'Such a feeling of accomplishment': new Athabasca University grad keeps mind sharp at 76 years old

CBC

5 hours ago

New 76-year-old Athabasca University graduate Judy Obee wants to prove aging is no reason to slow down.
The Calgary senior is the oldest member of the school's class of 2025, and she completed her program with straight As to boot.
"It's such a feeling of accomplishment," said Obee, who convocated with a bachelor's degree in general studies on Friday.
Obee started her post-secondary studies over half a century ago, earning a mathematics degree from the University of Calgary in 1970. But graduating in her golden years makes her feel "much prouder" the second time around, she said.
"I was excited then, but not nearly as excited as I am now," said Obee on graduating again 55 years later.
Fighting stigmas around aging
Obee enrolled at Athabasca University in 2018 with a clear goal in mind: staying sharp.
"My parents both lived past 90, but both suffered from dementia," she said. "I wanted to prevent that."
Completing puzzle games like Sudoku and Wordle was part of Obee's strategy to fortify her mind, but she found they weren't challenging enough, so she decided to pursue post-secondary studies again.
"I would study whenever I had some time to study, and it's been phenomenal. I love it," she said of the program, through which she took online classes.
Obee hopes that her accomplishment helps fight stigmas around seniors and aging.
"You hear so many stories about seniors … their mental capacities are declining, you've got mild cognitive impairment … all you hear is negatives about seniors," she said.
"[But] you can do stuff, you can show that you are cognitively there."
Never too late to learn
She's not slowing down on her educational journey anytime soon, as she plans to stay enrolled at Athabasca University past her convocation.
She added that aging shouldn't be a barrier to learning.
"If you don't start now, when are you going to start? You can do it, it's not a skill that gets really lost from when you were younger," she said.
Alex Clark, president of Athabasca University, applauded Obee for her accomplishment.
"I think it's inspiring for us all. She really is a role model," he said. "It's never too late in our life journey to continue to learn."
Athabasca University's oldest graduate in its history was Louise Daley, who graduated with a general studies degree in 2017 at the age of 93.