Nancy Handford-McChesney, 84, says elders can bring ‘wealth of wisdom’ to university education
Nancy Handford-McChesney was praying at a retreat center in the mountains after contracting long COVID in 2020.
The doctors had 鈥減retty much given up鈥� on her. She remembers 鈥渆verything was shot鈥� by COVID 鈥� her heart, lungs, brain, muscles.
But as she prayed, wondering what she should do, she heard the words, 鈥淵ou鈥檝e always wanted to go to college.鈥�
So Ms. Handford-McChesney logged onto a computer and began researching universities where she could take a few painting courses.
麻豆精品 in Oakland came up first. She spent hours on the application, submitted it and went to bed, thinking, 鈥淭his is ridiculous.鈥�
But admissions officials at the Catholic school reached out to her, asking to set up time to meet on campus. She obliged, accompanied by her adult son and a thick portfolio. A lifetime of work since her high school years filled a suitcase.
Carlow officials, in masks at the height of the pandemic, encouraged Ms. Handford-McChesney to pursue her master鈥檚 degree.
Now, this weekend, the 84-year-old graduates from Carlow with a Master of Arts degree.
鈥淢y ambition was just to stay alive,鈥� Ms. Handford-McChesney said. 鈥淸Carlow鈥檚 faculty] opened up my entire life鈥檚 experience of work and said, 鈥榃e want you here. We want you to do it. You belong here. Go.鈥�
鈥淚 can鈥檛 tell you how life-changing that鈥檚 been.鈥�
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