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American Morning
Interview With Jessie Family
Aired May 15, 2003 - 09:37 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: For college seniors across the country, it is graduation time now in mid to late May. For one family in Missouri, Saturday's commencement ceremony at Lindenwood University will be an especially festive affair. That is because Jamel Jessie, his mother, Vicky, and father, Oscar, will be graduating together. The Jessies are on campus this morning in St. Charles, Missouri. It is going to be a good Saturday. Thanks for joining us and good morning there.
VICKY JESSIE, STUDENT: Good morning.
HEMMER: Jamel, I understand you wanted to transfer a while ago. You show up on campus with your mom and she steals the show. Vicky, what happened that day? Why did you enroll?
V. JESSIE: Well, I got injured at work. I was a postal carrier, got injured at work, and just -- out of my injury I went with Jamel to check out the sports management degree program there -- here at Lindenwood, and just being with him, they gave a little bit of information on a night program, LCIE, Lindenwood College Individualized Education, and with that, I was sold.
HEMMER: You were sold.
(CROSSTALK)
HEMMER: What did it do for you, Vicky?
V. JESSIE: Well, it -- oh, God. It opened up so many new worlds for me. I went back to school after about 30 years, believe it or not. I actually tried college back in 1973, so to be graduating now in 2003 is amazing. I feel like a well of creativity.
HEMMER: Hey, Oscar, I understand at first you didn't want any of your friends to know about this, is that right?
OSCAR JESSIE, STUDENT: Yes. I did keep it a secret at first from friends and coworkers because I didn't know how well I was going to do in school, so I wanted to find that out before I let everybody know that I was back in college.
HEMMER: But then your report card comes back -- and we can call it a report card, even at your age, and at 3.0, so congratulations on that. Hey, Jamel, what do your friends say about this? Hanging out with mom and dad at school, walking up the aisle this weekend?
JAMEL JESSIE, STUDENT: They say a couple things like, sort of like, back to school, except you add in the mother, so it's interesting because I sort of get nervous sitting in graduation in high school, I was by myself, kind of, won't be so nervous making family history now with my parents at my side.
HEMMER: You have got bookends on both sides of you. I understand you have one computer at home. I got to think that is a pretty crowded affair at night. Is that right?
V. JESSIE: Yes.
HEMMER: So who is bumping who, Vicky?
V. JESSIE: If I could speak (ph), I was probably last. I was probably first and most eager, it seemed like at times. But we -- the floor became paper. I think we kept all ink cartridge businesses up and running. I'm sure they are glad we exist. The computer -- we went through two printers and we went through so much ink. It was incredible, but at the end you see it's all worth it.
HEMMER: All right. Here is the bottom line, though. Who is the most competitive here, grade-wise?
V. JESSIE: Yes.
J. JESSIE: Mother is.
V. JESSIE: 3.77. I'm so proud.
HEMMER: Wonderful.
V. JESSIE: Yes, that is right.
HEMMER: Good for you.
V. JESSIE: I'm graduating cum laude. Thank you. I could not have done it without these guys at all, if I might say that. My husband pushed me across campus in a wheelchair. I was in a wheelchair for the longest, so for the majority of my studies, he would push me on campus to whatever events we had to attend, classes, whatever. So all credit goes to my husband...
(CROSSTALK)
HEMMER: Hey, Oscar -- job well done, all right, in Missouri. Job well done, my friend.
O. JESSIE: Thank you.
HEMMER: That is the Jessie family: Jamel, Oscar and Vicky. Have a great time this weekend, OK, and thanks for sharing your story with us today.
V. JESSIE: Thank you. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 15, 2003 - 09:37 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: For college seniors across the country, it is graduation time now in mid to late May. For one family in Missouri, Saturday's commencement ceremony at Lindenwood University will be an especially festive affair. That is because Jamel Jessie, his mother, Vicky, and father, Oscar, will be graduating together. The Jessies are on campus this morning in St. Charles, Missouri. It is going to be a good Saturday. Thanks for joining us and good morning there.
VICKY JESSIE, STUDENT: Good morning.
HEMMER: Jamel, I understand you wanted to transfer a while ago. You show up on campus with your mom and she steals the show. Vicky, what happened that day? Why did you enroll?
V. JESSIE: Well, I got injured at work. I was a postal carrier, got injured at work, and just -- out of my injury I went with Jamel to check out the sports management degree program there -- here at Lindenwood, and just being with him, they gave a little bit of information on a night program, LCIE, Lindenwood College Individualized Education, and with that, I was sold.
HEMMER: You were sold.
(CROSSTALK)
HEMMER: What did it do for you, Vicky?
V. JESSIE: Well, it -- oh, God. It opened up so many new worlds for me. I went back to school after about 30 years, believe it or not. I actually tried college back in 1973, so to be graduating now in 2003 is amazing. I feel like a well of creativity.
HEMMER: Hey, Oscar, I understand at first you didn't want any of your friends to know about this, is that right?
OSCAR JESSIE, STUDENT: Yes. I did keep it a secret at first from friends and coworkers because I didn't know how well I was going to do in school, so I wanted to find that out before I let everybody know that I was back in college.
HEMMER: But then your report card comes back -- and we can call it a report card, even at your age, and at 3.0, so congratulations on that. Hey, Jamel, what do your friends say about this? Hanging out with mom and dad at school, walking up the aisle this weekend?
JAMEL JESSIE, STUDENT: They say a couple things like, sort of like, back to school, except you add in the mother, so it's interesting because I sort of get nervous sitting in graduation in high school, I was by myself, kind of, won't be so nervous making family history now with my parents at my side.
HEMMER: You have got bookends on both sides of you. I understand you have one computer at home. I got to think that is a pretty crowded affair at night. Is that right?
V. JESSIE: Yes.
HEMMER: So who is bumping who, Vicky?
V. JESSIE: If I could speak (ph), I was probably last. I was probably first and most eager, it seemed like at times. But we -- the floor became paper. I think we kept all ink cartridge businesses up and running. I'm sure they are glad we exist. The computer -- we went through two printers and we went through so much ink. It was incredible, but at the end you see it's all worth it.
HEMMER: All right. Here is the bottom line, though. Who is the most competitive here, grade-wise?
V. JESSIE: Yes.
J. JESSIE: Mother is.
V. JESSIE: 3.77. I'm so proud.
HEMMER: Wonderful.
V. JESSIE: Yes, that is right.
HEMMER: Good for you.
V. JESSIE: I'm graduating cum laude. Thank you. I could not have done it without these guys at all, if I might say that. My husband pushed me across campus in a wheelchair. I was in a wheelchair for the longest, so for the majority of my studies, he would push me on campus to whatever events we had to attend, classes, whatever. So all credit goes to my husband...
(CROSSTALK)
HEMMER: Hey, Oscar -- job well done, all right, in Missouri. Job well done, my friend.
O. JESSIE: Thank you.
HEMMER: That is the Jessie family: Jamel, Oscar and Vicky. Have a great time this weekend, OK, and thanks for sharing your story with us today.
V. JESSIE: Thank you. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
