Atage89,MaryFasanograduatedwithabachelorsdegreefromtheExtensionSchoollastweekandenteredthehistorybooksastheoldestpersontoearnanundergraduatedegreeatHarvard.Followingisthespeechshedelivered--"ThePowerofKnowledge"--attheExtensionSchooldiplomaawardingceremony:

　　Irememberonenightafewyearsagowhenmydaughterwasfranticwithworry.AftermyHarvardExtensionSchoolclasses,Iusuallyarrivedatthebusstationnearmyhomeby11p.m.,butonthatnightIwasnowheretobefound.Mydaughterwasnervous.Itwasntsafeforasinglewomantowalkaloneonthestreetsatnight,especiallyoneasdefenselessasIam:Icanslayamuggerwithmysharpwit,butImjusttooshorttodoanyrealphysicaldamage.

　　Thatnightmydaughtercheckedthebusstation,drovearoundthestreets,andcontactedsomefriends.Butshecouldntfindme--untilshecalledmyastronomyprofessorwhotoldherthatIwasontopoftheScienceCenterusingthetelescopetogazeatthestars.Unawareofthetime,IhadgottenlostintheheavensandwasonlythinkingaboutthenewthingsIhadlearnedthatnightinclass.

　　ThisstoryillustratesahabitIhavedevelopedovertheyears:Ilosetrackofthetimewhenitcomestolearning.Howelsedoyouexplainawomanwhobeganhighschoolatage71andwhoisgraduatingwithabachelorsdegreeat89?Imayhavestartedlate,butIwillcontinuetolearnaslongasIamablebecausethereisnogreaterfeeling,inmyopinion,thantravelingtoafarawaycountryasIhaveandbeingabletoidentifybysightthepaintingofafamousartist,thestatueofanobscuresculptor,thecathedralofanancientarchitect.Ihavefoundthattheworldisafinalexamthatyoucanneverbepreparedenoughfor.SoIwillcontinuetotakeclassesandtellmystory.

　　Latelyitseemsthateveryoneisaskingme,"Mary,whatadvicedoyouhaveforotherstudents?"SowhileIhaveyouallhere,Imgoingtoeasemyburdenofansweringyoueachindividually:

　　Ifthesayingistruethatwisdomcomeswithage,youmaysafelyassumethatIamoneofthewisestpeopleinthishallandpossiblyatthisuniversitytoday.SolistentomewhenItellyouthis:Knowledgeispower.

　　MystudieswereinterruptedwhenIwasinthe7thgrade,backsometimearoundWorldWarI.IlovedschoolbutIwasforcedtoleaveittocareformyfamily.IwasconsignedtoworkinaRhodeIslandcottonmill,whereIlaboredformanyyears.Ieventuallymarriedandraised5children,20grandchildren,and18great-grandchildren.ButallthewhileIfeltinferiortothosearoundme.IknewIwasassmartasacollegegraduate.IknewIwascapableofdoingajobwell--Ihadproveditbyrunningasuccessfulfamilybusinessfordecadesthatstillexists.ButIwantedmore.IwantedtofeelconfidentwhenIspokeandIwantedpeopletorespectmyopinions.

　　Doesitsurpriseyoutodiscoverhowmuchyouhaveincommonwithan89-year-oldwoman?Iknowthatmanyofyougraduatestoday,whetheryouwerebornin1907or1967,havefacedsimilarbarrierstocompletingyourstudiesandhavesometimesfeltinferioraroundthoseyouworkorsocializewithjustbecauseyoudidnthaveadegree.

　　ButIamheretoday--likeyouare--toprovethatitcanbedone;thatthepowergainedbyunderstandingandappreciatingtheworldarounduscanbeobtainedbyanyoneregardlessofsocialstatus,personalchallenges,orage.Thatbeliefiswhathasmotivatedmeforthelast75yearstogetthisdegree.ItisalsothemissionoftheHarvardExtensionSchool.WithoutthesupportIreceivedfromthisschool,ImightnothavegraduateduntilIwas100--aphrasethatmanyofyouhaveprobablyusedinjest.

　　TherearemanystudentsherewhodonothavetheopportunitythatIdotospeaktheirmindsandhaveeverybodylisten,whethertheywanttoornot.Butbeassured,fellowgraduates,thatwearemoresimilarthanyoumightthink.Ifyouhavetreatededucationasyourmaingoal,andnotasameanstoanend,thenyou,too,haveprobablybeenclaimedasamissingpersononceinyouracademiccareer,whetheryouwerelostinthestarsorthestacksofWidenerLibrary.

　　Andyou,too,knowthatthejourneywasworthit,andthatthepowerofknowledgemakesmethemostformidable89-year-oldwomanatthebusstop.