Hundreds filled Grant Hall for a fall convocation ceremony at Queen’s University but Tuesday afternoon’s ceremony was extra special as someone receiving a degree had waited 70 years.
“I’m so excited I don’t even know what to do with it,” said new graduate Bruce Jameson.
Bruce Jameson, 93, went to Queen’s University back in the 1940s.
He was supposed to receive his engineering degree in 1947 but life got in the way.
He was only one credit shy of graduating. The last credit he needed was a German course.
“I got married. I had children come the next year. And then we built the house. All kinds of things going on… kept me from having any interest in trying to study German,” said Jameson.
Jameson has always been a family man but now his family wanted to give something back in return.
“When I found out that he never walked across the stage at Grand Hall to get his diploma, I said there’s got to be something to do about this,” said David Currie, Jameson’s grandson.
The Sarnia native’s grandson reached out to Imperial Oil, where Jameson worked as a chemist for close to four decades. After a bit of convincing and a supportive letter from Imperial Oil to Queen’s, the university agreed to let Jameson officially graduate with the class of 2017.
Jameson received a standing ovation and a thunderous applause as his name was called.
Jameson said he feels embarrassed to be among a crowd of young students but he had fun too.
“I feel like an old man to tell you the truth,” said Jameson.
After the ceremony, the Chancellor at Queen’s University also presented Jameson with a special engraved plaque that reads ‘Class of ’47, Engineering Chemistry’.
Jameson said Queen’s University gave him the tools to become a successful engineer and while he’s enjoyed the last three decades of retirement he’s grateful he has the degree he was missing for all those years.