Father graduates from college as son follows in footsteps

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By Steven Martens | Saturday, May 19, 2007 1:18 AM CDT | () comments

CLINTON, Iowa — The typical college graduation scenario includes a new graduate crossing the stage with diploma in hand as the proud parents look on and cheer.

It was a little different last weekend at Ashford University in Clinton, when Albert Turner Sr. accepted his bachelor’s degree in organizational management as his son, Albert Jr., a freshman at Ashford, looked on.

The son gets some of the credit for getting the father back in school, said Albert Sr., 37, a process chemical technician at Lyondell Chemical in Clinton. He had earned an associate’s degree in chemical engineering technology and had been considering going back to college to earn a bachelor’s degree for years, but never felt he had the time.

When he took his son, now 19, to enroll at Ashford in 2005, he got to talking to an adviser about the adult education program. After a combination of online and on-campus classes, Albert Sr. received his diploma last weekend.

“It felt great,” he said. “It took a load off of me.”

Albert Sr. was one of more than 200 people who received diplomas, the largest graduating class in school history that included both on-campus and online students.

His son just finished his freshman year at Ashford, majoring in social sciences with a minor in education. After graduation, he hopes to be a teacher or a social worker.

He said going to college with his father took some getting used to, but his father was helpful and supportive.

“It wasn’t a bad deal because he understood what I was going through,” Albert Jr. said.

Albert Jr. said he was proud to watch his father receive his diploma.

“It was quite an experience,” he said. “Not a lot of people get to see their parents graduate.”

Steven Martens can be contacted at (563) 659-2595 or smartens@qctimes.com.