‘I finally did it’: UCalgary student graduates after 51-year journey pursuing degree

Joyce Arnold didn’t know what to take when she went back to university in 2016.

“I talked to an advisor … and asked her, ‘What should I take in my first year? I don’t know what I’d like to do or what I’d be interested in,'” she told 660 NewsRadio.

Arnold received several suggestions, including anthropology and archeology, which appealed to her.

“I was always fascinated by how our species evolved, how our bodies reflect both our shared ancestry and our adaptations to different environments,” she explained.

“When I discovered biological anthropology, I loved it. Everything about it.”

Already having a career in the financial world, Arnold knew she didn’t want to study finance again.

The five-year program in the department of archeology at the University of Calgary, Arnold says, took her 10 years to complete due to several issues.

But the 74-year-old crossed the stage at the university’s Jack Simpson Gymnasium on Monday, after a 51-year journey.

“I wanted to get a degree all my life,” Arnold said. “It was a goal of mine. So, I achieved it.”

She began her post-secondary journey in the 70s, taking general studies to see what she liked. But opportunities to go to university, along with having the money to do so, were scarce, so she put that aside for many years.

After retiring from a financial career, she decided again at 65 to head back to school after learning about the University of Calgary’s tuition-free degree program for seniors.

However, it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. Her time at university involved adapting to the technology students use regularly, such as creating graphs or even using Google Notes.

“And PowerPoint. I’ve never had to do that, so that was a challenge,” she explained.

“I had to read online how to do it and, unfortunately, their (Microsoft) directions aren’t that great.”

In an environment with many students 50 years younger than her, Arnold said she was grateful for the friends she made, but admitted she faced challenges tied to her age.

“For the most part, ageism is alive and well, and we were pretty much ignored,” she said.

She described in-class discussions as moments of invisibility. Instead of being included, she would be left out by other students around her.

But this wasn’t always the case, as she got by thanks to good company and engaging subject matter.

“The students who befriended me, I really appreciated, and they made the experience so much more positive. Some classes there weren’t any, and that was okay,” she said.

“The lectures were so fascinating. Even if they were an hour and a half long, it seemed like they went by in 10 minutes.”

Dr. Warren Wilson, the head of the department of anthropology and archaeology at the University of Calgary, says he and other professors were impressed and inspired by Arnold.

He says she was deeply intellectual and really engaged with questions about human evolution, genetics, adaptation, and what it means to be human.

“Joyce was a wonderful student, super impressive and inspiring to all of us who know her, and we’re all thrilled about her convocation,” Wilson said.

“A remarkable accomplishment.”

Arnold is being presented with a resilient scholar award, which recognizes her perseverance, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to learning amid her personal challenges.

The mother of two thought of quitting once or twice along the way due to the pain she was experiencing, which made it difficult to attend classes, learn and concentrate.

She developed rheumatoid arthritis and has had two knee replacements as a result. Arnold also reacted to some of the drugs she received to help put the arthritis into remission.

“But then I thought about all the work I’d put in and how close I was,” she explained. “And I really missed the classes.”

Her son, Tyler, also tragically passed away while she was studying.

“He always said he’d be at my grad no matter what,” Arnold said. “He thought I could do it. He knew I could do it.”

She was able to continue, remarking on the support she received from her teachers, noting that they didn’t see her age as she pursued her studies.

In the meantime, Arnold says she wants to volunteer and take some genetics courses, knowing full well the free tuition won’t apply to her anymore.

If you’ve had a lifelong love of learning, she says to “go back, do something, and explore things you’ve never explored and learn from it.”

“There are good people in the world, and there are so many learning opportunities and beauty in the world — and music, and just … there’s so much to experience.”

Knowing that all she has to do is cross the stage, she says, “It’ll be awesome.”

“I finally did it.”

With files from Nadia Moharib