by KYW's Karin Phillips

A mother and daughter from Glocester County, NJ are spending this Mother's Day studying for final exams.  They are graduating from college, together, later this month.

Through twists and turns and lots of serendipity, 46-year-old Rose O'Hanlon and her 23-year-old daughter Trish Thomas will both receive Bachelor of Science degrees in business from Rutgers University's school of business in Camden. 
 
Trish has a class with her mom this final semester:

"She's, like, my best friend, I'll run up to her, I'll call her with all my drama and everything else."

And Rose will be a speaker at the May 22nd commencement:

"It's almost like being doubly blessed to achieve it after all this time, something I've always wanted, and also to be with Trish in doing it.  In my mind, I just keep seeing her as a little girl. And we're doing this together.  I hope I don't get emotional...(laughs)"

Trish took extra classes so she could graduate with her mom.  She says it hasn't quite hit her just yet:

"I think maybe, because she's the commencement speaker, when she gets up and starts talking, I think that I'll be like...omigod! (laughs)"

Rose says her own 30-year road to graduation is a lesson in perseverence:

"It's something that I've always wanted to do, and I think that the message for my kids, especially, and for anyone else, is that if you want to do something you can do it. You just never give up on the dream and you keep going."

(Photo by KYW's Karin Phillips)