2008 Woodie Awards
Couple spends golden years
By Alexis Burton
Rocket Staff Writer
Issue date: 4/27/07 Section: News
As summer approaches, several Slippery Rock University students anticipate a moment they have been working toward for at least the past four years: graduation.
For two students, graduation time has long since passed and yet they remain.
Helen and Bill Dauberman, both 91, have been taking classes at SRU for more than 20 years.
"We have now completed about 130 credit hours for the two of us," Bill said.
The only courses the couple has not tried are those which have labs associated with them. When they began taking classes at SRU, they started with an introductory course in German.
For the past 30 years, their daughter has been living in Germany and they wanted to be able to communicate in the language with her.
"The German classes also introduced us to the International Study Program," Bill said. "We were given the opportunity to go abroad for a summer in Salzburg, Austria to better learn German."
The language has opened many doors for the couple, as in past years they have entertained students studying here from Freiburg, Regensburg, and Heidelberg, Germany, as well as students from SRU who are studying the language.
"For one semester we were even the host family to one German student who needed a place to stay," Helen said. "In addition to German we like to also study the French language."
SRU is not the only place the ever learning duo has studied. Helen graduated from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa., and went on to graduate school.
"I received my master's degree in teaching at the University of Pittsburgh," she said.
Bucknell University is Bill's alma mater. He graduated with a degree in electrical engineering and went on to work for Westinghouse Electric.
"After working at Westinghouse Electric I taught engineering at Valparaiso University in Indiana," he said.
After being around the university for 20 years, there were many nostalgic experiences for the two.
For two students, graduation time has long since passed and yet they remain.
Helen and Bill Dauberman, both 91, have been taking classes at SRU for more than 20 years.
"We have now completed about 130 credit hours for the two of us," Bill said.
The only courses the couple has not tried are those which have labs associated with them. When they began taking classes at SRU, they started with an introductory course in German.
For the past 30 years, their daughter has been living in Germany and they wanted to be able to communicate in the language with her.
"The German classes also introduced us to the International Study Program," Bill said. "We were given the opportunity to go abroad for a summer in Salzburg, Austria to better learn German."
The language has opened many doors for the couple, as in past years they have entertained students studying here from Freiburg, Regensburg, and Heidelberg, Germany, as well as students from SRU who are studying the language.
"For one semester we were even the host family to one German student who needed a place to stay," Helen said. "In addition to German we like to also study the French language."
SRU is not the only place the ever learning duo has studied. Helen graduated from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa., and went on to graduate school.
"I received my master's degree in teaching at the University of Pittsburgh," she said.
Bucknell University is Bill's alma mater. He graduated with a degree in electrical engineering and went on to work for Westinghouse Electric.
"After working at Westinghouse Electric I taught engineering at Valparaiso University in Indiana," he said.
After being around the university for 20 years, there were many nostalgic experiences for the two.
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