On June 16, at the graduation ceremony of the Stanford University Graduate School of Education, 105-year-old Virginia “Ginger” Hislop received her master’s degree. With a smile on her face, she received a round of applause from the audience, including her grandson and great-grandson, who cheered for her.
Stanford University stated in a press release that when Hislop began studying at the Graduate School of Education in 1936, her plan was to obtain a bachelor’s degree in education (which she achieved in 1940), then pursue a master’s degree in education, and then start teaching.
However, just as she was completing her coursework and preparing to submit her thesis, her then-boyfriend George Hislop, a GSE student in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, was called to serve during World War II, leading to their marriage. Virginia Hislop left campus before graduating.
“I think this is one of the things I learned during my studies – if I needed to, I’ve always enjoyed learning, so this wasn’t a big issue for me – marriage was,” Hislop said. She was born in Palo Alto, California, and currently resides in Yakima, Washington.
After leaving campus and serving in the field of education for 83 years, Hislop returned to Stanford University to complete her studies and earn her graduate degree.
According to the press release, school dean Daniel Schwartz described Hislop as a “steadfast advocate for fairness and educational opportunity.” He said that the centenarian graduate from Yakima, Washington, “has achieved great success in the field of education throughout her life.”
During the graduation ceremony, Hislop, dressed in academic regalia, expressed her gratitude to Schwartz as she received her master’s degree certificate.
“My goodness,” Hislop said, “I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time.”
Stanford University’s press release mentioned that Hislop’s grandmother was an education worker and her aunt was a school principal in Los Angeles. Her grandmother inspired her to pursue a career in education.
Despite temporarily pausing her pursuit of a master’s degree over 80 years ago, it did not deter Hislop’s commitment to the field of education. The press release stated that Hislop served as a Yakima school board member, was a founding board member of Yakima Community College, and served on the board of Heritage University in Toppenish, Washington for 20 years.
“I feel like I’ve done good for our local school system, I’ve helped expand it,” she said in the press release. “For me, this degree is recognition of my work over the years in the schools and various board positions in the Yakima area.”
She added, “I’ve been doing this work for many years, and I’m glad to receive this degree.”
The press release mentioned that Hislop initially aimed to promote children’s education by participating in school board activities. When her daughter Anne entered first grade in Washington, Hislop advocated for her to have the opportunity to learn advanced English rather than the home economics course recommended by the school.
“I thought she could learn cooking at home, but more importantly, she should learn more academic skills at school,” Hislop said in the press release. Both her daughter and son-in-law are graduates of the Stanford University GSE.
Hislop said, “I believe all children should have the opportunity to maximize their potential, and if willing, everyone should have the chance to receive higher education.”