Three days before Daniel Berhard turned 74, he reached a milestone that has been in the works for some 50 years: he graduated with his bachelor’s degree in General Studies from the University of North Dakota.

About two years ago, Daniel was still 30 credits – about 10 courses – short of a diploma. For his “last big push to finish my degree,” he began taking online classes at UND, the latest institution in a string of universities he has attended while raising a family and building a career.

With an inquisitive and open mind, he has pursued opportunities that satiated his interests. And, Daniel has a lot of interests.

“I never really settled on one thing that really captured my imagination,” he said. “I am interested in perhaps too many things. That’s why ultimately I settled on getting a degree in General Studies.”

A fruitful life

Born and raised in Flint, Michigan, Daniel moved to Seattle in 1968, where he and his wife raised two daughters. In the early 1980s, he obtained an associate of applied science degree, which translated well into what Daniel did for a living for more than two decades.

Prior to retiring eight years ago, Daniel was an estimator for a company that implements computer controls in water and wastewater treatment facilities. Since then, he has written a play and taught former inmates studying for the GED, among other things.

“When I retired, I knew that I wanted to have relevance and engagement in my life,” Daniel said. “That was critically important to me. And after trying a number of different things – volunteer work – I was presented with this opportunity to teach the math portion of the GED.”

Daniel had never been a teacher, but his associate degree along with his professional skills served him well in the role of a tutor. While the job came with its own trials, Daniel found the fulfillment he sought in his retirement.

“The interaction that you have with somebody who’s struggling, who is playing catch-up in life, it’s challenging and it’s also rewarding,” Daniel said. “It’s the kind of activity that captures a person. You become engaged with people, and you become concerned with how they’re progressing. It’s an exchange. I don’t feel like I’m giving back. I feel like I’m gaining.”

Being a GED teacher strengthened Daniel’s resolve to complete his undergraduate education. A bachelor’s degree would lend him more credibility as an instructor. For most of his life, Daniel took courses that piqued his interest – writing, psychology, statistics, economics – when he had the time for them. But when COVID-19 shuttered most in-person activities in 2020, Daniel doubled down on classes.

A dream fulfilled

In addition to offering enroll-anytime online classes, UND allowed Daniel to transfer course credits he earned decades ago. Other universities often impose a “use by date” policy for transfer credits, which typically has a time limit of up to 10 years.

“One of the reasons I picked UND is they allowed me to transfer the credits that I had started accumulating as far back as 1967,” Daniel said.

The first course he took at UND was social psychology. Then, he enrolled in classes ranging from the sociology of sport to research methods. Conducted online, the courses followed an “orderly and coherent” structure, and Daniel found the technology needed to access class materials and interact with professors and peers easy to navigate. Overall, Daniel largely enjoyed his time as a UND student. The disciplines and topics he explored at UND helped him better understand and serve his GED students, he said.

“My experience as a student overall in all these years is integral to the life experience that I would wish for anybody in that, hopefully, one never knows what opportunities are going to be presented as you make your way through life,” Daniel said. “You should remain open to the potential for something new to arise and to allow those things in that you would have never imagined for yourself.”

With a life-long goal fulfilled, Bernhard is now refining a play he wrote in response to a mass shooting. He is also contemplating his next big step in life.

“People ask me, ‘Are you going to get a master’s degree now?’ And I reply, no,” Bernhard said, laughing. “But, I am thinking about it now. A buddy of mine told me recently, ‘I think you’re going for your master’s.’ I think he might be right.” ///