From working five jobs to earning a master’s degree, single mom of three makes the grade
Michelle Adcox graduated from Magee High School in 1980, and for the next 30 years, a brightly burning desire to finish her college degree grew stronger as each of her children became college graduates. She always knew that someday, she would return to the higher education she’d missed.
On May 9, the day before Mother’s Day, the single mom of three, who at times worked as many as five part-time jobs to support both her education and her family, will receive a master’s degree in education administration from the University of Mississippi. The 57-year-old, who aspires to pursue her Ph.D., graduates on the same day as her youngest child, Ben Adcox, who is earning a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Ole Miss.
The mom-and-son duo, from Mendenhall, turning tassels together, which this year will happen, for now, virtually due to COVID-19, signifies the completion of their degrees.
It all began eight years ago when Michelle enrolled at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. Their story since has been fraught with personal sacrifices and hard work, and they’ve succeeded through helping each other at every turn, while maintaining an intense focus on their goals.
“A desire for my degree had haunted me my entire life,” Michelle said. “My reality was that I could not turn back the hands of time and redo the past, but I could change the future through education.”
A mother and son graduating on the same day is fairly rare, but the Adcox story is even rarer. You see, this is the second time they will get diplomas on the same day.
In 2016, Michelle graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in business administration on the same day her son earned his diploma from Simpson Academy.
In light of the COVID-19 global pandemic, this graduation day isn’t going to look at all like the Adcox family had envisioned. UM leaders continue to evaluate plans to hold an in-person Commencement ceremony at a later date, but the university will honor graduates in a live, virtual event at noon May 9.
The mother-son graduating duo are still undecided about exactly what all they’ll do to observe their graduations, but they plan on putting on their graduation caps, turning their tassels together and taking lots of pictures. They’ll also participate in the university’s scheduled virtual events for the day.
Michelle will have earned her master’s degree from Ole Miss after a career of straight A’s, too, which is something the self-described perfectionist is proud of. In November 2019, she was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest honor society that recognizes all academic disciplines, and also was selected as a member of the 2019-20 Who’s Who.
“This honor means so much to me and to my family,” Michelle said. “This journey has been a long one, and often a hard one with many personal sacrifices, but by the grace of God, Ben and I will soon be able to say that we did it together.”
She has provided a strong example of how to make success happen. There was a time when she cleaned houses and worked as an Aflac insurance agent, a Pondera financial adviser, bookkeeper for rental company and a beauty pageant judge, all at once.
“I took it one day at a time, one assignment at a time, and one task/job at a time; thank goodness I am super-organized and highly driven,” she said. “When I set my mind to something, there’s nothing that will keep me from reaching my goal.
“I was taught as a child (that) nothing in life is given to you for free; if you want it, you have to work for it.”
As she prepares to graduate, she’s down to only three jobs, which feels like coasting to her. She is a licensed insurance agent in Mississippi, works with Centene-Wellcare as its marketing outreach specialist and is an adjunct instructor at Hinds Community College.
“No matter how many jobs I needed to work, I was determined that my children would be college graduates and that someday, I would rise to the challenge as well,” Michelle said.
Following her example, all three of her children worked while they were in school.
Daughter April Adcox Johnson holds an associate degree in nursing from Copiah Lincoln Community College and a bachelor’s in nursing from William Carey University. Michelle’s middle child, Katie Adcox Meadows, holds an Associate of Applied Science in in X-ray from Copiah Lincoln Community College and an Associate of Applied Science in sonography from Hinds Community College.
“My children are my inspiration,” Michelle said. “They have cheered me on and encouraged me each step of the way. Today, I feel so blessed to have accomplished my goals and to have children who are so supportive.”
The last few months leading up to the big day have, in a word, been “interesting” for everyone. Lots of graduating seniors didn’t plan on finishing their last semester of college at home with a parent looking over their shoulder, but it’s nothing new for Ben.
Once Ole Miss classes moved online, he returned home and he and Michelle set up study hall beside each other, where they worked hard each day, taking advantage of sharing quiet study time. Thanks to the flexibility of an online degree program from Ole Miss, Michelle was already in the groove when everyone else moved their studies online.
The two recently took a break from a hectic day of studies to be interviewed via Zoom from their makeshift study hall. Their mom-son dynamic is apparent when they talk about study habits. The two have helped each other, and though blood-related, they have very different academic and personal strengths.
“She is always asking me how she should phrase something, and do I think it sounds good,” Ben said.
“I feel really blessed,” Michelle said. “He’s my youngest, he’s very supportive and has a great intellect.”
She does playfully razz him a little, saying since he’s the boy and “the baby” of her three children, she’s had to push him a little harder than her daughters, who were more dedicated to their studies. But she concedes that he’s probably taken on a more rigorous curriculum.
Ben said he draws inspiration from his mom’s dedication to learning. He said he’s been impressed with her focus while balancing a career, family and education for all these years.
“I am really proud of my mother; she actually has better grades than me,” Ben said.
This home study hall and classroom situation isn’t at all new for the family.
“I remember when I was in high school, we went through a really hard time,” Ben said. “At that time, we didn’t really realize what our efforts would provide.
“We were both in the kitchen doing schoolwork, and we were both yelling at the computers and getting frustrated. We were both tired of studying, and we were getting on each other’s last nerve.”
When he began attending community college, he continued to live with his mom, who watched over him and relentlessly kept him on track, he said.
“She had the passwords to all of my school stuff to make sure I was doing my work,” Ben said, with a laugh.
The mom, who calls herself very strict, said she had to adjust to her son moving to Oxford to attend Ole Miss, but by that time, he was well-equipped for it.
“I have tried to teach him not only your basic life skills, but also managing money,” Michelle said. “You have to teach your child how to have a work ethic and instill that in them, as well as the importance of being honest and being dependable.
“I am very strict about those things.”
Ben plans to pursue a master’s degree, as his mother did, but his studies will continue to focus on sports medicine or a related field, all the while following her hardworking example. He tore his labrum as a high school football player, and after surgery and months of recovery and rehabilitation, Ben knew he wanted to help other athletes regain their strength.
Michelle said she has learned a lot in the classroom, but her life story also taught her the importance of relentlessly pursuing dreams. The secret to doing that is knowing a continual chipping away at the goal eventually gets you there, she said.
“As a single mom, you can get overwhelmed and feel like you’re drowning,” Michelle said. “I coped by simply taking it one step at a time and checking each assignment off my list.
“My opportunity to get an education was just icing on the cake for me, but I’m not done yet. I am a huge advocate for education. I hope my journey will encourage and inspire others to have the courage to go for it, in spite of age, circumstances or challenges.”
By Michael Newsom/University Marketing & Communications
