At 78, She Embarks on an Unexpected Discipline
At an age when many consider slowing down, 78-year-old Eleanor Marks is doing just the opposite — she’s starting over. The retired schoolteacher from Portland, Maine, recently enrolled in a university program to study computer science, a field she had never exp
« I always told my students, ‘Never stop learning,' » Eleanor laughs. “It was
A Spark of Curio
The idea first took root during the pandemic. Isolated at home, Eleanor began spending more time on her computer — reading the news, video-calling with family, and watching online lectures. One afternoon, her grandson, a software engineer, showed her how to write a simpl
“I was fascinated,” Eleanor recalls. “It was like learning a new language that allowed you to create something from nothing.”
That small spark of curiosity soon grew. She started watching free programming tutorials online and tinkering with basic projects. But Eleanor wanted a deeper understanding, and when she discovered a local university offered a flexible program for adult learners, she decided to take the plunge.
