Well, I started in 1963. That was a few years ago. All I wanted to do was fly military
airplanes. Well, I took the physical, and I'm a little color blind,
so I didn't get to do that. And I actually did get my pilot’s license, but not military. So I dropped out of college. And so in 1966,
I got drafted into the Army. And I just kept thinking, all these
decades, I'm going, “There's a hole there. I'm going to fill it.” And that was not completing my degree. That's why I'm here. Well, it's just great to be a part of this
this university. It's a great university. Like the first couple weeks I got here, I was walking across the campus
and I said, “I love this place.” When I started here, it was a little
awkward because I knew I was older. I did not know was the oldest. So then I figured that out after just
walking around and looking at people. And then, you know, it just disappeared. It didn't make any difference
after like six months or so. It didn't matter. [Announcer]: Craig Whitney Pergerson [APPLAUSE] Faculty... everybody was very helpful. Without an exception,
they all wanted me to do well. They helped me any time I asked for help. And I was in their offices quite often,
which is what they want you to do. So if it hadn't been for great people like that, I wouldn't have graduated. I have five grandchildren. I have friends
I haven't seen in five years. That's my main focus. I'm not going to get a full time job. I've done that. I had my own company for 30 years. So I just wanted to the degree. It’s my last adventure. So I've been on several adventures: I sailed on the Bark Endeavour,
which discovered New Zealand. I flew an airplane from near Chicago
to the Arctic Circle. I ran about two times around the world,
thousands of miles, then started cycling and so this is my last... maybe not the last adventure.
