‘It’s never too late’: Utah woman earns master’s degree at age 80, is eldest in her graduating class
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Beth Dayley is 80 years old. She has five children, 15 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and now — after earning her bachelor’s degree nearly four decades ago — she has her master’s degree.
In the spring of 2024, Dayley made the journey from Utah to New Hampshire to walk across the stage at Southern New Hampshire University after completing her degree online. Dayley said earning her master’s degree had been on her bucket list for most of her life.
“I’m so excited,” Dayley said. “It is really exciting to be here, to walk across the stage, to realize that I’ve accomplished something that’s very important to me.”
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Dayley said four of her five children have earned their bachelor’s degree, and one has their master’s degree. The fifth child teaches at an international school in Italy and is taking night classes, Dayley said.
“It’s never too late to get your education when it’s ready for you,” Dayley said. “It has to be the right time. It’s not always the right time.”
Dayley said she received support from her family while she was completing her master’s degree, which was focused on creative writing.
“My grandchildren and my children are very supportive,” Dayley said. “They thought it was very exciting when I said, ‘I’m going back to get my master’s degree.'”
She said her family was there for her and helped her when she got discouraged.
“One of the most difficult parts of getting my master’s degree, of course, was that my health isn’t the best at age 80,” Dayley said. “But it worked out just fine.”
Dayley got her degree through an online program, which she said enabled her to not put things on hold. She got back surgery when she had a week off and was able to continue her studies when school resumed. During a different week off, she and her granddaughter went to Scotland.
“It’s important for me to be able to live a life while earning my master’s degree, and not just say, ‘I have to give up everything,'” Dayley said.
Dayley said the timing wasn’t right to continue her education in her 20s and 30s, as she had three children in three years. Then she got her bachelor’s degree at the age of 43 and retired at the age of 65.
“I think it’s important, if you want the education, that you do it,” Dayley said. “It’s never too late.”
Dayley said school and lifelong learning are important to her, and that learning will help keep her mind fresh.
“I want to learn,” Dayley said. “And I want to keep learning.”
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