CHICAGO – Most grandparents hope to live long enough to see their grandchildren graduate college, but one got the unique chance to follow her granddaughter across the stage and pick up a diploma of her own.
“When we started together we never intended on being finished at the exact same moment so this was actually a coincidence, but we are proud and excited to be doing it together,” said granddaughter Karea Berry. The two graduated from Chicago State University Thursday.
They’ve been doing things together for most of Karea’s life. Belinda Berry raised Karea in their Englewood apartment from the time she was just two years old. She always preached hard work and the value of higher education.
That message paid off, and both 62-year-old Belinda and Karea graduated with honors Thursday, Karea earning a degree in criminal justice and Belinda graduating with a degree in business administration.
“She is my inspiration and I feel like I am her inspiration so we push each other to do our best,” Belinda said.
This duo’s story doesn’t end here. Both plan on enrolling in graduate programs by spring.