Inspiring Success of Two Mothers at Yaşar University Graduation in Izmir

25th Anniversary of Yaşar University in Izmir Yaşar University in the city of Izmir celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary by holding a magnificent graduation ceremony for the 2025-2026 academic year. In this ceremony, held at the Aşık Veysel Amphitheater, approximately 1,500 students received their diplomas [3]. However, among the crowd of young graduates, the success stories of two mothers who completed their studies with iron will captured the attention of the media and attendees [1]. This event demonstrated the reality that family responsibilities and age are not barriers to achieving high academic degrees.

Dr. Serpil Urhan; From Medicine to Law to Be a Role Model One of these inspiring stories belongs to Dr. Serpil Urhan. Having worked as a physician for many years, she decided to embark on a new path to be a suitable role model for her daughter. By taking the university entrance exam in 2021, Dr. Urhan was admitted to the Faculty of Law at Yaşar University [1]. Throughout her studies, she studied alongside her daughter and finally succeeded in receiving her law degree at this year's ceremony. she stated her goal was to fulfill her father's long-standing dream of seeing her as a lawyer and to show her child the importance of perseverance [4].

Gülay İvginli; Realizing the Dream of Education at 47 The second story concerns Gülay İvginli, who tasted the sweet success of graduation at the age of 47. İvginli, who entered the workforce after high school and stayed away from the educational environment for years due to motherhood, never lost her passion for learning [1]. She first began her journey by taking English language courses and then, by succeeding in the entrance exams, managed to complete her university education. At the graduation ceremony, she stated that seeing the pride in her son's eyes was her greatest motivation on this difficult path [4].

A Message for Future Generations in the Age of AI At the ceremony, Ahmet Yiğitbaşı, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Yaşar University, while congratulating the graduates, emphasized the importance of human values in the age of artificial intelligence [2]. He noted that Yaşar University now has more than 21,500 graduates active across the world. Additionally, Görkem Gökhan, the university valedictorian from the Faculty of Psychology, mentioned in her speech her acceptance into a master's program at Maastricht University in the Netherlands and cited her mother as her first and most important role model who paved the way for her success [3]. The ceremony concluded with the traditional tossing of graduation caps and expressions of hope for a bright future.