A great-grandmother in Florida earns her master’s degree at 89 years old. According to ABC News, at 84, Joan Donovan received her bachelor’s degree, but the great-grandmother wasn’t done yet and decided to continue her education to get her master’s degree. Last month, four years after that decision, the grandmother of 10 and great-grandmother of nine graduated from Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) with a master’s in creative writing.
When SNHU found out that she was graduating, but wouldn’t make it to New Hampshire in person, they sent her a framed copy of her diploma along with a cap and gown, cupcakes, balloons and some SNHU swag. And her family held a private graduation ceremony for her at her home in Punta Gorda. “Took me two days to recuperate from it because of the whole wonderful, wonderful event that they planned,” she says. “I just can’t tell you how excited I was.”
The grad already has plans on how she’s going to put her new degree to work with a rom-com novel and autobiography focusing on overcoming life’s roadblocks. She’s also encouraging others to be lifelong learners and to never give up on their dreams. “Well, I waited 60 years to fulfill my dream,” she says. “So I hope others don’t have to wait that long.”
Source: ABC News
