For Rick Tracy, graduating from the University of Southern Maine wasn’t just a milestone—it was the closing of a loop more than four decades in the making.
Born in Portland and raised in a military family, Rick’s roots in Maine run deep. Some of his earliest memories include childhood summers spent with family across the state, and a Cub Scout field trip to USM’s planetarium while his father was serving in Vietnam. “I was overwhelmed,” he recalls. “This massive college campus full of people learning—it made a big impression. In my mind, even as a third-grader, I decided: this is where I want to go to college.”
By the time he graduated high school, Rick was laser-focused. USM was the only school he applied to—and the only one he ever wanted to attend. But like so many first-generation students, the transition wasn’t easy. He struggled with discipline and focus, eventually deciding to leave a few months into his sophomore year. “I wasn’t emotionally or academically ready. I got distracted, and I just wasn’t prepared to succeed.”
Rick found his footing in the U.S. Army, where he served in the Signal Corps—an experience he credits with transforming his life. “The military gave me the structure I needed. I knew I needed a kick in the butt, and drill sergeants are very good at motivation.” After four years of service, he joined the tech industry and never looked back.
Over the next 36 years, Rick built a career that would place him on the front lines of the emerging cybersecurity field. As a founder and executive in what would eventually become a publicly traded company, he helped pioneer what’s now known as Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC)—a key segment in modern cybersecurity. “We were automating the business side of cybersecurity before most people even knew what cybersecurity was,” he says. “It was a front-row seat to the birth of a whole industry.”
Despite his success, one unfinished chapter lingered. “Not having a degree always felt like something I needed to fix. It wasn’t about career advancement anymore—I had already retired. It was personal.” A serious bout with COVID in 2020 pushed that urgency even further. “I nearly died. And when I recovered, I started asking myself, ‘What do I need to complete before I’m gone?’ Finishing my degree was at the top of the list.”
Rick re-enrolled at USM and graduated in December 2024 with a degree in communication, earning straight A’s along the way. “It was scary at first. I didn’t know if I could do it. But once I got started, I realized I could, and I did.” He returned to walk at Commencement in May 2025, seated among twenty-somethings but feeling right at home. “It may sound silly, but I just wanted the full experience. I missed it in 1983. I wasn’t going to miss it again.”
Now retired and living in Virginia with his wife, Rick spends time reading, hiking, playing guitar, and visiting Maine whenever he can. His next big goal? Hiking Katahdin in September. But he’s not done with USM yet. Rick is actively looking for ways to give back through mentoring, panel discussions, or anything that connects his hard-earned wisdom with students just beginning their journeys.
Asked to recommend a favorite book, Rick doesn’t hesitate to name The Old Man and The Sea, the Hemingway classic. “Santiago almost killed himself pulling that fish ashore, even though the sharks just annihilated it. I have a lot of scars on my back from the business world, the military, and life. If any of it can be useful to someone just starting out, then I want to share it. I want to be more than just a donor—I want to be involved. It’s about never giving up.”
For Rick Tracy, being a Husky is no longer a dream deferred. It’s a badge of honor—and one he wears with pride.