Latonya Johnson and her 21-year-old daughter Laila Birchett are celebrating their graduation from Rutgers School of Social Work. While pursuing her studies at Montclair State University, Birchett decided to attend school with her mother, who had just gotten divorced, was working a full-time job, and was attending college part-time elsewhere while juggling the kids.
Johnson recounted to Rutgers, “My first college course was in 1999. From 1999 to now, I’ve attempted to go back six different times, but I was unsuccessful. I didn’t have the proper time management because I was a wife, a mother and working full time.”
After enrolling in the institution in September 2022, the 43-year-old mother of six and her second daughter supported one another during their academic careers, pursuing the same major.
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Birchett told WABC “There were times when I struggled through school. But I always thought if my mom can do it, I can.”
Together, the mother-daughter pair managed school and a hectic home life while sharing a single teacher and several classes.
Johnson helped her daughter better grasp her coursework by giving her the practical experience and knowledge that a college student may utilize. In contrast, Birchett provided her mother with tech assistance by guiding her through the many computer tools that a college student currently uses.
The two want to stay at Rutgers for another year to obtain their master’s degrees. Upon completion, Johnson plans to zero in on substance abuse and domestic violence, while Birchett intends to assist the homeless community.
The proud mother expressed, “It’s such a blessing doing this journey with my daughter. I never thought in a million years I’d be graduating with my daughter.”
