Side by Side: Mother and Daughter Celebrate a Shared Journey to Graduation

When Francis Divison walked at Monroe University’s Commencement ceremony this June, the moment carried the weight of years of work, determination, and sacrifice.

The day was especially meaningful because of who was beside her: her daughter, Xiara Roman.

Mother and daughter walked together at Commencement in June as members of our Spring semester graduates. Students like Francis and Xiara who will complete their degrees at the end of that semester in August participate in Commencement activities the June prior rather than wait almost a full year for their big moment crossing the graduation stage. 

Both on track to complete their Bachelor of Business Administration degrees in Health Services Administration this August.

For Francis, who has worked at New York-Presbyterian Hospital since 2007, earning her degree represents the next step in her nearly two-decade career in healthcare. On the other side is Xiara who is embarking on a new path forward after initially studying nursing at another institution, but shifting when she found it was not the right fit.

“It was very emotional,” Francis said of Commencement with her daughter. “I’ve always gone to my children’s graduations and seen them walk across the stage. Xiara was able to see me finally do it and not give up.”

Francis has spent her career on the clerical and administrative side of healthcare. As she looked ahead to the next phase of her professional life, she knew a degree would help open doors to the managerial and director-level roles she hopes to pursue.

“Healthcare has always been my field,” Francis said. “That’s why I decided to choose the administrative side. That’s all I know, really, is the clerical side of the hospital.”

Her goal is to return to working directly in a hospital department, specifically in the PACU, or recovery room, where she previously worked before transitioning to a corporate role. She knows the department well and believes she can make a meaningful impact there.

“The only thing I didn’t have was the degree,” she said. “And now that I have it, I’ve been getting phone calls left and right asking when I’m coming back.”

Francis first learned about Monroe in 2005, when Xiara was still a baby. She attempted to begin her degree then, but life with young children made it difficult to continue.

“I was a little heartbroken that I couldn’t complete it,” Francis said. “But I wouldn’t choose any other school.”

When she returned to college in 2023, Francis completed her associate degree in 2024 and decided to continue on for her bachelor’s degree. As an adult learner, she said she initially wondered whether she would feel out of place. Instead, she found students of all ages and professors who made returning to school much more welcoming than she expected.

“It was just like riding a bike,” she said. “The professors made it very easy.”

Xiara's route to Monroe was different then her mother’s. She began college at another institution studying nursing, a field she had long thought would be her future because she wanted to work in a hospital. As an older sister, Xiara was often charged with taking care of her young brother, so caring for others came naturally to her. But nursing school was a far cry from being a big sister – even a “Mom 2.0.” The institution she enrolled in didn’t feel right, and she needed more support.

"I know a lot of people would have been discouraged,” Xiara said. “But I’ve always been good in school, so I didn’t think giving up was for me.”

With guidance from her mother and Monroe advisors, Xiara transferred to Monroe in 2024. She was able to bring many of her credits from her previous college. Healthcare Services Administration offered a path that still connected her to hospitals, but in a way that aligned with her strengths and long-term goals.

Her mother helped her see that changing direction was not a failure.

“There’s always a different path,” Francis said. “It doesn’t mean you’re failing. It just means this is not for you.”

At Monroe, Xiara said she found the communication and support she had been missing. Advisors helped her think through her options, and faculty and staff made themselves accessible.

“Monroe made it a little bit easier,” Xiara said. “I felt like they were more accessible, and I felt like these were professors and advisors who were really willing to help me succeed.”

Francis and Xiara even shared one online class together. Francis made a point to also comment on Xiara’s daughter’s posts. That bond has shaped much of their lives.

Francis describes Xiara as her “calm child,” the steady presence between her two brothers and the daughter who has always been willing to help. Growing up, Xiara often helped care for her younger brother while her parents worked, making sure he completed homework and stayed on track.

“She was always very mature for her age,” Francis said. “Whatever she put her mind to, she got it done. This is the one I can always rely on.”

Xiara said helping her family never felt like a burden.

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him,” Xiara said of her younger brother. “It feels good hearing the acknowledgment, but at the end of the day, I think I would have done it anyway.”

Xiara plans to go on to a master’s program, in the hopes of landing director-level role in a hospital.

“I want a lot more opportunity for myself,” Xiara said. “I feel like getting my master’s would get me a lot farther. It’s also just a good accomplishment for me.”

She sees herself in a leadership role where she can help keep a hospital department running smoothly, support others and make sure things are done well and on time.

“I feel like throughout my life, I’ve been able to handle the pressure of taking care of other people and managing other people,” she said. “I think that would be a great place for me to be.”

Francis is also considering a master’s degree, though for now she is focused on the career opportunities her bachelor’s degree can help her pursue.

For both women, Monroe has been a place where their goals felt supported whether as an adult learner returning after many years, or as a transfer student looking for a new path forward. Francis often tells friends, family and coworkers that what makes Monroe different is that students learn from people who know the fields they teach.

“You’re not being taught by people who only learned this in school,” she said. “These are people who are actually in the field and know what they’re talking about.”

Xiara agreed, saying Monroe helped her regain her confidence after a discouraging college experience.

“It was very refreshing,” she said. “The communication and the options that were given were very comforting. Overall, it was just a great experience.”

This August, Francis and Xiara will officially complete the degrees they walked for together in June. Together, their stories demonstrate that persistence, family and second chances are always available, when you’re willing to work hard and prioritize them.