One local family takes learning to a whole new age

"You talk about blessings, I'm in college with my grandson."

An uncommon occurrence for a grandfather, but for 76-year-old Ron Siers Sr. it's reality.

Starting in the spring, Ron Sr. will be heading back to Salisbury University to pursue a graduate degree in history, his grandson Rex right by his side.

"It's a blessing there's no other word to describe it that would be stronger than that."

"It's definitely something I never imagined in my lifetime certainly an incredible opportunity," explains Rex.

Getting back into a classroom was a long time coming for Ron Sr., after dropping out of college in 1961.

He says, "I have a great wife a great family and a great career but there was a little thing in the back of my brain that the only thing I never finished in my life was my degree."

That changed though when his son Ron Jr., who teaches as an associate professor at SU, made him an offer he couldn't refuse eight years ago.

Ron Jr. explains, "I thought it was something that he might regret as he got older so when I finished my terminal degree that was kind of our agreement that he would go back and finish his degree."

Ron Sr. admits getting back into the swing of things was no easy task.

"It was a challenge at first you have to remember I had not been in a classroom in college since 1961. This was 2009 so I walked in the technology was completely, you know, when I went it was with the typewriter so it was completely different."

But he pushed through and in the process ignited his passion for learning and history that he thought he lost.

"I didn't know if I had anything else to be able to write papers, to remember stuff and I found out that I did," Ron Sr. continues, "They would ask a lot about history that I did live what about this what about that and how about this so that was very enjoyable for me."

Ron Senior would get his bachelors in 2014, at 73-years-old. Now he has the chance to continue learning right alongside Rex, something they will remember and cherish forever.

Rex saying,"It's once in a lifetime. I will blink and it will all be gone so I'm trying to take it all in and enjoy it while it lasts."

"It's almost embarrassing for me to be blessed so much," says Ron Sr.