When we walked across that stage, we did not walk alone; the angels and our ancestors
were right there with us. This school year has been nothing short of remarkable. My husband
and I are both educators, serving in academia and the community. My husband, Rev. Dr. A.
Byron Coleman III has been a senior pastor in Oklahoma City for 26 years. Every Sunday, he
uses the pulpit to preach the gospel and inspire the congregation to dream bigger. I am a
trained podiatrist who transitioned to education, becoming an adjunct professor at the
University of Oklahoma in 2006 and recently secured a full-time lecturer position. Our two
sons have benefited from witnessing their parents' dedication to lifelong learning, leading
them to choose college after graduating high school.
Educating youth and resting on our laurels has never been enough for us. The more we learned about helping our community through education, the more we realized the need to continue our own learning journey. When I accepted my call to ministry, it became essential to expand my mind further, so I decided to go back to school. I chose Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to gain the knowledge to accompany my passion. While it was a departure from fixing soles, it aligned perfectly with healing souls. This foot doctor went back to school to pursue a higher calling.
Similarly, my husband preaches a socially relevant gospel every week, so when the opportunity to pursue a Doctorate of Ministry in Social Justice arose, he seized it. He openly admitted that he was uncertain about his academic writing abilities, as it was a significant departure from weekly sermon preparation. Nevertheless, he persevered.
Chandler, our oldest, graduated high school in 2018 and began his college journey at the University of Central Oklahoma. Then, in 2020, the pandemic hit, forcing him to switch entirely to online learning, which was particularly challenging for an extrovert. He admitted he wanted to quit because it was so difficult, but he persisted. During Courtland’s junior year of high school, he studied online from our living room, graduating in 2022 as the world was reemerging. To help him transition smoothly to college life while maintaining close family support, he decided that Oklahoma City Community College was the best choice.
None of us gave up! Throughout the 2023-24 school year, each of us continued reading books, writing papers, and studying. As we met with our advisors, we realized that we would all be graduating around the same time. On December 16, 2023, Chandler graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Media/Communications from the University of Central Oklahoma. Three months later, Byron defended his dissertation, “The Influence of the Black Church in Establishing Initiatives and Collaborations Aimed at Enhancing the Scholastic Achievement of Black Students.” On May 18, 2024, the remaining three Colemans graduated on the same day in three different cities. Byron graduated from New York Theological Seminary in New York City with a Doctorate of Ministry in Social Justice. Courtland earned an Associate of Arts in Diversified Studies from Oklahoma City Community College and will continue his education at Morehouse College in August. I graduated from Phillips Theological Seminary with a Master of Theological Studies. Because we were in three different cities, we couldn't attend each other’s graduation ceremonies, except for Chandler, who accompanied Byron and even hooded him during his ceremony.
June 2, 2024, back in Oklahoma City, at 5th Street Baptist Church, we dedicated the day to honoring graduates at every level: from Pre-K to college. It was an incredible honor to share this special day as a family. Dressed in our academic regalia, we recognized the uniqueness of our narrative. Our church members, family, and friends had the chance to witness firsthand God’s bountiful blessings and, hopefully, we serve as an inspiration to continue evolving, as you enjoy the journey.
One Family, Four Degrees, Three Graduations, Same Day: Celebrating the Coleman Family’s remarkable graduation story. To God be the Glory!
