'I've Waited Half a Century': Kansas State Awards Long-Awaited Degree to Farmer Who Sent His Last Mask to Gov Cuomo

Kansas State University awarded a long-awaited bachelor’s degree on May 5 to a man whose education was cut short almost 50 years ago, recognized after sending his last N95 mask to New York Gov Andrew Cuomo, local media reported.

Dennis Ruhnke was only two credit hours away from finishing his bachelor’s of agriculture studies in 1971 when his father died and he had to drop out and move home to maintain the family’s farm. In March 2020, he sent his last N95 mask to Gov Cuomo with a letter, requesting that his last mask be distributed to a health care worker in need.

Gov Cuomo read Ruhnke’s letter aloud at a press conference on April 24.

“How beautiful is that? I mean, how selfless is that?" Gov Cuomo said. “It’s that love, that courage, that generosity of spirit that makes this country so beautiful.”

At a ceremony on May 5, Kansas State University President Richard Myers and Kansas Gov Laura Kelly conferred a bachelor’s degree upon Ruhnke, whose “kindness and lifelong career in agriculture make him more than qualified to receive a degree,” Kelly wrote on Facebook.

In this video, Ruhnke, wearing a Kansas State T-shirt, removes his own mask and shares his thoughts.

“I’ve waited half a century to receive my college degree and had pretty much resolved any chance of getting it. It would not have happened had I not mailed in that one N95 mask to Governor Cuomo for a first responder in March. I guess they call it karma,” Ruhnke says.

“Many of those who wrote to me asked how they could help. Just pay it forward as much as you can afford to do so to honor all those who have lost their lives to the C19 virus. And also, to honor the first responders who in some cases even lost their own lives in the line of duty, the ultimate sacrifice. Nearly half of the many letters I received said that they were moved to tears when Governor Cuomo read my letter aloud. My life is forever changed. Special thanks to those of you who made this all happen for me.” Credit: Gov Laura Kelly via Storyful