Leonardo Juarbe earned his Master of Science in Information Technology from Florida State University’s School of Information (iSchool) in Spring 2026, walking the graduation stage alongside his stepdaughters, Aria and Ziya Kassam.  

More than a decade after earning his bachelor’s degree from Florida International University, Juarbe returned to the commencement stage; this time, he was not celebrating alone. He graduated alongside Aria and Ziya, whose own college journeys inspired him to finally pursue a goal he had postponed for years. What had long been a dream without a start date became a concrete plan as he watched them prepare for college. 

“I’ve been in IT since 1998, and during my years at Amadeus in Erding, just outside Munich, I had every intention of going for my master’s there. Life didn’t cooperate with that plan, and I left Germany without it,” said Juarbe. “What finally moved me from ‘someday’ to ‘now’ was the twins. When they decided to come to FSU together, I took them on campus visits, and somewhere between the tours and orientation, I realized I didn’t have to keep waiting. The degree I’d been circling for years was sitting on the same campus my stepdaughters were about to call home.” 

While attending orientation sessions with his stepdaughters, Juarbe began to see himself as more than a spectator in their college experience. He realized he could embark on his own academic journey alongside them. 

“Sitting through the parent orientation sessions, watching them figure out where their classes were going to be, and at some point, it hit me that I could do this too. Not just be the dad in the background of their experience—actually, go through it.” said Juarbe. “That’s when I sat down and planned the program to line up with theirs. I did mine 100% online while running full-time work, so we weren’t sharing classrooms, but we were sharing the same finish line, in the same week.” 

As Juarbe balanced a full-time career with graduate coursework, another challenge emerged during the final stretch of his degree. Near the end of his program, he lost his mother, a loss that added a layer of grief to an otherwise celebratory milestone. 

“From the spring of 2024 until she passed in March of this year, that became its own current running underneath everything else, the work, the coursework, the family,” said Juarbe. “The day of graduation held both feelings at once, and I think anyone who has lost a parent close to a milestone knows how that works. You don’t get to pick one. You carry them both across the stage with you.” 

Despite the challenges, graduation remained a moment of celebration for the entire family. For Ziya Kassam, attending college at the same time as her stepfather created a unique bond that extended beyond the classroom. 

“Navigating school simultaneously allowed us to relate more to one another, whether it was talking about Lenny’s group projects or my exams. Comparing our degrees gave us a connection more than playing sports and watching TV like ordinary families,” said Kassam. “It didn’t matter whether it was due to exams, deadlines, or just being stressed out; I always had somebody who would understand and motivate me.” 

For Leonardo Juarbe, crossing the stage with his stepdaughters Aria and Ziya represented more than earning a degree. It marked the completion of a goal from years in the making and served as a reminder that it is never too late to pursue a dream.