America Ferrera Becomes A College Graduate

It’s graduation season and among the fellow upcoming graduates is actress America Ferrera. The Ugly Betty actress is set to walk across the stage on May 17, from the University of Southern California. Her journey to graduation took ten years to complete.

Ferrera shared the exciting news on her Twitter. “I’m walking in my college graduation in 3 days from @USCDornsife!” she exclaimed, adding, “It’s finally happening! Took me 10 years, but it feels great.” Ferrera attended USC in 2002, but took a leave of absence when she was offered a title role in Ugly Betty. The actress was torn between her decision to get a degree and continue acting. Through mentorship with one of her professors, she was able to make the right choice for her. “I always wanted to go to college and get my education, although I always wanted to be an actor,” she said to USC students in 2012. “I never knew how those tow things would work out with each other , and this was revealed to me in my first year of college here.”

David Andrus, a professor of the actress, told her a story about a former student that said to understand her life, he needed to watch Real Women Have Curves, one of America Ferrera’s first films. “What my professor really wanted me to understand was that my passion for acting and what I love doing in the world had the power to be a tool,” said Ferrera. “In that moment I realized that I didn’t have to give up what I love. I could find a way to link it to other things that I cared about.”

Shanika Simmons