85 Year-Old Attends Law School At Nova Southeastern University

Business Wire, Oct 15, 1999

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 15, 1999--

Many retired people play golf, relax, or take up a new hobby. Tell that to John Mackay. Not your typical 85 year-old, Mackay planned to attend law school in 1959, but because of another opportunity, he was unable to at that time. He has worked with many lawyers and feels that a law degree will complement his engineering background. Because of this desire, he is currently a first-time law student at Nova Southeastern University's Shepard Broad Law Center.

"It's a shame to waste a mind," said Mackay. "A healthy mind in a healthy body and taking law will give me the challenge I need."

In World War II, Mackay rose to Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army, serving in North Africa fighting Rommel, and from the D-Day landing in Normandy to the end of the war, when he witnessed the liberation of the Belsen-Bergen concentration camp. He took control of the VW factory and ordered the change back from military to the civilian bug. He visited Berlin in mid May 1945 and was conducted over the Reichkanzlei where Hitler died. He celebrated the victory as a guest of Russian officers at a gala command concert played by the Berlin Philharmonic.

Mackay, a former engineer, real estate broker, and senior corporate executive, was seeking yet another real challenge in his life. He had first been accepted to New York University Law School in 1959, but took a job in Korea and wasn't able to attend law school at that time.

For the next 40 years, he designed, built, and managed petrochemical and other engineering projects in several U.S. states and overseas in Korea, Spain, Japan, Brunei, and Singapore, in roles from project manager to president. Two of these plants won National awards.

Now, forty years later, he is learning about Contracts, Criminal Law, Torts, and Lawyering Skills and Values. "NSU professors are great," said Mackay. "They just want their students to learn the rules and the basics. They really want to teach."

The Davie resident, Mackay plans to practice international law after graduation. He also has a B.S. degree in Engineering from the University of Manchester, England and has a New York Professional Engineering License, a real estate broker license in Illinois and Texas, and a real estate salesperson license in Florida.

In his spare time, he enjoys racing motorcars and has been a member of the Sports Car Club of America for 46 years, licensed as a senior steward.

For more information contact Linda Lahey, at NSU at (954) 262-6111.