MURFREESBORO, Tenn., May 4 -- Middle Tennessee State University issued the following news release:

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - For more than two decades, Daniel Hartmann carried the weight of a decision he couldn't undo, leaving college just short of finishing his degree. Now, at 45, the Middle Tennessee State University student and longtime craftsman is preparing to graduate on Friday, May 8, at Murphy Center, turning a long-held sense of regret into a renewed sense of purpose.

A non-traditional student in MTSU's University College, Hartmann returned to the classroom after nearly 20 years away, balancing family life and running his own business while working toward a goal he once believed had passed him by. What began as a personal commitment ...