Great-grandmother set to graduate college at 90: 'Don't give up'

"I must have told the children that I wish I'd finished back in the 1950s," DeFauw recalled."And so, they suggested that I go back and I thought, 'Well, OK,' but I needed a computer … and they got one for me and so I've been able to use it and enjoy it since."

DeFauw, who lives in a retirement facility in Geneseo, Illinois, re-enrolled at NIU in August 2019 and began to take online courses toward a bachelor's degree in general studies with the university's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.Although she has attended classes online, DeFauw was able to visit the NIU campus earlier this year in August.

Although there were times when she struggled with the courses and even thought about giving up, DeFauw never threw in the towel and took time to do schoolwork almost every day. "We get to exchange ideas and things through the computer and I've had wonderful instructors that helped me and suggested things and guided me," DeFauw said."As far as the encouragement of everyone -- my friends and my family and my teachers -- I just couldn't give up.""Joyce DeFauw is an inspiration, a trailblazer and now an Northern Illinois University college graduate," Freeman said in a statement to"GMA" on Thursday.

As she gets ready to graduate this weekend, DeFauw said she's"very happy and thankful" for being able to achieve her big milestone.Joyce Viola DeFauw returned to college in 2019 and three years later, is set to graduate from Northern Illinois University with her bachelors degree in general studies.For anyone still looking to chase their dreams, even years later, DeFauw suggests they go for it.

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