Billie Jean King Graduates at 82, Completing Degree 61 Years After Leaving for Tennis
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 19
Billie Jean King Graduates at 82, Completing Degree 61 Years After Leaving for Tennis
14 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 19
82-year-old Billie Jean King graduated Monday from Cal State Los Angeles, finishing the history degree she left in 1964 to pursue a tennis career.
61 years after leaving college, King told graduates she was the first in her immediate family to earn a degree and called returning to school "a privilege."
39 championships and a trailblazing career followed her departure, including founding the Women's Tennis Association in 1973 and helping win equal US Open prize money.
Age 12 shaped her broader mission: after noticing tennis clubs were overwhelmingly white, King said she committed her life to equality and inclusion, using tennis as her platform.
As the WTA embraces AI, how will technology advance Billie Jean King's original mission for player equality?
How does Billie Jean King's legacy align with the WTA's controversial partnership in Saudi Arabia?
After 60 years, how will a history degree reshape King's understanding of her own monumental legacy?
Billie Jean King Graduates from Cal State LA at 82: Completing a 65-Year Academic Journey and Inspiring Lifelong Learners
Overview
On May 18, 2026, Billie Jean King officially earned her degree from Cal State LA, marking the end of a long-held personal goal. The commencement ceremony at the historic Shrine Auditorium was the first of nine for the Class of 2026. King, who had always felt a 'nagging feeling' about not completing her education, left Cal State LA decades earlier to pursue her groundbreaking tennis career and become the world’s No. 1 player. Her graduation not only fulfilled a personal ambition but also highlighted her belief in lifelong learning and the importance of education.