CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - In less than two months, Rehan Staton will earn his degree from Harvard Law School.It’s an understatement to say the road to commencement was challenging for the 27-year-old Maryland native.
Even messy, literally.It’s the second time the Harvard Law student has gained national recognition. The first was when he was accepted into the prestigious university after working as a sanitation worker to fund his undergraduate studies.Now, he’s making headlines again for giving back to the industry that propelled him through those younger years.RELATED: Make-A-Wish kids enjoy Walt Disney World 'trip of a lifetime'Staton helped start a non-profit that raises money to support janitors and other support staff.
Last week, he held an awards ceremony to recognize those who may be overlooked, and raised $70,000 to give them various financial support.Finding college amid sanitationStaton grew up in Prince George’s County, a suburb of Washington, D.C.
He grew up in a middle-class, two-parent household during his early childhood.Rehan Staton poses with man at Harvard University. (Credit: Rehan Staton) Then his mother left the family, leaving his father to raise two sons with financial and job troubles.The plight took a toll on Staton’s education."I did so bad in school that no colleges took me at any level," he told FOX Television Stations.