Bruce Berry (academic)

{{Short description|Career student}}

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Bruce Berry (1940–2014) was a British perpetual student. He took his first degree from Manchester University in 1963,{{Cite web|url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/obituaries/bruce-berry-1843569|title=Bruce Berry|website=www.yorkshirepost.co.uk|date=15 March 2014 }} and continued to study from the 1970s onwards, coming to possess several further Bachelor's and master's degrees (from universities including Leeds, York and Normandy University, Caen), as well as a Ph.D. from Leeds Metropolitan University. He died before completing his twelfth degree, another Ph.D.

Fluent in several languages, he was also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Linguists.{{Cite web|website=Yorkshire Post | url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/obituaries/bruce-berry-1-6500053 | title=Bruce Berry| date=15 March 2014 }}{{Cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-17929379 | title=Lollipop man studies 12th degree| work=BBC News| date=2012-05-02}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/05/03/lollipop-man-bruce-berry-12th-degree_n_1474131.html|title=Lollipop Man Studies For His 12th Degree|date=May 3, 2012|website=HuffPost UK}} Berry was a member of Mensa, and when asked about his rationale behind for his degrees he stated “I just get this Faustian thirst for knowledge. I like to keep an open mind – anything which catches my interest, I go for it.” Altogether, Berry earned three Bachelor's degrees, seven Master's degrees and a Ph.D.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tntmagazine.com/news/weird/genius-lollipop-man-has-11-degrees|title=Genius lollipop man has 11 degrees|website=TNT Magazine|date=30 April 2012 }}

After retiring from a career including technical document translation for Agfa-Gevaert, working for the Post Office, and teaching, he worked as a lollipop man (crossing guard).