Mother and daughter made history after earning doctoral degrees in psychology together.

Inez Phillips Durham and her daughter Jennifer Durham celebrated the milestone side by side. Moreover, they achieved the rare feat at Rutgers University.

They became the first mother and daughter to accomplish this at the institution. Consequently, their achievement secured a place in the university’s history.

However, their journey was not easy. After Inez’s husband, John Durham, died of a heart attack in 1975, she faced immense challenges. Nevertheless, she pressed forward with determination.

She worked three jobs while raising her daughter and pursuing her doctorate. Specifically, she worked as a psychotherapist, a school social worker, and a tennis instructor. At the same time, she managed academic demands and motherhood.

Meanwhile, Jennifer grew up watching her mother’s resilience. As a result, their bond deepened during their shared grief. Furthermore, they often studied together in the medical science library.

Their shared commitment strengthened their academic journey. Eventually, they graduated from the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. In doing so, they became the first parent-child duo to achieve that distinction there.

Later, in 2020, Jennifer returned to Rutgers as a professor. There, she focused on reducing educational and mental health disparities among marginalized youth. Therefore, she transformed her academic success into community impact.

Social media users quickly praised their achievement. Many applauded their resilience and dedication. Others shared similar family graduation stories. Consequently, the duo inspired conversations about perseverance and education.

In a similar case, 46-year-old Mehnaaz Fayaz and her daughter, Kauser, also graduated together with distinction from the same master’s program. After losing a family member, they chose to pursue postgraduate studies side by side.

Ultimately, these stories highlight the power of family support. Through hardship and determination, both mother-daughter pairs proved that shared goals can lead to historic success.