Three Generations of Women Attend College Together

A unique family story unfolds in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where three generations of women have embarked on a shared academic journey at Carthage College. Mia Carter, an 18-year-old freshman, commences her college adventure, pursuing studies in accounting and marketing. Joining her on campus is her mother, 49-year-old Amy Malczewski, and her grandmother, 71-year-old Christy Schwan. Samantha Malczewski, Mia’s 19-year-old sister, is already a sophomore enrolled in Carthage’s nursing program.

Samantha expressed her astonishment when she learned that her mother and grandmother would be joining her and Mia at college, recalling their announcement, “They were like, ‘Oh, we’re going too.'” In contrast, Mia wasn’t entirely taken aback as both her mother and grandmother had expressed interest in returning to school after Amy’s great-grandmother passed away.

Amy’s motivation for this unique educational endeavor is to spend quality time together as a family and embark on an adventure. The trio is now enrolled in Carthage College’s 10-month master’s degree program in business design and innovation.

Amy is particularly proud of sharing this experience with her mom and daughters. She has worked at the college for over 20 years and says, “I just feel proud to be watching my daughters grow up and be more mature and have new experiences, but now also to see my mom accomplish something that she’s always wanted to, and then even to accomplish something that I’ve always wanted to.”

Christy Schwan, a retired small business owner who once held corporate leadership positions and has published several books, had always aspired to pursue her master’s degree during retirement. With Amy’s encouragement, she finally took the leap.

Re-reported from the article originally published in The Independent