It’s never too late to achieve your dreams, as 90-year-old Joyce Defao proved when she graduated from Northern Illinois University.
After leaving college to start a family more than 70 years ago, Joyce decided to return to school in 2019 with the support of her large family, which includes 17 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.
With the help of online classes and her first computer, Joyce was able to earn her Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies.
Defao is an exceptional individual, having achieved the impressive feat of graduating from college at the age of 90.
In 2021, only 33 people over the age of 65 were undergraduates or graduates.
This makes Joyce’s accomplishment all the more noteworthy, as she far surpassed the average ages of both undergraduate and graduate students in Fall 2021, which were 20.6 and 32.0, respectively.
It’s clear that Joyce’s determination and dedication to her education are unparalleled, and her graduation serves as an inspiration to people of all ages that it’s never too late to pursue your goals.
Congratulations to Joyce on this impressive accomplishment!