Parents and children both graduate from Arkansas Tech at the same time

Russellville, Arkansas – Two Arkansas Tech University alums discuss how they collaborated as parents to finish their degrees and support the addition of two more recent high school grads to their family. Two Arkansas Tech University alums discuss how they collaborated as parents to finish their degrees and support the addition of two more recent high school grads to their family.

“I wanted our kids to see you can set goals in life, and no matter what happens in your life, as long as you set your mind, say I’m going to complete that, you can do it,” Kecia Watts said.

She is a role model for everyone, not just her children, since she and her husband Steven demonstrate that it is never too late to finish your degree.

Fifteen years ago, they crossed the aisle. They both crossed the Arkansas Tech University graduation stage on Saturday.

“Me and Steven are going to graduate in the same ceremony and it’s just kind of unique how it happened because we both had to take a little break within our studies,” Kecia said.

In 2007, Steven completed his undergraduate studies at Arkansas Tech University while serving in the armed forces. In 2009, he later wed Kecia. Then, in 2017, Steven left the service.
Despite having six kids and juggling all of their interests, they prioritized their schooling.

“Our kids had basketball, football, travel volleyball, travel baseball, so in between all that, we were doing school online or in class, whatever we could do,” Steven Watts said.

They commemorate their individual accomplishments as well as their combined accomplishments today. Steven completed his master’s degree in education, while Kecia obtained her undergraduate degree in teaching.

“To graduate the same time with your wife and best friend is kind of cool,” Steven Watts said.

An even more memorable occasion when they share it with two of their six children.

“It’s really cool just to think about just because, like, we are graduating, it’s a big thing, and they also graduating like it’s just something really cool to look at,” Maddox Watts said.

After completing high school, Maddox Watts will heed his father’s advice and enlist in the US Army, while Kennedy Watts, his sister, plans to study radiology at the University of Central Arkansas.

“We look up to both of them,” Maddox Watts said.

In addition to putting in a lot of effort on paper, the family encourages one another to pursue further education.

“I didn’t think I’d ever want to write another paper again or do paperwork or read a book just to read a book that I didn’t even know about, but we actually did it and we pushed each other to do it,” Steven Watts said.

Recalling how, as parents, they too would have homework when their children got home from school.

“She’d be sitting on the couch, I’d be in my recliner with our laptops just going,” Steven Watts said.