ATLANTA — After starting her master's degree at Georgia Tech 40 years ago, a 71-year-old woman finally crossed the stage in her cap and gown to prove that nothing can get in the way of a goal.
Beth Quay's accomplishment challenges anyone who thinks they are too old to learn a new skill. At the age of 71, she graduated with her master's degree in analytics from Georgia Tech, where she first earned her bachelor's degree in industrial engineering in 1974.
Life changed her trajectory 40 years ago when Quay started the degree and she had to hit pause. After her husband passed away in 2018, she decided it was time to finish what she had started. She enrolled in Georgia Tech's online Master of Science in Analytics program and began working toward her degree while holding a full-time job and managing a 200-acre farm.
"My boss laughed at that point and said, 'you're going to have the most current skills in the department,'" she remembered. "And I thought, 'that's exactly what I want.'"
Despite the challenges of balancing her studies with her other responsibilities, Quay persevered and walked across the stage to receive her degree on Dec. 16.
"I did not realize how much my mental skills had slipped until I started this program," Quay said. "This is a time to celebrate. This is an achievement."
Quay's story serves as an inspiration to anyone who thinks it's too late to pursue their dreams.
"When you see gray hair and wrinkles, you generally think obsolescence. Maybe 20 years ago, there was still this idea that at 65, people were pretty much burned out and ready to go on to the next phase of their life," she said. "We live with much better medical care these days, much better nutrition and as a result, people are living longer and much more productive or potentially productive lives."
With hard work and determination, Quay can now add a new degree to her already impressive list of accomplishments.
