Gac Filipaj mopped floors and cleaned toilets at Columbia University for many years.

As a refugee from Yugoslavia, he made his meager living by working for the school. Recently, however, the 52-year-old janitor graduated with a bachelor’s degree in classics.

He didn’t have to pay for the classes he took because he is an employee of the school.

His next goal is to get a master’s degree or perhaps even a Ph.D. in Roman and Greek classics. He would like to become a teacher, translating his favorite classics into Albanian.

At this point, he’s trying to find a different job, maybe as a supervisor of custodians at Columbia University, if possible.

Filipaj is not interested in studying to increase his income.