Aoki Lee Simmons has officially turned her graduation tassel!
The model graduated from Harvard University at the age of 20, having earned a bachelor of arts degree with a concentration in classics. Simmons’ academic achievement comes after enrolling in the Ivy League school when she was just 16 years old.
“My baby girl is a Harvard graduate!!!,” Simmons’ mother, Kimora Lee Simmons, wrote in an Instagram post. “AND with a double major! AND one of the youngest in recent history to do so at only 20 years young!”
“AND all the while carrying a full time job modeling,” she added.
While reflecting on the celebratory moment of graduating, Simmons took the time to show gratitude to the women in her life that helped her to cross the finish line.
“I must dedicate this degree to all the leading ladies in my life, because who am I if not their daughter, granddaughter, sister and friend,” Simmons wrote in her caption. “Who am I without who came before and beside? We go TOGETHER. Women, period.”
She continued, “Thank you for being here with me, crying tears of exhaustion, anxiety and joy with me, congratulations, thank you so much, & in the immortal words of Jay-Z, we on to the next one!”
As aforementioned by her mother, Simmons had to juggle the worlds of academia and modeling to reach her goal. AfroTech previously told you that before graduating, she was outspoken about not feeling fully supported by her Harvard professors in her modeling pursuit.
“When professors love being accommodating for students with jobs and work opportunities they ‘respect,’ but modeling isn’t real work, in their opinion,” she wrote in the TikTok video.
Nonetheless, Simmons doubled down on pursuing her passion and persevered in the end.
Congratulations, Aoki!
