Woman, 90, graduates from college 70 years after finishing high school

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A great-grandmother in California has graduated from college 70 years after she received her high school diploma.

Rita Victoria Hernandez, 90, was not only the oldest graduate in Mount San Jacinto College’s class of 2025 but also the oldest person ever to graduate from the school, according to a news release.

The grandmother of 12 and great-grandmother of seven earned her Associate of Arts degree amid “health challenges and personal loss.”

Hernandez was born in Puerto Rico but moved to Torrance, Calif., more than 60 years ago, KABC reported.

Her family urged her to enroll at the college during the COVID-19 pandemic to “keep her brain alive.”

She also likes to keep her mind sharp by playing crosswords and Wordle, her family told the outlet.

Video from the commencement ceremony shows Hernandez in a mobility scooter as she rolled through the crowd.

Hernandez, whose cap was festooned with a Puerto Rican flag, walked across the stage to receive her diploma.

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The senior’s graduation continues a family legacy — her granddaughter graduated from the school in 2022, her great-granddaughter graduated last year and her great-grandson starts there in the fall.

“As someone who had never experienced college before, I can honestly say the support I received at MSJC was unbelievable,” Hernandez said.

“I was fortunate to learn from inspiring and dedicated professors whose encouragement played a key role in my success.”