It was not official, but Lorna Prendergast was practically the guest of honour at the University of Melbourne's graduation ceremony on Saturday afternoon.
Key points:
Lorna Prendergast has graduated from the University of Melbourne at the age of 90 with a Masters of Ageing
The focus of her studies was music as a form of temporary relief for people affected by dementia
Her message to others is that "you're never too old to dream" and now that she has graduated, she is thinking up another project to work on next
It is not every day a 90-year-old receives a master's degree — and it is even less common for them to complete the whole course online.
At the pre-graduation afternoon tea she was singled out for special mention by her lecturers and was the only graduate mentioned by name during the beginning of the ceremony.
When Mrs Prendergast received her Master of Ageing degree, accompanied by her granddaughters, the Royal Exhibition Building erupted in applause.
Hailing from the country town of Bairnsdale — almost 300 kilometres east of Melbourne — Mrs Prendergast hopes that by speaking about her experience of returning to study, others will realise you are never too old to learn.
"The more I know now, the more I want them to follow their dreams," she said.
"Nobody is too old to sit down and say 'I'm too old, I can't do it'.
"There's no such word as 'can't' in the dictionary."
Inspired to study.
PHOTO Mrs Prendergast was accompanied by her granddaughters as she accepted her master's degree.
ABC NEWS: DANIELLE BONICA
Mrs Prendergast decided to return to study following the death of Jim, her husband of 64 years.
Jim was an artist who loved aviation and after a difficult year Mrs Prendergast decided she needed to keep going with her life.
But it was while watching the ABC science program Catalyst that she worked out what she wanted to do.
"I thought 'where am I going?' And just by sheer coincidence, I turned on the TV, and there was this program about music doing so much for people with dementia," Mrs Prendergast said.
"I just thought 'I want to know something about this', because I'd experienced it in the nursing homes, how music helped the patients up there."
The use of music as a form of temporary relief for people affected by dementia became a passion and a focus of her studies.
Challenges
PHOTO The audience erupted with applause as Mrs Prendergast accepted her master's degree.
ABC NEWS: DANIELLE BONICA
Returning to study in her late 80s via distance education meant Mrs Prendergast had to adjust to changes in technology.
But as a former telephonist and librarian and having studied her family history, she was up to the challenge.
"One of the things that took a while to get used to, was when I had to have photographs and presentations and that type of thing, took a little bit of time," Mrs Prendergast said.
"But we had a very good technology team at the uni and they're very kind to me and helped me quite a lot."
Her teacher, Associate Professor Rosemary McKenzie, said Mrs Prendergast was an "inspiration".
And with one in seven Australians aged 65 or over, and the population ageing, her teachers think we can expect to see more older people in Australia's universities.
"She's got a passion for lifelong learning, she's been an early adopter of our online graduate programs," Associate Professor McKenzie said.
"She's sailed through that, mastered the technology and the digital distance.
"She really is, I suppose, the vanguard of people who are becoming lifelong learners who take up university study at any age."
Future plans
Now she has received her degree, Mrs Prendergast said she wanted to take some time and focus on her house before deciding on her next project.
"Well, my daughter reminded me of CS Lewis, who said that 'you're never too old to dream', and to think of another project," she said.
"And I believe that, and don't ask me what mine is going to be, but I'm sure something will come up once I get my house in order."