UCalgary student graduates after 51-year journey

Joyce Arnold walked across the stage at University of Calgary's Jack Simpson Gymnasium on Monday and finally finished what she started in the 1970s.

The 74-year-old earned a degree in biological anthropology after a circuitous path: she began post-secondary studies in general studies decades ago but put education aside due to limited opportunities and finances. After retiring from a career in finance, she learned about UCalgary's tuition-free degree program for seniors and enrolled at 65.

The five-year program took her ten years to complete, partly because she had to adapt to technologies she'd never used before—Google Docs, PowerPoint, creating graphs. "Their directions aren't that great," she said of Microsoft's guides.

In a classroom full of students 50 years younger, Arnold faced what she called alive-and-well ageism. "We were pretty much ignored," she explained, left out of in-class discussions and peer interactions. But some students befriended her, and the subject matter kept her engaged. "The lectures were so fascinating. Even if they were an hour and a half long, it seemed like they went by in 10 minutes."

She was always drawn to how humans evolved and adapted. "When I discovered biological anthropology, I loved it. Everything about it," she said.

After five decades of wanting a degree, Arnold has her answer: "I achieved it."