84-year-old Navy veteran achieves dream of graduating college

By Brelaun Douglas via SWNS

This man graduated college, at the grand old age of 84.

John Kihm was expelled his senior year of high school after an altercation with a teacher. He then went on to serve eight years in the Navy as first a seaman and then in naval intelligence.

He was able to earn his GED during his time in service, but he always wanted to graduate college.

He has now proudly received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from California State University, Northridge, after spending decades working towards it.

John, from Los Angeles, California, said: “I’m living proof that it’s never too late."

He had a wide range of jobs after leaving the Navy, including being a private investigator, a real estate broker, an actor, and a contractor with eight classifications including plumbing, air conditioning, engineering, and building demolition.

But in the back of his mind, he always knew he wanted to earn his degree.

“I did okay in life, but not as well as I could have if I had my degree,” he said.

“I could have maybe today been president.”

He decided to return to school in his 40s and study psychology to better understand himself.

“I’m 100% disabled from the Navy with PTSD and I wanted to get more information about my brain,” he said.

“I went back to get my degree, which I should have done 60 years ago, and I took classes all over the place: UCLA, Santa Monica City College, El Camino College.”

But in 1986 he decided to quit school for a while to focus more on work.

He returned two years ago at CSUN and finally walked the stage to collect his scroll in December 2020.

He admits that it was not an easy experience, especially the lab classes he had to take and the formulas he had to remember. But he is proud of himself for persevering.

“I was able to finish at 84, which is better than some kids can do at 18," he said.

Now he's a graduate, he plans to continue with his education.

“I’m scheduled to take classes at UCLA in January in substance abuse so that I can counsel,” he said.

He advises anybody thinking about going back to school to do it.

He said: “You’ll be proud of yourself."

“You’ll make more money, and you’ll become more intelligent, which is the best part.

“The more intelligent you are the better you can exist in this world.”