Mother, father and daughter to graduate from same university together

Texas Lutheran University senior Ashley Adams is gearing up for graduation this month. But Adams’ parents won’t be in the audience cheering her on — they’ll be graduating too.

For the first time in the university’s history, a mother, father and daughter from the same family will be earning their degrees at the same time, the school said in a news release.

Adams is majoring in education, while her mother, Robyn Adams, is earning a master’s degree in accounting and her father, Greg Adams, is majoring in business.

While it’s not a typical college student experience, Ashley Adams said she enjoyed having her parents studying on the same campus as her and was supportive of their decisions to pursue higher education.

“My parents didn’t get to finish their education because they wanted to start a family and there were better opportunities at the time to obtain that goal,” Ashley said in the TLU statement. “I remember how proud I was when they decided to go back to school at a local community college.”

Greg Adams, a retired Army veteran and first-generation student, and Robyn Adams were originally pursuing their degrees at Northeast Lakeview College, but after visiting TLU during their daughter’s admission process, they fell in love with the campus and asked if she was okay with them attending the same school as her, TLU said.

Ashley Adams said she was happy to have her parents join the Bulldogs family. Despite being surrounded by younger classmates, the parents have made the most of their time on campus — with Robyn Adams serving as a supplemental instructor for an accounting course and Greg Adams joining the golf team.

Robyn Adams said she is looking forward to celebrating her family’s achievements at graduation.

“I’m going to be watching my husband and daughter and it’s going to be surreal,” she said. “I’m so very proud of Ashley, but to get to watch from a behind-the-scenes perspective is really neat and something I would never give up.”

Ashley Adams hopes to become a math teacher in the future, while Robyn and Greg Adams have accepted jobs at CPA firm Forvis and the Randolph Air Force Base, respectively, the university said.

“Going back to school and getting a degree after 22 years in the Army. Taking the time to be a supplemental instructor and help your classmates while getting your bachelor’s and master’s degrees. I just can’t express how proud and impressed I am,” Ashley said of her parents.

TLU’s commencement ceremony will take place Saturday.