It was double joy for the Salter family as over the weekend, mother and son graduated from Alabama State University HBCU Connect reports.
Montgomery natives, mom, Lauren Salter, and her son, Courtney amazingly have a long legacy of ASU graduates in their family, including Salter’s mom and aunt and Courtney’s father.
“I was born with a love for Alabama State University, not only because I had so many family members who attended here, but I was physically here on campus during my early formative years at all kinds of special events,” Courtney said. “Not to mention that I attended ASU’s Zelia Stephens Early Childhood Learning Center from kindergarten through my third-grade year.”
Mom has always loved education, she graduated from high school in 1984, proceeding to Auburn University Montgomery before transferring to Trenholm State Technical College. She landed several degrees from the school, graduating with her dental assistant’s degree and embarking on a 28-year career in the dental sector. While Courtney graduated from high school in 2016, his plans to attend ASU inspired Salter to return to college.
“A light bulb literally went off in my brain when my son entered school [at ASU], and I decided then and there to also enroll and graduate from ASU,” Salter said.
It was a big surprise to the duo that they would graduate simultaneously and across the stage in the same weekend. As a result of the pandemic, spring commencements were rescheduled with promises to allow students to walk in the fall, the site reports.
Courtney, a member of the spring 2020 class, earned his degree on Sunday, November 22nd, just two days after his mother Lauren, a member of the fall 2020 class, graduated on Friday, November 20th. For Salter, the date is extra special because it also happens to mark her 55th birthday.
“I couldn’t have asked for a more incredible birthday gift than to graduate on the same weekend with my son Courtney from the greatest school ever, The Alabama State University,’ Salter said. ”[This] is the second best thing to ever happen to me…the first one being having given birth to [Courtney].”
Both expressed excitement saying it’s a memory which will always be cherished as they prepare for next stages of their lives.
Salter is graduating with a degree in interdisciplinary studies, her son Courtney bagged a degree in finance.
