This is for Me: A Lifelong Learner’s Journey to Columbia

“I often say to people: this is for me. I need to do this for me. I have never really done anything for me.”

Lisa Delgado Smith ‘25GS has always done things for other people. As the oldest of five girls, it often came with the territory. But now, at 75 years old, she’s fulfilling a longtime dream: graduating from Columbia University.

Since she was a child, Lisa wanted to be an anthropologist. She cannot remember a day that she wasn’t interested in it. “I've done so many different things in my life that are connected—believe it or not—to anthropology. It's really been the thread,” she said.

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Lisa came to New York City with her family when she was seven years old. After an accident that left her father unable to work full time, it was up to Lisa and her mother to help.

Wanting to set an example for her sisters, Lisa aspired to attend college, but ultimately needed a job to support her family. After graduating from Manhattan’s famed High School of Music and Art (now LaGuardia High School), she attended the Fashion Institute of Technology, graduated with an associates degree in graphic design, and went to work at McGraw Hill, becoming their youngest art director at the time at age 28. With nearly a decade of publishing experience under her belt, and being a self-described risk-taker who doesn’t give up easily, Lisa left the company to launch her own design firm, channeling her passion for anthropology through the eyes of graphic design. Despite her entrepreneurial success, she soon realized that graphic design alone didn’t fully satisfy her deeper creative and intellectual drive.

“I'm a good graphic designer, but it's not for me. It's not what my soul is,” she said. "I love anthropology because it's like gossip. It's really like trying to find out what happened."

Lisa’s dream of attending Columbia started early: not only was she at the 1968 campus demonstrations, she also accompanied her son on tours when he was applying to colleges and happens to live nearby, passing the gates of College Walk frequently. “I love the diversity. I love that it's in the city. My beloved New York City," she gushed. "I love New York City."

And in a twist of anthropological kismet, professor and scholar Franz Boas—who’s often referred to as the founder of modern American anthropology—helmed Columbia’s anthropology department when it was established in 1902, and also happens to be a favorite inspirational figure Lisa has frequently read about.

Her path was clear. And in 2006, Lisa made a bold decision: “I have to follow my dream. I have to do this,” she told her family—embracing her passion and committing fully to her future.

She applied to the School of General Studies (GS) and enrolled part-time to study anthropology, weaving in Core classes as her schedule allowed and taking University Writing at night. To say she was on cloud nine is an understatement.

“I took a course with John Pemberton [Associate Professor of Anthropology] and I was crying in class and somebody asked me, ‘Why are you crying?’ I said, ‘I can't believe I'm here. I can't believe I'm studying this. I can't believe this is real.’”

Like many of her GS peers, Lisa’s journey came with its share of unexpected detours that necessitated a pause in her studies, namely the Great Recession in 2008 and life-altering medical events that significantly impacted both her and her husband. 

Lisa was able to freelance while she physically and emotionally healed, but GS—and anthropology, of course—were both frequently on her mind. She was determined to finish what she’d started. When Lisa was ready, she reapplied to GS, and in Fall 2023 found herself back in the classroom and immersed in anthropology once again.

“I've had an amazing journey…I'm so grateful. I just can't think of any other word,” she said.

Lisa wears her age with immense pride and embraced her often much-younger classmates. “The funny part is everybody opens doors for me because they think I'm a professor,” she said, chuckling at the memory. In fact, her classmates have frequently been a source of inspiration. “Every one of them has a story, and I've learned a lot. They've said to me, ‘I've learned a lot from you.’ And I've said, ‘I've learned a lot from you too’. And that's the beauty of GS—that you can kinda cross-pollinate, you know?”

While her rapid-fire conversation and bold New York energy might suggest otherwise, Lisa considers herself to be quite shy. In larger lectures, she could keep to herself, but in small-group seminars, she found that to be more difficult. But in challenging moments, she drew upon her mantra for encouragement: “GS accepted me. I'm a good student. I've always been a good student. I want to learn. I belong here just like everybody else.”

Not only is Lisa graduating with honors, she's also serving as a Senior Class Marshal at GS Class Day and has the distinction of being the oldest graduate of the GS Class of 2025.

Columbia taught Lisa many things—but perhaps the most important was the power of resilience. When life had other plans, she never stopped chasing the education she dreamed of, driven by a quiet but unshakable belief in her own potential.

Even at 75 years old, Lisa knows that graduating from GS isn’t the end; it’s the beginning of a new chapter that might include teaching or even a masters degree. Whatever path she chooses, it’ll be rooted in what she’s always loved—learning, exploring, and understanding what it means to be human.

“I am a risk taker and a person who doesn't give up, and I'm still not giving up,” she said.