Last Sunday, Gac Filipaj, a 52-year-old janitor, donned a cap and gown to graduate with a bachelor's degree in classics from Columbia University where he worked, AP reported.

Filipaj, a Yugoslavian refugee, didn't have to pay for his classes. It took him twelve years of studying to graduate with honors, with his study program including readings in ancient Latin and Greek.

For years, he studied late into the night in his Bronx apartment, where he'd open his books after a 2:30-11 p.m. shift. Before exam time or in order to finish a paper, he'd pull all-nighters, go to class in the morning and continue on to work after.

His ambition now is to get a master's degree, maybe even a Ph.D., in Roman and Greek classics.

(China.org.cn May 15, 2012)

據美聯社報道，上周日，52歲的清潔工蓋克·菲利帕奇在他工作的哥倫比亞大學身著學士帽、學士袍，接受了古典學學士學位。

菲利帕奇是來自南斯拉夫的難民。他不必為他所上的課付費。他學了12年，最終以優等成績畢業。他的研究課程包括研讀古拉丁語和希臘語。

數年間，他在布朗克斯的公寓里學習到深夜，通常在上完下午2:30至11時的輪班過后才打開書本。考試前或為完成論文，他通常通宵達旦學習，然后早上去上課，接下來工作。

他的理想是讀取羅馬希臘古典文學的碩士或博士學位。