Judging from the smiles Sharee Block and Olivia Davis wore, the satisfaction of earning a degree from Southeast Arkansas College was well-earned.
But the path toward Friday's fall graduation was anything but easy for the friends, who call each other "sister."
"The devil tried to get us," said Davis, a 30-year-old mother of six who took seven classes this semester, "and they were the hard classes because they transfer for our BSN [bachelor of science in nursing]. It's like every trial and tribulation kept knocking us down. When I fall short, she picks up. When she falls short, I pick up. This means more to me than anything."
Block, a 38-year-old grandmother originally from Lansing, Mich., endured personal tragedy well before enrolling at the Pine Bluff college. Her brother John Woodard was murdered at age 16 in 1996, while he and Block were still living up north.
Shortly after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Block's father died from the disease, and she "drifted away" from her studies with "a couple" of classes remaining.
Within the past two weeks, Block also lost a 2-month-old great-niece and 3-year-old great-nephew. The great-nephew's wake was held the same time as graduation, and the funeral is today.
"These two weeks have been the roughest of my whole life," Block said. "It has been up and down. I had to deal with all of that during finals, but that's in the back of my head, come through and push through my finals."
Her friend Davis can understand the struggle.
Davis finished her degree in a semester when she gave birth to a premature baby on Oct. 20 – 39 days before the baby's scheduled arrival.
"On my dad's side, I had a grandmother who always pushed me and I was in school," Davis said. "Then, my mom got really sick, and I took a break from school. She passed away two years ago."
Davis returned to school to finish for her mom, Rebecca Motsinger.
"That's all I wanted her to do, was see me finish," she said.
Block and Davis remembered their lost loved ones on designed mortarboards during graduation at the SEARK@Seabrook Recreation Center.
How powerful was the moment?
"You don't have a clue," Davis said. "I know my mom is not here, but if she was, this would be the highlight of my life. And that alone means more to me than anything. And then, it also helps my grandmom get off my back a little bit."
The hybrid ceremony was recorded on video before a live audience of faculty members and students who chose to receive their degrees in person. A complete video honoring all graduates will be released on SEARK's website at a later date, President Steven Bloomberg said.
The fall graduating class included 260 college students receiving degrees or certificates and 12 high school graduates.
"The part that's really extraordinary is the students who are receiving their high school diplomas," Bloomberg said. "That is so emotional for me because you get people who get to walk across the stage. We don't differentiate. We just celebrate. That's the part I love."
Haleigh Reichen, 22, is a Watson Chapel High School graduate who received an associate of arts degree and will use her prerequisites toward a bachelor's degree in business analytics.
"After my business analytics, I'm going to go into radio broadcasting," the mother of a 2-year-old son said. "After that, I'm going to get a bachelor's in computer animation, so I can have a lot of choices as far as a career I could go into. I could go into broadcasting. I could go into computer animation. I'm going to be that person."
Friends Sharee Block and Olivia Davis celebrate receiving their associate of general studies degrees together. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Aaron Dixon receives his associate of arts degree from SEARK President Steven Bloomberg. Dixon was the first student to be recognized during the graduation. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Haleigh Reichen exudes excitement over receiving her associate of arts degree. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
SEARK President Steven Bloomberg addresses faculty in attendance and an audience that will watch video of Friday's commencement at a later date. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Sharee Block, left, and Olivia Davis wear designed mortarboards to honor loved ones who have passed away. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)Gallery: Southeast Arkansas College fall graduation
