Never too late to learn
10/10/2006
George Murphy, of Oldham, Greater Manchester, is living proof that you’re never too old to learn, having earned a Masters Degree in Social Policy and Criminology from The Open University at the age of 81.
George came to academic study later in life after leaving school at 17 but his progress was anything but easy. He overcame two attacks of meningitis and two life-threatening neuro-surgery operations before answering an Open University ad in his local paper in 1993. Thirteen years later, George has now achieved his third degree with the OU. Even more remarkably, he was diagnosed with cancer in 1995 but overcame that too to achieve his MA.
George said: “I can never fully be able to thank the OU for the help it afforded me. I developed a new outlook on life, I believe it encouraged four of my children to study and become graduates themselves and the best way for me to describe the effect on me of studying with the OU is simply to say that despite a new disability of bronchitis I feel younger and more positive at 81 than my father did at 60. I am enjoying life.”
George was awarded his degree by Lynda Brady, Regional Director for The Open University in the North West in a special ceremony held at the Regional Centre in Sharston, Manchester on Friday 11th August.
For more information on Open University courses visit www.open.ac.uk/courses