It happened over the weekend in Appleton, Wisconsin.
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Mackenzie Kropidlowski broke down in tears when University of Wisconsin-Whitewater granted her request to allow her mother to walk with her on graduation day.
Kropidlowski's mother, April Hershman, completed her degree at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh the same year her daughter finished at UW-Whitewater.
Hershman said she dropped out of college when she was younger in order to get a job and provide for her family, but when the opportunity came around a second time, she couldn't pass it up.
"If you want to really truly be a role model you have to walk the walk," Hershman said.
The problem: after she walked the walk of college, her school and her daughter's school set their graduation date for the same day.
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Hershman said there was never a question. She immediately knew she would skip her graduation day in order to attend her daughter's.
But Kropidlowski wanted her mother to also get a chance to experience the goal she had worked so hard for.
"She deserved this more than anyone I know," Kropidlowski said.
After multiple requests were denied, UW-Whitewater's chancellor took up the issue and agreed to allow Hershman to walk with her daughter.
"Selfishly today I was hoping I could actually sit and watch her, right? Because she is such an amazing person, but we get to share it together today," Hershman said.