Dr. Marijuana Pepsi Vandyck is a 46-year-old woman who just received her doctorate in higher education leadership from Wisconsin’s Cardinal Stritch University.
![](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2019-06/20/21/asset/690f39df8108/sub-buzz-102-1561064988-2.jpg?downsize=700%3A%2A&output-quality=auto&output-format=auto)
Her dissertation was titled "Black names in white classrooms: Teacher behaviors and student perceptions."
![](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2019-06/20/15/asset/buzzfeed-prod-web-05/sub-buzz-17601-1561058580-1.jpg?downsize=700%3A%2A&output-quality=auto&output-format=auto)
She told theMilwaukee Journal-Sentinelher mom gave her this name because "it would take her around the world."
![](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2019-06/20/21/asset/c7ce575547d4/sub-buzz-79-1561065189-2.jpg?downsize=700%3A%2A&output-quality=auto&output-format=auto)
She spent the last eight years studying and commuting to get her degree.
![](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2019-06/20/17/asset/buzzfeed-prod-web-01/sub-buzz-7265-1561065197-1.jpg)
People are loving this story.
@journalsentinel
And cheering on her accomplishements.
That’s Dr. Marijuana Pepsi to you. https://t.co/imJFwtMsck
I mean, she was actually an urban legend. Look!
My high school basketball coach told us he once had a student named Marijuana Pepsi Jackson who became super successful & I thought he might be lying, then like 10yrs later a coworker told the same story. Homegirl been an urban legend in my life for like 15 years https://t.co/aWzGbXrsIF
She also told theJournal Sentinel, "People make such a big deal out of it, I couldn't get away from it."
As for the future, now she wants to write a book that expands on the theme of her dissertation as well as look for a professor position.
![](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2019-06/20/17/asset/buzzfeed-prod-web-03/sub-buzz-10885-1561064952-1.jpg)