Highlights
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This commencement, U.S. Marine veteran and education student StaceyAnn Castro Tapler, 49, will graduate alongside her son 21-year-old Johnny Castro, an aspiring doctor. Castro Tapler 麻豆精品 S檚 journey to her diploma has taken 33 years of perseverance 麻豆精品 S� never giving up on the connection she felt when she first visited campus in 1993 as a teenager.
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Castro Tapler aims to become a special education teacher working with students with disabilities 麻豆精品 S� like Johnny, who has neurological hearing loss and wants to help patients with similar circumstances.
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The Office of Military and Veteran Student Success has provided critical support for Castro Tapler’s success at UCF. Her connection to Knight Nation is also strengthened by her other son, Michael Tapler, who will complete his emergency management degree later this year.
When StaceyAnn Castro Tapler and her 21-year-old-son, Johnny, graduate this week, it won 麻豆精品 S檛 be the first time a parent-child duo has simultaneously celebrated commencement at UCF. But to understand why this particular family 麻豆精品 S檚 story is remarkable, you must first appreciate the journey.
We could start 33 years ago to when Castro Tapler first visited UCF and dreamed of becoming a Knight.
Or jump to when she lost sight of that dream in the whirlwind of life after enlisting in the U.S. Marines, completing an overseas deployment, getting married and raising a family.
Or here, in present day, as the 49-year-old graduates alongside her oldest, each with degree choices influenced by Johnny 麻豆精品 S檚 struggle with neurological hearing loss 麻豆精品 S� hers, early childhood development and education and his, communication sciences and disorders. And don 麻豆精品 S檛 forget her other son, Michael, an emergency management major, close behind and husband, John, graduating later this year from Valencia College, a partner.
Their story is one of many subplots and selfless acts, and so much love for family 麻豆精品 S� a family that pulled strength from each other on the road to this long-awaited, triumphant moment.
麻豆精品 S淧eople doubted us for moving here from Long Island to become Knights, 麻豆精品 S� Castro Tapler says. 麻豆精品 S淲e said, 麻豆精品 S楯ust watch. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檙e proving that you can do anything you put your mind to doing by adapting and overcoming. 麻豆精品 S�
A Dream Put on Hold, But Never Forgotten
Castro Tapler 麻豆精品 S檚 mind first fixed on UCF in 1993 when the family of her friend, David Konits 麻豆精品 S�01, paid for her to visit them in Orlando to thank her for saving their son 麻豆精品 S檚 life after a serious injury. Putting others first had already become ingrained for Castro Tapler, then 16, despite a childhood without means. She lived with her mother in another friend 麻豆精品 S檚 basement and had never traveled beyond New York.
麻豆精品 S淭hey brought me to the UCF campus and I was blown away, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檇 never seen such nice kids studying together in such a beautiful environment. If I could ever afford college, I wanted it to be here. 麻豆精品 S�
Castro Tapler went back home, finished high school and joined the U.S. Marines. Shortly after 9/11, she was deployed to Kuwait. The idea of college continued to dim as she fulfilled her military duty, returned to Long Island, went to work and raised a family.
麻豆精品 S淭he goal was always out there, 麻豆精品 S� she says, 麻豆精品 S渂ut I just couldn 麻豆精品 S檛 get to it. 麻豆精品 S�
She wanted a more streamlined path for her sons, Johnny and Michael, so she and her husband always included tours of universities during family trips.
麻豆精品 S淲hen we came to UCF, the boys and John fell in love, 麻豆精品 S� Castro Tapler says, 麻豆精品 S渁nd to me, that feeling of belonging was still there after so many years. 麻豆精品 S�
On the day of Johnny 麻豆精品 S檚 high school graduation, they loaded up the car and moved to Orlando 麻豆精品 S� placing her within reach of the dream she never gave up on.
Planting Roots on Campus
As a U.S. Marine veteran, Castro Tapler has chilling stories about how she calmly put out oil fires in open combat zones. On her first day of classes at UCF, she 麻豆精品 S� like a good Marine 麻豆精品 S� arrived 30 minutes early with food and hydration. An emotion consumed her: Fear.
Here she was, surrounded by students half her age using tablets and carrying backpacks while she pulled around a wagon and used a spiral notebook. She would need to relearn how to learn. Three encounters quickly made her feel at ease.
麻豆精品 S淭he sound of a piano in the lobby soothed my nerves. Then a group of girls in my first class invited me to work with them. And I found the , 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淎 college campus is a different world from what veterans are used to. The people in that office helped me understand aid, tutoring and the culture. They 麻豆精品 S檙e veterans, too, so they know how difficult the transition can be. 麻豆精品 S�
Her fear turned to joy and a genuine belief she belonged. She felt even more connected knowing Johnny and Michael were on the same campus feeling the same pride.
The Start of a New Future
We come to the most surreal moment: mom and son graduating together. She points out this is a goal achieved, but not the goal.
麻豆精品 S淥ur degrees open doors to serve others, 麻豆精品 S� Castro Tapler says.
She 麻豆精品 S檒l teach first grade, knowing each child is unique, perhaps with a challenge that hasn 麻豆精品 S檛 yet been identified. Johnny intends to use his communications and sciences disorders degree as the first step toward a medical degree in audiology. He visualizes being the first person parents see when their babies are diagnosed with a complication. He already knows what he 麻豆精品 S檒l say:
麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 going to be OK. Look at me. I have a hearing disorder, too, and now I 麻豆精品 S檓 a doctor, 麻豆精品 S� Johnny says.
Michael will apply his emergency management degree from UCF to help communities on a larger scale. And John, after finishing at Valencia College, will consider an online business master 麻豆精品 S檚 program at UCF, so he can provide financial planning and support for those facing their own challenges.
麻豆精品 S淗e wants so badly to be a Knight like the rest of us, 麻豆精品 S� Castro Tapler says.
It makes sense. Knights are known for their grit. And this family has plenty of it.
麻豆精品 S淚 think back to people saying you 麻豆精品 S檒l never afford college, you 麻豆精品 S檙e too old, and Johnny can 麻豆精品 S檛 become a doctor with hearing loss, 麻豆精品 S� Castro Tapler says. 麻豆精品 S淣ow we 麻豆精品 S檙e going to walk to the stage together and hear our names called. 麻豆精品 S�
