DALLAS — At the ripe age of 82, Dallasite Barbara Ingram is not your average senior citizen.
Just four weeks after a full hip replacement, she can be found working out in her Harvard sweatshirt while attending her weekly post-op physical therapy session.
At first glance you might think the Ivy League university is her alma mater, or perhaps the academic choice of a grandchild, but she wears the crimson letters with pride as an enrolled student.
During the pandemic, virtual learning has become the new normal, and for many seniors like Ingram, it makes going back to school easier than ever.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), there were 6,932,074 students enrolled in distance education courses at degree-granting postsecondary institutions in 2018, the most recent year data was collected. That number is likely to increase due to spikes in COVID-19 cases, stay-at-home orders, and social distancing guidelines.
Ingram’s drive to stay young can be seen in her dedication at the gym and studying in front of her computer.
“Going to school is even more important to me than staying physically fit,” Ingram said. “I can’t play tennis anymore. But, you know, the brain is always with us and we don’t want to be losing our memory.”
Ingram earned a business education degree 60 years ago from the University of Miami, a research university in Coral Gables, Florida. Now, going back to school has been a way for her to stay connected and disconnect all at the same time.
“You don’t forget that there’s a pandemic out there,” said Ingram. “I know there are people dying every day, but I didn’t dwell on it like I would have if I didn’t have my work to do.”
This isn’t Ingram’s first attempt to get back to school. She and her husband Stan Ingram have attended college classes in Dallas in recent years. Attending classes at the at the prestigious Ivy League has given her a sense of pride. She’s not too familiar navigating a computer but was excited for the challenge of attending online classes at Harvard.
“When I mentioned it to my family, I thought well they’re going to say you’ve lost your mind,” said Ingram. “But everyone was very supportive of it and I thought well, I’ll give it a try.”
With the help from her loving husband, she’s now enrolled in her second class. In the fall of 2020, she completed an economics course and is currently enrolled in a class which covers East Asian environments.
During the spring semester she’ll study what scientists predict Asia’s future looks like for China, Japan, and Korea. The course will also explore topics like the technology energy crisis.
“It’s been like an adventure for me that I have,” said Ingram. “Plus, I’ve learned an awful lot.”
For Ingram studying is a way to keep her mind sharp. She’s now encouraging those her age to remember that knowledge is power and hopes others will follow in her footsteps, even if it isn’t Harvard.
“Even if it’s a painting class,” said Ingram. “If it’s something you always wanted to take in college and you just didn’t for whatever reason, it’s easier than ever, you can do that now.”
Ingram claims she’s smarter than when she started, and she doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon. She plans to enroll in one class a semester going forward.
If you have an interesting story or an issue you’d like to see covered, let us know about it. Share your ideas with DFW reporter Lupe Zapata: Lupe.Zapata@Charter.com