Seventeen years ago, Patsy Scott set out to earn an associate’s degree.

Scott’s determination and hard work will pay off on Friday as she will walk across the stage at the Kiwanis Building during graduation ceremonies for Lurleen B. Wallace Community College.

Scott, 44, said if age didn’t limit her capabilities, she’d do a cartwheel across the stage when she receives her diploma.

“I am excited,” she said.

During the last eight months, Scott said she worked hard to finish up.

This is the first step toward her goal to earn a master’s degree.

“I eventually want to get my master’s degree in interpretive and sign language,” she said. “I had to finish this to be able to go forward.”

Scott will transfer to Pensacola Christian College, where she will work to finish her bachelor’s degree.

She will drive back and forth from the Florida college while taking classes.

Luckily, Scott said, she has family in Pensacola and will live there full time at first.

Scott’s journey to receiving her associate degree started in 1998.

Scott took one class and eventually got married.

“A couple years after that, I took a couple classes,” she said. “We ended up adopting three kids. It’s just been progressing since then. I took a couple online classes last year.”

Taking online classes wasn’t enough for the Andalusia resident.

Scott decided that she wanted to finish where it all started — on campus.

“Now, I’m finally finished,” she said.

The need to finish college has always been on her mind, Scott said.

“I have three girls, and I want to show them that if I can do it, I know they can,” she said.

When it’s all said and done and Scott has acquired her master’s degree, she said she wants to teach in an elementary setting.

“I would love to teach in an elementary school setting, but a lot of what I want to do is for the Lord and minister in that way with the signing,” she said.

Scott said Friday can’t get here soon enough.

“I’m really giddy about it,” Scott said. “I’m really excited. This is a real big accomplishment I feel for myself.

“I feel like if I weren’t my age, I’d do a cart wheel across the stage,” she said. “I’m that excited about it.”

Scott and her husband, Charles, and have three daughters, Carly, Santina and Amber.

Graduation is set for 7 p.m. at the Kiwanis Community Center in Andalusia.