Latest news with #Maniscalco
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Man, 85, Who Dropped Out of Rutgers Over 60 Years Ago, Will Now Become the Oldest Graduate in the University's History
Tom Maniscalco, of Garfield, N.J, is about to become the oldest graduate in Rutgers University history Maniscalco, 85 — who already has three degrees from other institutions — will be receiving a master's in engineering This is a full-circle moment for Maniscalco, who initially attended Rutgers over 65 years ago but dropped out at the time An 85-year-old man is about to become the oldest graduate in Rutgers University history. Tom Maniscalco, 85, of Garfield, N.J., initially dropped out of Rutgers over 60 years ago, leaving school with one semester short of graduation, according to a profile in After spending several years in the workforce, Maniscalco returned to school and received his bachelor's degree from New York University. He then went on to attain a master's of science in mechanical engineering and a working engineer's doctorate. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. However, Maniscalco said that he always thought about his missed opportunity at Rutgers, especially because his father, Joseph, had always wanted him to earn a degree from the school. After retiring at the age of 79, Maniscalco recalled that he suddenly had an abundance of time on his hands. 'I didn't know what to do with myself,' he told Rutgers in a piece for their website. 'So I applied to Rutgers, and they accepted me as a special student.' Maniscalco told the university that he began taking a course a semester, mostly remotely, until he had earned enough credits to qualify for a master's degree in engineering. 'I kept taking more courses,' he recalled. Maniscalco also describes his latest degree as a true full-circle moment in life. "When I get this degree, it's some closure because my father sent me to Rutgers to get a degree in mechanical engineering, which I was never able to achieve. I'm back where I started,' he told Rutgers. Stephen Tse, a Rutgers professor, as well as Maniscalco's academic advisor, calls the retiree's commitment and dedication 'inspiring.' The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! 'Each time I interact with Tom, it puts my life in perspective and how lucky I am to meet people like him,' Tse said in a statement to the university, adding, 'He is an active and capable student who strives to understand the fundamentals. He genuinely enjoys doing engineering.' While Maniscalco may be finished with school for now, he says he plans to keep himself busy. 'My hobbies are aerodynamics, and World War II aircraft and also Indianapolis 500 racing cars,' he told adding that he also plans to focus on his work as vice chair of the local section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Man, 85, Who Dropped Out of Rutgers Over 60 Years Ago, Will Now Become the Oldest Graduate in the University's History
Tom Maniscalco, of Garfield, N.J, is about to become the oldest graduate in Rutgers University history Maniscalco, 85 — who already has three degrees from other institutions — will be receiving a master's in engineering This is a full-circle moment for Maniscalco, who initially attended Rutgers over 65 years ago but dropped out at the time An 85-year-old man is about to become the oldest graduate in Rutgers University history. Tom Maniscalco, 85, of Garfield, N.J., initially dropped out of Rutgers over 60 years ago, leaving school with one semester short of graduation, according to a profile in After spending several years in the workforce, Maniscalco returned to school and received his bachelor's degree from New York University. He then went on to attain a master's of science in mechanical engineering and a working engineer's doctorate. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. However, Maniscalco said that he always thought about his missed opportunity at Rutgers, especially because his father, Joseph, had always wanted him to earn a degree from the school. After retiring at the age of 79, Maniscalco recalled that he suddenly had an abundance of time on his hands. 'I didn't know what to do with myself,' he told Rutgers in a piece for their website. 'So I applied to Rutgers, and they accepted me as a special student.' Maniscalco told the university that he began taking a course a semester, mostly remotely, until he had earned enough credits to qualify for a master's degree in engineering. 'I kept taking more courses,' he recalled. Maniscalco also describes his latest degree as a true full-circle moment in life. "When I get this degree, it's some closure because my father sent me to Rutgers to get a degree in mechanical engineering, which I was never able to achieve. I'm back where I started,' he told Rutgers. Stephen Tse, a Rutgers professor, as well as Maniscalco's academic advisor, calls the retiree's commitment and dedication 'inspiring.' The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! 'Each time I interact with Tom, it puts my life in perspective and how lucky I am to meet people like him,' Tse said in a statement to the university, adding, 'He is an active and capable student who strives to understand the fundamentals. He genuinely enjoys doing engineering.' While Maniscalco may be finished with school for now, he says he plans to keep himself busy. 'My hobbies are aerodynamics, and World War II aircraft and also Indianapolis 500 racing cars,' he told adding that he also plans to focus on his work as vice chair of the local section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Read the original article on People
Boston Globe
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Ray Romano and Sebastian Maniscalco share banter while atop Italian Alps in Winter Olympics promo
'Ray and I teamed up for the Olympics, two Italian guys trying to figure out winter sports,' Maniscalco said in a statement. 'Let's just say, we thought 'luge' was a type of pasta.' Advertisement Romano and Maniscalco filmed the commercial in Los Angeles, with the mountaintop backdrop brought to life by Industrial Light & Magic, the visual effects company founded by George Lucas and recently known for its work on 'The Mandalorian.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The network said Romano and Maniscalco were an easy choice to start building anticipation for the Winter Games. 'Both are instantly recognizable, deeply beloved, and naturally funny,' said Joseph Lee, senior vice president of creative marketing, sports and entertainment at NBC. He said the network is using the same playbook of enlisting entertainers and athletes. Last year, popular figures who appeared in promo spots included Snoop Dogg, Advertisement 'We're running the same playbook across the campaign: pairing entertainment personalities with the Olympics (and often Olympians) in fun, unexpected ways,' Lee said. 'It's how we'll continue to keep the Games culturally relevant — and genuinely entertaining.'
San Francisco Chronicle
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Ray Romano and Sebastian Maniscalco share banter while atop Italian Alps in Winter Olympics promo
LOS ANGELES (AP) — NBC is continuing its strategy of infusing the Olympics with pop culture and celebrity appeal to generate momentum ahead of the Milan-Cortina Winter Games in Italy next year. This time, Italian American comedians Ray Romano and Sebastian Maniscalco will make their debut during a comical promotion, the network said on Wednesday. The commercial will air during NBC's Kentucky Derby coverage on Saturday. In the spot, Romano and Maniscalco stand atop the Italian Alps with snowboards in hand, attempting to discuss thrilling winter sports like skiing, snowboarding and luge. But their discussion is repeatedly sidetracked by their shared obsession with Italian food. 'Ray and I teamed up for the Olympics, two Italian guys trying to figure out winter sports,' Maniscalco said in a statement. 'Let's just say, we thought 'luge' was a type of pasta.' Romano and Maniscalco filmed the commercial in Los Angeles, with the mountaintop backdrop brought to life by Industrial Light & Magic, the visual effects company founded by George Lucas and recently known for its work on 'The Mandalorian.' The network said Romano and Maniscalco were an easy choice to start building anticipation for the Winter Games. 'Both are instantly recognizable, deeply beloved, and naturally funny,' said Joseph Lee, senior vice president of creative marketing, sports and entertainment at NBC. He said the network is using the same playbook of enlisting entertainers and athletes. Last year, popular figures who appeared in promo spots included Snoop Dogg, Megan Thee Stallion, Simone Biles, Peyton Manning, Cardi B, SZA and Lily Collins. 'We're running the same playbook across the campaign: pairing entertainment personalities with the Olympics (and often Olympians) in fun, unexpected ways,' Lee said. 'It's how we'll continue to keep the Games culturally relevant — and genuinely entertaining.'
