An 82-year-old woman is living proof that it’s never too late to return to school. Mae Beale, a retiree who returned to school in her late 70s, just received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC).

Beale received her diploma on May 18, a day after her 82nd birthday, according to a press release from UMGC.

The elderly lady worked as a licensed practical nurse in Washington, DC when she was younger. She would, however, frequently go above and above her job responsibilities to help organize events for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid at the Department of Health and Human Services, where she worked.

This motivated her to pursue a career change, and in 1994, at the age of 54, she launched her own event-planning company.

According to CNN, she was also pursuing an associate degree in business management at Howard Community College at the time.

She decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree after completing the associate degree program. “I wanted to make sure I had enough time for whatever class I was taking.

I resembled a tortoise. The race is won by going slowly and steadily “Beale spoke about her educational experience.

‘I learned that I had to be deliberate about it and make it a priority,’ the 82-year-old, who was a great student despite being older than most of her peers, continued.

She graduated with honors and was on the dean’s list several times during her stay at UMGC. According to Bob Ludwig, assistant vice president of media relations, she received her diploma alongside 3,300 other graduates from classes 2020 to 2022.

Beale finished her study in 2020, but owing to the coronavirus outbreak, the school decided to hold the in-person graduation ceremony this year.

She told the institution that the degree had given her a significant boost in self-esteem.
‘I thought that having the degree would clarify things and make me feel more at ease,’ said Beale, a community advocate who serves on a number of local boards in Maryland.

She is now urging others to pursue their higher education goals without regard for other factors. ‘Explore as many options as you can because you never know what life may throw at you,’ Beale said.