Miami University graduate travels 4,154 miles to Oxford to walk at commencement
'I owed it to myself to walk across that stage,' Mallory Getz said
Miami University graduate travels 4,154 miles to Oxford to walk at commencement
When Mallory Getz crossed the stage at Miami University’s commencement, it marked not just the culmination of years of hard work, but also a journey that spanned thousands of miles and a profound personal transformation. Traveling from Belgium, where she now resides with her husband, Steven Ward, who is stationed there in the Air Force, Getz’s determination to celebrate her achievement in person embodies her unwavering commitment to her education, family, and growth.
"I owed it to myself to walk across that stage and move my tassel," Getz said, reflecting on her decision to return to Ohio. "I wanted that moment of walking across the stage. Not only for myself, but for my family."
Like many students, Getz’s path to earning her degree wasn’t a straight line. However, she was fully invested in completing a degree. Recognizing that investment set her on the 4,154-mile journey from Flanders, Belgium to Oxford, Ohio to put on her cap and gown, embrace the faculty and family who have supported her, and move her tassel to the left.
From English to Flemish
Getz decided to participate in College Credit Plus starting her junior year of high school to earn some free college credits at Miami University Regionals. When it came time to choose where she would complete her degree, she didn’t question staying local. She knew she wanted to be close to her family, save money, and that she had already built bonds with other students on campus.
"I met many of my friends through Dr. Tammie Gerke’s Geology 141 National Parks class," she said. "We all spent so much time studying and ordering food at the library. Those are my favorite memories."
In 2024, Getz and her husband learned that he would be stationed in Belgium for a few years. Majoring in Sales Management, she knew she could still complete her degree online from across the ocean.
"Being overseas, I worried I would feel disconnected from school," she said. "The exact opposite happened, and I felt more involved than I had in years."
Mallory would log into Canvas at midnight to participate in synchronous online courses. She even took on leadership roles in group projects.
"She’s just a gem. A quiet leader," said Patrick Lindsay, associate lecturer in Commerce. "She’s grown a lot over the last couple of years, becoming very much the go-to team leader in an upper level class."
On Friday, Dec. 13, Getz walked across the stage at Millett Hall in Oxford with 1,100 of her peers looking on. She was handed her diploma by Paul Williams, a faculty member she credits with bringing her out of her shell. Her family was ecstatic the whole day. She was able to meet the faculty and staff that make the university run and invest in the success of students like her.
"A full-circle moment," she recalled. "I didn’t think I was going to appreciate that moment as much as I did."
The next journey
Getz doesn’t know what’s next for her. She’ll be in Belgium until 2026 and has some time to figure that out — what she does know is that she is grateful for her Miami Regionals experience.
"I have developed a greater sense of self and what I am capable of," she said. "I am more confident and immensely grateful for being able to be a part of Miami University."
