe after marrying in 1969 and spent her 20s and 30s raising her three children while working full time. In the late 1980s, she enrolled at ULM, then known as Northeast Louisiana University, but stepped away after struggling to balance classes, work, and family life.
“I just felt defeated,” Price said. “I had to let something go, and it wasn’t going to be my kids.”
Though she paused her education, the desire to finish never disappeared. In 2021, Price returned to ULM with a renewed determination. She earned her associate’s degree in 2022 and chose to continue toward a bachelor’s degree, completing her coursework while working full time as an administrative assistant at East Ouachita Middle School.
Throughout her journey, Price leaned on the support of her children, all of whom value education, and found inspiration in her older sister, who holds multiple degrees. Her family says she thrived in the classroom, engaging deeply with her professors and fellow students despite taking classes online.
Now a college graduate, Price is already looking ahead. She is pursuing a master’s degree in gerontology with a concentration in grief management, hoping to use her education to support others through service and volunteer work.
For Price, earning her degree represents perseverance, purpose, and the belief that learning has no age limit.
