At 65 years old, Jerome McFadden walked across the stage at Augusta University’s winter commencement on Thursday, Dec. 12, to receive his bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity.

McFadden couldn’t stop smiling as his whole family — four kids, nine grandkids, and a great-grandchild — watched him get what he called “an early Christmas present.” He’s a first-generation college graduate and a U.S. Army veteran who served for 24 years.

McFadden said when he moved to Augusta, “Augusta Fort Eisenhower is the hub of cybersecurity. I want to learn everything about it that I can.

“My mom and my grandmother, my grandfather, father. They were farmers, you know. And so, they didn’t have a chance to go to school like I did,” said McFadden in an interview with WRDW-TV.

While he doesn’t know what will come next, he said graduation is not his last stop. He hopes to gain an internship in the cybersecurity field.

Throughout his college experience, McFadden looked to his family for the determination and motivation to persevere despite challenges he faced. He hopes that his story will inspire younger generations to believe in themselves and never give up hope.

“I hope that my kids will take this and set their goals, so they’ll be able to accomplish whatever they want to do now that they see me do it at age 65,” he said.