High school dropout graduates with psychology B.A. and 4.0 GPA

Kenneth Reams overcame social, financial obstacles to earn bachelor’s degree; plans to become a teacher

At the age of 15, Kenneth Reams quit high school.  Not for a day or two, but permanently.

He was just in the 10th grade.

But Reams had a plan: he would home school himself with help from his parents. But two years into his independent studies, Reams realized he wasn’t making any progress toward earning a high school diploma.

So he made a new plan. He started studying to take the GED, a four-subject high school equivalency test. He passed the test, which helped him to land a fulltime job.

Five years later, Reams decided he wanted more out of life and that another plan was required.

“I decided I needed more education if I were going to be happy with myself and have a successful future,” he says.

He enrolled at Brazosport College at age 21. He continued to work fulltime while going to school part-time and earned his associate’s degree in 2012.

“It was a big accomplishment for me after having dropped out of high school and working for years without any education beyond a GED,” Reams says. “But an associate’s degree wasn't enough.”

While researching bachelor degree programs at local colleges, Reams read a quote by the late Hugh Roy Cullen, philanthropist and distinguished supporter of UH:

“I have only one condition in making this gift. The University of Houston must always be a college for working men and women and their sons and daughters. If it were to be another rich man’s college, I wouldn’t be interested.”

Cullen’s commitment to educating the working class resonated deeply with Reams.

“Because of that, I knew UH would be the best place for me to manage both work and academic life,” he says.

Not only did Reams manage – he excelled. He graduates on December 19 with a degree in psychology and a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

“Kenneth’s gritty transformation from struggling high schooler to elite college student who is graduating with the highest of honors is truly remarkable and inspiring,” says Dr. Shayne Lee, associate professor of sociology.

Reams’ outstanding performance was fueled by his desire to change his own mindset about himself.

“I felt I had a lot to prove to myself - that it was possible to come back from being a high school drop-out and be academically successful in an unconventional way,” says Reams.

His determination, perseverance and intellect impressed faculty within and outside of his department.

“Kenneth is the kind of student who makes my job as a professor easy and rewarding,” says Dr. Lee. “He was never absent or late, his writing was of a very high quality, and he always offered cogent comments in class discussions.”

Reams credits a lot of supporters for his success.

“It has been a lot of hard work and personal sacrifice, but I could not have done it without the support of my co-workers, friends, and family,” he says. “My spouse has been great in showing me the love and encouragement I need to get through this, and without her it wouldn’t have been possible.

“But it’s more than that – it has been the great professors and faculty at UH that have helped challenge me and created a rich and engaging environment.”

Reams works as a sensory research analyst for a company that does consumer product testing. While in school, he juggled his full-time workload, classwork and research opportunities. He served as a senior research assistant for two Social Psychology research labs. He also is the first author on an abstract recently accepted for poster presentation at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology Convention in California next year.

After graduation, Reams plans to return to school in two ways –  as a graduate student seeking a master’s or doctorate degree and a as a teacher in the Teach for America program. The 10th grader dropout will return to the classroom to serve as an inspirational educator.

“I know the difficulties of living life without higher education – or even a high school diploma – and it has helped me understand the importance of learning and developing throughout life,” Reams says. “I believe in the mission of education very strongly.

“The educational opportunities I’ve had here at UH have enabled me to better understand myself and others in a way I never would have before.”

- By Monica Byars