When a parent dies while the child is still in college
I lost my father to cancer when I was a sophomore in college.
I lost my mother to cancer when I was in grad school in 2009.
It was crushing, but both times certain faculty members helped me get through my courses.
So memories flooded me when I read this piece by Matt Gleeson in The Advocate, the newspaper of Minnesota State University - Moorhead:
It’s a strange thing going through a semester when someone close to you is dying. On the advice of my academic advisor, I informed my professors in the spring of the situation – lung cancer, already tried chemo, just a matter of time left.
Although the level of support I received varied from class to class ... I can honestly say that I felt the university had my back during the ordeal.
To clarify, I didn’t get any free passes. My GPA last semester was the lowest it’s ever been since starting at MSUM.
I was, however, given the opportunity to succeed despite a situation that made it extremely difficult to make it to class on a regular basis. One presentation ended up becoming a YouTube video. Some classmates altered their schedules to better fit mine for group projects. I made sacrifices as well, turning in papers early when it was clear I’d have other matters to attend to during the time of the deadlines.
Hey, Moorhead: Well done.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.