15-year-old college graduate earns education degree, shares family’s love for Liberty

 >>This month, Liberty University celebrates over 32,000 graduates who are ready to impact the world as Champions for Christ. Follow Liberty News for full Commencement coverage and more stories of trial and triumph from the Class of 2026.

As the youngest bachelor’s degree graduate in Liberty University’s Class of 2026, 15-year-old Karis Dryer may not be that far removed from elementary school, but she is already well on her way to a career working with children after earning a Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education.

Dryer discovered her extraordinary academic skills when she and her older sister, fellow 2026 Liberty graduate Alethia, age 18, passed a college entrance exam at the ages of 10 and 12, respectively. The sisters from Winter Haven, Fla., enrolled in their local community college for their associate’s degrees and transferred to Liberty University Online Programs to complete their bachelor’s degrees. Alethia earned a Bachelor of Science in Digital Design: Photographic Design.

In addition to graduating alongside her sister, Karis is following in the footsteps of her mother Darlene (’23) and great-grandfather Robert Stewart (’86), who both attended Liberty. Darlene Dryer earned a Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Counseling through the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity online, while Stewart studied in the Liberty Home Bible Institute, a home correspondence diploma program (now Willmington School of the Bible).

“It is pretty amazing that when I went to Liberty, I was thinking about my grandad who went there and how proud that would make him feel,” Darlene Dryer said. “Now, me being the alumna and having two daughters graduate from Liberty… it’s special. It’s something we can share that we are Liberty grads.”

Darlene Dryer also noted her husband has earned five master’s degrees and two doctorates, calling academics a “Dryer family hobby.”

Karis started taking classes with Liberty last summer but found additional motivation to focus on her studies after returning from a missions trip to Honduras and feeling a calling toward full-time missions. She said her time with Liberty has helped her feel more prepared to one day be a teacher herself, possibly overseas working at orphanages.

“(Liberty) has helped me have a different perspective on what it would be like to teach,” she said. “I really like how the elementary education classes point out what it’s like to be a Christian in a public-school atmosphere and a private atmosphere. I think that helped me create the right mindset for whenever I walk into any type of classroom.”

While earning her bachelor’s degree, Karis continued to live life as a normal teenager, participating on swim, soccer, volleyball, and basketball teams while also singing in her church’s youth band and adult choir.

She said Liberty provided her with the tools she needed to succeed in the classroom, even though she was much younger than many of her classmates.

“(The school) has done a really good job working with us, encouraging us to keep going, and really making it a great experience.”

The family plans to travel to Lynchburg to celebrate the accomplishments of both sisters this week at Liberty’s 53rd Commencement.

Karis hopes to continue her educational journey at Liberty by pursuing a master’s degree in global and intercultural leadership. She will head straight into teaching This summer, she will teach Sunday School at her church’s Spanish sister church.

“Since she was very young, people have talked to us about Karis’ advanced academic level,” Darlene Dryer said. “As a homeschool mom, I wasn’t really sure how I could advocate for that. She has met every challenge as a cakewalk. It’s a culmination of thanking the Lord that we found an avenue that challenged her — that’s been an answer to prayer. Having her walk across that stage is an affirmation that I was obedient with what God laid before us and allowed her to walk through whatever doors were open.”

Karis hopes to set a positive example and be an encouragement for other teenagers considering pursuing a college degree at a young age.

“You can take one class, and that is (already) a huge accomplishment,” she said. “You can always add more classes and take away classes. You don’t have to change much of your lifestyle to do great things in your academic life.”