Mastering university life at 95

At 95 ‘and not out’ Allan Stewart has had a long and challenging innings. He has already made Guinness World Records for being the world’s oldest university graduate – now the retired dentist has just enrolled in a new degree at Southern Cross University.

Allan said he was looking forward to the challenge of university study once more, having made history in 2006 when he graduated with a Bachelor of Law degree.

Today, as this year’s NSW Seniors’ Week kicks off under the theme of ‘Live life!’ the Mid North Coast father of six, who has 17 grandchildren and great grandchildren, is inspirational proof that age is no barrier to education.

He hopes that studying for his Master of Clinical Sciences degree, during which he will research natural and complementary medicine, will give him the insight and information to help other older people live healthy and productive lives – and that includes his six children.

He also hopes that his enrolment will inspire seniors all over Australia to realise it is never too late to undertake study.

Allan’s daughter, Anne Hailes, herself aged 70, has also enrolled at Southern Cross University via distance education to study a Bachelor of Arts degree.

“I thought it would be fun to be studying together,” Allan said. “We can support and encourage each other. We both came up to Southern Cross University’s Lismore campus for the Orientation program and really enjoyed seeing the beautiful campus and meeting with the lecturers. Now we are looking forward to the challenges of studying.”

Anne said her father had been an inspiration to the whole family. “I thought to myself ‘if he can do it, so can I’ and that’s why I enrolled. I have always wanted to go to university but like so many other women of my generation, I put my family first and never managed to get there. I thought it was high time I did something for myself. Now that I am studying, I am absolutely loving it.”

Allan said he has found that distance education has come a long way in recent years and was surprised to learn that anyone can take part in lectures in real time from the comfort of their own lounge room, provided they have a computer and an internet connection.

He has been experimenting with using new technologies to speak with his lecturers from his home at Tea Gardens, north of Newcastle.

“This is a great degree for me to study, not only because I get to research my passion, which is natural health and healthy ageing, but also because it is so convenient to be able to study via distance education which is a more flexible study option for older people like me,” he said.

“And besides, people are always asking me the secret to my good health and for advice on healthy ageing, so now I will have more answers to give them!”

Allan lives by the maxim: ‘As long as you keep pedalling the bike, you won’t fall off’.

A retired dental practitioner, he celebrated his 95th birthday recently and shared his wisdom about ageing well, with a large crowd of family and friends.

“I believe in four main principles,” he said. “Fitness of body, fitness of mind, spiritual fitness and purpose of life fitness.

“I exercise my arms and legs every day; I keep my mind active with study or crossword puzzles and games like bridge; I keep spiritually fit by my interaction with my community, friends and family and I have a fitness of purpose through developing good self esteem and setting achievable goals and targets for myself.

“Another important key to living a long and healthy life is eating mostly home grown vegetables and fruits from the garden and home cooked nutritious meals.”

Allan graduated in dentistry from the University of Sydney in 1936, did a PhD in dentistry at Northwestern University, in Chicago, USA, and then went on to private practice in various locations abroad and in Australia, including Macquarie Street, Sydney, before completing his law degree in 2006, earning a place in history as the world’s oldest university graduate.

Now he is looking forward to setting the bar even higher and breaking his own record.

“As a health professional, and because of my age, I am keenly interested in this Masters qualification. Through my studies, I look forward to deriving considerable information on the ageing body,” he said.

“Now that I have reached the age of 95, my thoughts are turning to what the future still holds for me.

“Obviously, you can’t make plans too far ahead, and you more or less live from day to day, but there is still more of life’s journey ahead – and that is the exciting part.

“Whether you are 19 or 90, life is about doing the best you can.”

Photo: Allan Stewart – 95 and not out – who has just enrolled at Southern Cross University.