After leaving ASU to work as an EMT, Dean Frias discovered his passion for education and returned to pursue an accelerated master’s degree in educational policy with support from the Graduate College’s Accelerated Master’s Award. His unconventional journey shaped his belief that learning can happen anywhere and at any stage of life.

ASU doctoral student Natalie Zermeno nearly passed up the Chateaubriand Fellowship until she asked about her eligibility, ultimately earning the opportunity to conduct research at the University of Montpellier in France. Her work explores how personal capacity, institutional conditions and meaningful connections help graduate students build resilience and thrive.