UMGC Global Media Center Archives - 2023

Chad Mayfield had just finished his first semester at UMGC and four days before Christmas in 2018 he was on the job as a junior traffic technician when he was hit by a car. While recovering from his injuries, Mayfield kept his eye on a degree and this month he is among the UMGC graduates receiving diplomas.

When Sophia Thompson was a child in Jamaica, her family was so destitute that she and her sister sometimes missed school because they had no shoes. Today she marvels at the life she has built in the United States—and how her new B.S. in Cybersecurity Management and Policy from UMGC will continue her upward journey.

Letitia Bledsoe’s journey to a degree in cybersecurity included overcoming fear, hardship, and personal challenges, such as homelessness as a teenager, caring for her aging parents, and the deaths of her brother and sister.

Most of Charles A. “Tony” Thompson’s family members all have earned degrees. His wife has a bachelor’s and two master’s degrees. His oldest daughter has a degree, his younger daughter is graduating this spring. Now, Thompson finally will be joining this group when he receives his degree from UMGC.

Iselda Wagner has a bucket list. As she graduates this month with a master's degree in Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity Investigations from UMGC, she can check off one of the major items on the list.

On April 6, the Chief Petty Officer marked his retirement ceremony from the Navy after 23 years of service at the Atsugi Naval Air Facility in Japan. Two days later, he took part in a graduation ceremony marking the completion of his bachelor’s degree from UMGC.