That spirit is why Graham is, to Gow’s knowledge, the first living student to receive such a degree.

Graham graduated from Germantown (Wis.) High School in 2008 and was supposed to begin her freshman year in La Crosse the same year. But a diagnosis of Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare cancer that most often strikes teens, changed that.

She delayed her start at UW-L, staying at home and taking online classes. She beat the cancer back and arrived in La Crosse the next year.

But cancer is a fickle disease. Graham struggled with bouts of the disease in 2009 and again in 2012. Both times she won, and she entered the spring semester with a clean bill of health.

Her recent diagnosis left her trying to soak up as much time with friends as possible.

“College students can be pretty self-centered,” Weege, the program director, said. “(But) the whole year it’s been about how they can help her. It’s kind of surreal but beautiful at the same time.”

Friends helped her juggle a tough academic schedule and grueling treatments.

“I couldn’t have gotten my degree without them here for the whole time,” Graham said.