On May 17, over 1,000 undergraduate students will cross the stage at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to receive their diplomas from the USC Marshall School of Business. Among them will be one student whose academic journey began 43 years ago.

After more than four decades, Brad Dow has returned to USC Marshall to complete his bachelor’s degree and remedy what he describes as his “only real regret in life.” Now, he’s on the brink of that long-awaited achievement.

“It’ll mean a lot to me just to finally do it. It’s been a long time coming and too long coming, to be honest. I think I’ll probably break down like this,” Dow said, wiping away tears.

From 1977 to 1982, Brad Dow attended USC as an undergraduate and a member of the school’s then-active soccer team. Although a massive Trojan fan, he struggled to prioritize his academics and, in his fifth year, fell short of the GPA necessary to graduate.

“I frankly was young and foolish and partied too much,” Dow recalled. “At the time, I had enough credits to graduate, but my GPA was under a 2.0, so I didn’t have the grades to graduate.”

Dow dropped out of USC in 1982 at the behest of his parents. He never lost his Trojan spirit, however, cheering on the football team and flying a USC flag outside his home in Vancouver, Washington. He eventually founded his own IT service and hardware business, married, and put his kids through college.

Finally an empty nester, Dow decided it was time to resolve some unfinished business.

USC’s academic probation department connected Dow with Daisy Guzman, assistant director of Undergraduate Advising and Student Affairs. She told him there was a path to graduate; it was difficult but not impossible.

To demonstrate strong academic engagement, Dow had to attend business classes at a local junior college in Vancouver. With high grades, he submitted his case to USC and was readmitted to USC Marshall for a second chance at his education.

“I was very excited — then I had to start the journey. [I felt the] pressure mounting again,” Dow said. “Be careful what you wish for. Now you’re back in, and now you have to produce.”

Dow had just two years to raise his GPA above the minimum graduation requirements.

Flying down for class each week, Dow worked closely with his professors, attending office hours and setting up supplementary tutoring sessions to ensure his proficiency. In particular, he acknowledged Robertas Gabrys, associate professor of clinical data sciences and operations, for offering extra guidance in BUAD 425: Introduction to Business Analytics.

“He provides extra time, he’s very clear in his explanations,” Dow said of Gabrys. “He does a wonderful job in teaching business statistics, which again, for my old synapses is difficult to learn.”

Just as Gabrys supported Dow, the seasoned professional enriched the associate professor’s course, offering new perspectives and unmatched enthusiasm.

“Brad made the course better,” Gabrys said. “His ability to draw from real business experience added clarity and relevance to concepts that might otherwise feel abstract to students earlier in their careers. He brought a level of thoughtfulness and professionalism that lifted class discussions and gave students a model of what lifelong learning truly looks like. Brad’s presence enriched our classroom in ways that are hard to replicate, and I feel fortunate to have had him in the course this semester.”

BUAD 425 is Dow’s last hurdle to clear before graduating. It’s been a long road, but pending a final grade, the father of two is on track to officially call himself a USC graduate.

“I just feel proud of myself for doing it,” Dow said. “What I’m hoping is that this will erase the only bad memory I have from college.”

Now on the precipice of graduating, he hopes to pass on his well-earned wisdom to the younger generation — many of whom are his classmates — urging them to value their education, as he does now.

“I would like others to hopefully learn from my mistakes," said Dow. "Rather than fritter away a fifth year, actually focus on getting the job done. Do what you have to do to graduate. It is important and you don’t want to end up at age 65 with that regret.”

The USC Marshall commencement ceremony will take place on May 17 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Dow will be clad in a mortarboard and graduation gown, holding his degree in one hand and shaking Dean Geoffrey Garrett’s hand with the other. According to Dow, there will be only one thing left to do after this monumental achievement:

“Party like it’s 1977.”