At the age of 105, Virginia “Ginger” Hislop graduated from Stanford University with a master’s degree in education this past weekend. The Palo Alto native, who started her educational journey in 1936, smiled broadly as she ascended the podium stairs on Sunday to get her diploma, capping off a successful academic career
With a “my goodness,” Hislop remarked. “I’ve waited a long time for this.” Her large family was present to see her incredible achievement.
Hislop had graduated from college in 1940 with a bachelor’s degree, but she never pursued her graduate studies because her then-boyfriend, George Hislop, was drafted into the army during World War II, which led to their marriage.
Prior to receiving her degree, Virgnia Hislop departed from Stanford, according to the Stanford Graduate School of Education. Her thesis was all that remained to be finished.
“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,” Hislop told the university’s website.
Dean Daniel Schwartz referred to Hislop as a “fierce advocate” for equality and education at the event. After relocating to Yakima, Washington, to raise their family, the Hislops’ ferocious activism began to surface.
Hislop battled to have her daughter, Anne, study advanced English rather than home economics when she entered the first grade. “I felt that she could learn to cook at home and it was more important that she learn more academic skills at school,” Hislop stated at Stanford.
Both Doug Jensen, the spouse of Anne Hislop Jensen, and she received their master’s degree from Stanford’s Graduate School of Education.
Doug Jensen told Stanford, “The biggest lesson I’ve taken from her is that you never really stop learning.” She reads a lot, and even at 105 years old, she is constantly moving and shaking. Her feet are free of moss.”
According to Stanford authorities who spoke with KTVU, her son-in-law had gotten in touch with the university some time ago to inquire about his mother-in-law’s possibility of receiving her degree, given her advanced age of 105. It also turns out that the master’s requirements no longer include the thesis.
Stanford acknowledged. Even if it was awarded 83 years later, Hislop still deserved her degree. Regardless of having a master’s degree, Hislop has been involved in education for a long time.
In an effort to have more control over the curriculum while her kids were younger, Hislop joined the Yakima School Board of Directors and served on it for 13 years.
She also helped form Heritage University, where she was a board member for 20 years, and became a founding member of Yakima Community College. She has also participated in state, local, and county politics.
“I felt that all the kids should have an opportunity to develop their potential as best they could,” Hislop stated at Stanford. “And that everybody should have a crack at higher education if they wanted.”
