Age is Just a Number

For 73-Year-Old PhD Candidate Lorinda Eldredge, There Has Never Been a Better Time to Earn Her Doctorate – and She Looks Forward Towards a Future of Helping Children

At a time in her life when many of her contemporaries are retired, Lorinda (Cindy) Eldredge at 73-years-young is currently a Doctor of Philosophy candidate in General Psychology here at Northcentral University – and she just became a member of Golden Key, her fourth honor society! The Spring Hill, FL resident serves as vice president of her husband’s company, a tax services provider, and she also earned her Master’s Degree online, a MS in Addiction Counseling with high honors.

“I’ve been involved in online education for years,” notes Eldredge. “Still, earning my terminal degree online can be daunting, but I still learn something new every day.”

Eldredge earned her Bachelor’s in Psychology at Saint Leo University where she presented at the Florida Academy of Science and Psychology in 2008, but since then, she’s been active in the online arena because she has had to deal with some health issues, and she really enjoys the flexible scheduling options.

“Ultimately, I chose Northcentral because it’s regionally accredited and there are no physical residency requirements,” shares Eldredge. “I have enjoyed incredibly responsive faculty and they’re helping me to continually learn and refine my writing skills, while keeping me abreast of the latest research in my field.”

Eldredge has a passion for children, and she is taking courses geared at treating children and adolescents with behavioral, mental health and substance abuse issues. She is especially interested in schizophrenia, although rare in children, it exacts a heavy toll and symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions and social withdrawal make it difficult to manage everyday life. This topic may indeed become the topic of Eldredge’s dissertation.

“I really don’t want to travel for work, and the economy is still shaky,” notes Eldredge, “but I really want to counsel children here locally. I would love to become a part-time adjunct faculty member of a nearby college, and once I have my PhD, I’ll apply for opportunities here in our community.”

When she’s not studying, Lorinda enjoys spending time with her husband of 32 years; attending shows, dining out or just ‘chilling’ at home with her pets.

“My husband is an accountant, and being a former bookkeeper and finance manager, I am able to understand some of his frustrations with IRS rules and his clients!” smiles Eldredge.

Ever pragmatic, yet always optimistic, Eldredge also notes that once she has her PhD, it may take another 4,000 hours of clinical work to become certified in Florida. It’s a challenge she welcomes wholeheartedly.

Her advice to other Northcentral students:

“Keep a positive attitude, and read, read, read!!!”