Nola Ochs did something most 95-year-olds don't do on a Saturday with their granddaughters. They graduated together from college.

"At her age and at my age to graduate together from college in the same year is really an astounding thing," said Alexandra Ochs, 21, her grandmother's fellow student at Fort Hays State University in Kansas.

In accomplishing the feat, Nola is now believed to be the oldest person ever awarded a degree, eclipsing Mozelle Richardson, who earned a journalism degree in 2004 at age 90.

"That feels good. I'm proud to wear that," she said, trying on a mortarboard hat.

Nola -- a mother of four, with 13 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren -- started working towards her degree in the 1970s after her husband Vernon died, taking community college courses here and there.

Last year, she became a full-time student to earn her final 30 hours of credits towards her general studies degree with an emphasis in history.

She even moved onto campus from her farm home 160 kilometres away in Jetmore, Kansas. And as to campus life, "I have been very well accepted.  I don't feel like an outsider.  Just the same as all the other girls," Nola said.

"She is pretty neat, a very interesting person and very knowledgeable," said Skyla Foster, a third-year student and fellow history major.

Having a 95-year-old in class proved to be a mild challenge for one of her history professors.

"If I say something wrong, she lets me know that that's not what it was like for her," said Todd Leahy.

Nola has offered recollections of the Dustbowl years in the 1930s and the Second World War.

"I would have never talked about that in class, but she brought it up and we talked about it," Leahy said. "She often adds color to the face of history."

Although Nola's immediate plans are to return to the family farm to help with the wheat harvest, some travel, and possibly some more courses, she also has some career plans.

"I intend to seek employment on a cruise ship going around the world as a storyteller," she said.

With a report from CTV's Tom Walters and files from The Associated Press