Mike Williams, 28, enrolled at Indiana State University in August to study sales and marketing, becoming the first in his family to attend college. He says he worried about being accepted as an older student, but a resident assistant's welcome reassured him.
Williams’ TikTok video of moving into a campus dorm drew 3 million views. He said some commenters questioned whether an older student should live in the dorms, while his classmates have backed him. He hopes to use his social-media posts as a portfolio for future marketing recruiters.
Before enrolling, Williams worked at a day center for homeless people, a job he loved but said offered little prospect of career advancement. After his mother's death, he said he realized he wanted more from life. He hopes to make connections, secure a marketing internship and eventually find a job at Pixar.
