There’s been some sad stories this graduation season. There’s been some infuriating stories.

Now comes a very happy story.

At William Paterson University’s graduation, a father and son walked across the stage one after the other.

“It has always been my dream, my goal to finish college,” Duvinson Jeanty told CBS 2 New York.

Duvinson, a Haitian immigrant, has been in school for some time. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance after studying for 10 years.

Duvinson wanted to go to school, but wanted to ensure his family was taken care of even more. So, rather than going to school full time, he took one class at a time while also driving a bus for New Jersey Transit.

His son, Benjamin Jeanty, graduated with a degree in psychology. “My dad has been a big inspiration for me,” Jeanty told CBS. Benjamin told Fox News that “he gave us the example that we should always look to better ourselves.”

Benjamin was encouraged to go back to school after a break. He’d entered Rutgers in 2008, but left in 2009, having been offered a full-time position at a nearby Smashburger.

After working for three years, his father’s dedication to education led to an epiphany. “I [started] making good money, and making money is cool, but how am I serving the community?” Benjamin asked himself, “How am I helping others?”

Unable to give himself a satisfactory answer, Benjamin quit his job and found a position that allowed him to work with special needs children. Then, he hit the books.

He decided to go to William Paterson because his father was already enrolled there. “I never told him that, but that was the reason why I transferred.”

Originally, the younger Jeanty was a bit cocky about his scholastic future. “I thought I was going to finish before him because I thought I knew it all back then,” Benjamin said.

“But being with my father, graduating together, it means so much more.”

Now that they have their degrees, both Jeantys say their work isn’t over. Duvinson plans to devote himself to a real estate business, while Benjamin is once again leaving school for a full-time job, this time at a school for special needs children.

Congratulations to both men on their achievement!

Benjamin Jeanty

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