A New York mother and daughter duo have earned their college degrees together on the same day, fulfilling a lifelong dream for both of them.
With her toddler in tow, Tanisha Wiggins, 36, walked across the stage alongside her mother, Barbara Wiggins, 58, at their college, Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, New York. They were both awarded degrees in human services.
Tanisha dropped out of college in 2007 because she wasn’t ready at the time, she said. Then, in 2021, Tanisha and her mother enrolled in college together.
ABC’s Good Morning America show captured the happy moment on camera earlier this week.
“We’re finally here,” Tanisha said to her mother.
“I know!” Barbara replied. “We did it together.”
Tanisha had stepped away from education at age 18, suffering from depression. She resumed years later after receiving mental health care, she said, and her mother’s support and the desire to set a good example for her children helped her cross the finish line, she said.
“We studied a lot together. We put our ideas together, and we made it happen,” Tanisha said.
And she’s very proud of her mother.
“[My mom] proved everyone wrong that thought she wouldn’t be able to do it. She really got through it at the age she is now with tutoring and everything, and she went every single day. She did not stop. It didn’t matter what the weather was, she went,” she told ABC.
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Barbara was working as a doula before enrolling in college, and completed her General Educational Development (GED), the US high school equivalency exam. Although the experience was stressful, Barbara was successful and said it made her feel young and excited.
“There was a kid in my class, 18 years old. I said, ‘I have a grandson that’s 18 years old. I’m old enough to be your grandmother.’ And we all just started laughing,” Barbara told Good Morning America.
Barbara’s other daughter, Alisha, also crossed the stage with her mother and sister since she missed the opportunity when she graduated in 2020 during the pandemic.
Barbara said: “I felt like I was in heaven.”