Sask. great grandmother realizes her university graduation dream

Article content

Decades after her initial — and brief — post-secondary excursion, Shirley Irwin returned to the classroom to fulfil her lifelong dream of becoming a university graduate.

On Saturday, the 63-year-old great-grandmother walked across the stage to receive her Bachelor of Indigenous Fine Arts from the University of Regina.

Irwin faced challenges in her journey, but persevered.

Article content

“At first I thought I was too old because everyone there were young kids,” she said. “I was a bit intimidated. But after a while I didn’t care, I just wanted to learn.”

Irwin — who is from the Cote First Nation, located approximately 90 kilometres northeast of Yorkton — has eight children, 13 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

“I wanted to prove to my grandchildren and kids, and anyone else, that you’re not too old to go back to school,” she said.

“You can do it.”

Irwin actually began her education journey three decades ago. She attended university for a year and a half, in the 1990s, but dropped out in order to earn a living for her family.

She worked for 17 years for the City of Regina as a transit bus operator before taking an early retirement.

Welcomed and respected by fellow students

However, retirement didn’t completely satisfy the ambitious grandmother.

“I wanted to go back and finish my university classes,” Irwin said.

“It was a big adjustment because I hadn’t been to school since the ’90s. There was a lot of reading and writing, learning to use a laptop, writing essays — and not short ones.”

Article content

Article content

In her classes, she was surrounded by other students her grandchildren’s age. Irwin even took a class with her granddaughter.

It proved to be mutually beneficial. Irwin helped her granddaughter get to the early morning classes on time, and her granddaughter helped with some of the modern challenges of attending university.

Although initially intimidated about being decades older than other students, she was surprised by her reception on campus. Her classmates were both welcoming and very respectful.

“They were all good to me,” Irwin said. “Some of them would call me Elder or kokum.

“One young student wanted me to guide him, to share my knowledge with him,” she said, adding jokingly. “I asked him, ‘What knowledge?’”

Throughout her four years back in school, Irwin’s family provided constant encouragement and support, even when she wanted to quit, she said.

“I was surprised that she wanted to go back, but I encouraged her to do it,” said Megan Melenchuk, one of Irwin’s daughters.

“I was able to help her through it because I was in school myself.”

Irwin’s venture back to school had a profound affect their entire family, said Melenchuk, who is in recovery for addiction issues.

Article content

“Her being in school kept encouraging me to keep going in my recovery,” she said. “I wanted to support my mom as much as she supported me in my life.”

There were plenty of family challenges throughout Irwin’s return to school, said Melenchuk, but the family stuck together and supported each other. They even found humour in some of the challenges. Through the highs and lows, Irwin said, she is very proud of her decision to go back to school, so much so that she’s considering returning again to earn her Masters in Indigenous Studies.

“A lot of people told me they’re very inspired by me,” Irwin said. “They’re proud I took this big step, and made it.”

With the classroom work done, the only thing on her mind heading into Saturday’s ceremony was the stairs. She said was “very excited” about the convocation, but had one concern.

Said Irwin in the days leading up to the ceremony: “I just hope I don’t trip.”

NC Raine is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with Eagle Feather News. The LJI program is federally funded by the Government of Canada.

The Saskatoon Star Phoenix has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.

With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark thestarphoenix.com and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.

Article content