Four NCCU Graduates Overcame
Challenges to Graduate with Honors

[Left to Right Tiffany Buchanan (Chemistry), Mary Beth McLean (Law),
Kingsley Ikharo (Business), and Amber Brown (Psychology). 

DURHAM, NC - At the 113th NCCU Commencement on May 16, 2009, Chancellor Charlie Nelms set the tone of acknowledgement and respect for four full-time students who had to struggle to earn their degree with honors.

Tiffany Buchanan’s education was interrupted by her military service.  In Iraq, she earned her combat badge delivering the mail.  She struggled to regain her footing stateside after her deployment.  Returning to her studies at NCCU, she said, “I failed the first test in every class.  I almost wanted to quit.”  Buchanan got help and got back on track graduating with magna cum laude honors in Chemistry.

Mary Beth McLean the mother of seven children graduated with honors from the Law School.  McLean was abandoned by her husband and left with the children, each aged ten and under.  When she found no legal services or financial assistance available to her, she became determined to become a lawyer so that some day, she could help women in her circumstances.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science at NCCU with a GPA of 4.0 and went on to earn her law degree conferred Saturday, despite serious personal challenges.   She said, “I wish the people who keep saying it can’t be done would stay out of the way of the people who are doing it.”

Most recently, McLean suffered a car accident in which her daughter and her daughter’s friend were seriously injured.  McLean suffered a broken rib. “It really wasn’t easy, but today, Mary McLean is walking across this stage to receive her degree in law with cum laude honors,” said Nelms.

Kingsley Ikharo, the father of seven children graduated summa cum laude from the School of Business.

Amber Brown completed her degree in Psychology while also working and caring for her ill mother and son.