Tom Maniscalco says his father had always wanted him to earn a degree from the school
- 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 NJ.com.
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 PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter 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.”
“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 NJ.com, adding that he also plans to focus on his work as vice chair of the local section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.