Ten Years Later, Former WSU Student Returns Through Global Campus to Finish His Degree

With support from WSU Global Campus and the flexibility of online learning, Solomon Jacobs returned to WSU a decade after leaving to complete his bachelor’s degree and prepare for a new career. 

Jacobs was working when a thought suddenly came to him: “Once a tree stops growing, it’s dead. I needed to keep growing.” The next day, he contacted Washington State University. 

It had been 10 years since Jacobs had last attended WSU. He originally enrolled in 2014 after earning an associate degree from Everett Community College, choosing social science because of his interest in writing and the opportunity to study subjects he found engaging. 

Once a tree stops growing, it’s dead. I needed to keep growing.

Solomon Jacobs

But his path to a bachelor’s degree didn’t go quite as planned. Jacobs went through a difficult period in his life and eventually stepped away from WSU. Although he had completed his classes, an unfinished writing portfolio prevented him from graduating. “I kept saying I would do it,” he said. “And then 10 years went by.” 

Finishing his degree never completely left his mind. In job interviews, Jacobs found himself having to explain why he hadn’t graduated. “It brought unnecessary stress to my life,” he said. Ten years after leaving WSU, Jacobs was ready to change that. 

Finding His Way Back to WSU 

By the time Jacobs decided to return, much about his life had changed. A U.S. Navy veteran living in Bellingham, Wash., Jacobs works as an electrician. He had also developed an interest in finance and began thinking seriously about the next stage of his career. “I know at 40 I can’t be doing this job forever,” Jacobs said. 

That realization, combined with his desire to keep growing, gave him the push he needed. The day after his revelation on the job site, he reached out to WSU advising to find out what it would take to finally complete his degree. 

Jacobs learned that degree requirements had changed during the decade he had been away, including the need to complete an additional course before he could graduate, but he wasn’t navigating the process alone. His WSU advisor, Kerri Hill, helped him work through the requirements for returning and kept in close contact. When Jacobs worried that the last class he needed might fill before he could enroll, she reassured him that they would work through his options if necessary. Jacobs said that kind of communication helped him stay on top of deadlines and navigate a process that initially felt daunting. 

Jacobs plans to transition from electrical work into finance, making completion of his bachelor’s degree an important step toward that next chapter. “I was ready for a job that I know I am qualified to do,” Jacobs said. “I just had to prove it to the world by finishing my degree and passing the Series 65.”  

The Series 65 is an exam commonly required for individuals seeking to become investment adviser representatives.  

Making an Online Degree Work Around a Full-Time Job 

Returning to college after 10 years meant Jacobs needed to fit his education into a life that was already full. Working approximately 45 to 50 hours each week, attending college in person wasn’t practical. WSU Global Campus gave him the flexibility to complete his remaining requirements while continuing to work full time. Online classes allowed him to fit school around his work schedule rather than put his career on hold. 

That didn’t mean returning was easy. Once classes began, Jacobs had to completely rethink the routine he had established outside of work. His online coursework soon claimed most of his weekends.  

“It was hard staying up way late on Sunday night to finish every discussion post,” Jacobs said. “It was hard studying every concept in the study guide before I took the test. It was hard doing the readings all day Saturday. But it was worth it.” 

The combination of online learning and support from WSU helped make returning possible. When questions or problems arose, Jacobs said his advisor remained in contact through email and text, helping him navigate requirements and stay on track. For Jacobs, returning to college after a decade away, that support helped make an unfamiliar process manageable. 

Finishing His WSU Degree and Continuing to Grow 

Jacobs completed his final course with an A and earned his bachelor’s degree in social science in May 2026. The accomplishment closed a chapter that had remained unfinished for a decade and opened another. 

Jacobs hopes to become an investment adviser representative after passing the Series 65. He believes his background in social science will complement that work by helping him better understand how people behave, both individually and collectively, and how human behavior can influence financial decisions. 

For former WSU students who may be considering returning to college or wondering whether too much time has passed to finish their degree, Jacobs knows there are plenty of reasons why taking that first step can feel difficult. 

“Maybe you don’t have any money,” he said. “Maybe bills are stacking up, maybe your kids require your time, maybe your work is too stressful, maybe you need your weekends to breathe and relax.”  

But after waiting 10 years himself, Jacobs encourages former students to consider another possibility. “Or maybe what is stopping you is… you?” 

About the Author

Emily Oliva is the Assistant Director of Digital Content for WSU Global Campus, with over a decade of experience in higher education marketing. She loves telling student stories and highlighting the journeys behind the degrees. She’s currently based in Miami, Florida—very far from Washington State, but fully committed to the Cougs.