Rashad Richardson, of Gary, graduates this May with a bachelor of general studies degree. He earned minors in creative writing and minority studies.

With his steady determination to overcome obstacles that stood in his way, Richardson embodies the can-do spirit of our graduating seniors and their commitment to earning their degrees. He understands the extraordinary challenges students face, juggling their courses, work and family responsibilities, while also pursuing their dreams.

That desire, and will, to reach his goals and lead a more fulfilled, enriched, and purposeful life is what motivated Richardson to enroll at Indiana University Northwest. Like many other students, Richardson traveled a long and sometimes bumpy road to degree completion.

After transferring in and out of four other institutions, Richardson enrolled at IU Northwest in August 2016, when he fully committed to earning his degree. When asked what was different this time, Richardson said, “I’ve been through several challenging and life-changing experiences—from medical complications to the birth of my daughter.” And there were the doubters—the people who told him he would never get a college degree. “I realized that I owed a better and brighter future to myself and my family,” Richardson explained.

Embracing his personal and academic challenges during his first semester, Richardson began to view them as opportunities. He balanced 17 credit hours while working on-campus and playing on the men’s basketball team. Eventually, Richardson would stand out in both areas, earning a spot on the Dean's list several times and leading the basketball team to four straight winning seasons.

He retires as a RedHawk this year as the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,056 points—the only men’s basketball player to eclipse 2,000 points—and the all-time leading rebounder with 786 boards.

But if you were to ask Richardson what he wants his legacy to be, it would be the hard work he put in and and off the court. "Being able to earn my degree and prove my doubters wrong, myself included, is the best accolade I could have hoped for," he said.