By Vanessa Chircop
MOST grandmothers take up knitting, crocheting and baking but not Altona resident Doris LeRoy.
The 71-year-old will not only be graduating with a PhD from Victoria University (VU) but will give the valedictory speech at the event.
After leaving school at just 14 Doris never thought 57 years later she would complete a PhD.
“In those days the big aim was to get married,” she said.
“So that’s virtually what I did – I married and had four kids.”
When Doris’ husband got sick she retired to care for him but in the meantime decided to take up computer classes to bide the time – from there a floodgate of opportunities opened up allowing her to further her studies.
Doris said that her age did make her think twice about taking on a degree but she was quickly put at ease.
“I was worried – but I had absolutely no need to worry. They (other students) were really terrific,” she said.
“I think I coped better then a lot of the younger ones because I had a better work ethic and I wasn’t worried about going out.”
Life took an unexpected turn when Doris was diagnosed with breast cancer a year into working on her thesis.
“I also had two hip replacements during my study so it’s been a struggle but I got there.”
She said giving up was never an option and continued studying right through her treatment.
“I had the example of my husband who worked right through lymphoma and never had a day off.”
The grandmother of three said her PhD thesis, entitled Anglicanism, Anti-communism and Cold War Australia, was stimulated by the lack of historic research about the role of the Anglican Church in politics during the 1950s.
Doris was offered a scholarship at Melbourne University, Deakin University and VU but chose to stay at VU because of the support offered to her over the years.
“I took VU’s scholarship because of the professor I intended to study under and because of the attitude within the University – being so encouraging and supportive.”
“We’ve got students here who can’t even speak English very well and they’re writing PhDs – they really go out of their way to help students.”
Doris hasn’t ruled out any further study but will be taking a well deserved break.
“I’m just having a rest – the one thing I’ve learnt is that you never say you’re never going to do something because you just might.”
