Graduating together: A story of growth, grit, and family

 By Julian Layne ’25

The journey didn’t start with a plan. Amari Contreras came to Central to earn his degree in Engineering. His father, Edgardo Contreras, returned to school after years away, choosing a new path in Business Administration. They didn’t expect to finish at the same time, but life has a way of lining things up.

“There were setbacks,” Amari says. “He took time off. I failed Calc II. Things got reshuffled. And suddenly we were on track to graduate together.”

From the outside, it might look like a coincidence. But for them, it’s the result of persistence, growth, and a relationship rooted in trust. 

“I wanted Amari to have his space, to learn, to figure things out without me hovering,” Edgardo says. “But I was always close enough to catch glimpses of who he was becoming.”

At Central, you’ll find your place in ways you didn’t expect. For Amari, that meant becoming a Resident Assistant, creating a campus-wide podcast called “The Sophomore Tea,” and helping lead events that brought hundreds of students together, including the effort to bring an ice rink to campus. His work helped build community, especially for students still trying to find their footing.
His father watched from the sidelines, but never too far. 

“One day I walked past the podcast studio and saw him on air,” Edgardo says. “I stayed just outside the window and listened to him speak. He was sharing a challenge he’d faced, and how he’d called me for advice. That moment hit me. I saw the man he was becoming.”

This spring, they’ll both walk the commencement stage at Arute Field together. It’s not how either of them imagined it, but it feels right. 

“Graduation is a relief,” Amari says. “We did it. And I know we left something behind that matters.”

Now working full time as an engineer at ASSA ABLOY, Amari has already moved on to what’s next, but he hasn’t forgotten what got him here. 

“My advice?” he says. “Get uncomfortable. That’s where the growth happens.”

At Central, you’re not just earning a degree. You’re shaping your story, one step, one challenge, one breakthrough at a time.