James “Jim” Martin, a Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) graduate who walked at last weekend’s commencement ceremony, wasn’t just the oldest graduate of this semester’s Cullen College of Engineering class — he was the oldest graduate university-wide, and it’s safe to say he brought the house down.
At 74 years of age, Martin finally achieved the goal he originally set out to pursue in the early 1970s: to graduate with his bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston. Quite a bit of life has happened since then, but his perseverance was rewarded at Saturday morning’s ceremony; in addition to his degree, Martin also received two raucous standing ovations from friends, classmates, and the entire crowd at the Fertitta Center.
Martin originally enrolled in the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design in the 1970s, and he had completed the expected four years of his Bachelor of Architecture when UH made the same change as many other programs accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board, transitioning to a five-year B.Arch. program.
“I was tapped out by 1977, and I had just met the woman that I would marry — and be married to for 46 years now — and I decided to take a break and then come back,” Martin said. “Well… that didn’t happen until 2015.”
His wife, however, never stopped encouraging him to keep pursuing his dream to return to his degree.
In those intervening years, Martin had worked in a professional capacity with CAD systems design, printed circuit boards, hands-on machining, and other similar responsibilities at numerous employers across the Houston area, which is what led him to pursue MET upon his return to UH.
“I was very encouraged by the professors that I met — the way they encouraged and helped me to stay focused and to keep setting and accomplishing my goals through the different challenges I had during these years,” he explained.
These challenges included the complete flooding of the Martins’ home during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Martin undergoing open-heart surgery that same year, and yet another general surgery the following year. Then in 2024, right before his senior year, Martin also learned that he required a knee replacement.
He needed a walker when he returned to classes in Fall 2024 but was able to walk without assistance by Spring 2025, thereby achieving his objective of being able to walk across the stage “on [his] own power and stability” at commencement.
“I’m honored to be this age and to be this healthy after what I’ve been through,” said Martin. “The grace of God has brought me to this point.”
In addition to the successful completion of his senior design project, Martin had the opportunity to spend many hours with Instructional Associate Professor Burak Basaran, whom he considers a mentor of particular value and a source of encouragement in his time at UH.
“I’ve always been able to interact with people at any age, and now at 74 going on 75, I was able to connect with literally hundreds of these young students to encourage them and tell them to never say ‘can’t.’ Always look at what you accomplish and never feel put down by the challenges or obstacles in front of you,” said Martin.
“I’ve learned through experience and faith that we are given responsibilities and a time in life to set examples and live our beliefs for the benefit of others,” he continued. “There are many challenges and opportunities to be of worth to others, and I believe that a life lived by examples and actions speaks more forcefully than words.”
In addition to Basaran, Martin named Ceasar Nunez, Raresh Pascal and Navdeep Singh, who have since departed from the University of Houston, as well as current lecturer David Rypien and Instructional Professor Medhat El Nahas as strong instructors “very important to [his] progress.”
“I want to show my appreciation to them. I want other people to know that there are very valuable people that are interested in educating the next generations and equipping them to meet the challenges of changing and expanding technologies,” he said.
“I don’t believe in retiring,” he added. “I’ve gone through a lot, but I’m still valuable and have a lot of knowledge, and I think it can be applied to help any company that might be interested in me or any situation that I might become involved with. But I’m not in a rush to do that. I will do a lot of praying and trust in God to guide me into those circumstances which would be most beneficial to the people around me.”
For now, Martin looks forward to a summer of spending extra time with his family and his grandchildren, traveling together, and basking in the glow of a success — and a happy ending — over fifty years in the making.