Lance's Journal: Skateboarding Senior Citizen, Sept. 11

By: Lance Schwartz - Email

Updated: Tue 7:24 PM, Sep 11, 2012

Tom Winter arrived in Lincoln in the fall of 1970. This Lansing, Michigan native has brought a lot to UNL since then.

There's his passion for Latin, his affinity for Ancient Greece ..and of course, his somewhat non-traditional means of transportation.

One can see a lot of pretty crazy things on a college campus.

But rarely will you see something quite as unique as a skateboarding senior citizen on his way to teach a Latin class.

For the past 43 years, Tom has shared Ancient Greece fascination with his UNL students.

This colorful character enjoys amusing students both in the classroom and around campus. Tom says, "It beats walking."

He's 68 going on 18, "I'm glad I can still do it. I've still got balance."

Professor Winter realizes that the sight of a 68-year-old flying by on a skateboard is not normal, "Students smile and laugh. I hear laughter as I go by."

UNL student Ryan Drvol says, "I saw him earlier today and just started laughing. It's not something you see everyday."

Not only is Professor Winter known all around the UNL campus. He's also known all around the world. Because this prolific professor became an Internet sensation after this picture went viral last spring.

Tom says, "They get out their cell phones and take pictures. One of them as you know, went around the world...a few times."

The picture registered more than 750,000 hits on the Internet in two days.

Professor Winter started skateboard 10 years ago at the age of 58.

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