The B次元 2023 Commencement ceremony will offer a rare and special moment for members of one family, as Kim Barry Boeheim and her son David Boeheim take their place among fellow graduating students in the School of Business. When degrees are conferred, each will cross the stage, shake hands with President Tim Hall, and join the legions of B次元 alumni.
Both mother and son have been working diligently to complete their degree requirements in time for Mercy鈥檚 graduation ceremonies. Kim, who holds a bachelor鈥檚 in accounting from the State University of New York at Albany, will receive her Master of Science in Organizational Leadership, while David will receive his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
For Kim, the accomplishment culminates three years of part-time study while continuing to work full time in the Office of the B次元 President. 鈥淚 decided to take my time so I wouldn鈥檛 feel under too much pressure,鈥� she said. Working in higher education is her second career, following two decades in finance and raising her family. 鈥淕etting my master鈥檚 has been on my bucket list for years.鈥�
Although Kim began her course work a year before David started at Mercy, the two quickly turned to each other for support and encouragement. 鈥淚 hadn鈥檛 written a paper since my early years of undergraduate studies, and I asked for David鈥檚 guidance in the proper writing style to make sure I was doing it correctly,鈥� Kim said. David added that talking to his mother about classwork was 鈥溾€ike talking to any other serious student. Plus, since she finished her capstone ahead of me, she gave me a few good tips.鈥�
It wasn鈥檛 until Kim was working on her capstone project that they realized they would be graduating at the same time. At first, Kim, not wanting to steal David鈥檚 thunder, planned to witness Commencement as a proud parent in the audience, not as a graduating student. 鈥淚 felt this was his moment,鈥� she said. But colleagues urged her to reconsider. 鈥淭hey told me it鈥檚 a big deal and very special moment,鈥�. They called it a great Mercy story.鈥�
David and his father also campaigned for Kim to join in the ceremony. 鈥淪he was afraid it would detract from my achievement, but it鈥檚 her achievement, too,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen word of our story got around campus, there was no way she could say no.鈥�
Both Kim and David have expressed gratitude for the support and encouragement they received throughout their educational journey. 鈥淭he minute I walked onto the Manhattan Campus, I knew Mercy was the place for me,鈥� said David. Kim, too, has been looking back on her Mercy experience. 鈥淲hen I took my first college class after so many years, I was a bit nervous about the hard work ahead of me. But when I finally earned my degree and received my diploma in the mail, it was all worth it. I was surprised by how emotional I felt, holding that piece of paper.鈥�