May 16, 2017 – New School University, New York City: Barbara Hillary was honored that New School University asked her to give the address at their 81st commencement exercise. The 86-year-old had earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees there. At this graduation, she...
1872 – Hampton Institute, Hampton, Virginia: Booker arrived at the school with 50 cents in his pocket. Exhausted and filthy after walking almost 300 miles, he was unsure whether they would take him as a student. Assistant principal Mary Mackey interviewed him and then...
1940 – Los Angeles, California: John Goddard overheard his grandmother sigh, “If only I had done those things when I was John’s age.” It was something John had heard her say before. Even at age 15, John knew he did not want to make the same mistake. On a rainy...
Summer 2006, Fort Hayes State University – Hays, Kansas: Academic Advisor Joleen Briggs received an email request from Nola Ochs inquiring about her old transcript. Briggs looked for the old transcript for several hours before her search took her to the basement...
May 10, 1508 – Rome, Italy: When he had first been approached by Pope Julius II to tackle the project, he fled from his home in Caprese, Italy, to hide out in Rome rather than agree to the pope’s request. He was overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task, and he didn’t...
1878 – Loretto Chapel – Sante Fe, New Mexico: The nuns stared sadly at the choir loft, positioned 22 feet above the chapel floor. They were distraught. Desperate. After five long years, their chapel was complete except for one thing – there were no stairs to the loft....