Verity Bornet will graduate this semester with a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the age of 19.
Bornet started figure skating when she was 13. A year later, she opted out of attending high school so she could commit more time to skating. She earned her GED and began working toward her associate’s degree at Santa Fe Community College. Four years later, she is substituting a high school graduation with a college ceremony.
“It’s been really great because I feel like I didn’t waste any time,” Bornet said. “I’m really excited; I feel like finally all my work is paying off. It felt like this day would never come.”
Bornet chose to major in psychology after taking an abnormal psychology class at SFCC that focused on trauma in children. She said she found the subject fascinating and, after conducting personal research, she realized she wanted to do something about it.
One of the people who has helped Bornet through her college career is Sandra Lara, a teaching assistant in the Women’s Studies program.
“While I only know Verity as her instructor, I can attest to her excellent leadership skills and enthusiasm,” Lara said. “(Knowing) how young she is, I am amazed at her diligence and writings, which demonstrated sound critical thinking skills.”
Lara described Bornet as a great leader who demonstrates integrity, positivity, creativity, commitment and confidence.
“I am certain she is going to do great things in the field of counseling,” Lara said. “It has been a privilege having her in my class.”
Isabella Bornet, Verity’s mother, also described her daughter as a leader who is “mature beyond her years in a lot of ways.” She said her family was very fortunate to have the ability to work out a path that deviated from the traditional academic career for her daughter.
She also said that, while she is very proud of her daughter for getting her degree at 19, she is more proud of her for becoming the kind, tolerant person she is.
“She really cares about children, people and things,” Isabella Bornet said. “She’s got that compassion, which is really important because I think the most important thing in life is that we can help to raise good, kind, tolerant people. That’s more important than any accomplishment.”
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Verity Bornet will need a lot of strength to deal with the situations she is going to encounter in her chosen career path, her mother said.
“I couldn’t deal with the things that she is going to be dealing with. I wouldn’t have that level of strength,” she said. “But she has it, and she’s always been that way.”
Verity Bornet credited this strength and discipline to the figure skating coaches she’s been working with for the last six years.
“They just really got me through a lot of things in my life. I wouldn’t have been able to (get) my degree without them at all,” she said. “They taught me discipline and how to set goals and achieve them.”
Verity Bornet currently works at the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department and said she plans to take a short break from school before she begins her master’s degree.
Skylar Griego is a culture reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @DailyLobo.
