'It's never too late:' 76-year-old BSU graduate shows lifelong learning has no age limit

"At age 76, the Brockton great-grandmother will graduate from Bridgewater State University with a degree in Sociology and a minor in African American Studies - a milestone more than 50 years in the making. For decades, Sheryl Royster put college on hold while raising children, caring for loved ones, and navigating financial hardship. Now, at age 76, she will complete the degree she once delayed, turning a long-held goal into a graduation day achievement."

"The most surprising aspect of finishing her degree later in life was discovering that she still had a hunger for learning. "I thought at this age the brain would shut down," she said, lightheartedly. "But I'm like a sponge. The more [my professors] give me, the more I want." Her experience centers on continued intellectual appetite and responsiveness to instruction, even after decades away from formal study."

"Royster is part of a small but steady group of older adults pursuing degrees at BSU. This spring, the university has 42 students over the age of 50 graduating, including seven in their 70s, according to David D. Crane, dean of the College of Continuing Studies. Royster and another woman are tied as the university's oldest graduating students this year. The numbers show a consistent presence of older learners reaching graduation."

""While Sheryl is certainly among our older graduates, she is not alone in earning a degree later in life," Crane said. "BSU is committed to making sure that every student has the opportunity to get their degree in a way that fits their life and their needs." Royster also frames her path as an opportunity: "I've been given an opportunity that not everyone gets." Her focus connects personal readiness with institutional support for degree completion."

Sheryl Royster, a 76-year-old great-grandmother from Brockton, will graduate from Bridgewater State University with a degree in Sociology and a minor in African American Studies after more than 50 years. She previously paused college while raising children, caring for loved ones, and dealing with financial hardship. Finishing her degree later in life surprised her because she still feels eager to learn, describing her mind as receptive to what professors teach. She studies homelessness and racial inequality. Bridgewater State University has a small but steady number of students age 50 and older, with 42 graduating this spring, including students in their 70s. The university emphasizes opportunities that fit students’ lives and needs.

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