97-Year-Old Illinois Vet Earns College Degree 80 Years Later
You are NEVER too old to do anything!
Bill Gossett is proving that statement to be totally true with his amazing recent accomplishment. Bill who is now 97, attended Lincoln College for a short time before transferring to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, but he ended up joining the U.S. Army Air Corps before finishing a degree.
Nearly 80 years later, Bill accomplished something really special. He earned his college degree and graduated. After he returned from the war, he took over the family business, Gossett's Cleaners, instead of returning to school. In 2019, Gossett approached Lincoln College officials about returning to the school to finish his associate's degree.
Lincoln College President said -
After meeting with the Registrar's Office, we determined that Gossett could re-enroll as a reverse transfer student with Prior Learning Assessment credits. We were inspired by his desire to obtain a degree 80 years after his education began.
Bill completed his Associate of Arts degree in 2020, but had to wait for the 2021 graduation ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was also surprised at the ceremony with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.
This is a great reminder that you are NEVER too old to accomplish your dreams. Life doesn't stop, and there will always be things that you need to do in the moment for your family or your job. But don't forget that whatever personal goal you have in life can and WILL be accomplished. Let Bill inspire you whenever you feel like you can't do that thing you've always wanted to do.
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