campaign email #52
Today is my doctoral graduation day!
From Vivian
Today is my doctoral graduation day!
From Vivian
Today, I officially graduate from Arizona State University with my Doctorate in Leadership and Innovation. Even writing those words feels surreal.
More than anything, this moment is meaningful because my children are here to witness it.
When I earned my master’s degree, Chloe was just 12 days old. That was in May of 2000. Up until three years ago, none of my children had ever really known me as a student. They never knew me staying up late studying, doing research, managing discussion boards, juggling deadlines, and writing a dissertation.
Over the past three years, they’ve had a front row seat to all of that while also watching me balance our family life, work, union responsibilities, public service, and even a city council campaign.
The timing made this season especially intense. Honestly, I’m a little nuts for running for city council at the same time I was completing my doctorate.
Whenever I was working on my dissertation, I felt guilty that I should have been working on my campaign. Whenever I was doing campaign work, I kept thinking, “I should be writing.”
The guilt and stress were real. But I was committed, and the timing simply couldn’t be helped.
For the past three years, my children watched me struggle through that balancing act. They watched me write at the kitchen table. They watched me disappear into Zoom classes and meetings. They watched me stress over deadlines, research, revise papers over and over again, and push through exhaustion.
They also watched me maintain a 4.0 GPA throughout this entire doctoral journey.
This past year, they watched me manage fundraisers, complete endorsement questionnaires followed by interviews, organize meet and greets, and connect with voters across the district.
It was a lot.
The fact that they now get to watch their mom cross the stage means more to me than I can properly express.
I know many people receiving this email are parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, mentors, educators, coaches, and caregivers. You understand that some accomplishments are not just personal victories. They are examples. They become proof to the people we love that dreams do not expire, that hard work matters, and that it is never too late to continue growing.
On March 31st, I defended my dissertation. I’m proud to share that last week it was officially accepted into ProQuest and is now in the publication process. My research focuses on collaborative workforce development in the age of artificial intelligence and automation, specifically within the longshore and logistics industry at the Port of Long Beach.
As soon as the dissertation becomes publicly available through the Arizona State University library, I will happily share the link.
Now…I have to poke a little fun at my husband, George.
As many of you know, he was the star quarterback at the University of Arizona during the famed Desert Swarm years. The Wildcats and the Sun Devils are bitter rivals, so apparently our Banning/Carson rivalry just wasn’t dramatic enough already.
Naturally, I decided the logical next step was earning a doctorate from ASU so I could permanently escalate the household feud. Forks up, Baby!
Just for today, I am pausing all campaign activity so our family can fully enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime moment together.
Thank you all for believing in me, encouraging me, and supporting me through one of the most demanding and transformative journeys of my life.
This doctorate belongs not just to me, but to everyone who walked beside me along the way.
With gratitude and love,
Dr. Vivian Malauulu
Candidate for Long Beach City Council District 7
Graduation Ceremony (Live Stream/Rebroadcast):
Graduation Announcement: