Graduation

Yesterday, I opened my writing chest, and on top was this picture…

It’s hard to believe it’s been 11 years. I don’t feel like it’s been that long, or that I am an 11 year graduate.  Maybe it’s because I don’t age, or because I believe that age is just a number. I do not feel I am as old as the years I have been on this Earth.

Eleven years ago, I had just made the long journey home from Greece. I was in my first semester of Graduate school at the University of Indianapolis. But, on this day, May 13, 2007, which was also Mother’s Day, I was going to receive my diploma from Meredith College. Alongside me was going to be my mom. She was the reason I waited to receive my diploma until Spring Commencement.

I graduated on December 16^th, 2006. Two days after my 23^rd birthday. I had already celebrated my graduation with a Greek Bouzouki. My parents had flown out to Greece to visit me that week. I never really cared about graduation. Not in high school, and not in college. Graduation, to me, was a four year process that was culminated by a big ceremony where everyone stared at you….not my thing. I would have been happy getting the piece of paper and moving on with my life. Oh wait, I had.

But, for my mom, graduation was important. And walking with me was even more important. My mom began college a semester after I did in 2002-3. While I went to Southern Virginia, she went to Meredith because they had a program for students over 23. But two years later, when heartache and a lack of a Psychology program caused me to need a change, I wanted to be at home. And Meredith, which had an excellent Psychology program, and even an emphasis in what I wanted to do: work with children with autism, was the perfect school for me to complete my degree.

For me, it was very important to complete my degree in four years, but after transferring and having to complete a math course before I could get into Meredith, it took me four-and-a-half. In the beginning, my mom went part-time, so it also took her four-and-a-half years to complete her degree. We mirrored each other in a lot of ways on that day—we both graduated with Honors, and we both had a Major and a Minor. Though, for her it was important to note that her GPA and Honors were better than mine. Because I had transferred, some of my courses didn’t count from SVU. Honestly, she deserved the accolades she received. She made me tired during the year-and-a-half I went to Meredith. She worked full-time, went to school full-time, had four children and a husband at home, etc. If you know my mom, you know she went all out for her college experience: she took 18 credits and participated in every club she could. I don’t know how she did it.

May 13^th, 2007 was really for her. And my Grandma Teri. You see, my Grandma Teri had always wanted to receive a college degree. She was attending Community College when she was diagnosed with cancer the second time, and because of her treatments, she never completed her degree. When I went to college in the Fall of 2002, she was so proud of me. She called me every week just to see how I was doing, and how my classes were going. She passed away the summer before my sophomore year, and I had a really hard time with her being gone. I vowed when I received my degree, it would be for her. And on December 16, 2006, I got to do that for her. I became the first female college graduate in my family. While I was living in Greece, I got to see the world for her, too. For graduation, Mom had made special pink cords for her, so she would be there when we crossed the stage, too. My parents purchased me the Meredith Onyx for a graduation present (I wasn’t going to buy one) with the words Grandma’s Sunshine inscribed in it. Grandma Teri always called me her sunshine, so it was fitting.

Commencement is a vivid memory in my mind. Back when I went to Meredith, graduation was always on Mother’s Day and always in the Amphitheater (weather permitting). As we lined up by College, it began to drizzle. I thought, “oh no, graduation is going to be ruined. I don’t want my diploma to get wet.” But the rain subsided. There were the normal speeches that every graduation has. Our speaker was Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of the then Vice-President candidate. I don’t remember a word she said.

I remember looking at the audience as I nervously waited for my name to be called. There they were: all the people who had participated in this journey with me and Mom, who had supported us in various ways. They had flown from all over the country to watch us receive our diplomas. Most important to me was my Uncle John, who was the reason I even knew what college was. When I was young, I swore I was going to marry him, but he was away at college at BYU. It was in these misty moments when I realized that getting a degree was a group effort. I couldn’t have made it to the finish line without any one of those people in the audience.

Finally, the names began to be called. Because we were in the Arts College, we were first. The names of those in the Arts College were called in alphabetical order, which meant Mom got to walk first. After all, Melanie comes before Morgan. It was fitting. My mom led the way, so she should have walked first. After she received her diploma, I remember her saying, “that’s my baby,” pointing behind her. A huge roar erupted from the crowd—most of the noise coming from our entourage. Pictures and a party followed, but that’s all a blur. I had my degree. My grandma was being honored. I was happy.

The world was in my hands. At the time, I wanted to be an English professor. To share my love of literature with others. After realizing that the English occupation wasn’t very large, and determining that I wouldn’t really be helping people by being an English professor. So, here I am 11 years and two more degrees later, and I finally know what I want to do in life. Kind of, maybe, lol.

I am currently working on my PhD in Social Policy and Public Administration. I just began my dissertation, which is tentatively titled: North Carolina Division II and III football players’ potential impact of future NCAA education mandates. It still needs a lot of work, but I am hoping to be completed in two years. When I complete my degree, I am going to have a big party to celebrate everyone, who helped me along the way. When I complete my degree, I want to be a professor to teach students how to effectively impact social policy in our world. I also have a list of research I want to do. I earned my first degree for my grandma, and this degree will be for “the world.” I am going to change the world, even if that world is small.