Grandma, granddaughter graduate from college together

Belinda Berry and her grandchild, Karea, both graduated from Chicago State.

ByABC News
December 15, 2017, 2:51 AM

— -- They may have been born almost four decades apart, but this grandmother and granddaughter are now part of the same graduating class at Chicago State University.

Belinda Berry, 62, and Karea Berry, 25, both walked across the stage on Thursday to accept their diplomas. And they're not done with their education either -- both plan to attend graduate school.

"It was never planned, we both enrolled in school and we didn't know we were going to finish together because I was full-time and she was part-time, and it just worked out that way," Karea told Chicago ABC station WLS.

Belinda, left, and Karea Berry, right, are grandma and granddaughter and graduated in the same class at Chicago State.
Belinda, left, and Karea Berry, right, are grandma and granddaughter and graduated in the same class at Chicago State.

Both graduated with bachelor's degrees, but Belinda managed to do so at the top of her class in business.

"She graduated with a 3.8 GPA and health issues during her last two semesters and so for her to come out on top even more than me is amazing, so she is my inspiration," Karea said.

Karea, left, and her grandmother Belinda Berry both graduated as part of the same class at Chicago State University.
Karea, left, and her grandmother Belinda Berry both graduated as part of the same class at Chicago State University.

Karea didn't do so bad for herself either, though. She earned a degree in criminal justice and will start working toward her master's in mental health counseling at CSU next year.

CSU said it has now held 361 graduations in its existence and this is the first time a grandmother and granddaughter have graduated in the same class.

Belinda says she plans to eventually open her own fashion boutique.