2016 took Nola Ochs

World's oldest graduate

Nola Ochs will probably be best remembered as the Senior Freshmen meme, but this women's story is actually pretty balls to the walls amazing.

Starting university in 1930, she dropped out to raise the first of her children. She raised her four sons on her family farm, and would go on to have 13 grandchildren, and 15 great grandchildren. In her words “I've led a long, interesting life. We went through the dust storms. We had some difficult times in our marriage, financially. But it's been the Lord's will that I've lived this long life, and I thank Him kindly for it.”

Following her husband's death, she went back to school and graduated with a major in history, as the world's oldest undergraduate. She would go on to graduate with a master's degree alongside her own granddaughter.

Over the next few years she gave guest lectures on cruise ships, and colleges, and was a graduate teaching assistant up to her death this year, on December 9th 2016 at 105 years old.

She leaves a legacy of friendship, family, perseverance, and the record of oldest undergraduate, postgraduate, and faculty member to her accolades.