Eugenia Lee of Natick wasn’t alone when she earned her Associate of Science degree in General Studies and her Paralegal Certificate at MassBay College’s 56th commencement exercises on May 17. Lee was joined by her two daughters, Tanisha Lee and Quiana Lee, who also earned Associate of Arts degrees in General Studies and Associate of Science Degree General Studies respectively. The mother and daughters have been attending MassBay together for the past several years, and have even taken some classes together.
“Tanisha began at MassBay and I decided I wanted more in my life,” said Eugenia. “MassBay was my stepping stone to learn new skills and become marketable. While I was here I learned I loved working with the law and I really want to work with women to help them know and understand their legal rights. It’s been a long time coming, taking a few classes and continuing to take 2 classes every semester. My advisor, Donna Vizzo, kept pushing me to keep going, she kept me motivated to stay on track, even when it was hard. I’m really proud of myself and my daughters, we did it and we did it together.”
“It’s hard balancing life responsibilities with school, which is probably the biggest obstacle. Knowing that my mom and sister understand and can help me has made this journey and this degree worth so much more,” said Tanisha. “I’m not going to lie, there were days when I wanted to give up, but my mom, my sisters, my dad, and my kids have been my support system to help me reach my goals. I’m working hard for them and to ensure my kids have a better life and they never give up on what they set out to do.”
“Going to school was hard, especially being a single mother of four kids, but I pushed myself to reach my goals,” said Quiana. “School helped pull me away from the pain of some of the different obstacles I was facing and it gave me something positive to look forward to. I wanted to earn my degree not only for myself, but to show my children how important it is and that it’s never too late to follow your dreams. My children told me that watching me study and do my school work inspired them and they told me how proud of me they are. I feel like I’ve accomplished so much and all the hard work was worth it!”
What’s next for these women?
Eugenia, a mother of three daughters, is a member of PTK National Honor Society, will be continuing her education in the fall to pursue a bachelor degree in Political Science. Her goal is to become a lawyer. Eugenia’s other daughter, Jhanai attends Framingham State University and is set to graduate next year.
Quiana will be transferring to a 4-year university to continue her studies to pursue a degree in nursing. She is a single mother to a set of 16-year-old twins Amariana and Imaria,12-year-old son Jayden and a 1-year-old daughter Brielle.
Tanisha is a One Family Scholar and will be continuing her studies at UMass Dartmouth to pursue a bachelor degree in Business. She is a single mother of a 10-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter.
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