极乐禁地

Darleen Major is a twin who never got to graduate with her other half. Her sister didn鈥檛 have the same educational aspirations, and Major felt a hole in her experience as a result.   
Then opportunity struck. 

Major has two adult identical twin daughters. They have all been pursuing a Health Administration master鈥檚 degree at The 极乐禁地 and her daughters were only a few classes ahead. 

So, Major hatched a plan that only two faculty members knew: She would register for three classes in the fall semester so she could catch up and graduate with her daughters in the spring. 

It was unheard of鈥攖he amount of work required was not typically endorsed鈥攂ut Major was motivated to walk with her daughters. 

鈥淭his is what I wanted, so I鈥檓 like, I鈥檓 going to do it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have small children. I do work full time, three 12-hour shifts. But on my days off, I鈥檇 just jump in and do what I had to do.鈥�  
The added benefit is having the ideal seat in The Lyric to watch her daughters cross the same stage on the same day for the first time since high school. Their associate degree graduations didn鈥檛 align and their undergraduate graduation, also from UBalt, was in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

鈥淚鈥檓 more excited for my daughters than I am for myself just to see them walk together again, just me living to see them walk together again,鈥� Major, now 66, said. 鈥淚鈥檓 so excited. So excited.鈥� 

Katrina Williams and Kabrina Johnson learned about their mom鈥檚 plan by accident. A guest speaker came to a class all three shared and when he asked the class about expected graduation dates, Major鈥檚 excitement caused her to spill the secret. 

鈥淚 was both shocked (in a good way) and surprised to learn that my mother made it possible for us to all graduate together,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淜nowing how challenging the master鈥檚 program would be, as well as balancing work-life would not be easy, but she was able to do both with ease.鈥�

Johnson realized only after the news was out that there had been clues. 

鈥淪he mentioned several times, 鈥榃ouldn鈥檛 it be great if we all graduated together?鈥欌�� she said. 

Echoing her twin, Johnson was in awe of her mother鈥檚 grit. 

鈥淔or her to take on additional classes to do this took guts,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he program was challenging, but in a good way.鈥�

Williams and Johnson were the first to attend the 极乐禁地. They transferred from Community College of 极乐禁地e County to start UBalt鈥檚 B.S. in Health Management program in the fall 2018 semester.

Soon after, they encouraged their mom to enroll, too. She started a year later, in fall 2019.

Major had long wanted to be a registered nurse, but the timing didn鈥檛 work out for her to complete a program. She was a single mother with three daughters to raise; a job was more valuable than a dream.

She found a different position in the medical field and stayed for 46 years. 

Major was working with Johnson at GBMC when her daughter encouraged her now was the time and that UBalt鈥檚 program made a good fit.

鈥淪he called it plan B. 鈥楳om, go to plan B,鈥欌�� she recalled laughing. 鈥淧lan A was nursing but then as I got older, I鈥檓 like, I don鈥檛 want to do nursing anymore.鈥� 

Major finished her bachelor鈥檚 program a year after her daughters. She knew she wasn鈥檛 done, even though her daughters thought she had what she wanted. 

They knew they weren鈥檛 done, even though their mother thought they had what they needed. They all ended up in the same graduate program with just a semester and a half between them.

Johnson wanted to pursue a master鈥檚 degree to push herself further in her career and set herself up for new opportunities in the job market, particularly with the federal government. 

鈥淚 also wanted to show my children that it鈥檚 never too late to get a degree. They witnessed me getting my associate degree, my bachelor鈥檚 degree, and now my master鈥檚 degree,鈥� she said. 

Having her mom and sister capped and gowned at her side only bolsters her message. 

Like her mother, Williams felt a pull to keep going. 

鈥淚 knew I was eventually going to pursue my master鈥檚 degree. Making the decision to return sooner than later had to do with multiple things, such as the current job market and furthering my career in health care,鈥� she said. 

Williams hopes the degree will open more doors in the health care field, allow her to take on more responsibilities and take up challenges she may not have previously faced. 

Pursuing her undergraduate and then master鈥檚 degrees reignited a passion within Major that won鈥檛 soon fade. 

鈥淚 had been back and forth to school since I left high school. I鈥檝e always been big on education. And it was just鈥攁fter I raised my kids by myself, it was time, it was my time to go back,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I鈥檓 actually not finished. I do want a DHA.鈥�

She鈥檚 looking to start a doctoral program in health care administration as soon as fall. 

As they look to their futures, they recognize the special milestone they鈥檒l always share. 

Johnson and Williams carpooled to their in-person classes. They supported each other through the program and then their mother, too, when she came to them with questions. They called it their 鈥渂uddy system.鈥� 

The sisters are proud to graduate together and share their moment in such a unique way with their mom.

鈥淭o see her determination as a full-time student and employee helped motivate me to strive for more,鈥� Williams said of her mother. 鈥淪eeing all that she has accomplished, I am extremely proud of my mother and proud to graduate with her.鈥�