Close to a thousand students took that walk across the stage to become WSU Vancouver’s official graduating class of 2022.
Some of those graduates feel like that day was a long time coming.
The last time Marilou Cassidy wore a cap and gown was during her high school graduation in 1959.
Sixty-three years later, Marilou just earned her BA degree in Humanities from WSU Vancouver at the age of 81.
“I wanted to finally be a college graduate. I am surrounded by them. My grandkids, my husband and children are all college grads. I decided that it was time to complete that BA,” she says.
Marilou attended Clark College and Marylhurst over the years. She got halfway to earning a degree. After the long break, she jumped back into classes in the summer of 2019.
“It was the learning that I really started enjoying. I liked the entire learning process. It was hard, but I was dedicated to it.”
It was in her women’s studies and art history classes where Marilou found her passion for learning.