Graduates, and mothers, get praise at commencement

RICHMOND - U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine honored the achievements not only of students but of mothers when he spoke during Virginia State University's spring 2014 commencement on Mother's Day.

Nearly 600 graduates and their friends and family attended the ceremony at the Richmond Coliseum.

Kaine, D-Va., specifically recognized the work of graduates who were both students and mothers, and asked them to stand.

"All of you had to achieve a lot on this day but a lot of you had to achieve this while being mothers," he said.

Kaine also gave graduates advice from his mother to always be optimistic in order to obtain the best results in life.

"If you are negative or pessimistic about things you are going to be proven right," he said. "You will find over and over again that you will be able to shape events and mold events because of your optimism."

During the ceremony, Kaine was the first to be honored by the President's Medal. The award was established by VSU President Keith Miller to honor those who have contributed to the well-being of the university or the state of Virginia.

One student who was an example of Kaine's praise of graduating mothers was Marlena Brown-Woods. She called walking across the stage "an awesome Mother's Day present."

"I raised my daughter and even went back to school," she said. "I surprised myself, that I could do that well. You get the bug to continue."

Brown-Woods reflected on "the many nights in the library studying, sleeping in the library and living in the library."

Brown-Woods obtained her bachelor's degree in individualized studies with a focus in liberal arts and sociology. She plans to pursue a doctorate degree and to teach.

###