Pursuing their degrees, these new North Texas college graduates chased the ‘what ifs’Graduation ceremonies mark an educational milestone and a step toward the future.

About three months ago, Hana Taylor Schlitz turned 16.

On Friday, she became the youngest student to graduate from Texas Woman’s University, according to school records.

Thousands of students across North Texas are celebrating a milestone this spring as they graduate from area colleges and universities.

For Hana, who was adopted from Ethiopia, obtaining a degree this early in life means she’s that much closer to helping children diagnosed with tuberculosis, perhaps by helping to distribute medicine to small villages similar to the one she was born in.

Her biological mother died from the disease, which mainly affects the lungs, and threatened her own life as an infant.

“I want to be a legacy for my biological mother,” she said. “Hopefully get the treatment for other kids out there who could be just like me, future leaders.”

William Schlitz, Hana’s adoptive father, still remembers the relief he felt when the hospital discharged Hana. Seeing how far she’s come, he said Hana is one of his “biggest heroes.”

“It’s such a testament to the human spirit and her passion to want to do something positive … making sure that no other child has to go through this,” he said.

Now that she’s graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, Hana said she wants to knock off “at least one or two more degrees” before she starts working. She’s already been accepted into a public leadership master’s program at the University of North Texas at Dallas and a sociology doctorate program at Texas Woman’s.

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