Mom, two daughters will graduate from the same college on the same day

On Friday, Barbara DiResto will watch her two daughters, Katie and Sarah, graduate from the College of Southern Idaho.

But she won’t just be an observer; DiResto, 50, will be collecting a diploma of her own.

After overcoming long odds, the three have each earned an associates degree, according to the Twin Falls Times-News.

Four years ago, the trio enrolled at the college hoping to earn high school equivalency certificates. Once they cleared that hurdle, the women decided to take college-level courses.

“It’s a rarity,” Marian Steel, director of adult basic education and GED testing told the paper, which notes that fewer than one percent of women who earn a GED go on to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Sarah, 26, plans to apply to dental hygiene and registered nursing programs, according to the paper, while Katie, 23, wants to pursue a law enforcement career. Their mom told the paper she is contemplating continuing her education but plans to “take a deep breath” in the meantime.

“For me,” she said, “it’s really neat.”

Emily DeRuy is a Washington, D.C.-based associate editor, covering education, reproductive rights, and inequality. A San Francisco native, she enjoys Giants baseball and misses Philz terribly.