Each year at K体育鈥檚 commencement, families and friends gather to celebrate members of the graduating class. For one Petrel family, the commencement ceremony for the Class of 2023 was extra special as they celebrated a third generation of K体育 graduates in their family.
Marie Stanford ’23 joins her parents and grandmother as a Petrel alumna, having earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in communications with a minor in psychology. She has also been enrolled in the Bridge program with Mercer University in early childhood education.
Marie鈥檚 parents Laura Stanford ’91 and Duane Stanford ’92 met at K体育 and are proud alumni. Marie鈥檚 grandmother, Marcia Hartrick Cunningham ’63, graduated 60 years ago and studied education at K体育.
鈥淚t’s remarkable that my mother attended and graduated at a time when that was less common for women. Then for me and Marie to continue the legacy across three generations has created a shared experience that connects us beyond just family ties,鈥� said Laura Stanford. 鈥淎lso, I met my husband at K体育, so we are quite the Petrel family!鈥�
The family values the educational experience offered at K体育, and in each generation, they found something special about the campus. 鈥淚t’s validating to know that our daughter fell in love with K体育 the way we did and had a positive experience,鈥� said Laura.
For Marie, her student experience highlights K体育鈥檚 continued focus on the individual student and support for her personal and educational pursuits. She says that though K体育 had always been on her radar because of her family鈥檚 ties, when she visited the campus she was immediately drawn to the beautiful campus, small class sizes, and location. She notes that her favorite thing about her experience is the connections she has made and the special connection she shares with her family and the campus.
鈥淚 love that we can talk about what has changed about the campus and what has stayed the same, and that we can always say that we share an alma mater,鈥� said Marie.
She also values the relationships with her professors and how much they care about the students. It鈥檚 a sentiment her grandmother also shares from her experience six decades prior.
鈥淢y fondest memories are attending the classes which ultimately resulted in developing my knowledge and a broader understanding of the past, present, and the emerging future,鈥� Cunningham says. 鈥淭he relationship with the professors is also a very positive memory. They were always available and responded to our needs and goals.鈥�
She is proud of a new generation of Petrel alumni in the family. 鈥淚t is a great feeling of satisfaction knowing that one more family member will enter the adult world better prepared to meet challenges as a result of an excellent educational experience at K体育 University,鈥� said Cunningham, who enjoyed a meaningful career as a special education teacher for 35 years.
After graduating, Marie will stay in Atlanta to complete her master’s degree in early childhood education at Mercer University, and then she also plans to become a teacher.
