Earning a college degree may seem improbable for non-traditional students.
County Executive David Crowley faced that challenge and overcame it.
He will graduate from UW-Milwaukee next month.
In an exclusive Light House Report, Chief Political Reporter Charles Benson talks with the Milwaukee leader about his long journey from dropping out to getting a college degree.
It's been a long journey for David Crowley.
“When I first attended this is not what it looked like.”
Nearly 20 years after first stepping onto the UWM campus, County Executive Crowley is about to graduate with a degree in Community Engagement and Education.
Multiple reasons motivated him to give it another try, but three stood out.
Watch: 'I needed to get this': County Executive Crowley to graduate from UWM
“Being a father having three girls, I wanted to have something tangible to show them why an education really matters," said Crowley. "So, I've been back full time, for the past three semesters, back for about six semesters total, but it's been a great experience coming back.”
And a comeback story.
Crowley admits he was not an academic achievement the first time around.
But through the years he found success as a legislative staffer and a state lawmaker. In 2020, he became Milwaukee County's youngest elected executive and the first Black leader in that job.
"Did you feel like you had not achieved something because you did not have a college degree?" Charles asks.
"When you're 33 years old, first African American to become the county executive, there's no way that you can come into the sea without feeling a little bit of imposter syndrome," Crowley responded. "It felt like I needed to get this. I will tell you it was, it was a light switch that went off in my head, whereas I began to continue with schooling, realizing that I do belong here, and it has actually increased my confidence."
It was not an easy multi-tasking adjustment for the now 38-year-old non-traditional student.
He attended morning or evening classes all while running the state's biggest county with a billion-dollar plus budget.
"Were there a few double takes?" Charles asks.
"I remember one of the first classes I had to take on campus was my public speaking class, and honestly, I learned a little bit more about myself taking that class," Crowley responds. "I gave the first speech, and everybody was like, is that how we are supposed to sound?"
County Executive Crowley will have to put those public speaking skills to use one more time because the graduating student won't be able to just sit back and enjoy the ceremony, he has been asked to give the commencement speech.
“It's a great honor. It is an opportunity that I'm going to take advantage of.”
The university describes it as an "extremely rare" occurrence for a graduating student to give a commencement speech.
The County Executive sees it as an opportunity.
“I want to speak to the experience of not just being a student for our young people, but also, you know, as the county executive, being in leadership positions and what many of our students should be preparing themselves for if they want to hold leadership positions like being county executive.”
The non-traditional student leader leads the way for the next generation.
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