London mom 'excited for the future' after graduating university alongside her son

A London, Ont., mother and her son watched each other cross the graduation stage earlier this week during university convocation ceremonies in the city's core.

Ricardo Soto Canales and his mom Deborah Canales both just graduated with degrees from King's University College, with one in social justice and peace and another in politics. Their graduation marks the bittersweet end of one journey, they said, and the start of another.

"We're really excited about the future," said Deborah. "We feel equipped to welcome what is coming."

Ricardo started his degree in political science in 2020, and eventually became the school's outgoing student council president.

Deborah followed him to King's after working for five years at the London InterCommunity Health Centre. Her goal was to develop more tools that would help her better understand the complexities she was encountering in the social service sector.

"I thought she was kidding," Ricardo said of first learning his mother's plans. "I was like, 'That's funny,' and she's like, 'No, I'm starting in a month.' My shock turned into a lot of surprise and pride."

The two would meet on campus for coffee when they could, they said, but their separate class schedules typically had them going in different directions.

While Ricardo was busy with student council, Deborah worked with several professors on research projects. She participated in some international conferences, including in Italy, Colombia and the United States.

Deborah and her husband are immigrants to Canada from El Salvador. They worked hard, Ricardo said, to create the opportunity for him to go to university and to further their own education.

"It's this exemplary tale of parenthood," he said, "but also a story of getting in there into communities. It fills me with pride. It's what fuels me to do what I do."

Both Deborah and Ricardo will next head off to graduate school. On Thursday they joined hundreds of other students from King's, an affiliate of Western University, at ceremonies taking place at downtown London's Canada Life Place.

Western plans to host its convocation ceremonies there through to 2030, as it explores alternate options to its traditional campus location to hold the event.