Fort Collins resident Jim Weimar was in the middle of radiation and chemotherapy treatment for cancer when COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic.
A 20-year Navy veteran and an employee of the US Postal Service, Jim was working and going to radiation and infusion appointments, but had to take a leave from his job due to being immunocompromised.
“My wife suggested I take some online classes to keep busy,” he says. “I’ve always enjoyed nature and I spend a lot of time in the yard and outside. So, I looked into the horticulture and landscape design program at Front Range and enrolled in a class in the fall of 2020.”
Rediscovering His Love of Learning
Once Jim beat cancer and returned to work in 2021, he transitioned from online to in-person school at FRCC’s Larimer Campus.
“I really like being in the classroom,” he says.
“The diversity of students at Front Range is nice. I’m older than most of the other students and even my teachers, but I’ve made friends in every class.”
A Wealth of Experience
“My instructors say they like that I bring up topics and engage other students due to my vast experience and background.” Jim notes. “It encourages others to speak up more than they might.”
Without a doubt, he brings a wealth of experience to the classroom. A native of Huntington Beach, California, he joined the Navy after high school and was deployed around the world, from Sicily to Australia, from Saudi Arabia to South Korea.
Jim left the Navy in 1998 as a petty officer first class, and returned to California, where he worked as a plumber and restored houses. In 2015, he moved to Colorado—a place he and his wife fell in love with during numerous vacations—and joined the Postal Service.
Retirement Pursuit Leads to First Graduation Ceremony
When Jim retired in 2023, he ramped up his college studies. This month, this first-generation college student will graduate with an Associate of Applied Science degree in horticulture and landscape technologies and walk in his very first commencement ceremony.
“I left for boot camp before my high school graduation,” he recalls. “While in the Navy, I earned an associate degree through Vincennes University, but the classes were all aboard a ship and in San Diego while at the naval station.”
What’s Next
In the fall of 2025, Jim will take one more class at FRCC’s Westminster Campus and complete a certificate in landscape design as well.
As for his future, Jim is considering continuing his college education to earn a bachelor’s degree. Starting this summer, he plans to put his landscape design skills to use in his community.
“For my internship, I redesigned the landscaping for our church in Fort Collins,” he says. “I enjoyed that, and now I’m in charge of the outside grounds.”
Jim also wants to help people who have landscaping needs but can’t afford to hire a professional. “I’d like to use my education to help people in my community,” he says.
Belonging and Support
At Front Range, Jim says he has found a welcoming environment. He took advantage of disability support services, receiving accommodations that are necessary due to his hearing loss. But the support didn’t end there.
“One of my instructors at the Larimer Campus was my mentor for the church landscaping project, and she got me involved in some of her landscape design projects outside of Front Range too,” he says.
“The department head also gave me good guidance, which is why I’m going to get a certificate too. Everyone here has been helpful.”
Sage Advice
To his five children, nine grandchildren, and anyone contemplating going to college later in life, Jim offers this advice: “You are never too old to learn something new or go back to school.”
“I always wanted to join the Navy and did that right away after high school,” he recalls. “But I realized later that education is so important.”
“It’s truly never too late. Go to college and don’t procrastinate!”
