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SARAH & ANN HOLDING THEIR CAT, DANTE
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ANN MCINTOSH EAGERLY ANTICIPATED HER DAUGHTER Sarah’s walk across the stage to accept her diploma from the University of South Carolina School of Law last May. After all, is there anything more satisfying than seeing your child realize her dreams? Sarah was excited for graduation day as well, and not just for the obvious reasons—Ann was graduating too, with a master’s degree in nursing. Knowing that the triumph of the day belonged to them both, the mother-daughter duo could hardly wait for it to come: there would be photos; there would be hugs; there would be a McIntosh celebration like no other.
Then came the pandemic. With a ban on large gatherings, there has been no pomp, no circumstance, and no graduation stage to complete the educational journey of the two McIntosh women. For Ann, it was a non-traditional journey that began with childhood dreams of obtaining a degree. However, Ann’s father passed away when she was only eight years old, leaving her mother to raise Ann and her three siblings on her own. “Financially, it wasn’t in the cards for me to attend college after high school. The desire was there…the money was not,” recalls Ann. Ann earned her associate degree instead. She later enrolled in a commuter satellite program and obtained her bachelor’s degree in nursing. Ann still had dreams of getting a master’s degree—this time, however, a change in priorities interrupted her journey. After an introduction by a co-worker, Ann married Bob McIntosh, and two babies soon followed. Ann put her dream on the back burner to focus on her family, telling herself that “one day she would return to school.” When Sarah and her brother, Bo, left for college, “one day” turned into “today.”
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ANN MCINTOSH AND DAUGHTER SARAH MCINTOSH, PROUD 2020 GRADUATES
Determined to make the dual graduation happen, Ann finished a two-year program in one, making all As while working full time and continuing to be there for her family. Sarah, who hosted her mother at her apartment when Ann was in Columbia, witnessed her determination firsthand: “My mom is the most selfless person I know. It blows my mind that she balanced school full-time while working and being a mom, wife, and grandma. She should add “expert time manager” as a skill on her resume!” Though both women were crestfallen they weren’t able to participate in the rite of passage a graduation ceremony affords, their greatest disappointment was for the other. “A lot of the focus was on me, but I felt bad for Sarah. A law school graduation on the Horseshoe is quite spectacular,” says Ann. Sarah echoed: “I actually felt a lot worse for my mom about the graduation than I did for myself. This was her day to shine!” While COVID-19 may have taken the celebratory march across a graduation stage from Ann and Sarah, the pride they have for one another’s accomplishments is something it can’t steal from them—and that is the sweetest celebration of all. w WRITER DANA JORDAN