Hagerstown Community College hopes that 85-year-old student Carolyn Hill will inspire other senior citizens to pursue the dream of higher education, the school said in an e-mailed release.
A scholarship named in Hill's honor now exists at HCC for Washington County residents who are at least 72 years old and wish to pursue a first college degree.
Hill, a Hagerstown resident, recently completed the external diploma program nearly 70 years after she dropped out of high school.
This fall, she began taking her first college-level classes at HCC.
"I've been dreaming about going back to school all my life," Hill said in the release. "When you're young and earning $11 a week, you think that's all you need. Now, I'm anxious to see how much I can do. I like to stay busy and I love to learn."
Hill has begun her college experience with a ceramics class, but hopes to take public speaking after hearing what a good job she did when she gave her commencement address at the adult education ceremony. She's even inspired her 79-year-old brother to take a class at HCC.
