From GED to Graduation: At 75, James Norwood Williams Proves It’s Never Too Late

This spring, York College will celebrate a remarkable graduate: 75-year-old James Norwood Williams, who defied the odds, returned to school after retirement, and will proudly walk across the stage to receive his degree in art.

“I just wanted to do something positive with my time,” said Williams, who began his educational comeback in 2017 when he earned his GED at the age of 67. “I missed going to school when I was young. Life kind of took over.”

Growing up in the Queensbridge housing projects, Williams left school early to support his family. He married young, had two sons, and spent most of his career driving tractor-trailers and working on large-scale construction and asbestos removal jobs—including a harrowing stint at the World Trade Center during the first bombing in 1993.

“I had just driven my truck into the garage when the bomb exploded,” he recalled. “By the time I got to the office, the building shook. We had to take the stairs—everyone was trying to get out. It was terrifying.”

After retiring, Williams tried his hand at real estate, but found the work—and some of the conflicts that came with it—unfulfilling. He turned to chess for fun but felt the pull of something greater. “I said, let me leave this alone and go back to school. Do something positive.”

He enrolled at Queensborough Community College, initially aiming for a business degree. But math proved to be a hurdle, so he pivoted to art. That’s when he discovered a hidden talent, nurtured by the faculty at York College, his new academic home. “I never knew I could draw,” Williams said, his voice lighting up. “I started drawing when I came here. Now, I do portraits. I like it. It makes me feel good.”

His professors noticed his dedication, especially his art professor, Dr. Emily Bovino, assistant professor in the performing and fine arts department, who pushed him to sharpen his skills and believe in his potential. “She’s tough,” Williams laughed, “but she worked with me. I got up to par—A’s and B’s. She really helped me.”

The journey wasn’t always easy. Williams lost his wife of 40 years to cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. “She passed in 2020. It wasn’t COVID—it was cancer. She didn’t tell me everything at first. I think she didn’t want me to worry,” he shared. “But I know she and my mother would be proud to know I went back to school.”

Williams is not just graduating—he’s thriving. He’s already considering pursuing his master’s degree and dreams of sharing his artwork in museums. He’s also working on a chess initiative with fellow students and professors and even created a magazine featuring portraits of his chess-playing friends.

His advice for others? Don’t stop. “I hear the stories—people stop school and don’t go back. They get scared of the work. But I’m retired. I’m up at four in the morning, drawing and writing. I never thought I could pass the tests. I didn’t know I had it in me.”

As for what’s next, Williams plans to travel—to Africa, to Rome—and to pick up his new dog from a kennel. “I’m comfortable. I’m enjoying life,” he said.

First-generation college graduate. Artist. Survivor. James Williams is a living testament to resilience, lifelong learning, and the belief that it’s never too late to begin again.

“You survive—that’s intelligence,” he said. “There’s nothing more worthy of admiration than being able to survive in a world that’s not always made for you.”