I have always been drawn to traditions. Rituals often play a crucial role in shaping cultural bonds and continuity across generations. But what happens when you don’t have an identifiable marker for a tradition? You make one. Higher education serves as a powerful tool for personal development, social mobility, and economic advancement. For many, a college degree symbolizes more than academic achievement, it represents overcoming systemic barriers, challenging stereotypes, and redefining what...

When I left the Marine Corps, I thought I had already passed every test of resilience I would ever face. As a female combat veteran, I...