A mother and daughter have shown that the pursuit of higher education has no age limit, earning their three-year Bachelor’s degrees at two University of the West Indies campuses and graduating with honours on the same day last month.

Grenadian mother Lydia Andrew-Duncan, 50, and her daughter, Kyra Duncan, 23, celebrated the milestone at separate graduation ceremonies, marking the culmination of years of dedication, sacrifice and determination as they balanced their academic responsibilities with family and professional commitments.

For Kyra, who graduated from UWI Cave Hill with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance with Upper Second Class Honours, the journey marked a career change that began during her secondary school years.

Initially aspiring to become an interior designer, she studied subjects such as physics and art independently before discovering an interest in business studies.

She said: “I did end up doing some business courses, because our school makes us choose our two CSEC subjects to be diverse… I just fell in love with POA and then from there on I just pursued accounting.”

Her mother graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy with Lower Second Class Honours from UWI St Augustine. A pharmacist for more than 20 years, she said she pursued the qualification to upgrade her professional credentials.

The decision came almost spontaneously after she and her family travelled to Barbados for Kyra to begin at UWI Cave Hill.

“After we came to Barbados and dropped off our daughter, within the last couple of days, I just decided, ‘Why I just do my BSc in Pharmacy one time’,” she recalled.

Andrew-Duncan applied online and received a response from Trinidad shortly after returning home. She then chose to graduate in Barbados so that she could share the occasion with her daughter.

Their simultaneous academic journeys also created an unexpected support system, despite studying at different campuses and pursuing different disciplines.

Andrew-Duncan said she would sometimes call her daughter during late-night study sessions to see whether she was awake and encourage her to keep working.

At other times, they arranged for one to wake the other when it was time to study, using their shared experience to provide emotional encouragement throughout the process.

However, pursuing degrees while managing other responsibilities came with considerable sacrifices.

Andrew-Duncan had to balance her studies with her job, household duties, financial commitments and responsibilities to her husband and other children. Tuition, accommodation, food and transportation also placed pressure on the family’s finances.

She admitted that time management was challenging, requiring her to sacrifice sleep, social activities and personal time.

“You felt done, you felt that it was overwhelming, but you still have to stay motivated and keep your eyes on the prize,” she said.

Kyra also faced the demands of managing independent living while maintaining her academic performance. Cooking, cleaning, studying, being social and participating in student leadership activities all required careful planning.

She said the experience changed the nature of their relationship, moving them from physical dependence to a more emotional one.

Despite the challenges, Kyra said she never doubted her mother’s ability to complete her studies.

“I had no doubts in my mind that she could do it because she does everything. Everything she’s ever tried, she’s accomplished,” she said.

For Andrew-Duncan, watching her daughter graduate was among the proudest and most emotional moments of her life.

“I couldn’t help reflecting on all these struggles, all of the sacrifices, the sleepless nights, the challenges,” she said.

She added that she had consistently encouraged Kyra to remain focused on achieving honours, while reminding her that her family would be proud regardless of what she received.

Beyond family support, Kyra credited her relationship with God, her lecturers and the friendships she developed during university with helping her through difficult periods.

“There was this one course that I was doing, and I was pretty sure I was about to fail, but, well, He really brought me through a very tough time,” she said, reflecting on the role of her faith inovercoming academic difficulties.

Now working in auditing to gain practical experience, Kyra plans to resume the final stage of her professional examinations in January. She hopes to complete the examinations within two years and become fully qualified within three.

Her mother is also considering her next academic move, with a possible doctorate or master’s degree among the options she is exploring after taking a break from studying.

Reflecting on the achievement, Andrew-Duncan said: “Never allow challenges, financial difficulties, disappointments, or even the fear of failure to stand in the way of your dreams.”

She also urged parents to continue guiding, encouraging and supporting their children, even when they cannot provide everything they desire.

Her message to young people was to pursue education not simply to obtain a qualification, but to become better, wiser and more responsible individuals.