Several of Joanna Hazel's family have had something to do with Gonzaga University, making her a legacy member of the university's community, according to a university-issued news release.

Both Hazel's father and grandfather were professors at the university, so she chose to also go to the university, for both her bachelor's degree and master's degree.

“I knew all of the professors in the grad program already and I knew their teaching styles,” Hazel said in the news release. “It really just felt like I didn’t miss a beat.”

Hazel participated in a program called the "3/2 Program" where she was allowed to begin her master's program while she was still an undergraduate, which saved her both time and money as she was able to take nine graduate credits as an undergraduate student.

“Knowing that I received a really good quality education while strengthening the bonds and the relationship that a lot of my family members before me have already created has been truly very rewarding,” Hazel said in the news release.