Durham mother-daughter duo earn master's degrees from North Carolina Central University in same year

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- North Carolina Central University is giving spring graduates the option of walking in the winter ceremony next December.

A mom and daughter from Durham will gladly take that opportunity to celebrate after working so hard to achieve their goals, together.

Shamonna Thomas and daughter Faith Thomas-Lewis both recently completed master's programs at NCCU.

"It has been awesome," said Shamonna. "We actually defended our master's programs on the same day. She did that morning and I did that afternoon so she was downstairs rooting for me."

A master's in Family and Consumer Sciences is the culmination of a long journey for Shamonna. She spent nearly two decades as a hair dresser and started college while Faith was in the fourth grade.

Shamonna quit grad school when her grandfather got cancer despite his pleas with her to finish.

"I stopped when he died because I needed some time to get myself together and kind of figure out what direction I wanted to take. And then when Faith was a junior in undergrad she said 'Mama I really want you to finish, you know granddad would really want you to finish.' So I thought about it, I prayed about it, I applied and I was readmitted."

Crowned Miss NCCU as a senior, Faith calls mom her best friend. She moved back home to complete a master's in social work.

"I really want to do something with at risk youth like a school social worker or a college advisor. Especially graduating with my mom, that was a big accomplishment for us both. We were both looking forward to it so everything happened so abruptly in March, it kind of like the rug was just took from under our feet."

"Even though we have different degrees, we're under the same umbrella so we were planning on sitting side by side so I was really looking forward to sitting with her, holding her hand and experiencing that moment together."

Ceremony or not, the pride is overflowing in both directions.

"The determination, the perseverance just tenacity that my mother has. From just saying I want more for myself, I want more for my child. I want more for just my life. And just took that and just ran with it and didn't let any trial or tribulation stop her. So, I'm just very, very proud of my mom. I'm just really, really proud of her. "

"To be 23 years old and already have her MSW and wants to help the world especially troubled youth, that just makes my heart proud. She could be doing anything but she chooses to give back and that makes her special to me."

Shomonna will continue to teach at Graham High School while Faith starts looking for her first job. Good luck to both!