Media Relations
University of South Florida
Polytechnic
3433 Winter Lake Road
Lakeland, FL 33803
(863) 667-7077
Fax (863) 667-7097
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Contact:
Janelle
Keyes
(863)
667-7077
Lakeland,
FL (May 11, 2006) - Lakeland
resident Harriette Miles Hoover received an early mother's day gift
when she graduated from the University of South Florida Lakeland
with her daughter, Aaron Elizabeth Hoover, also of Lakeland, May
8, at the Lakeland Center.
Harriette graduated suma cum laude on Monday and received a bachelor
of arts in social work degree, while daughter Aaron graduated cum
laude receiving a bachelor of arts in interdisciplinary social science.
"This has been an awesome experience," said Harriette. "My daughter
and I have had each other to lean on and it means so much to have
graduated together."
Harriette was born and raised on a small tobacco farm in South Carolina.
She graduated high school in 1965 and was accepted to attend Winthrop
University. According to Hoover, family financial constraints and
a lack of financial aid information prevented her from enrolling
at Winthrop in the late 1960s. Without necessary skills to earn
a living, Harriette decided to move to Florida with a cousin and
study cosmetology. She began a career as a cosmetologist but always
desired to obtain her bachelor's degree. In 1973 Harriette began
taking classes toward her college degree, yet it wasn't until 2004
that she enrolled full time at USF Lakeland.
"I always loved school and received good grades," said Hoover. "Our
family didn't have the money to send me to Winthrop and I didn't
have any direction from a counselor about getting scholarships or
loans for college, so I just didn't go. But it has been my lifelong
dream to complete my college degree."
With the support of her husband and daughter, Harriette has taken
advantage of the new opportunity to attend college. On May 15 she
will begin graduate school at USF for her master's degree in social
work. Aaron will begin the master's in social work program in the
fall.
"I hope that our story will inspire other mothers and daughters
to go back to school, no matter how old they are. It's been a lot
of hard work and many years, but I am so proud of my mom," Aaron
said.
Both mother and daughter attribute their academic success to the
staff and professors at USFL.
According to Harriette, the Lakeland campus should be commended
for its intimacy and the relationships fostered among students,
faculty and staff. "From advisors like Betty Sue Teets to professors
like Dr. Lamm, the support system here has been great. I'll always
have a fondness for the people who helped me achieve my dream."
Aaron said she thinks the quality of education is second to none.
"When I graduated high school people had the impression that USF
was a last resort school. Having attended and received a top notch
education, I don't think that is true at all. The best learning
experience for me has been the interaction with my professors and
knowing that they are available and they care about my success."
Although Harriette will be the first of the Hoover women to complete
her Master's degree, she was thrilled to share her undergraduate
commencement ceremony with her daughter. "It was definitely worth
the wait to graduate, just to walk across the stage with my daughter,"
said Harriette.
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