Brandi Fields and her son, Kyle Fields, will share the commencement stage this week celebrating new heights in their educational journey and their connection as mother and son.
May 06, 2025
By Victoria Ruiz Sandoval
Brandi Fields had no plans to return to school after more than 25 years of professional experience. That changed as she watched her son, Kyle Fields ‘23, thrive as a student at Texas Christian University.
Soon after she and her husband, Marlon Fields, fell in love with Fort Worth and relocated their family here; and Brandi made the decision to return to school to earn her Executive MBA. The mother-son duo will solidify their bond even more at this week’s spring commencement ceremony, as they honor their joint achievement of earning graduate degrees at the same time.
Brandi, 50, and Kyle, 22, will walk across the stage Friday to accept their respective graduate degrees, with their family and friends cheering them on from the audience.
“When it comes to graduation, I can’t help but be emotional,” Brandi said, pausing to hold back tears as she described her pride in her son’s educational career.
Kyle recognizes how special this time has been for their family, in particular for his mom since their joint graduation date falls on Mother’s Day weekend.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Kyle, who will receive his Master of Liberal Arts. “Not everyone can say they graduated with their parent. This moment is not just about me—it’s about her, too.”
Brandi, a Navy veteran and strategic marketing executive in financial services, had not previously explored the idea of pursuing a master’s degree. But witnessing how TCU positively shaped Kyle’s experience, she applied to the Neeley School of Business Executive MBA program.
“I saw how happy Kyle was at TCU. I knew the network was great and I needed a life change; I reached out to [recruiter] Traci Larrison and the rest is history,” Brandi said.
Kyle began his undergraduate studies at TCU in the fall of 2020. Soon after, his family moved from Valencia, California to Fort Worth – motivated to be closer as a family and to fulfill Marlon’s long-held dream of returning home to Texas after retiring from a career in law enforcement. In May 2023, Kyle earned his bachelor’s degree in communications and a minor in business.
For Kyle, it was an easy decision to continue his education at TCU after earning his undergraduate degree. He described TCU as a special place, and he saw his mother recognizing the same on her own educational journey. In fall 2023, both mother and son were back in the classroom – Brandi joined the EMBA program and Kyle began the master’s degree program with AddRan College of Liberal Arts, while working as a graduate assistant for TCU Athletics.
Brandi said her new college experience brought immersive learning, late night readings and study sessions, and a transformative study abroad trip to South Africa. Through it all, she described feeling deeply supported by her family and the remarkable EMBA faculty and staff who shaped her experience to be impactful and unforgettable.
“Our cohort started with 29, and finished with 29,” Brandi said. “The classroom dialogue was my favorite part – it was life-changing. All of us made comments about how the program affected us. It’s not common to see 29 executives get emotional. That was pretty powerful to experience. It was obvious the program had deeply impacted all of us.”
Faculty members like Suzanne Carter, executive director of TCU’s Executive MBA program and professor of practice in strategy; Meghan Wright, assistant professor of management practice; and Rita Kosnik, professor of management and negotiations, played a pivotal role in Brandi’s growth as a leader, she said.
"I'm proud of her for going back to school,” Kyle said, as he prepared for his final exams. “Her leading by example is one of the reasons I want to keep going and finish strong. It’s a reflection of how she raised us. Everything I’ve done is for my mom, my dad, and my little brother, Brandon."
Outside the classroom, Brandi and Kyle found moments of connection – late night study sessions, cheering on the Horned Frogs at tailgates, and sharing the unique experience of being graduate students at the same time.
“Spending time together, just doing homework on the couch gave us a lot of time, a lot of things to connect through,” Kyle shared. “Going to football games and tailgates together as a family – those are the memories I’ll always hold onto forever.”
Earlier this semester, TCU announced that the university would host a single commencement ceremony for all graduate students in the university.
Brandi said she’s not yet sure how she’ll react on that day, but she knows there will no doubt be tears as she cheers on her son as he walks across the stage. For her to be doing it in her own cap and gown from the floor of Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena will make that a unique memory she’ll cherish forever.
