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Island senior profiled in CUNY campaign
STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE
Sunday, October 13, 2002
Back in June Pat Panzarino of Castleton Corners earned a bachelor
of arts degree in anthropology from the College of Staten Island. So
what’s so extraordinary, you ask?
Well, we mention it because the degree has been a long time
coming: Panzarino is 81 years young.
No, he hasn’t been goofing off since his high school graduation a
mere 51 years ago, just completing the necessary requirements.
The truth of the matter is his education took a backseat to a lot
of big things, like World War II, when he was a radioman first class
during the years 1942 to 1946.
And as if that’s not enough to keep a guy busy, Panzarino also
received a medallion for being an active participant on the ground
support team for the first landing of the man on the moon.
A little thing like work also got in the way. Before Panzarino
retired and enrolled in college some 12 years ago, he was a
technical supervisor in the overseas control room of RCA Global
Communications, where he was a 40-year staffer.
Also, he worked on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs.
In fact, the medallion he garnered was comprised of metal from
actual working components of the spacecraft Eagle and the spacecraft
Columbia.
When the new “graduate” isn’t walking in Clove Lakes Park – or
dancing at the New Dorp Friendship Club, for that matter – you might
find him at one of the slew of clubs and organizations in which he
is involved.
Panzarino is featured in a new City University of New York
advertising campaign. He and other featured seniors are being
profiled for taking advantage of the school’s educational offerings
for older students. The courses are offered in all five boroughs.
Eight colleges now offer degrees that can be earned entirely on
the weekends for working students, and senior citizens can earn a
college degree, tuition-free, at six community colleges.
For additional information on the programs visit www.cuny.edu.
By Carol Ann Benanti & Tom Flannagan
Reprinted here with permission from the
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