When Carson Harris ’26, walked across the Capital University commencement stage on Saturday, May 9, he wasn’t just earning a degree in social work. It marked the continuation of a family legacy generations in the making, one grounded in faith, service, and a deep connection to Capital University.
With his bachelor’s degree in social work, Harris became the fourth member of the family to graduate from Capital, following his sister, Lauren Grace Harris ’22; his mother, Sara Jane (Hughes) Harris ’97; and his aunt, Emily Elizabeth Klee (Hughes) Chovanec ’04, who now serves as an instructor in Capital’s School of Nursing.
For the family, Capital has always been more than a university. It has always felt like home.
“All four of us only applied to one school,” Chovanec said. “Something got us when we came onto campus. It captured us.”
That connection began decades ago when Chovanec first visited campus as a teenager during Sibs Weekend while staying with her older sister. Long before she became a student, or later, a faculty member, she remembers feeling an immediate sense of belonging.
“I was like, this is amazing. This is where I want to go when I go to college,” she said. “Capital always talks about ‘CapFam,’ but I don’t think you really understand it until you live it.”
Years later, after returning to Capital as a nursing instructor, Chovanec arrived on campus and saw a sign reading “Welcome Home.”
“That’s exactly what it felt like,” she said. “I was returning to my family.”
That feeling of home would eventually shape Carson’s journey as well.
Growing up hearing stories about Capital and visiting campus with his sister, Harris saw the university as a natural fit. He remembers feeling immediately comfortable during his visits, especially while experiencing campus life through Lauren’s involvement in Greek life.
During his first semester, Harris struggled academically and was placed on academic probation. Rather than allowing him to fall behind, the Capital community stepped in. Support from fraternity brothers in Phi Kappa Psi, faculty mentors, advisors, and staff members helped him rebuild confidence and develop the tools to succeed.
“It didn’t happen in a vacuum,” Harris said. “Capital, my family, my fraternity brothers, my professors, so many people invested in me. I hope I can carry that forward and give that same support to someone else.”
That support ultimately helped Harris discover his purpose.
Initially undecided about his major, he began exploring career paths through conversations with the Office of Career Development. At the same time, experiences from his work as a camp counselor at Lutheran Memorial Camp stayed with him, particularly conversations with campers who had experienced foster care and other personal hardships.
“Their stories really resonated with me,” Harris said. “That’s when I realized I wanted to help people in a deeper way.”
Social work became a natural calling and another extension of the family’s shared commitment to service.
His mother and sister pursued careers in education. Chovanec became a pediatric nurse and educator.
“I think Capital really strives to instill being a service-oriented individual,” Chovanec said. “All four of us ended up in careers helping others. That’s not a coincidence.”
For the family, those values are deeply connected to both their Lutheran faith and the Capital experience.
“Someone has to stand up for the little guy,” Chovanec said. “That’s always been important to our family, and Capital reinforced that idea that you can make a difference in somebody’s life.”
Harris sees those lessons reflected throughout his time at Capital, especially in the university’s emphasis on ethics, service, and developing students as whole people.
“Capital does a really good job of helping students become good human beings, not just preparing them for careers,” Harris said. “They want you to think about what’s calling you and how you can help others.”
Having graduated on May 11, Harris is planning his next chapter. He has been accepted into Capital’s Advanced Standing Program, a one-year Master of Social Work program, which will begin in summer 2027.
For his family, commencement represents more than another diploma. It is a full-circle moment decades in the making, one that reflects the lasting impact Capital has had across generations.
For Harris, it is proof that sometimes college is not simply a place you attend, but a community that continues to shape and welcome your family for years to come.