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First Black Georgia Tech graduate hands granddaughter diploma from same school

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Published  May 6, 2024 8:13am EDT
Georgia Tech
FOX 5 Atlanta

First Black grad at Georgia Tech

The first Black graduate, Ronald Yancy, from Georgia Tech got to hand his own granddaughter her diploma last week during Georgia Tech's graduation ceremony.

ATLANTA - Last week, thousands of students celebrated their graduation at Georgia Tech, but for one family, the ceremony held special significance due to their longstanding connection to the school.

In 1965, Ronald Yancey made history by earning his degree in electrical engineering from Georgia Tech. 

He faced significant challenges along the way, being the only Black graduate among 300 students. Yancey's journey to graduation was marked by rejection, as he was turned down twice before the school granted him conditional acceptance. Despite facing additional exams and papers, Yancy persevered and successfully earned his degree.

To honor his groundbreaking achievement, the university installed a sculpture titled "The First Graduate" in the heart of the campus, commemorating Yancey's pioneering role in breaking barriers at Georgia Tech.

Last week, he was able to hand his own granddaughter, Deanna Yancey, her diploma from Georgia Tech when she walked across the stage. 

Deanna Yancey earned her masters in electrical and computer engineering from Georgia Tech.