Robin Guard had a bit of trepidation walking into his first class as an English Lit major at Ontario鈥檚 Brock University several years ago.
Then an Octogenarian, Guard was returning to school 67 years after earning his first degree in his hometown of London, England. And, this time around, his new peers were young enough to be his grandchildren.
鈥淚 was frankly nervous, yes,鈥� Guard told CTVNews.ca in an interview from his home in St. Catharines, Ont., where the now 93-year-old great-grandfather will obtain his Master鈥檚 degree in History on Friday.
He was so nervous, in fact, that he approached one of his professors and said, 鈥淎m I an embarrassment in your class?鈥� To his delight, the professor turned around and told him that he was just the opposite.
鈥淚 always remember the professor said, 鈥楴o, we welcome you like crazy because we can鈥檛 get these students to talk, to tell us what they think. You old guys, you鈥檙e always ready to slap your mouths and talk,'鈥� Guard recalled with a laugh.
Indeed, Guard鈥檚 passion for the subject matter served him well in his ensuing golden university years. Guard ended up finishing his Bachelor program in 2012, with flying colours. So he went back to pursue his Master鈥檚 degree, which he鈥檒l obtain on Friday during a convocation ceremony.
鈥淚 once got into a heated argument with one of the students,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 nothing but good. I mean, we鈥檙e treating each other like equals even though I鈥檓 old enough to be their grandfather.鈥�
Brock University says Guard is the oldest graduate in the school鈥檚 history. Even more impressive, he is believed to be one of the oldest graduates ever in Ontario.
The jovial 93-year-old didn鈥檛 start out as a history buff. It came with age. Guard was trained as an electrical engineer and travelled the world working in nuclear power. In 1965, he received offers he 鈥渃ouldn鈥檛 refuse鈥� in a rapidly industrializing Canada, and moved his family to Montreal. After a move to Ontario, Guard retired from engineering and he and his wife Barbara began farming for 20 years in the country. 鈥淚鈥檓 very passionate about organic food,鈥� he said.
After Barbara鈥檚 passing, Guard said he 鈥渋mmediately鈥� sold the farm. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 imagine working there without her,鈥� he said.
After spending a few years trying to move on from the death of his beloved wife, Guard wanted 鈥渟omething to occupy my mind.鈥�
To his delight, he discovered that undergraduate university classes were free for people over 65, so he signed up. 鈥淎nd the rest was history.鈥�
After getting his feet wet with his Bachelor鈥檚 degree, Guard鈥檚 friend and fellow graduate, 74-year-old Allan Edgington, encouraged him to pursue his Master鈥檚 degree with him.
鈥淲e both decided, what the hell,鈥� Edgington said in an interview with CTV News鈥� Peter Akman. 鈥淟et鈥檚 continue with history. And so started working toward a Master鈥檚, which we both achieved.鈥�
For his Master鈥檚 thesis, Guard ended up researching the history of the Anglican Church in Canada and particularly in St. Catharines.
Guard and Edgington made quite an impression on Dean of Humanities Carol Merriam, who will be attending their convocation. She told CTVNews.ca that she fondly remembers teaching Guard a fourth-year undergraduate Latin literature class. Guard was a model student, so he was 鈥渁lways prepared鈥� and 鈥渁lways engaged鈥� and had 鈥渟erious conversations about the material we were reading and discussing.鈥�
So is a PhD in the cards for Guard now? 鈥淣o, no that鈥檚 a bridge too far,鈥� he said.
Today, he鈥檚 鈥渢orn鈥� between going back to Brock to study some more or writing a memoir. 鈥淚 found that people are remarkably interested in how different the world was in the 1920s when I was born, horse-drawn transport, that kind of thing.鈥�
鈥淎nd so I thought I鈥檇 concentrate on writing my own history.鈥�
So does Guard have any advice for students, young and old, entering their post-secondary years? "Keep healthy by constant exercise, eat a balanced diet and keep your mind active by reading."
鈥淵ou only have one life,鈥� Guard said, during an interview with CTV News at Brock University on Wednesday. 鈥淵ou might as well try everything.
鈥淏eing stuck in one career is a waste of time.鈥�
On Friday, two of Guard鈥檚 four adult children, those who live nearby, will attend his convocation.
