With her family watching, a 76-year-old woman walked up to receive her diploma during this weekend’s commencement ceremonies.

Following a 58-year saga of life experiences, Diane Dull graduated from YSU with a bachelor’s degree in general studies.

Beginning her pursuit of a degree in education in 1966, Dull was offered a teaching position at Beaver Local, where she taught second grade for three years. “After that, I stopped school. I had gotten married and had to stop to have my children,” Dull said, never completing her degree at YSU.

As her children began to pursue their college degrees, Dull purchased a business and began operating a beauty salon, which she managed for 22 years.

“I earned a lot of experience using QuickBooks and payroll,” Dull said she had over 10 employees in her salon, but the business ultimately closed after complications from COVID.

That life experience helped Dull obtain her degree at YSU through something called Prior Learning Assessment, a method used to evaluate learning outside of the traditional academic environment to earn college credit to be used toward completing a degree.

YSU didn’t have Dull’s freshman transcript needed to determine if she needed additional courses.

After scouring her home, Dull found the transcript tucked away in a drawer.

Molly Burdette, assistant director for degree completion and credentialing facilitator at YSU told Dull she had more than enough hours to complete her degree.

“I couldn’t believe it,” said Dull. “I told Molly this is a great thing here at YSU!”

“This is something I have always wanted to do and for the first time in many years, I have the time to think about myself, you know?” She said, “Some people want to go to Europe, but this is mine. I didn’t think it would ever happen, and here I am.”