Woman gets degree, hitched in same day

Today Hundreds of online students from across the country traveled to snow-covered Clinton, Iowa, for graduation ceremonies Dec. 12. Only one made her graduation day also become her wedding day.

Giordano, 34, of Spring Hill, graduated with an online master's degree in organizational management at 1 p.m. She then made a quick change from her cap and gown to a wedding gown and got married at 3 p.m. Her married name is printed on the diploma.

mother, from Naples, was the maid of honor. Her father, from Maine, walked her down the aisle. The groom's mom, from Tennessee, and many other family members were there for both ceremonies, too.

Our families wanted to come to Clinton for my graduation, so it was an ideal opportunity to have everyone together to share in our wedding, too," Giordano said.

the ceremonies, she had never been to Ashford University's brick and mortar campus. "It's beautiful. With the hills and historic brick buildings, it looks like an Ivy League school," she said.

The graduation and wedding were beyond my expectations," Giordano said. "There was an announcement at graduation that my wedding would be held at the chapel. Some of my online classmates, who I'd never met face-to-face, came to the wedding.

Ashford University was amazing. I was only expecting to have my bouquet of flowers but, at the last minute, the president of the university arranged for wonderful music and floral arrangements."

Minutes before the wedding, an incredibly talented student volunteered to play," said Jane McAuliffe, chief executive officer and president of Ashford. "He played from the heart, with no music in front of him, and it was wonderful. About 30 of Ashford's staff attended the ceremony, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house."

One event magnified the other," Giordano said. "I had two major rites of passage back-to-back, plus the opportunity to share both of them with my family.

I received my degree as an online student and coming to graduation took me to a new reality and level of appreciation for Ashford University. Being at graduation was the most tangible form of my academic experience.

While all of the graduates were lined up, we fed upon one another's excitement. We all looked at name cards to see if we were in classes together. It was a nice, shared experience. I met my academic adviser. She was an integral part of my education. Coming to graduation allowed me to say, 'Thank you for your help,' in person."

According to the Sloan Consortium, online education enrollments now surpass traditional college enrollments by a 5-to-1 ratio