Out of the tragedy of the San Bernardino shooting, Los Angeles Harbor College is honoring 26-year-old Aurora Godoy, the youngest victim. Godoy was two classes short of earning her associate’s degree, but College President Otto Lee will present her family with a posthumous degree, The Los Angeles Times reported.
Godoy started college in fall 2007 and continued until fall 2011. She resumed her studies last fall and hoped to continue her education at another university to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Her studies were intermittent due to moving, a new job, and having her son.
Lee noted Godoy “was able to continue to try and advance and complete her degree” with all her other activities. He called the degree “fitting because she represents so many of our students and the dreams they have” and said they “want her legacy to continue to inspire students who come to us.”
Godoy’s husband James said “I think it’s nice for my son to say, ‘Hey, she finished.'”
Board of Trustees President Scott Svonkin spoke of the powerful message of the degree:
It’s the only way we can help make sure that our students and the community know that Aurora’s life and the life of every victim is way more important than the efforts of terrorists to put fear in the hearts of people in California and our country.
Lee was not aware of the college awarding a posthumous degree before.
A YouTube tribute was created for Godoy in December when she died.
