Eight decades later, the Stanford graduate ultimately secured her education degree, completing her master's program studies.
A grinning Hislop was met with applause on June 16 as she received her degree and master's robe during the Graduate School of Education graduation ceremony at the university, announces Stanford University in a press statement. Her family, including grandkids and great-grandkids, were in attendance, cheering her on.
School dean Daniel Schwartz identified Hislop, who later served on various school, college, and university boards in Washington state, as a fierce proponent of equality and learning opportunities, as indicated in the statement.
Schwartz also asserted that the centenarian grad, residing in Yakima, Washington, inspired awe with her impressive educational achievements.
Hislop expressed her sentiment about the gap between leaving campus and finally receiving her degree: "Cripes, I've waited a long bloody time for this," according to Stanford.
Originally from Palo Alto, California, Hislop earned her bachelor's degree in education from Stanford's School of Education in 1940, intending to pursue a master's to begin teaching, the statement explained.
Hislop's educational aspirations were sparked by her grandmother, a pre-Civil War educator in Kansas, and her aunt, principal of a West Los Angeles school. However, her boyfriend, George Hislop, was called to participate in World War II, prompting them to get married, and leaving Hislop's master's degree temporarily unfinished, as shared by the university.
"Getting married seemed like a more pressing matter than picking up that master's degree down the line, and I've always enjoyed studying, so that wasn't much of a worry for me," she recalled in an interview with Stanford.
Despite delaying her master's, Hislop's dedication to education remained unwavering. She has served on the Yakima School Board, is a founding member of Yakima Community College's board of directors, and spent 20 years on Heritage University's board in Toppenish, Washington, as stated in the release.
"I believe I made some positive changes to our local school system and expanded its reach. This degree is a testament to the countless years I've invested in education in the Yakima region and on various boards," she told Stanford University.
She further added, "I've been doing this work for a while, and it's gratifying to be acknowledged with this degree."
Hislop was inspired to impact children's education through school board advocacy following her efforts to support her then school-aged daughter, Anne Hislop Jensen, in advocating for taking an advanced English class instead of a suggested home economics course, as shared by the release.
"I believed every kid should have a chance to develop their potential as best they could, and that everyone should have the opportunity to strive for higher education if they desired," Hislop stated.
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In her speech, Hislop expressed her joy, saying, "It's been a long wait, but I'm finally a us-based master's degree holder." During the ceremony, Hislop's extended family, including grandchildren and great-grandchildren, proudly shared in her achievement.
