The phrase “It’s never too late to learn” seems like a worn out cliche -- that is until you come up against someone like Rosa Salgado, a 79-year-old grandmother who moved to Miami from Colombia in 1995 and graduated this Saturday from Miami Dade College with honors, earning her associate of arts degree in education.

Despite having some problems with the English language, not to mention being on the cusp of becoming an octogenarian, Salgado has just fulfilled a lifelong dream of getting her college degree.

Aside from the honor of earning her own sheepskin, Salgado was able to actually graduate with two of her grandchildren, David and Mauricio Salgado. As reported in the Miami Herald Salgado said, “My grandchildren, my family, they’ve grown up watching my activity and they are going to learn and fight in life and overcome obstacles.”

Sara Bulnes, one of Salgado’s former professors, notes the recently educated immigrant’s deep desire to succeed, saying, “When she came into my classroom her English was very limited and she struggled to learn the language, but she persevered.”

“She had some personal setbacks and she beat them all and she’s here graduating,” said Bulnes, who added, “I’m very proud of her.”

A role model for anyone who thinks they might be too old or out of the game to get on with their education, Salgado says, “I would say to students, young, old or in the middle, that every day they have to fight to learn because learning is wonderful.

“And I know there are a lot of things I still have to learn.”

And if that is the case, then Salgado might want to think about graduate school.

In 2012, as reported by the BBC, an Australian fellow named Allan Stewart broke his own Guinness record for being the world's oldest graduate when he earned his masters degree at the age of 97.