SALT LAKE CITY, Ut. - On August 17, 2024, Captain Carly Donner stood before a sea of eager graduates and their proud families at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, delivering a powerful speech at the 100th Commencement Ceremony of Western Governors University (WGU). As one of five graduate speakers chosen to represent her peers, she shared her inspirational journey, captivating thousands in the audience and countless more who tuned in via live stream.
Carly’s path to the podium was paved with determination and resilience. Just two months prior, she had earned her Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance from WGU, a significant achievement that bolstered her role as a Communications Officer in the Marine Corps. In her speech, she painted a vivid picture of the challenges she faced while balancing the demands of higher education, a full-time job, and her personal life. With a full schedule as the Executive Officer at Marine Recruiting Station Salt Lake City—one of the largest recruiting stations in the Marine Recruiting Command—Carly juggled administrative responsibilities, recruiting duties, and running the Marine Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Scholarship program. Her work often took her across six states, covering over 265,000 square miles. She shared the reality of her life on the road, recounting that over the past two years, she had embarked on more than 77 trips, often giving leadership talks at high schools and events like the Idaho and Utah American Legion Girl’s State conferences. Yet, amidst the whirlwind of travel and her demanding role, Carly emphasized the importance of maintaining connections with her family, particularly her husband, Captain Matthew Price, also an Active-Duty Marine Officer. The balancing act of academics, family, and career was no small feat, and her candid reflection resonated deeply with the graduates.
In her address, Carly celebrated the significance of earning a degree through WGU, an institution known for its innovative, competency-based curriculum that caters to non-traditional students like military personnel and those with full-time jobs or families. She urged the graduates to recognize that while the credentials they received were invaluable, the true treasure lay in the journey itself—the lessons learned, and the hurdles overcome along the way. Her message was that while the certificates and credits obtained through a degree are valuable, the real value is in the journey taken to get there, and the challenges overcome. WGU graduates should be proud that they are able to get their degree while at the same time managing their own responsibilities.
| Date Taken: | 09.01.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.12.2024 17:59 |
| Story ID: | 486904 |
| Location: | SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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