Mother and son graduate together at SFSU

SAN FRANCISCO - It's graduation season at San Francisco State University and the campus is awash in purple and gold.

Among those grads is a pair that have more in common than most. Michele Radoc and her son Brandon are both graduates of the class of 2026. 

Something she always wanted to do 

"She originally finished her studies in the fall," Brandon said. "I finished my studies in the spring. But, this graduation is for the fall and spring graduates. So, it's kind of meant to be, I guess." 

The story of how they came to graduate the same day starts four years ago, as the pandemic was winding down and Michele saw how difficult online learning was for Brandon and his friends. So, she started taking classes alongside him. "It was something that I wanted to understand and help support my son," Michele said. "But, at the same time, it kind of reminded me that this is something that I always wanted to do for myself."

Dedicated mom

Michele had graduated from high school and started working toward a degree before her kids were born, but life got in the way, and she started working to earn a living. But, she never forgot her dream of a higher education. "I started the journey," said Michele. "It wasn't easy. It was definitely hard. A lot of setbacks, tears. But, I couldn't have done it without my son."

Brandon welcomed his mom as a classmate. "Since we're both psychology majors, we did have a few classes that we had together," he said. "Which, you know, is awkward for some people. But, for me, it was kind of useful because you have somebody that has your back. You know. We had each other's back."

Proud son

On graduation day, both wore the customary cap and gown, Brandon saying how proud he was to have his mother by his side as he takes his next step. "Oh yeah," he said. "She definitely had the longer academic journey than me. So, I'm especially proud of her. She's definitely been the one to overcome more obstacles in my opinion."

And Michele says while children often look up to their parents, she sees so much to be admired in her son's educational journey. "It wasn't easy, but really, my son inspired me to go back to school."

What's next:

As for what's next, both say they are considering higher degrees. Brandon said he's likely going to take a gap year and figure out his next steps.

Michele said she is going to keep working toward her dream of becoming a clinical psychologist and helping others. 

One final note, they aren't the only two grads in the family. Michele's daughter is also graduating from high school this year, so there is a lot to celebrate for one family.