Thousands of WGU students graduate every year, but not all of our graduates get the opportunity to attend a commencement ceremony. Since not every state has its own individual ceremony, WGU encourages each graduate to register and attend a ceremony convenient for them.

Lacy Acuff lives in Bartlett, Tennessee, and recently completed her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. She traveled to Seattle, Washington, to participate in a WGU commencement ceremony.

Why didn’t she just attend a ceremony closer to home? For Lacy, traveling to Seattle allowed her to celebrate her accomplishment, while enjoying a special vacation with her family.

“I finally finished my degree,” Lacy said cheerfully. “I wanted my boys to watch me walk across the stage so they would understand the importance of a higher education.”

While celebrating the exciting completion of her master’s degree, the Acuff family enjoyed the rest of their trip by exploring Seattle. From visiting the Space Needle to touring the Museum of Pop Culture, the Acuffs made the most out of their visit to the Emerald City.

Lacy originally discovered WGU Tennessee through her husband, who is also a WGU Tennessee student. She decided to join after seeing her husband’s success in his program.

“I’ve loved the flexibility of it and that I could complete my coursework on my own time. This helped me finish my master’s in five and a half months,” Lacy said. “And because of the affordability, I was able to finish my degree with a cheaper tuition than one semester of my undergraduate degree.”

Lacy describes WGU’s model as “perfect for families on the go” and is thankful for the opportunity WGU Tennessee has given her and thousands of other families.