Canada’s oldest history student at 76 David Jackson graduates from Mount Royal University after 18 years now enrolled in anthropology aiming for another degree by age 84
At the age of 76, David Jackson strode across the stage at Mount Royal University, accepting a Bachelor of Arts in History, a degree part of an 18-year, part-time journey that began in 2007. The retired mathematician, known for his dry prairie wit, is far from done: this fall he’ll dive into anthropology, one course at a time, planning to graduate again in 2033.
Jackson’s story begins on a Saskatchewan farm, raised in a one-room schoolhouse where “walking through a deep gully in the snow” was no metaphor but was a daily routine.
He earned a mathematics degree from the University of Regina in 1975, then wrote code for Gulf Oil in Calgary, with stints across western Canada and Dallas. Yet a classroom’s draw never dimmed.
Love for learning after retirement
Retirement rekindled his love of learning. His first MRU math class bored him, prompting a switch to Dr. Scott Murray’s history lecture, where Jackson “was hooked” by the professor’s animated storytelling. Murray remembers a student “always full of question, not afraid to ask hard questions.”
Classmate Simon Weintz, 25, echoes that sentiment: “He was always willing to admit when he was wrong and learn new things,” bridging a 50-year age gap.
Jackson cherishes the classroom ecosystem, the faces, coffee shop chatter, and live dialogue. “I don’t think I could do it online,” he says. He even leaned on AI for a research paper, vetting responses, citing properly, and curating his insights.
His professors add praise. “He thrives in the process and challenges his own assumptions,” notes Dr. Nazak Birjandifar. Colleagues in the humanities recall his humility, openness, and stamina.
Jackson’s story begins on a Saskatchewan farm, raised in a one-room schoolhouse where “walking through a deep gully in the snow” was no metaphor but was a daily routine.
He earned a mathematics degree from the University of Regina in 1975, then wrote code for Gulf Oil in Calgary, with stints across western Canada and Dallas. Yet a classroom’s draw never dimmed.
Love for learning after retirement
Retirement rekindled his love of learning. His first MRU math class bored him, prompting a switch to Dr. Scott Murray’s history lecture, where Jackson “was hooked” by the professor’s animated storytelling. Murray remembers a student “always full of question, not afraid to ask hard questions.”
Classmate Simon Weintz, 25, echoes that sentiment: “He was always willing to admit when he was wrong and learn new things,” bridging a 50-year age gap.
Jackson cherishes the classroom ecosystem, the faces, coffee shop chatter, and live dialogue. “I don’t think I could do it online,” he says. He even leaned on AI for a research paper, vetting responses, citing properly, and curating his insights.
His professors add praise. “He thrives in the process and challenges his own assumptions,” notes Dr. Nazak Birjandifar. Colleagues in the humanities recall his humility, openness, and stamina.
