Learning Never Retires: 82-Year-Old Finds New Passion and Purpose at SPC

When retiree Jose Heinert noticed he was becoming forgetful, he worried about his mental acuity. In search of something to keep his mind active, he decided to sign up for courses at St. Petersburg College. What he found beyond academic enrichment was purpose. Now, at 82, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Human Services in December, and a renewed commitment to use his time and talents to give back to the community.

Born in Ecuador and raised in New Orleans, Heinert’s college education in political science was interrupted when he joined the military during the Vietnam War. He served as a Navy corpsman and then as a medic with the U.S. Marines. The experience left deep marks, including years of undiagnosed PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), but also instilled a profound sense of service.

Heinert earned a bachelor’s in nursing and spent a long career in public health, working with migrant farm workers in California and later managing clinics for Hispanic communities. His expertise in medical case management and rehabilitation counseling helped countless injured workers.

Retirement brought Heinert to Florida to be near his son and grandkids, but he faced new challenges, including concerns about aging. Taking online classes at SPC not only helped improve his memory, but he also gained computer skills and found unexpected camaraderie among classmates in all stages of life.

“Even though I’m usually the oldest guy in the room, I felt comfortable. We’re all in this together,” said Heinert, noting how the diversity of students expanded his compassion and humility. “At my age, I can still adapt and learn.”

Bachelor's Degree Research Class Leads to Internship

After starting in SPC’s Community Health Worker Certificate program, he quickly realized he wanted to do more and enrolled in the Human Services Bachelor’s of Science program. Through a research class, he helped facilitate a Spanish-speaking support group with the Alzheimer’s Association, which sparked an interest in providing more health education.

Jose Heinert works with Carolyn Otero Torres

He completed an internship with the Hispanic Outreach Center (HOC) in Clearwater, developing workshops on disease prevention, stress, anxiety and caregiver support.

“I had this idea to do a health prevention series, and then Jose showed up,” said Carolyn Otero Torres, Heinert’s internship supervisor at the center. “He’s given presentations and helped identify priorities for our clients. His initiative and insight have been invaluable.”

Amanda Markiewicz, Chief Executive Officer of HOC, says the internship is a shining example of the center’s long history of partnering with SPC, and hopes to expand on internship opportunities.

“Jose is very thorough in his research. He’s got a lot of knowledge and eagerness to share,” she said. “We’d love to see more of that.”

After graduation, Heinert plans to continue volunteering with the HOC and hopes to inspire others, especially older adults, to pursue education and service.

“Service is something I learned from my grandfather,” Heinert said. “There’s a lot of need in this world.” Heinert reminds us that it’s never too late to continue your education or to make a difference.

“If you have something to share, whether it’s knowledge or time, you should do it."