Three Generations

Saturday, the third generation of our family graduated from the University of Colorado. In 1936 my mother received a bachelor’s degree in accounting. In 1965 I received a bachelor’s degree in journalism. In 1966 John received a bachelor’s degree in sociology. Saturday, 73 years after his grandmother graduated from CU, our younger son Eric received a master’s degree in online education.

Eric didn’t go straight from high school to four years of college to get his bachelor’s degree. He took several detours and earned it when he was in his 30s. But then he really made us proud by earning his master’s with straight A’s, graduating summa cum laude. We both were close to tears several times as we saw him in his gown and hood.



And when we saw him receive his diploma. The photo is terrible—taken off the jumbo-tron in low light while he was walking, but I had to show it. He had just shaken hands with Bruce Benson, president of CU.



Here Eric is with John and me and his two children, Kylie and John. His wife, Liz, is taking the picture.



The graduation was held in the Colorado Convention Center. Well over 1,000 students received bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees. It was quite a mob scene, but really ran well and was done in less than two hours. Here Eric and I are, trying to leave the building.



In the afternoon we attended a party to celebrate the event at their house. This is the cake they had made for the occasion.



It isn’t every day of the year any of us can look back on the job we did over the years as parents and feel such incredible pride, humility and joy as we did Saturday. It really is all worth it.