105-year-old gets SDSU diploma 83 years after graduation

Bill Vogt, the last remaining San Diego State University student to have attended classes at the old campus in University Heights, graduated mid-year in 1935 and did not receive his printed diploma.

Now, at age 105 and 83 years later, Vogt will receive his diploma, retro-dated to Feb. 1, 1935, during a special event to be held Thursday, Aug. 16 at 12:30 p.m. Members of the media are invited to attend the event, to be held in the foyer of SDSU’s Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center.

SDSU President Adela de la Torre will present Vogt with his diploma, which lists his area of study as “commerce.” Sandra Cook, associate vice president for Academic Affairs, Enrollment, was instrumental in securing the diploma for Vogt.

The presentation comes months after Vogt opted to become a lifetime member of SDSU Alumni. He is also believed the oldest person ever to become an SDSU Alumni lifetime member, which occurred in May.

Vogt was among the first students to set foot on the current SDSU campus after it opened in 1931. After graduating in 1935, Vogt served in the United States Navy during the World War II, Korea and Vietnam wars, and spent several years working on the East Coast.