Emmy-Winning Journalist Earns Degree at Empire State University

Mariela Lombard first began dreaming of earning a college degree nearly three decades ago. Now, at the age of 52, the New Yorker has finally earned her bachelor’s degree at Empire State University. 

“It was very emotional,” she says of crossing the stage at the winter 2025 commencement ceremony in Albany. “It felt like an accomplishment.” 

Lombard’s path to graduation began in her home country of Argentina, where she initially considered becoming a physical therapist or a veterinarian. After moving to the U.S. in 1997, though, her plans were put on hold.  

“I immediately started working as a photographer for a newspaper, and life became so busy,” says Lombard, whose photos have been published in Time, Newsweek, and The Wall Street Journal, among other media outlets. “I didn’t have time for that.” 

After many years on the job, the opportunity to attend college finally presented itself in 2021, when Lombard started working for Spectrum News NY1. There, the longtime journalist was eligible for tuition assistance if the degree she pursued was relevant to her role as a planning editor.  

“I started the job in October and by December, I was applying to SUNY Empire,” she recalls, noting that she ultimately enrolled in the cultural studies program with a concentration in journalism. “It seemed like it was my path.” 

Lombard says she chose SUNY Empire based on the recommendation of a colleague who’d told her about the university’s credit for prior learning and work experience. She also valued that she could continue to work full-time while taking courses at her own pace. This year, while completing her degree, she won a New York Emmy with her team for a Spanish-language news special. 

“The flexibility this university gives allows you to study on your own time and at your speed,” Lombard says. “I’m grateful for that.” 

She’s also grateful for her mentors who helped her navigate her program since she began taking classes in January 2022. With their guidance, Lombard became the first person in her family to earn a degree offered in the English language—a fact that makes her particularly proud. 

Now that she has her degree, Lombard says she is open to exploring new career options. 

“Life has so many opportunities,” she says. “Going to Empire State University gave me the power to think about doing other things and improve myself. And I’m all about that.”