Enterprise State offers scholarships for senior adults

ENTERPRISE, Ala. (WTVY) - When most people retire, they dedicate their free time to going to the lake, reading novels or keeping up with their grandchildren. Some people are like Karl Boesen and choose to use their time for getting a degree.

During his life, Boesen was a baker, a crop duster pilot and he even pursued scuba diving as a hobby. Now, he is taking up a degree in emergency medical services.

“A friend of mine in Enterprise is starting an EMS service and he asked me “do you want to volunteer?” and I said “well, I don’t know anything about EMS,” Boesen said.

Right now, Boesen is in his first semester at Enterprise State Community College where he has big plans for his degree. After spending some time as a paramedic, he will have enough experience to earn a certification for operating a hyperbaric chamber.

“Hyperberics is a way to heal people without drugs,” Boesen explained. “Right now, this is basically to improve my health and to help others.”

Before taking on an interest in medicine, Karl was a young man in Germany who was destined to be a baker.

“I was born and raised as a baker in my grandfather’s bakery. Of course, when I was born, they said “There he is. He’s the next one.” when I turned 21, I said, “Listen guys, I wanna do something else.”

Karl was told that America was “the land of opportunity.” Almost as soon as he arrived, he was drafted into the military.

“And I came on the 17th of March in ‘61 to be in the United States. And by the third of November in ‘61, I was enlisted in the army because they sent me a little notice called a draft card.”

From there he developed a passion for all things aviation. He earned his first degree from ESCC in Aviation Maintenance Technology.

He then went on to another school to earn a degree in Aviation Technology. Right now, Boesen has no plans in slowing down because he is a lifelong learner.

“Instead of moaning and groaning, get your butt up and go do something useful and learn something,” Boesen said. “And you might be even easier to get along with if you educate yourself.”

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