Never Too Late
Eldon Tarver, BBA ’18, started business school at UT in 1961. But life intervened and he never finished his bachelor’s degree. Now, at age 75, he’s back.
As told to Jeremy Simon.
You could call it a bucket list item. Throughout my adult life, I regretted not finishing my degree. I always felt like if I went back to school, I wanted to return to UT. So, two years ago when my wife, Pauline, and I moved back to Austin to be close to our children, it became a real possibility.
I learned about the Hazlewood Act, a state law that provides up to 150 hours of tuition exemption for veterans and their spouses and dependent children at public colleges and universities in Texas. That made it financially viable.
When I got my acceptance letter, I took a picture and forwarded it to my children. All four wrote back basically saying “Atta boy!” I get a lot of support from family. But some of my friends kind of scratch their heads.
The first time around, I wasn’t a good student. I spent too much time at Gregory Gym and the Student Union. I dropped out and went into the military for four years. Then I re-enrolled at UT and lasted nearly two years, but dropped out again. By that time, I was married with two children, trying to work two or three part-time jobs and go to school. It just didn’t work out very well.
In 1966, I was on campus the day of the Tower shooting. I had finished classes and left campus without even knowing the shooting was going on. When I got to work, everybody was so glad to see I had arrived safely. One of my business school professors was shot and severely wounded but survived. It was personal in that regard.
In 1968, I went into nursing home administration. I worked my way up to vice president of operations for a major health care company by the time I retired in 2008.
I started back to school in fall 2016. All of my previous course work was accepted. Credit requirements have changed since I was last here, so I’m having to take some additional courses.
I’m enjoying school. I’m adjusting to the way things are taught today as compared to 50 years ago — everything is very computerized. In my accounting course, I’m learning to navigate the software program for homework and study guides. It’s been challenging, but I’m learning it on the fly. I’m reasonably proficient with Excel, I’m a good typist, and I’ve been conscientious about my assignments, so I’ve done pretty well so far.
I’ve tried to be a better student this time. I’m taking classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and studying all day pretty much every other day.
Since I was last here, one big difference is how crowded everything is. During my last semester in the ’60s, there were probably about 15,000 students. I could park and walk from Littlefield Fountain to my classes. Now, I ride the bus for one hour each way because there’s hardly any parking available and what’s available is expensive. Also, there’s the student diversity: When I was here originally, there were few minorities. Now, it is much more multicultural, which is great. Then there’s the Co-op. That’s a madhouse. It was a lot simpler to get your books before.
All of my professors have asked me about my story, because there aren’t any other gray-headed pupils. One of the questions I get in the library is “You’re a grad student?” When I say I’m an undergraduate, they’re always surprised.
I’m blessed with good health and have reasonably good energy. I do have to re-read a little bit more than the average student — and it is a challenge to complete an exam in the two hours we’re given.
After I get my degree, obviously I’m not in the market for a job. I’d been doing volunteer work and probably will look into doing that again. But right now I haven’t thought that far ahead.
Most of my focus has been getting through this first year and learning how to be a student again.
I’m just trying to get it done while I’m still alive.
From the spring 2017 issue of McCOMBS, the magazine for alumni and friends of the McCombs School of Business.
Originally published at www.today.mccombs.utexas.edu.
