90-year-old woman becomes oldest person to earn master's degree at Texas university

DENTON, Texas (TND) — Thousands of graduates crossed the stage at the University of North Texas (UNT) over the weekend but only one made history.

At 90 years old, Minnie Payne earned a master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies 73 years after she graduated high school.

She told UNT she is "elated" and "humbled" to have completed her degree, which she did entirely online.

"I took it day by day," she said.

But her journey to higher education was a long one.

Payne grew up in an impoverished South Carolina textile mill community and was the child of uneducated mill workers, according to UNT.

She was able to graduate high school in 1950 and briefly attended junior college before working as a clerk at a real estate firm, marrying and having two children.

At 68, she was able to retire from her 30-year career as a transcriptionist and word processor and enrolled at Texas Woman’s University. At 73, she earned a bachelor's in General Studies in 2006.

"I had always worked with words, and I had always liked to write, so I almost immediately went back to school. I wanted to improve myself," she said.

Payne's advisor called her a "lifelong learner" due to her persistence to complete her degree at age 90.

Even though some may consider her an inspiration, she just sees it as bettering herself.

"I knew that I was bettering myself and my family, and I was doing something I enjoyed and something constructive," she said. "I was improving my life. Every day I try to do something to improve my life and those around me."

Payne insists she isn't slowing down anytime soon.

“In some way or another, I want to continue learning," she stated.