Q&A: This 80-year-old from Sarnia just earned his PhD

Whether travelling, picking up a new hobby or relaxing, retirement can come with possibility. But when Sarnia's Jim McCormick turned 70, he decided to hit the books and head back to school to finish a bachelor's degree after a 40-year hiatus.

He didn't stop there. The now 80-year-old recently defended his dissertation on Indigenous sport from Western University and is set to walk across the convocation stage in June, this time with a doctorate in kinesiology.

Jim McCormick spoke to CBC's Matt Allen on Afternoon Drive.

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Matt Allen: Congratulations on your PhD — a wonderful achievement! Your journey has been a long one. Why did you decide to head back to school in the first place?

Jim McCormick: I started — and didn't finish  — my undergrad studies at Western University back in the 70s. I was still short a few credits for my undergrad degree, and after a 40-year hiatus, I was still sitting there with a degree that was unfinished and I had time. In 2015, I was 70 years of age, and I thought: one thing I can do is go and see what's cooking at the school. I wasn't sure what to expect, but they suggested I try a course one at a time and see what happens. Well, I did, and I figured, 'Okay, I can finish this now.'  But I wasn't getting too excited about anything until I took an anthropology course.

The course had an assignment that involved writing a critique of a National Geographic magazine article, any article I wanted from the past 10 years, about Indigenous people in North America. I found one called In the Shadow of Wounded Knee, about the massacre in South Dakota 100 years ago. I researched that and I did really well on the paper, and I was genuinely interested. So I went to the counselling office , and they said, 'If you like that, why don't you get involved in First Nations studies? Try that.' I had never heard of it. It didn't exist when I went to Western. Well, I was hooked from the start.

LISTEN: Jim McCormick didn't want to be a couch potato in retirement, so he got a PhD

I was fortunate to meet Dr. Janice Forsyth, who was the director of First Nations Studies (it became Indigenous Studies later on). She took me under her wing and was so helpful. I just kept getting more involved. She encouraged me to go to grad school, which I did. But I took it a step at a time, never setting the goals too high. I've been there for ten years now, starting in 2015, full-time, non-stop. It didn't take long to get reacclimatized, and voila!

MA: I'm curious — since you mentioned returning to Western and seeing how much it had changed, what are your thoughts on how different the conversation around Indigenous people is now compared to when you were in school in the 70s? 

JM: I grew up in Sarnia. We are in close proximity to four reserves: Aamjiwnaang, Kettle & Stony Point, and Walpole Island to the south. I've grown up with, played sports with, gone to school with and socialized with Indigenous people my whole life. I never thought anything different than that; they are my friends. 

As I got further into studying Indigenous sport and athletes, it was pretty obvious that these people had never been acknowledged for the great accomplishments and contributions they have made to Canadian sport. That had to be recognized. There were barriers affecting their lives so much. Finally, we're making some progress in recognizing them and understanding the ills and harm that has been done to them over the years through colonialism in Canada.

MA: What's been the most rewarding part of your journey toward your doctorate degree?

JM: Oh boy — finding, discovering and meeting so many helpful people along the way. I've met a lot of fantastic people along the way.