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George Frank
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(JACKSON, Miss.) - When Jackson State University graduate student George Frank earned his bachelor's degree, Dwight D. Eisenhower was president, the average U.S. wage was $4,600 a year and America launched its first satellite into space.
"I graduated from City College in New York City in 1958," said Frank, 78, who will receive his master's degree in mathematics during JSU's graduate commencement ceremony on Friday, May 8. "I went back to school because I have to go back to work."
Frank is the oldest student in the history of Jackson State's Department of Mathematics, which is part of the university's College of Science, Engineering and Technology.
A native of Philadelphia, Penn., who has been living in Mississippi since the mid 1990s, Frank decided to study math at Jackson State to prepare to become a math teacher.
"I have always wanted to teach mathematics because I have always found it an extremely difficult subject," Frank said. "I have a lot of ideas about how to make mathematics clearer for students."
The title of his master's thesis sums up his new career goal: "Why it takes so long to understand so little about mathematics and what can be done about it."
Frank, who has a bachelor's in electrical engineering, spent most of his career working as a circuit designer. He also pursued graduate studies in psychology and spent years studying math and computer programming on his own.
When he realized about seven years ago that his income and savings would not be enough to support himself long term - he is divorced and has no children - Frank decided to pursue his dream of becoming a teacher.
Taking about two classes a semester, Frank spent six years working toward his degree.
"I spread it out," he said. "I make progress but it's very slow."
Despite the deliberate pace of his studies, Frank still wants to continue his education.
"I'd like to go for my Ph.D.," he said.
Jackson State's Department of Mathematics chair Tor Kwembe said Frank is such a good student that he recommended him to be one of the marshals for the graduate commencement ceremony, which will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, May 8, at the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center on the JSU campus, 1400 John R. Lynch St. in Jackson.
"I think he's such an example, I want everyone to see him up there," Kwembe said. "He has a very deep understanding of mathematics, which stems from his background as an engineer. I think he will be a very good teacher."
- JSU -
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About Jackson State University: Challenging Minds, Changing Lives
Jackson State University, founded in 1877, is a historically black, high research activity university located in Jackson, the capital city of the state of Mississippi. Jackson State's nurturing academic environment challenges individuals to change lives through teaching, research and service. Officially designated as Mississippi's Urban University, Jackson State continues to enhance the state, nation and world through comprehensive economic development, health-care, technological and educational initiatives. The only university in the Jackson metropolitan area, Jackson State is located near downtown, with three satellite campuses throughout the city. For more information, visit www.jsums.edu.
