Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Connie Measom, 79, graduated with her bachelor's degree alongside her daughter.
- Erin Measom earned a doctorate, celebrating a unique family academic achievement.
- Connie Measom overcame health challenges with family support, inspiring others to pursue dreams.
SALT LAKE CITY – Mother's Day is often a celebration of love, sacrifice, and inspiration, but for one Utah County family, it also marked an extraordinary academic milestone.
On the same day, 79-year-old Connie Measom achieved her long-sought bachelor's degree while her daughter Erin Measom earned a doctorate, turning their graduation ceremony into a family triumph. Erin Measom was able to push her mother's wheelchair across the stage to resounding applause.
Connie Measom, a resident of an assisted living center in Lehi, had long dreamed of completing her degree. However, health challenges had kept the goal out of reach for decades.
"I was in a bed here, and I wasn't supposed to get out," she recalled. "I thought, what can I do? I can't hear, I can't move my hands. I can't even write my name, I can't walk."
Despite these obstacles, she refused to let go of her dream. Her daughter Erin Measom, a student success director at Brigham Young University, works to ensure accommodations that will help students graduate, including her own mother. She called it a "full-circle moment."
"We did it together, and it was a unique and really gratifying experience," Erin Measom said.
With her daughter and granddaughter Amber Rawle by her side, Connie Measom mustered the courage to tackle her final hurdle – an online statistics course.
Statistics had been a roadblock for Connie Measom for years, but with Erin Measom's encouragement and Rawle's hands-on tutoring, she powered through the challenge.
"Amber (Rawle) came over in the mornings, helped me understand the computer part, and even studied with me," Connie Measom said.
"I helped her study, and so I got to learn statistics with her and see how hard she was working," Rawle said.
'That's my mom!'
Balancing their busy schedules, they worked together to ensure Connie Measom could graduate.
"We told her, just pass! You don't need a perfect grade," Erin Measom laughed, remembering their study sessions.
As Connie Measom walked across the stage to receive her diploma, her family proudly cheered. Erin Measom held up a sign reading, "That's my mom!"
The moment was not only a celebration of perseverance but also a testament to the power of family support and resilience.
Connie Measom recounted a message from her granddaughter.
"She said, 'and I'm so glad that your good choices have trickled down to me.' And I thought, our choices do trickle down to our kids," Connie Measom said. "At least you hope."
Connie Measom feels gratitude and relief that she finally accomplished her goal and hopes others in her stage of life will gain confidence to pursue their dreams.
Connie Measom's message to others who may feel discouraged was, "It's never too late. Get someone who can be your advocate, and you can do it."
