Together to the Finish Line: A Mother, A Son, and One Unforgettable College Commencement

When Jeshua Jerusalem crossed the stage for Carroll Community College’s Commencement this past spring, the next graduate in line wasn’t just another student.

Just a few steps behind him was his mother, Melissa.

Because “M” comes after “J,” Melissa was able to watch her son walk across the stage immediately before her own name was called. It was the culmination of two different journeys that had arrived at the same destination on the very same day.

A Graduation Years in the Making

“It was just by chance that we graduated at the same time,” said Melissa, who pursued an Associate degree in Psychology at Carroll. “Jeshua should have graduated sooner, but he ended up going to Carroll for three years because he wanted to do two AA degrees and he also did the EMT program.”

“We had discussed how it would be fun to graduate together,” Jeshua said. “It was a great experience and I’m glad we did it.”

For Jeshua, the college Commencement marked the end of three busy years at Carroll. For Melissa, it represented much more than earning her Associate degree. It represented achieving a life goal 25 years in the making.

“I actually went to Carroll three different times,” she said. Life had interrupted her education twice before. She married young. Raised four children. Battled cancer. Underwent multiple surgeries. Each time, she had put college on hold. But the goal of finishing her degree never disappeared.

“It was always there in the back of my mind,” she said. “I wanted to finish. I wanted to get my degree.” Ironically, it was watching her own children succeed that inspired her to return.

Taking the First Step… Again

When Jeshua dually enrolled at Carroll while attending Francis Scott Key High School (FSK), Melissa had a realization.

“I thought, these high school kids are doing this. I can do this. I should do this.”

Even then, taking the first step wasn’t easy. “I was a little frozen with indecision,” she said. “But I had this moment where I was like, I just have to start and then I’ll figure it out.”

She found Carroll to be exactly the environment she needed.

“Carroll is this warm, encouraging place where you have room to figure things out,” she said. “There are a lot of resources there.”Scholarships through the Carroll Foundation also made returning possible. “I applied for them both years I was there, and I got scholarships both years,” Melissa shared. “I don’t think I could have gone to Carroll without that help and support.”

I was a little embarrassed going back to school 25 years later. But I’m so glad I did it.

Becoming Study Buddies

Jeshua’s path looked very different.

After graduating from FSK, he came to Carroll to explore his interest in STEM while figuring out exactly what he wanted to do next. There he completed his degrees in Biology and Psychology and will transfer to the University of Maryland, College Park, to study Neuroscience.

“The main two things I was thinking about were money and I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do,” he said. “Carroll is a really good place to go if you don’t know what you want to do and you want to figure out what you want to do at a lower cost than 4-year colleges.”

What neither of them expected was how often their academic lives would overlap. They shared classes. They carpooled. They became lab partners in Anatomy & Physiology. They transformed their living room into an Anatomy study hall.

“We actually got to make flashcards together and study together at home,” Melissa said. “Jeshua was a built-in study buddy.”

They developed a playful rivalry over grades. “We’d be like, ‘What’d you get? What’d you get?'” Melissa said with a laugh. “People would joke, ‘Who won this time?'”

Jeshua insists it was all in good fun, calling it a “friendly competition.”

Learning from Each Other

While they helped each other memorize anatomy terms and survive demanding science courses, they also brought different strengths to their partnership.

Melissa leaned on Jeshua’s experience with technology and modern college life.

“They didn’t have Canvas (the College’s Learning Management System) when I took classes before,” she said. “So Jeshua was really helpful because he could help me with things that I didn’t know how to do.”

While Jeshua often became Melissa’s technology tutor, Melissa became Jeshua’s role model for perseverance.

“The biggest thing would definitely be her work ethic,” he said. “Her grit, not stopping.”

He remembers coming home late to find her still studying. “I was like, ‘Oh wow, I guess I should be studying right now too.'”

Watching his mother’s determination changed him. “That work ethic definitely helped me grow my work ethic as well.” Melissa admired something equally powerful in her son. “He’s so hard working and dedicated,” she said. “When he sets his mind to something, he commits 100% and doesn’t quit.”

Making Unforgettable Memories

Walking across the college Commencement stage together was a moment Melissa and Jeshua will never forget.

The ceremony carried even deeper emotion than just earning their diplomas. Melissa’s mother/Jeshua’s grandmother was in the audience.

A year earlier, Melissa’s mother had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Doctors told the family she could have two months to a couple of years left. As college Commencement approached, Melissa wasn’t sure her mom would be well enough to attend.

Then, as Melissa waited at the bottom of the stairs to walk across the stage, she looked into the audience and saw her mother’s face.

“I remember seeing her turning around and just beaming,” Melissa recalled. “She was so happy to see her daughter and her grandson in their caps and gowns.”

Then, standing in line right behind her oldest son and watching him receive his diploma made the moment even more emotional for Melissa.

“I remember seeing him walk across and thinking about the last three years of all his hard work,” she recalled. “I’m almost in tears and then I’m like, ‘Oh, I have to go. I have to walk too!'”

During the college Commencement rehearsal, Carroll’s President Dr. Rosalie Mince greeted Melissa with words she’ll never forget. She said, “Good job, Mom.”

Never Too Late

Looking back, Melissa hopes people see something bigger than a mother and son earning degrees together. She hopes they see a story that inspires them.

Her advice: “Don’t listen to your fears. Don’t listen to your doubts. Just go for it.”

She believes the obstacles people worry about have a way of working themselves out. “You don’t think there’s enough time—you’re going to find the time. You don’t think there’s enough money—you’re going to find the money.”

And for anyone wondering if it’s too late to chase a dream?

“I was a little embarrassed going back to school 25 years later,” Melissa admitted. “But I’m so glad I did it.”

And she isn’t done yet. Melissa now plans to enroll in Carroll’s Registered Nursing program.

For Jeshua, the experience of attending college with his mom never felt awkward. “It wasn’t weird,” he said. “It was all positive.”

In the end, Carroll gave Melissa and Jeshua more than degrees. It gave them time together, shared victories, family memories, and one unforgettable college Commencement where a mother and son crossed the finish line together.