UBC graduate earns fifth degree at 78

Most people would hesitate to return to school after a long gap in their education.

But not Yee Siong Pang.

The 78-year-old is graduating from the University of British Columbia (UBC) as the school’s oldest student this year.

Pang immigrated to B.C. from Malaysia in 1992, working as an electrical engineer before becoming a math teacher. Pang retired in 2015 and returned to UBC in 2017 at the age of 73 after he underwent surgery.

“I had a lot of time after that so I decided to come back to university and be active and study,” he told OMNI News.

Yee Siong Pang, 78, is UBC’s oldest graduate this year, earning his fifth degree overall. (CityNews Image)

He decided to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics, which is his fifth degree overall.

“My initial education was all technical — engineering, math, science. I wanted to do some arts subjects,” Pang said.

His earlier degrees include a Bachelor in electrical engineering, an MBA, a Bachelor in Education from Simon Fraser University, and another degree in Mathematics.

Pang says he’s proud of himself and is encouraging others to not worry about their age.

“I think age is not an issue for any student as long as they are willing to spend time in their studying,” he explained.

Related Story: UBC student graduates at 18-years-old

When it comes to his time at UCB, Pang says he was treated like any other student — despite being up to six decades older than some of his classmates.

“I don’t think the instructor or the classmates treat me any differently and I don’t want them to treat me any differently because I want to compete with them,” he noted.

For others wishing to complete their studies later in life, Pang recommends taking easier courses that have a focus on research and projects rather than quizzes and exams.

“You have to be disciplined and organize your time well because our short-term memory is very poor compared to young people. We have to rely on experience and long-term memory,” he said.

As for what’s next, Pang says he plans to study First Nations languages and learn about Indigenous cultures.