Working Full Time as Janitor at Columbia University, Man from Former Yugoslavia Earns Columbia Degree in Classics

Gac Filipaj immigrated from the former Yugoslavia to the US in 1992.

After settling in the Bronx, he started studying English, then got a job at Columbia University as a Janitor.

Taking advantage of tuition reduction for employees, Filipaj then enrolled in classes at Columbia. While working full-time as a janitor, Filipaj started studying the Classics in 2000, and he’s now earned his bachelor’s degree.