Louisiana college grad gives birth, receives degree hours later in hospital ceremony

NEW ORLEANS — Just one day after she gave birth to a baby boy, a Louisiana woman received another special delivery at the hospital – her college degree.

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According to WDSU and WVUE, new Dillard University graduate Jada Sayles went into labor Friday night, just hours before her commencement ceremony was slated to begin Saturday morning.

In a series of tweets, the university’s outgoing president, Walter M. Kimbrough, said Sayles texted him to say she had been admitted to the hospital and would be missing graduation. Her newborn son arrived Saturday, he said.

The next day at the hospital, Kimbrough gave Sayles her own graduation ceremony as her family looked on, the news outlets reported.

“I did something today I have never done before in 18 years as a college president. I conferred a degree in a hospital,” Kimbrough tweeted Sunday afternoon.

He went on to share videos of Sayles accepting the degree while wearing a cap and gown.

“I even did the tassel part of commencement!” Kimbrough captioned one of the clips. “This really was a very sweet moment. I’ll never forget it.”

Sayles took to Twitter to share photos from the ceremony.

“I thought I was gonna walk across the stage to be my degree; instead I got my baby,” she tweeted. “My sweet face decided to make his way on MY big day (now his). Shoutout to my university for still bringing my graduation and degree to me.”

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