A Family Milestone: Mother and Son Graduate Together from UA Little Rock
For years, Karen Grace Johnson was the one offering guidance.
As a respiratory therapist and later a pulmonary disease navigator, she encouraged others to continue their education and pursue new opportunities. When she decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree herself, it was her son, Jeffrey Andrews, who helped show her the way.
This spring, the pair celebrated a milestone together, as graduates of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
For Andrews, a first-generation college student, sharing the experience with his mother made the moment even more meaningful.
“It means a lot to me to graduate with my mother,” Andrews said. “I admire her strength and commitment to self-improvement. She has instilled in me a passion to achieve big dreams without limitations. Graduating together encompasses the hard work we surpassed to achieve those dreams.”
Andrews graduated with a Master of Public Administration, a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management, and a Graduate Certificate in Conflict Management. Johnson completed her Bachelor of Arts in interdisciplinary studies after decades working in healthcare.
Their paths to graduation were different, but both were shaped by determination, a commitment to education, and personal growth.
Andrews arrived at UA Little Rock in 2017 unsure what to expect about college life and a populated, busy campus after he graduated from Maumelle Charter High School.
“My graduating class had 25 students,” he said. “It was daunting to go to such a large institution in my eyes at the time.”
A campus tour and New Student Orientation helped ease the transition, but he said the biggest surprise came when classes began.
“The small classroom sizes made the university feel like a second home,” Andrews said. “I built connections with my professors and found new friends quicker than I would have at a larger university.”
He credits supportive faculty, the Ottenheimer Library, Counseling Services, and friendships formed through campus involvement, including Kappa Sigma fraternity, with helping him succeed while working full time.
Those experiences eventually led him to join the Undergraduate Admissions team as a recruiter, where he began helping prospective students navigate the college process.
That knowledge became especially valuable when Johnson called him with an idea.
“She said, ‘I am thinking about going back to school,’” Andrews recalled.
Johnson planned to pay out-of-pocket for tuition. Instead, Andrews helped her navigate scholarships and financial aid opportunities available through UA Little Rock.
Their first success came when she received the Trojan Transfer Scholarship. Later, she also benefited from the Corporate Partnership Program between Baptist Health and UA Little Rock, helping make it possible to complete her degree with little financial burden.
“As a first-generation student, I did not understand what the FAFSA was or where to find scholarships,” Andrews said. “When I began working for the university as a recruiter, that knowledge came with the job.”
For his mother, returning to school was both a professional and personal decision.
“Professionally, I felt it was important to enhance and modernize my skills in technology and leadership,” she said. “Personally, I always encourage new therapists to continue their education, so I have to practice what I preach.”
She said UA Little Rock’s flexible online courses allowed her to balance work and family responsibilities while pursuing her degree. Faculty support also helped ease concerns about returning to the classroom after many years away.
“Their critiques, reviews, and responses encouraged, validated, and inspired me to continue,” she said.
She graduated with a 4.0 GPA and has already begun work in the university’s early-entry Master of Arts in Applied Communication program.
Watching his mother embrace higher education has been one of the most rewarding parts of Andrews’ own academic journey.
“She went from being timid about returning to school to being excited about contributing to academia,” he said. “Now we have long discussions about AI in the classroom and communication in healthcare.”
But their shared graduation day almost did not happen. Undergraduate and graduate ceremonies were originally scheduled separately before a late adjustment placed them in the same commencement ceremony.
“I could see my mom three rows ahead of me,” Andrews said. “It was a great experience to not only graduate but walk across the same stage together. I could not have asked for a better coincidence.”
For Johnson, the moment carried just as much meaning.
“Graduating with my son meant the world to me,” she said. “Our journey was not easy, but it was worth the experience of completing such a big chapter in our lives.”
Together, they hope their story encourages others to pursue educational goals, regardless of age or circumstance.
“I hope our experience and our story inspire others to start their own exciting journey,” she said.
As Andrews looks toward a future that may include law school, he continues to carry a lesson that has guided both his and his mother’s path.
“How big would you dream if you knew you could never fail?” he asked.