‘We can do this together’: Chesterfield mother, daughter earn their doctorates from Liberty University

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- As Sharon Mallory crossed the stage at Liberty University on May 8 to receive her doctoral degree, an excited "Congratulations, Mama!" came not from a supportive voice somewhere in the crowd, but from right behind her.

Her daughter, Lauren Mallory, soon walked across the same stage to receive her Ph.D. in a shared moment that was years in the making.

It's a journey the two Chesterfield County women began together in 2021, when Lauren decided it was time to pursue her doctoral degree. At that point, Sharon had been retired for some time.

"When she was starting, I made a joke, 'Yeah, I'll do it,'" Sharon said. "And she was like, 'Yeah, come on and do it with me for real, and we can do this together!'"

That joke soon became a very real challenge -- one that wasn’t always easy.

Sharon and Lauren Mallory, a Chesterfield mother and daughter who got their doctorates together. (Photos: The Mallorys)

Sharon and Lauren Mallory, a Chesterfield mother and daughter who got their doctorates together. (Photos: The Mallorys)

"There were a couple times I didn't think I was going to make it," Sharon said. "I am a woman of a certain age and I hadn't been in school in a minute.  But [my daughter] was very encouraging -- and my granddaughter, too -- helping to keep me on point."

It was always Lauren's intent to earn her Ph.D., though it took longer to circle back to it than she'd planned.

"The hardest part was sticking to getting the dissertation done ... it was a time I wanted to quit," Lauren said.

But she had something, or rather someone, keeping her going. Lauren's 15-year-old daughter -- the next Mallory woman.

"I wanted to give her a good example of what it means to keep pushing through something that you start, not be a quitter," Lauren said.  "Just being able to say 'I stuck with what I had planned for my life.'"

Sharon and Lauren Mallory, a Chesterfield mother and daughter who got their doctorates together. (Photos: The Mallorys)

Perseverance runs in the family: this is the third degree Sharon has earned, all while being a wife and mother.

"They've seen me receive my bachelor's, they've seen me receive my master's -- and they saw me receive my doctorate," Sharon said.

Sharon Mallory received her Doctorate of Education in Higher Education Administration with a concentration in educational leadership, while Lauren Mallory received her Doctorate of Philosophy in Public Administration and Policy.

"I'm more proud of her than I am of myself, for making this accomplishment," Sharon said.