105-year-old earns master's degree from Stanford after 83 years
It's been a long time coming for Virginia "Ginger" Hislop, who's now 105 years old, as she finally earned her master's degree from Stanford University 83 years after she began her graduate studies.
Hislop accepted her diploma for master of arts in education at the university's Graduate School of Education (GSE) commencement ceremony on June 16.
Her Stanford journey began in 1936 when she entered for her bachelor's degree, which she finished in 1940. She aimed for a master's in education directly afterward so she could teach.
After finishing her coursework and just before she submitted her final thesis, Hislop put a pause on her education as her then-boyfriend George Hislop was called to serve during World War II. The two got married then.
"I thought it was one of the things I could pick up along the way if I needed it and I always enjoyed studying, so that wasn't really a great concern to me—and getting married was," she told Stanford's GSE publication.
Hislop would later welcome two children but still followed her passion for teaching as she chaired school boards to have a say in what kids were learning. She would also become involved in politics in Washington.
Her son-in-law Doug Jensen reached out to Stanford about her degree and learned that the thesis requirement was dropped by the university. With the finished coursework, Hislop had the credits to finish the degree.
"My goodness," Hislop said at the GSE commencement ceremony. "I've waited a long time for this."