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University Graduates
Mum and daughter
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celebrate graduating together
Aformer dental nurse has a new reason to smile after graduating from Staffordshire University alongside her daughter.
Jenny Byrne, aged 47, and Laura Whalley, aged 21, from Seabridge in Newcastle-UnderLyme started their degrees on the same day and have recently graduated in the same week.
Jenny applied to Staffordshire University through Clearing after taking the leap to leave her full-time job to study BA (Hons) Social Work.
She explained: “After looking into different people’s mouths for 30 years, I decided it was time for a change. It wasn’t an easy decision.
“I was a single mum with two teenagers, I’d just lost my dad to cancer, I’d had a few knocks along the way, and I imagined I was going to be the oldest person at university.
“But, when I mentioned to my friends and family the crazy idea that I wanted to leave my career and full-time job to go to university to become a social worker, they all encouraged me and believed I could.”
Following a few phone calls, Jenny got a place at Staffordshire University through the Clearing process, organised her student finance, and had handed in her notice all within a month.
After driving in together on their first day, Jenny and daughter Laura have supported each other throughout their studies.
Laura, who studied BSc (Hons) Policing and Criminal Investigation, said: “It was nice to be able to share the experience and offer each other advice, especially when we were working at home through the pandemic.”
Jenny now has her dream job as a social worker and Laura is working with the fraud team at Bet365.
Laura said: “It’s a proud moment for us both and one which we will not forget.”
Jenny added: “In the end, with the encouragement of my amazing family and friends I believed I could. If I can, anyone can.
“It’s fair to say, it has been quite a journey. It’s the most fabulous proud mum/daughter moment ever.”
