Raelene Page graduated college at 74 after putting her education on hold for over five decades
Credit: Taylor Page
NEED TO KNOW
- Raelene Page graduated college at 74 after putting her education on hold for over five decades
- She overcame challenges like learning new technology and self-doubt with support from her family and faith
- A TikTok video of her graduation went viral, inspiring others to pursue their dreams at any age
More than five decades after putting college on hold, Raelene Page graduated college at 74 — fulfilling a dream she thought had passed her by.
Back in 1969, Raelene had every opportunity to continue her education. She had even been accepted to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. But at the last moment, she made a different decision, choosing to stay closer to home in northern Maine.
“My dreams of going to college were put on hold,” she tells PEOPLE exclusively.
Instead, she got married, started a family and built a life centered around work and caregiving. Over the years, she ran a daycare out of her home, managed a restaurant, worked as a bookkeeper for a logging company and later spent 25 years with the Postal Service before retiring as a Postmaster in 2012.
As those years passed, the possibility of returning to school began to feel increasingly out of reach.
“Raising my family and working consumed my time and I lost hope of ever being able to attend college,” Raelene says.
Still, the desire to learn never fully disappeared — something she says had always been part of who she was.
“I have always wished that I had attended college because I realized early on that I loved school and learning,” the 74-year-old adds.
Credit: Taylor Page
That long-held feeling eventually led her back to the idea years later, after she moved to California and came across the BYU Pathway program. At first, it didn't seem feasible, since it required in-person meetings. But in 2021, when she learned the program could be completed virtually, the possibility suddenly felt real.
“I became so excited and made the decision to enroll so that I could earn a degree,” Raelene says.
In 2022, with the help of her granddaughter Taylor Page, she officially took the leap — even though she didn't fully know what to expect.
“I had no idea what would be required of me, and that was a good thing,” Raelene says. “I only knew that this was something I wanted and needed to do.”
Returning to school after decades away came with challenges she hadn't anticipated, particularly when it came to technology.
“The biggest challenge for me was that I was an old school learner and had very few computer skills,” she says.
Credit: Taylor Page
Her family saw that learning curve play out in real time.
“My family and I would receive random calls from nana asking things like how to save a document, or how to right click, or copy and paste,” her granddaughter Taylor recalls to PEOPLE exclusively. “We would help when and where we could, but nana did a lot of it on her own.”
Even with that steep adjustment, Page kept going — pushing through moments of uncertainty and doubt.
“At times, self doubt and anxiety over the possibility of failure was a challenge,” she says. “I would ask myself why I was doing this.”
The answer, she realized, stayed the same.
“I wanted to prove to myself that I could," she says.
“What kept me going was my faith in God and the power of prayer. I knew that He would help me and He did through every step,” she adds.
@lifeoftaygale hey yeah so I’ve been crying about this all morning. im so proud of her. I love her so so much :’) #nevertooold #collegegraduation #collegegraduate #collegegrads #shedidit
♬ Coming Up Roses – Harry Styles
Then, after years of effort — and decades of waiting — the moment she had been working toward finally arrived.
“Walking across that stage at convocation was an amazing experience and seemed surreal,” Page says. “There I was and accomplished what I had set out to do. WOW!!”
In the audience, her family watched the milestone unfold — many of them overwhelmed with emotion.
“The day of her graduation was so exciting,” Taylor says. “My little brother and I surprised her by traveling into town for her graduation. She had the sweetest reaction and was so stoked we were there to support her.”
The celebration extended beyond the ceremony itself, turning into a full family moment.
“My mom and I helped nana pick out her graduation dress, we did a family dinner, and then we all went over to the university to watch her walk across the stage,” Taylor says. “Nana's name was the second to be called at graduation and we were so excited to cheer her on and celebrate her.”
For Taylor, watching it all unfold was deeply emotional.
“I definitely cried seeing her walk across the stage knowing she had just accomplished a dream and goal she'd had for years,” she says. “I felt so much pride in and overwhelming love for her.”
Wanting to hold onto that moment, she did what she often does for big family milestones — she filmed it.
Credit: Taylor Page
Later, she decided to post it on TikTok where the video quickly resonated, striking a chord far beyond their family.
“I'm not surprised it resonated with so many, knowing her story is as touching as it is, & her joy & pride can be felt so easily watching her celebrate her big day,” she says.
“The reactions from the video have all been so kind & sweet, so many people saying nana encouraged them to go back to school, to pursue their degree,” Taylor says. “Lots saying it was a reminder that it's never too late to become who you want to become.”
Some messages, she says, stood out more than others.
“My favorites have probably been the outpouring of love for my nana specifically… users saying ‘this is her first time living too' or just expressing how happy & proud they are of her, how this is her moment & she deserves all the flowers,” she adds.
Credit: Taylor Page
For Taylor, that outpouring has come full circle.
“As grateful as I am it's inspiring so many others, more than anything I'm just so excited that someone that radiates so much love & kindness is receiving that back on such a grand scale,” she says.
For Page, what began as a personal goal has taken on a deeper meaning.
“My dream did not originate from wanting to inspire anyone but now that dream has taken on new meaning,” she says.
Now, she hopes her journey continues to ripple outward — especially for those who may feel like it's too late to start.
“I hope that my accomplishment will inspire my grandchildren and others to never give up,” she says. “Through commitment and hard work, dreams can come true. Never give up!”
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