When first-generation college student Brian Hale ('08) crossed the commencement stage to earn his bachelor's degree in public relations from the Mayborn School of Journalism, he knew he'd made his parents proud. But he wouldn't know exactly how proud until 17 years later when one of those parents walked that very same stage in Fall 2025.

"I sat on that same floor in the Coliseum, dressed in my robe, moving the tassel on my hat," Brian says. "It's really cool, and it feels a bit surreal."

Brian's 78-year-old father, Robert "Bob" Hale ('25), started college while serving in the U.S. Air Force. In 1980, he earned an associate's degree from Brookhaven Community College in Dallas. He thought that was the end of his journey in higher education — until, during the summer of 2024, Brian inspired him.

"That summer, I got this notion that I should finish a bachelor's degree. I saw Brian's passion for North Texas, and he had nothing but good things to say about the school," Bob says. "I thought it would just be so nice if Brian and I could say we graduated from the same place."

Brian admits that he wasn't always the most engaged UNT alum. That changed in 2017, when he was invited to join the steering committee for the Tarrant County chapter of the UNT Alumni Association. As Brian re-immersed himself in the Mean Green culture, he slowly began adding green to his wardrobe and bought season tickets to UNT football games. He also invited Bob to join him for alumni events, where the father saw just how much UNT had changed his son's life.

"I was the first person in my family to attend a university," Brian says. "My dad saw what my education did for me and my career, and he told me he really wanted to get that bachelor's degree. It was just something he wanted to do for himself."

After meeting with Student Veteran Services and academic advisors, Bob learned he was just 36 hours shy of a bachelor's degree. The clearest path forward was a bachelor of applied arts and sciences degree from the College of Applied and Collaborative Studies (CACS). Bob enrolled in Fall 2024 and jumped straight into accelerated eight-week online courses, taking two at a time. He occasionally struggled with unfamiliar course software, but never let the challenges get in his way — he took his work very seriously.

"I would just dedicate certain days to studying. I'd start at about six or seven each morning and would work as long as it took to finish that entire week of work. Sometimes it was just a half-day; sometimes it would take a day and a half."

Bob's hard work paid off. Of the 12 courses he took at UNT, he earned 11 A grades and just one B. He even earned a concentration in marketing, which complements Brian's own marketing minor. And while he won't be using his degree to further his career — he's been retired for some time — Bob accomplished his dream in just 18 months: to graduate from the same university as his son.

"Brian sent me a text message the morning of the ceremony to congratulate me, and I told him that I did it for myself, but I also did it for us," Bob says. "I told him, 'You were my inspiration.'"

Watching his father walk the stage was a full-circle moment for Brian.

"I remember what it took for me to get there and to accomplish that. And I know how important this was to him," he says. "It was incredible to sit there and watch him walk the stage from that same perspective he had back in 2008."

And of course, Brian couldn't be prouder of his dad.

"You know how they have T-shirts and mugs that say 'North Texas Dad' or 'UNT Mom'? I keep looking for something that says 'North Texas Son' on it."