Mom, daughter graduate together

CLEVELAND (AP) -- A woman who went back to college to get a nursing degree with her daughter said the pressure of attending classes together for four years made them closer.
Barbara Evans, 54, who stood next to her daughter Saturday as they both graduated from the University of Akron, said she can remember plenty of times when she thought about quitting.
At first, it felt weird to sit side by side in classes, said her daughter, April Evans, 30.
But they both studied hard, giving up evenings with friends to go over homework at the kitchen table of their home in Medina, about 25 miles southwest of Cleveland.
Even during clinical work at a hospital, the Evans would meet for lunch if they could get breaks at the same time. And they never stopped sitting side by side.
"I can't remember a time when mom wasn't there for me," said April Evans, who spent several years as a professional dancer before deciding to pursue a career in nursing.
When she was younger, Barbara Evans had a few starts and stops at college and was encouraged by her husband, Jeff, to go back to school.
Now with graduation comes a summer of change. Both women need to pass their state board exams and will look for jobs. April Evans said she wants to work as a critical care nurse before going back to school in a few years to become a nurse anesthetist.
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