Alfonso Gonzales

LOS ANGELES (AP) –  It took more than 60 years but a University of Southern
California student has finally received his diploma.

Ninety-six-year-old Alfonso Gonzales received a bachelor of science degree in
zoology on Friday, making him the oldest graduate in USC history.

The World War II veteran thought he’d already graduated when he skipped commencement exercises in 1953 because of work obligations. He was
founding a soil company that he ran for 55 years.

But when relatives recently approached the university about getting a copy of
his diploma, they learned he was one unit short.

Although the school no longer offers a zoology major, it crafted an independent
study course through the gerontology school that included reading, video
assignments, visiting other classes, and writing a thesis about his life.

USC officials call Gonzales a "wonderful inspiration."

Gonzales while serving with the U.S. Navy in 1945.

Dressed in a cap and gown, Alfonzo Gonzales receives his diploma.

SANDY KOZEL

George Walton Lucas, Jr. is 72 today.

Lucas began his collegiate career studying anthropology at Modesto
Junior College, then transferred to the University of Southern California
School of Cinematic Arts. He attempted to join the U.S. Air Force after
graduation but they wouldn’t accept him because of a number of
speeding tickets on his record, so instead he re-enrolled at USC as
a graduate student in film production.

ROSS SIMPSON

Stevie Wonder (Stevland Hardaway Morris)
(born Stevland Hardaway Judkins

Wonder suffered from retinopathy of prematurity, which caused his 
retinas to detach, making blind. He signed with Motown Records 
when he was eleven years old and released the hit song “Fingertips 
(Pt. 2)" when he was thirteen. His album, “Songs in the Key of Life”, 
was ranked at 56 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the top 500
albums of all time.

1977

Released as a single on June 3, 1966, “Sunny Afternoon” peaked at No. 14
on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart early autumn 1966. It was placed
at No. 200 on Pitchfork Media‘s list of The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s.