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Better late than never as 64-year-old plans graduation |
| By
Kim Harvey |
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Apr 30, 2008 |
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| Hugh Johnson and Millicent Appiah sit in a discussion group in the Social Work Practice III class. |
At the age when some are settling into retirement, Hugh Johnson is just getting started.
The 64-year-old college senior will graduate this weekend with a crowd of students who could pass for his children or grandchildren. Graduation will bring part of his journey to an end, yet open many doors for him to “pay it forward.”
Ten years ago, Johnson never dreamed he’d earn a bachelor’s degree in social work or guide troubled youth. Mired in his own darkness of longtime alcohol and drug abuse, he was estranged from his two children and living in a new city with no legitimate job prospects.
“I went through some real, real hard times,” Johnson said on his last day of class with Dr. Reva Allen, associate professor of social work. While he lived in Chicago, his 15-year marriage crumbled and his work as a subcontractor dwindled. “By missing days of work, I ended up losing jobs,” he said.
The Alabama native moved to Toledo in 1998, but a new city didn’t quell old habits. His substance abuse continued until Sept. 11, 2001, when a national tragedy became the catalyst for a drastic change.
“I thought about changing things for a long time,” Johnson said. “I was sick and tired of doing the same stuff — running the streets, drinking and drugging.
“People were losing their lives that day. I decided to change mine.”
He walked into a local rehabilitation program and asked for help. After 32 days as an inpatient, he continued rehab through a local agency and pondered his future. He was in his late 50s and hadn’t taken a class in 35 years.
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| Dr. Reva Allen, associate professor of social work, talked to Hugh Johnson, a 64-year-old college senior, during the Social Work Practice III class. |
His first courses were difficult, his classmates much younger. “The idea of being there with young people, you think you’re out of place,” he said.
Allen said Johnson has succeeded due to determination and willingness to accept help.
“He works awfully hard,” Allen noted. “There are a lot of students who, when you give them feedback, they don’t do anything with it. Hugh takes the extra effort to schedule meetings and do extra work to make himself better. He’s not just skirting on the edge. He wants to learn and improve his skills.”
Johnson said his life experiences were invaluable during an internship at the Lucas County Correctional Treatment Facility. He performed intake assessments and facilitated group treatment for inmates, many of them young and eerily familiar.
“I was them at one time,” Johnson said. “I tell them, ‘I made the change and so can you.’ They have to see it, not just be told.”
Johnson will pursue certification in chemical dependency so he can continue to guide youth with substance abuse problems. He credits a relationship with God for much of his turnaround, which includes renewed family ties and financial stability.
“I have a better understanding of life now,” he said. “I’m doing positive things this time. I’ve got a little money in the bank and a little in my pocket.
“I’m trying to give back what’s been given to me,” he added.
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