The Mississippi State University-Meridian has awarded master’s degrees to three members of the same Mississippi family.

Commondre Cole, age 45, and his two adult children, Ja’Coby Cole, age 25, and Iesha Gully, age 27, all finished their individual degrees at the same time and stood together to celebrate.

The three of them had all worked as educators before enrolling in college, and they all earned their degrees while continuing to do so. Iesha is an inclusion teacher at Northeast Elementary School’s second grade, where Commondre teaches health and Ja’Coby instructs physical education.

Commondre teaches at Northwest Middle School, where Ja’Coby teaches physical education.

During the time when both of the couple’s children were enrolling in college, Commondre’s wife actively urged him to do the same, so as he says: ” I made the decision to go back with them, and now we have succeeded, and all of us are strolling together.

In addition, he said, “I knew I’d have to have a backup plan and I thought about my mom, my dad, and my sister cuz they are all teachers, so I decided that it would be ideal for me to follow in their footsteps and become an educator as well.

Iesha shared with the group how her family encouraged and supported each other throughout their educational endeavors, and how this provided them with the additional motivation and support they needed to get their degrees.

“We were studying together, trying to get ready for midterms and final examinations, and at the end of the day, it turned out to be a gift that we did so together. Our whole family should be quite proud of this achievement.”

In the meanwhile, Ja’Coby said: “Family is all that matters. You must constantly ensure that someone is keeping an eye on you and guarding your back.”