"Curiosity doesn't have an expiration date. I got my PhD at 61"

[Jonathan Whatley]

With grey in my beard and decades of life already behind me, I completed my doctorate in education at Concordia University, at 61. And I loved every minute of it. […]

The “silver tsunami” in university education is reflected in ApplyBoard statistics examining international students in Canada. The percentage of approved study permits for mature students grew from around 15 per cent in 2019 to more than 25 per cent in 2023.

I wasn’t chasing tenure or dreaming of climbing a ladder. My motivation was curiosity. I wanted to enter into the conversation about education and leave behind a contribution that mattered — not because it would impress a hiring committee, but because it might spark thought in someone else.

When I sat down to write my dissertation, I didn’t worry about how it would “sell” on the job market. I wasn’t trying to brand myself or angle for the next opportunity. I was free to write for the sake of understanding, questioning and adding something meaningful to the field. […]

One of the unexpected joys of doctoral study was the encouragement and support I received from younger members of my cohort. Their energy, creativity and different perspectives were a constant source of inspiration. At the same time, I brought to our classroom discussions the wisdom I gained from teaching high school for 30 years.

That combination — my experience alongside their fresh insights — made for some of the richest conversations I’ve ever been part of.

Finishing my doctorate reinforced a lesson: A PhD can be about joining an intellectual community, contributing to an ongoing discussion, and modelling what it looks like to learn for the sheer love of learning.

Curiosity doesn't have an expiration date. I got my PhD at 61 (James Watts, The Montreal Gazette, November 19, 2025)