A Love Story at Lesley University: A Husband and Wife’s Shared Journey to Graduation

To some, it’s hard to imagine raising children and juggling a career while pursuing a college education. But for Hiroko and John Warford, having each other made all the difference. 

Coming up on 33 years of marriage, their educational journey began back in 2009, in which the Warford’s took occasional classes at Bunker Hill Community College while raising their two young daughters. Despite the marathon of schoolwork, the two worked side-by-side, supporting each other over several years. 

"Our children were very young," Hiroko said. "So, I could only take one class per semester." 

But then came the pandemic - unexpectedly giving the couple more time to dedicate to their education together.

While studying at Bunker Hill, the two met an advisor from Lesley University, who encouraged the couple to transfer their credits from Bunker Hill to Lesley. At Bunker Hill, Hiroko pursued Fine Arts while John studied Sociology. 

After an extra year of classes to accumulate the 90 transfer credits necessary, Hiroko transferred to Lesley to study Early Childhood Education and John transferred to pursue Psychology. Despite the different career paths, the two often found themselves in the same classes to the delight of both professors and classmates.

"Taking classes together allowed us to support each other," Hiroko said. "Even when things got stressful, we could lean on one another.” 

Their teamwork paid off, and in March 2025, they discovered they would be graduating together. 

"Thinking back to all those evenings studying side by side brings back so many memories," Hiroko reflects. "We were truly grateful to celebrate that milestone as a team."

When commencement rolled around, there was enough pride and love to spare. Surrounded by their daughters, the couple felt that their achievement had come full circle. 

"It really showed how dedicated we are to bringing out the best in each other," Hiroko said.

Now, both are thriving in their careers. John applies his Psychology degree in the global health sector, while Hiroko continues shaping young minds in early childhood education. But they’re not done yet; Hiroko hopes to earn a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education, and John plans to pursue a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling.

Throughout it all, Lesley’s supportive environment made a lasting impact. 

"At 55, we’ve learned that life itself is a classroom," Hiroko said warmly. "At Lesley, we discovered that it’s never too late to keep learning and to do it together."