Garfield man becomes Rutgers' oldest graduate ever
GARFIELD, N.J. (PIX11) — You'd think earning three degrees would be enough for Tom Maniscalco. But this one -his fourth- was special.
'[It is] something that I started in 1957 when my father sent me to Rutgers,' said Maniscalco, 85.
More Local News
A brilliant student who graduated from Garfield High School, Maniscalco became a Rutgers Scarlet Knight at the wish of his father. But while studying in New Brunswick, he struggled to adjust.
'I was not accustomed to living by myself, living away from home,' said Maniscalco.
The Dean called him in. He had flunked out.
'I had emotional problems,' said Maniscalco. 'I always had the feeling that I understood, I just couldn't concentrate.'
But that was the start of his comeback. He was accepted to NYU, where he enrolled in night classes while working as an engineering technician. A bachelor's from NYU turned into a master's and a doctorate from NJIT. It all led to an illustrious 3-decade career for the Department of Defense, where he worked on projects like navigation guidance systems for the space shuttle.
'I always had a goal,' he said. 'Why I kept going was my interest in mathematics.'
More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State
But one goal still remained: getting the Rutgers degree his dad always wanted. He enrolled -again- in 2019, when he retired. On Friday, he walked across the stage with his second Master's in Engineering. He is the oldest graduate in Rutgers history.
As he reflects on his accomplishment, he says a Frank Sinatra song comes to mind:
'I always think of Frank Sinatra's song, 'All My Tomorrows,'' he said.
Even at 85, Tom -as Sinatra would put it- has got lots of plans for tomorrow.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
See it: Brood 14 cicadas return to Suffolk County after 17 years
LONG ISLAND, N.Y. (PIX11) — They are back! After 17 years, the Brood 14 cicadas have emerged in Suffolk County, with hundreds of thousands making quite the racket. Photojournalist Keith Lopez has the story from Port Jefferson Station. If you see a Brood 14 cicada in your neighborhood, take a picture and submit it online. Watch the video player for the full interview. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
More seniors are using cannabis than ever before despite health risks, research shows
New data has revealed that cannabis use among older adults is at an all-time high. Researchers at UC San Diego and NYU discovered that marijuana use by Americans aged 65 and older increased by nearly 46% from 2021 to 2023, according to an NYU press release. As more states legalize marijuana for recreational use, as well as for medicinal therapies, accessibility to the drug is more widespread, particularly among aging adults. Dementia Risk Connected To Cannabis-related Hospital Visits, Says Study The research, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that 7% of 15,000 adults in this age range reported using cannabis in the last month, according to 2023 data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. This was an increase from 4.8% in 2021 and 5.2% in 2022. While marijuana use surged in both men and women, it was more prevalent among women. Read On The Fox News App The research found that increased use was associated with health conditions like hypertension, diabetes, cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Those with a college or post-grad degree, an annual income of $75,000 or more, married status and residence in a state with legalized medical cannabis were also more likely to partake. "Adults with the highest incomes initially had the lowest prevalence of cannabis use versus other income levels, but by 2023, they had the highest prevalence, which may indicate better access to medical cannabis given its costs," the researchers noted in the study discussion. Older Americans Turn To Marijuana For Better Sleep And Pain Relief: Here's What To Know "The substantial increased prevalence in states with legalized medical cannabis highlights the importance of structural educational support for patients and clinicians in those states." The researchers also warned that the use of cannabis products, especially with psychoactive properties, could cause complications in chronic disease management in older adults. The study did not look at the frequency of cannabis use, cannabinoid type or recreational versus medical use. In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, senior author Joseph Palamar, PhD, associate professor of population health at NYU Langone, noted his concern about cannabis use increasing among older populations. Daily Marijuana Smokers Face Higher Risk Of Heart Attack, Stroke, Says American Heart Association Study Palamar suggested the increased use is likely due to a combination of greater availability, decreased stigma and previous marijuana users aging into the 65+ cohort. "My worry is that some of these people may have adverse psychiatric reactions, especially if they use edibles," he said. "It's very easy to accidentally eat too much, and then there's no turning back once it's already ingested." In a previous interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Barbara Krantz, medical director at Caron Treatment Centers in Florida, confirmed that she's seen a "significant uptick" in cannabis use by individuals over 50. While polls have shown that most older Americans use cannabis to improve sleep, reduce pain, alleviate mental health issues and to relax, Krantz shared some potential dangers of the habit. Those include increased risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attack, stroke, increased hypertension and tachycardia, as well as worsening of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Cannabis may also lead to interactions with other medications, which can increase their toxicity or decrease their effectiveness, Krantz cautioned. Other potential risks include balance issues, delayed reaction times, increased confusion or cognitive impairment, and heightened anxiety, depression or anger. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter There could also be surgery-related risks, including complications due to anesthesia and delays in healing, the expert noted. "Seniors should talk to their healthcare provider and their pharmacist before using any marijuana or cannabis product, because there are very real and specific dangers for older adults when using these substances," Krantz advised. Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel commented on these findings during an appearance on "America's Newsroom" on Tuesday, noting that regular use of cannabis can be dangerous if not tracked. "You might use a gummy to go to bed, and then the next thing, you're using two gummies, or three gummies, and it could increase anxiety, it can increase discombobulation, you're not thinking clearly, ER visits are on the increase," he cautioned. "We know about problems with the lungs," Siegel added. "It can accelerate dementia and can affect behavior." The doctor likened the use of marijuana to the effects of smoking cigarettes in terms of damage to the heart and lungs. "It is absolutely an active chemical we need to watch out for, and I'm very disturbed that the elderly are using it," he said. "We've completely jumped the gun [on legalization] because people are going to the ER with psychosis. They're going there with vomiting disorders. They're having car accidents as a result," he went on. For more Health articles, visit "We are studying Colorado ever since it was legalized there, and the results are not pretty. We definitely jumped the gun by not anticipating all the medical risks here." Fox News Digital reached out to UC San Diego Medicine researchers for comment. Fox News Digital's Melissa Rudy contributed to this article source: More seniors are using cannabis than ever before despite health risks, research shows
Forbes
28-05-2025
- Forbes
Having ADHD And Living In A Smaller City Might Increase Obesity Risk: Study
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is usually associated with the image of a child jumping off walls and being physically active. Still, a recent study found that ADHD-induced impulsivity can make people more likely to over-eat and have a higher body mass index — particularly if they live in a smaller city with lower access to mental health services and opportunities for physical activity. On the other hand, people with ADHD who live in larger cities are less likely to become obese due to better accessibility to mental health services. One of the study authors, Tian Gan, a Ph.D. student at the Tandon School of Engineering at New York University said in a press release: "Our research reveals a surprising urban advantage: as cities grow, both obesity and ADHD rates decrease proportionally. Meanwhile, mental health services become more accessible, helping combat physical inactivity—a key link between ADHD and obesity. This pattern suggests larger cities offer protective factors against these interconnected health challenges." Gan and colleagues analyzed data from 915 cities in the United States to investigate how impulsivity caused by ADHD could be contributing to a higher risk of obesity and how urban living conditions influence this correlation. 'Within each State, cities are different with respect to any of these features, confirming the inequalities in the United States in lifestyle, education, healthcare, and access to resources,' the authors noted in the study that was published in the journal PLoS Complex Systems. 'Our analysis highlights the role of physical activity as a feasible target for intervention, being sensitive to variations in college education, food insecurity, and access to mental health providers.' Since the last decade, researchers have hypothesized that people with ADHD might be less likely to be physically active and engage in the recommended levels of physical activity due to 'poor motor skills and executive function deficits.' Especially because ADHD causes executive dysfunction that impairs an individual's ability to follow exercise routines or adhere to stringent regimens required to exercise consistently. Prior studies conducted on Dutch and Korean children with ADHD found that living with this neurodevelopmental condition put them at a higher risk of being overweight and obese than their counterparts without ADHD. "Our analysis suggests that mental health care may contrast these tendencies, promoting awareness about health values of physical activity in city dwellers," the study authors highlighted. Because mental health treatments are mainly accessible in large cities, along with big city dwellers having higher levels of education and lower risks of food insecurity, they found that these benefits reduced the risk of over-eating and physical inactivity among ADHDers. "Our research suggests that supporting physical activity, especially in children with ADHD, could significantly improve long-term health outcomes. Surprisingly, we discovered ADHD influences obesity through dual pathways: reduced physical activity and independent biological mechanisms related to impulse control and eating behaviors—indicating that effective interventions need to address both aspects," explained Simone Macrì, a study author from the Centre for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità in Rome, Italy, in a press release.
