For most new moms, the first few days after birth are all about rest, recovery, and bonding. But for Grace Szymchack, those days also included something extraordinary—walking across the graduation stage with her 10-day-old baby tucked under her gown!
Grace, a Michigan mom of two, spent six years juggling family life and working toward her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. She was due to give birth just three days after her December 15 graduation from Ferris State University. But her little one had other plans!
Ten days after Grace Szymchack gave birth to a daughter, she tucked baby Annabelle inside her gown and graduated with her class. "I kind of hope it inspires another mom to go back to school and show that she can do it too." 🎓👶 @wzzm13 https://t.co/kjYGSY2aT7 pic.twitter.com/tALkTwYCJR
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) December 19, 2023
On December 6, Grace welcomed her baby girl, Annabelle, via C-section—days earlier than expected. While most people in her situation might have skipped the ceremony, Grace was determined. She had worked too hard to miss this milestone.
But there was one problem—she wasn’t ready to leave her newborn behind, even for a few hours. That’s when her mom had a brilliant idea: why not bring the baby with her? So, with Annabelle snug in a black sling under her gown, Grace proudly walked across the stage, diploma in hand.
A heartwarming photo shared by the university shows Grace beaming in her cap and gown while her baby, wrapped in a white blanket, slept soundly against her chest. Amazingly, most people at the ceremony didn’t even realize she had a tiny plus-one!
Her husband, Caleb, along with their family, cheered her on from the crowd, celebrating her incredible achievement.
“It was just important for me to walk because I’ve been working on this degree for a long time,” Grace told ABC News. “With the support of my husband and family, I was determined to actually walk, and I just wasn’t ready to leave [Annabelle] with anyone yet.”
Currently teaching preschool at a local hospital, Grace dreams of becoming a teacher and hopes to pursue a master’s degree—eventually. “Maybe when the kids are a little older,” she joked.
But beyond her own goals, she hopes her story inspires other moms to chase their dreams.
“I just hope it inspires other moms to go back and finish the degree they want—or start the one they’ve been hoping for,” she told Fox 59.
And if anyone proves that motherhood and ambition can go hand in hand, it’s Grace Szymchack.
Would you have done the same in her shoes? Share this inspiring story with the moms in your life!
