Milton Minneman began his formal higher education in New York City in 1939, when a subway ride cost a nickel and the nation was suffering through the Great Depression.And he finished earning degrees in Maryland in May,when a gallon of gas averages $3.77 and the nation is digging its way out of a recession.
Minneman,87,graduated from the University of Maryland,College Park,last month with his sixth degree a Master of Science in information technology.
“I just don’t see any need to stop doing something useful,” Minneman said. “If you’re capable of doing something, you should keep doing it.”
His academic resume stretches six decades. Minneman received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Cooper Union in New York in 1943; a Master of Science in electrical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 1949; a professional degree in engineering from Cooper Union in 1952; a doctorate in electrical engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn in New York in 1966; and a Bachelor of Science in computer studies from the University of Maryland in 2005.
Minneman said he thought he was done after earning his doctorate. But electrical engineering began to move primarily into computer activities, he said, prompting him at age 72 to update his knowledge at the University of Maryland.
“Once I did that, it only seemed reasonable to continue on with the master’s,” Minneman said.
Minneman isn’t the only one to attend the University of Maryland in the ninth decade of life.Henrietta Spiegel graduated in May 1989 at the age of 85 with a bachelor’s degree in English and Phi Beta Kappa Honors, said David Ottalini, spokesman for the University of Maryland.
Now Minneman is special assistant to the delegate, reviewing bills and recommending how the delegate should vote.
“Milt was going to stay in his pajamas and read the paper,” said Doris Minneman, Minneman’s wife of 56 years. “And that lasted about two weeks. That’s just not the life for him.”
“I found it not exactly perfectly easy,” he said. “But it was not much of a strain.”
Minneman is not slowing down. He and his wife just returned from a post-graduation trip to Russia.
“People should keep doing something active and useful,” Minneman said. “Even though I got away [without] it for two months.”
Minneman,87,graduated from the University of Maryland,College Park,last month with his sixth degree a Master of Science in information technology.
“I just don’t see any need to stop doing something useful,” Minneman said. “If you’re capable of doing something, you should keep doing it.”
His academic resume stretches six decades. Minneman received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Cooper Union in New York in 1943; a Master of Science in electrical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 1949; a professional degree in engineering from Cooper Union in 1952; a doctorate in electrical engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn in New York in 1966; and a Bachelor of Science in computer studies from the University of Maryland in 2005.
Minneman said he thought he was done after earning his doctorate. But electrical engineering began to move primarily into computer activities, he said, prompting him at age 72 to update his knowledge at the University of Maryland.
“Once I did that, it only seemed reasonable to continue on with the master’s,” Minneman said.
Minneman isn’t the only one to attend the University of Maryland in the ninth decade of life.Henrietta Spiegel graduated in May 1989 at the age of 85 with a bachelor’s degree in English and Phi Beta Kappa Honors, said David Ottalini, spokesman for the University of Maryland.
Now Minneman is special assistant to the delegate, reviewing bills and recommending how the delegate should vote.
“Milt was going to stay in his pajamas and read the paper,” said Doris Minneman, Minneman’s wife of 56 years. “And that lasted about two weeks. That’s just not the life for him.”
“I found it not exactly perfectly easy,” he said. “But it was not much of a strain.”
Minneman is not slowing down. He and his wife just returned from a post-graduation trip to Russia.
“People should keep doing something active and useful,” Minneman said. “Even though I got away [without] it for two months.”
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