82-year-old student Frances Wood crowned ‘Homecoming Granny’

Frances Wood, 82, enrolled at MidAmerica Nazarene University two years ago after her husband of 59 years passed away.

"I was beginning to get just a little lonely and depressed. I needed something different to do and believe me, this is different," Wood, a grandmother of eight, told KCTV.

The school's oldest student quickly became it's most popular, with students calling Wood "Granny Franny" — and even honouring her at homecoming.

"One of my grandkids calls me 'Granny Franny' and I thought that sounded kind of cute so I made up some cards. I made up some business cards and handed them out and I think that stuck," she told Fox 4 News.

"Students feel loved by her. She's kind of like a grandma away from home," said MNU student Konner McIntire.

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Wood insists she's "not here for a degree" and has a diverse class schedule that includes courses in Kansas and Midwest History, Johannine Literature, Federal Income Tax and Personal Finance.

"Nothing could have prepared me for this. It was really a far-out idea. I think the Lord put this idea in my head because it came out of nowhere," she told MNU News of going back to school.

Over the weekend, the school gave Wood her own special place in Homecoming Court, crowning her "Homecoming Granny."

"I could never have imagined all of this," Wood, who had an impressive three homecoming dates, told KCTV.

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Wood's daughter, Teresa Wood Miller, expressed her family's appreciation for the respect and acceptance MNU students have shown her mother.

"I would like to tell the students, faculty and staff at MNU how much we appreciate the kindness and respect you have shown Mom. When we talk on the phone she is eager to share what is going on in her classes and all the nice things you have said and done for her. It might be to say hello, help her dip ice cream at the cafeteria, invite her to eat with you, or make her birthday special. We are proud of the courage it took for her to enroll in college and the hard work she is doing to learn new subjects. We'll have the ping pong table ready when you visit us in Wyoming, Mom," she wrote to MNU News.