A 25-year-old father promised himself he would accept his diploma while carrying his baby, but university security had other plans
- Jean-Paul Al-Arab moved to Buffalo from Lebanon in 2022
- The 25-year-old father shares a 6-month-old son with his wife
- As a dad and student working two jobs, Al-Arab promised himself that he would walk his graduation stage with his infant – and he did just that
After juggling fatherhood, two jobs, and a full course load, one devoted 25-year-old made a heartfelt promise to himself: he would walk across the graduation stage with his 6-month-old son in his arms.
Moments before walking the stage, Jean-Paul Al-Arab was told he couldn’t bring his son. Defying university policy, he ran across the stage holding his child, evading security, and proudly accepting his diploma. The viral moment sparked praise and debate about fatherhood, tradition, and the meaning of graduation milestones.
Raising a baby while juggling school and work makes Al-Arab’s schedule nothing short of hectic.
During the days, he balances at-home responsibilities, remote work for his job as a medical assistant and coursework for his asynchronous master’s program before heading out for his evening shift as a server.
Weekends also offer little rest as he often works long hours at the restaurant and then spends his free time catching up on assignments and essays for school.
