As the curtains rise on this year’s graduation season, we stand in awe of the achievements of students everywhere. From the grand halls of academia to the humble streets of resilience, these stories echo with the triumphant melodies of dreams fulfilled and obstacles conquered. Join us in celebrating the spirit of these graduates by listening to a collection of stories that showcase their journey to success.

Lessons from Lourdes

Lourdes Villanueva grew up a daughter of migrant workers. Her family was constantly on the move, which prevented Lourdes from receiving her high school diploma. Despite the odds stacked against her, Lourdes was determined to complete her education all while balancing working in the fields and parenting her children. At StoryCorps, Lourdes sits down with her son Roger, who reflects on how his mother’s dedication inspired him. Read the full transcript.

Lessons Learned

From the first roll call of the 1964 school year, Dr. William Lynn Weaver was targeted and harassed by the faculty of his previously all-white high school. Then a former teacher stepped in and saved his life. Read the full transcript here.

Double Major

When Wil Smith enrolled as a freshman in college, he brought an unusual roommate with him — his infant daughter. Wil and Olivia look back together on their days as college roommates. Read the full transcript here.
Growing up, it was rare for Raymond Blanks to have teachers who looked like him — until he walked into Sean Lloyd’s 7th grade classroom. Now a middle school math teacher, Raymond tells Sean how he influenced Raymond’s life’s work.  
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"Everywhere we went my mother would make sure that they enrolled us in school."
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"Everywhere we went my mother would make sure that they enrolled us in school."
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Everywhere We Went, My Mother Would Make Sure That They Enrolled Us In School

Lourdes Villanueva talks to her son Roger about growing up in a family of migrant workers, and the dedication and hard work she put in to get her GED—and her desire to graduate before her own children got their diplomas. Read the full transcript here.
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"I told you that one day, you were going to go here to Stanford."
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"I told you that one day, you were going to go here to Stanford."
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I Told You That One Day, You Were Going to Go Here to Stanford

Francisco Preciado, who dreamed of one day becoming a teacher but was forced to drop out of school due to financial demands, and his son Frankie came to StoryCorps to talk about their relationship and their time together at Stanford — one as a maintenance man, the other as a student. Read the full transcript here.