I Want to Hike the Appalachian Trail

I am a 20 year old college student at the moment. It was always my father's dream to hike that trail and he is getting kind of old to do it now. I also like hiking and I would like to hike it for him. I think that once I get out of college I will take a summer off and thru hike the trail from Mount Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia