Graduation at Arizona State University is a testament to the resilience and evolving dreams of its students. Among this year's graduates is 77-year-old Vietnam veteran Wayne Johnson, who received his Master's in international affairs and leadership on Friday. Johnson's pursuit of higher education decades after his bachelor's degree is a reminder that age is neither a barrier nor an excuse when it comes to learning. Johnson told FOX 10 Phoenix, "When I started this, it was a lark, a hobby...as doors open, I'll go through."
ASU's commitment to accessible education manifests not just on-campus but also online, delivering flexibility and inclusivity across borders and timelines. Approximately 13,700 undergraduates and 7,300 graduates have earned their degrees this spring, with 7,400 doing so through ASU Online. Rodney Perkins, a New Orleans native, is among those online graduates, and he is now equipped with a master’s degree in biomedical diagnostics. He shared his thoughts in a statement obtained by ASU News, "You know, it’s something that many people from where I’m from don’t really take very seriously. When they see me, they’re all smiles. They say, 'We’re so proud of you.'"
The online educational platform has enrolled more than 280,000 students and offers over 350 degree programs. Success coaches are a cornerstone of this model, as exemplified by the bond between Perkins and his coach, Danielle Kish. Kish emphasizes the personalized nature of their support, "Meeting students at graduation is the best moment because you know that all their hard work paid off," she told ASU News.
On stage and online, ASU graduates like Johnson and Perkins represent a broader narrative. They are individuals with unique stories traversing distances and decades to achieve their educational goals, unified by resilience and persistence. Graduates hail from diverse geographies, like Nada Obaid, who completed her degree in computer science (cybersecurity) from Dubai. Obaid reflected on her experience, saying, "We may not have shared classrooms or campuses, but we shared something deeper — the resilience to finish what we started," in a statement obtained by ASU News.
