Walking to class with her daughter is something Carrie Hahn didn’t imagine she would do.

Hahn started school at Kent State in 1984 and took classes for six years but financial and family issues ultimately caused Hahn to leave. Now, more than 30 years later, Hahn is spending a final semester on campus with her daughter, Ally Hahn, a junior marketing major.

“I always thought I’d go back but I didn’t think it’d be 30 years,” Carrie Hahn said.

Now that her children are grown up and Carrie wants to return to work, it was important for her to finish her undergraduate degree.

At first, Ally said she was nervous about having her mom on campus, but said it’s been a good experience—especially when her mom brings her groceries.  

Carrie said the pair have a close relationship and there isn’t a negative to going to school together.

The pair try to see each other every Tuesday and Thursday, the only days they are on campus together. Ally and Carrie even said they plan to go out during Ladies Night, a Tuesday night tradition in Kent, before the end of the semester.

Carrie said she enjoys school and learning, so it meant a lot to her to return to school and earn a degree. The opportunity to go back to school inspired Carrie to be an example for others.

“I know there’s probably other women out there who maybe didn’t finish school because they started families or something,” Carrie said. “I would just say not to give up that dream or that plan … there’s lots of ways to get back if you want to further an academic degree of some kind and further yourself.”

Carrie is set to graduate in May with a degree in integrated studies.

“I’m very proud of her,” Ally said.

After graduation, Carrie said she is thinking about attending law school to further her education even more.