College graduate at 82 years old! » The former world leader will receive his degree in history

Born in Long Beach, California, Billie Jean King graduated from her city's Polytechnic High School in 1961, then was admitted to California State University of Los Angeles (formerly Cal State LA). After three years of studies, she dropped out of college, devoting herself to tennis, she played softball until she was 11.

More than six decades away, she will finally receive her graduate degree in history. King told USA Today that he had been mulling over the idea of ​​returning to college for a long time, given that he still had two years left to complete his degree.

The Executive Manager at BJK Enterprises, Marjorie Gantmanhowever, looked into the situation and gave him some great news. “I was talking to myself, out loud, and I hear her say: «Let me check». He did so and told me, “Billie, you're three years old.” Three? Oh, I'll be back then, for sure“, she recounted.

Billie Jean King, Online Classes and Airplane Lessons

An avid traveler, always on the move around the world to attend events and conferences, BJK used her time on airplanes to brush up on her subjects. She did distance learning, something that would have been unimaginable in the 1960s. Back then, everything happened in classrooms and on campus, and laptops and smart phones didn't even appear in sci-fi movies.

“You are now talking directly with your teacher online“, King marveled to the same source. She took courses ranging from US LGBT Political History to Historiography, Latin American Women's History, or Gender and Historical Research and Writing. She also wrote an essay on Title IX, a law that King was instrumental in passing.

For the former world number 1, now 82, returning to study was ultimately the right choice. Her parents always insisted on the importance of education, but she was very impressed by the impact of her decision: she received messages in which older people told her that they were resuming their studies, taking her as a source of inspiration.

“Graduation is simply an exciting thing. Serious. I am emotional because of the reaction of others at this moment” King said. “I was thinking, “OK, I'm going to get my degree,” but I had no idea that people would be so involved and feel it… in all age groups. It's like saying, “God, I'm excited now. Because they are too»“.

Billie Jean King, passionate about reading and history

History has long fascinated King, a passionate reader, extremely curious and eager to learn new things. These are issues that have helped her fulfill her mission even after her career ended, achieving important things in the fight for equal rights.

129of titles won by Billie Jean King in her career, including 67 during the Open era

“Leaders do not choose their followers. It is the followers who choose the leaders. That's the way things are. And they pushed me, pushed me to take the lead” King said. “So I finally accepted the role. But the reason I was able to lead was because I knew the history of our sport. And that made a huge difference. … That helps you see things differently”, pointed out Billie Jean King.

On Monday, May 18, when she delivers her graduation speech, she will be thinking of her family and especially those who are no longer here. “This is my only regret. My parents, my God, would have been extremely happy. They told me and my brother, Randy, that we had to get a higher education,” King concluded.