Stuart “Jay” Thompson ’26 will never forget the searing words a guidance counselor told him more than three decades ago.
“I was told that I was not really ‘college material,’” Thompson recalls.
At Columbia College’s Spring 2026 Commencement, not only did Thompson prove he was “college material”; he became a college graduate — a goal accomplished while serving as the Assistant Director of the Mexico, Missouri, Public Safety Department.
“Earning this degree represents perseverance and personal growth,” said Thompson, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration on Saturday, May 2, in the Southwell Complex. “It also represents proving to myself that the comment I heard years ago did not define what I was capable of achieving.”
Directly after high school, Thompson began to attend college, completing around 90 credit hours before eventually leaving school to attend the police academy and begin a career in law enforcement.
Once he entered public safety, his focus shifted to serving his community as he worked his way up through the ranks of the Mexico Public Safety Department. He was certified as a Drug Recognition Expert and graduated from the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command.
But even with a successful career, the unfinished degree remained in the back of his mind.
“It was something I always felt deficient about and something I wished I had completed for my parents,” Thompson said.
The way Thompson tells it, he woke up one morning in December 2024 and started researching institutions to continue his higher education.
That’s when he remembered Columbia College.
“It was very spur of the moment. I knew a lot of people who had gone through Columbia College, and the staff responded really well to my inquiries,” Thompson said. “Now a year and a half later, I’m here graduating.”
The support he received upon first contacting the college is what made CC his choice.
“In today’s day and age with many organizations, sometimes it’s really hard to talk to real people and get the answers you need,” Thompson said. “Columbia College provided those answers, helped guide me and made me feel like the school wanted me here.”
Returning to college in January 2025 while working full time was not easy, but Thompson made his online studies a priority, even while maintaining significant responsibility in a demanding workplace environment.
As a supervisor, Thompson stresses the importance of formal education and training, mentorship, and being a positive role model for colleagues. He emphasizes that everyone can find their motivation and allow it to guide them toward positive outcomes.
“That mindset helped me reach this goal and has also encouraged me to continue setting new goals as I move forward in my educational journey,” said Thompson, who will take his education a step further by pursuing a master’s degree.
Thompson considers his personal story as proof there is no single timeline for success.
“That is what I represent, and that is what I think Columbia College represents,” he said. “This college gives people the opportunity to succeed by letting you work at your own pace. The flexibility and support have more than helped me to achieve this goal; it is what allowed me to achieve this goal.”
He wells up with pride over his accomplishment and even more over the support system that helped him reach graduation, including his fiancée, Kerra.
“I hope my story encourages others who may have struggled early in college or taken a different path in life to know that it is always possible to come back and finish what you started,” Thompson said.
