Home / News Postpartum mom graduates with her teeny newborn under her gown and it’s the sweetest 13 On Your Side/YouTube Nothing could stop this postpartum mama from the last step towards her degree. By Alexandra Frost January 11, 2024 13 On Your Side/YouTube Rectangle We might be biased, but moms are fierce rock stars. And Grace Szymchack, a Ferris State University graduate and postpartum mom, just proves our point. Szymchack, 24, recently received her bachelorâs degree in early childhood education (magna cum laude no less!) from the Michigan schoolâand she did so with her 10-day-old daughter, Annabelle, tucked safely in her graduation robe. Related: Before you know it, your little one is graduating to middle schoolâand itâs a really big deal âAnnabelle decided to come early on Dec. 6,â Szymchack, now a mother of two, told Ferris State University Press. âBut Iâd worked hard for this degree, and I was determined to walk with the rest of my class ⊠so I just brought her to graduation with me.â Her graduation day was the day her C-section was originally scheduled. âI hope it inspires another mom,â she said in an interview. The baby didnât fuss once during the ceremony, she added. In addition to being a mother, Szymchack also tackled classes, work, and marriage during her six years of college educationâsome of which fell during the challenges of the COVID pandemic. Related: College grad gives birth and receives diploma hours later during hospital ceremony Sheâs far from alone in pursuing her education during parenthood. According to the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO), of the 20 million college students across the United States, 4.3 million of them were raising at least one child during the 2019-2020 academic year. This is no small feat, considering parent students are often faced with less time to study. In fact, according to a 2018 study, student parents only had 10 hours in their day for academics, compared to the 21 hours for students without children, a phenomenon that has been identified as âtime poverty.â This hasnât been the only time though that student parents have dominated not only their education but also motherhood. These moms took on advanced degrees, ranging from bachelorâs to law degreesâall with young children in tow. Szymchack shows that parenting doesnât have to detract from your personal goals, as she waltzes across that stage. The latest News What parents need to know about the âglass childâ effectâand how to address it News New study shows Black women are 25% more likely to have C-sections, but why? News âPass the babyâ anxiety: Why moms are setting boundaries this holiday season News Nicole Scherzinger fought to keep Moanaâs mom aliveâand calls out Disneyâs missing moms