Two recent business school grads who walked the stage at Biola University’s commencement last week have more in common than just their degrees: their last names.
On Saturday, father and son Craig and Will Prichard took the stage one after the other to be awarded masters degrees in business administration. Minutes apart on stage, 40 years apart in age.
Will accepted his bachelor’s degree in 2022, the third of Craig’s kids to graduate from Biola. As Craig watched Will cross the stage to accept his diploma, it gave him the inspiration to do it himself.
“Craig, a seasoned business professional who has been working at his current company for 20 years, wanted to broaden his expertise and be introduced to fresh solutions and ideas that he could implement in his work,” school officials wrote in the Biola News blog. His son “wanted to further deepen his business knowledge and leadership skills before entering the workforce.”
The two spent the next two-plus years working to earn their degrees from the Crowell School of Business, occasionally overlapping in classes and working on projects together, including in their final class.
During their academic pursuits, the father/son duo got to know each other on a deeper level as classmates and colleagues.
“[Will] brought fresh eyes, new perspectives, prodding questions, new wisdom and current skills to each conversation, project and interaction,” Craig told Biola. “Perhaps the richest experience for me in the intensive study of the MBA after many years in business, was my appreciation and ability to look back through the rear-view mirror, reflect on those experiences and share them with Will.”
Will praised his father for continuing his education at a time when other people his age might be slowing down, and even joked that his father outworked him at times.
“It reminded me that ‘figuring out what’s next’ is a lifelong process, not just something you face after undergrad,” Will said. “He was always ahead of schedule — asking me about readings or ideas when I was still catching up. The experience built a bond between us that I wouldn’t trade for anything.”
On Sunday, with the rest of the family in the crowd, Craig and Will walked across the stage at commencement. In June, the university says, their relationship will continue on the path from familial, to academic, to professional, as they embark on their next chapter as business colleagues.
To read more about their story and learn about Biola’s MBA program, click here.