105-Year-Old Stanford Graduate Proves It's Never Too Late To Dream

Photo Courtesy of Charles Russo

It’s never too late to pursue your dreams. As we go through adulthood, we start to realize that things don’t always go as planned. No matter how much we prepare, unforeseen and uncontrollable events occur, and often, before we even reach the next step, we give up. We let go, thinking that a redirection means denial of where we want to go.

Centenarian Finishes Degree In Stanford University

However, Virginia "Ginger" Hislop, a recent graduate from the Stanford University Graduate School of Education, has proven otherwise. At 105 years old, she achieved a milestone that inspired many.

Ginger began her master’s program in 1936 with a clear plan to finish by 1940. However, life happened. World War 2, in her case, happened. All she had to do was submit her thesis after finishing all the coursework but her boyfriend, George Hislop ('41), a GSE student in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), was called to serve in World War II. This prompted the couple to marry, leading her to leave campus before graduating.

"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," Ginger said in a speech.

Success Story 86 Years In The Making

Indeed, learning knows no age. As said by Doug Jensen, Ginger's son-in-law, "The biggest lesson I’ve taken from her is that you never really stop learning." After 83 years of leaving the campus, Ginger came back to finish what she started.

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Reflecting on her career, Ginger credits her time at Stanford and the lessons learned from community partners for her ability to make a significant impact on students. "I think I did good things for our local school system and I helped broaden it out," she explains. "For me, this degree is an appreciation of the many years I’ve put in working for the schools in the Yakima area and on different boards."

Virginia Hislop’s journey to complete her degree is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to achieve your dreams because learning never stops at a certain age.