78 Year Old Walks In Commencement 50 Years After Graduating

I love stories like this.  In 1971, Robert Kroener earned his master's degree from USC (Southern Cal).  He finished his academic responsibilities in the summer, but was called back to active Air Force Duty before he was able to walk with his fellow graduates in a commencement ceremony.

In all, Kroener put in 28 years in service of our country with the Air Force.  At 78, and retired, he was reading a USC alumni magazine when he got the notion of finally walking in a graduation ceremony.  He reached out to USC’s Marshall School of Business where a representative said, “Regardless of when you graduate, if you want to walk across that stage, we will welcome you back and we’ll do everything we can to make sure they get the credit and honor and to congratulate them in the way they deserve.”   So, retired US Air Force Colonel Robert Kroener did just that-driving with his wife Donna from their Arizona home to take his overdue and long deserved walk.