AMERICA | An 85-year-old man named Tom Maniscalco has earned a Master’s degree in Engineering from Rutgers University, 65 years after he first dropped out of the same institution.
Tom’s remarkable achievement not only fulfills a lifelong dream but also makes him the oldest graduate in Rutgers University’s history for 2025.
Tom's Story and How She Did It
Tom’s academic story began in 1957, he enrolled at Rutgers University to study Mechanical Engineering. His father, Joseph, a dress presser, had always dreamed of seeing his son graduate from the prestigious school.
However, that dream was cut short. Despite strong grades in calculus and physics, Tom failed a course in engineering drawing and eventually dropped out. The decision disappointed his father deeply and left a void in Tom’s heart.
After leaving Rutgers, Tom began his career at Bendix Corporation, an aviation and defense company in New Jersey. There, he worked on groundbreaking projects, including the unmanned Saturn rocket that supported the Apollo Moon Program.
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In 1964, determined to finish what he started, Tom returned to school while continuing his engineering work. He enrolled at New York University (NYU), attending night classes, and there he earned his Bachelor’s degree in 1967.
His drive did not stop there. Tom went on to obtain a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering 1980 and a Doctorate in Engineering in 1993 from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), achievements that positioned him among the best in his field.
When Tom retired in 2019 after a long career with the U.S. Department of Defense, he said he was restless and felt he still needed to achieve something. To fill his time, he decided to return to Rutgers University, with the aim of fulfilling his father’s wish.
“I didn’t know what to do with myself. So I applied to Rutgers, and they accepted me as a special student,” he said.
Through remote learning and a relentless spirit, Tom kept enrolling in courses, one semester after another, until he finally completed his Master’s degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, a field he once struggled in.
“It’s a sense of accomplishment at my age,” he said proudly. His professors at Rutgers describe him as a symbol of perseverance.
“Tom’s drive and commitment to improve himself have been inspiring,” Professor Stephen Tse, Director of the Graduate Program in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, said.
“Each time I interact with him, it puts my life in perspective. His success became very personal for me,” he added.
Tom admits that completing this degree brings emotional closure, especially since it fulfills his late father’s dream.
“When I get this degree, it’s some closure because my father sent me to Rutgers to get a degree in mechanical engineering, which I was never able to achieve. Now, I’m back where I started,” he said.
Though he has been admitted into Rutgers University for a Mechanical Aerospace Engineering PhD program, Tom says he is content with how far he has come. “I don’t think I want to go through qualifying exams again, I’m happy with what I’ve achieved,” he said.
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