Success for any adult learner requires the encouragement and support of his or her family. Michael and Amanda Choe decided to motivate one another in the pursuit of their online degrees by making a pact to earn them together. "I thought that the idea of graduating with my wife not only sounded neat, but it would be a good goal for us to accomplish as a couple," said Michael.

The Choes, a navy family, were based in Corpus Christi, Texas, for two and a half years. Michael is a pilot who has taught navy, air force, and marine personnel to fly multi-engine airplanes. When he and Amanda investigated opportunities for earning their degrees, they turned to Penn State World Campus. Michael said, "We chose Penn State World Campus because we knew of its stellar academic reputation and because the military requires us to move every couple of years, we needed a degree program that moved with us."

Many adult learners have families and full-time jobs, so returning to school means making major changes in lifestyles. For the Choe family, getting their degrees together helped keep them motivated and allowed them to spend time together by studying alongside each other. "I am glad I got to share this experience with him; I could not imagine not sharing this opportunity with Michael," said Amanda.

Two years later, the Choes reached their goal by walking for the Penn State World Campus graduation ceremony. They both now see each other as proud Penn Staters.

Just a few days after graduation, they left Corpus Christi for Korea, where Michael serves as a general’s aide working for the top brass. "No matter where we are, I tell Michael, 'our kids are going to Penn State'; it's our alma mater!" said Amanda.