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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Drive By Grad

Credit: WCBI
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Drive By Grad
Drive By Grad

One Mississippi state graduate who was treated to a graduation experience she'll never forget.

For millions of high school and college graduates of the class of 2020, there were no ceremonies or celebrations due to the continued shutdown of the country.

Wcbi's chad groening reports on one mississippi state graduate who was treated to a graduation experience she'll never forget.

Take a look.

Katina oneal couldn't throw a traditional graduation party for her daughter mariah.

So she came up the idea of a virtual social distancing drive by so friends could come by the home in saltillo and get the chance to personally congratulate the business marketing major for completing her degree.

"at first it was you know a bit stressfull and discouraging to know that i wasn't going to be able to walk.

But through it all you know so much going on i just kind of gained and hope and you know there's people who are sick who are doing whatever and so i'm just kind of like being grateful that i'm not one of those who are sick so took it and i was like you know it's okay i just thank god i was able to graduate."

"at first i didn't think it was going to last this long.

I thought well we'll get through it a couple of weeks and we'll be on and she'll be able to graduate.

She'll be able to march and have a traditional ceremony.

But then things changed and it wasn't able to happen so she's had so much go on her last four years of college and i just couldn't stand the fact of not doing some kind of celebration for her to honor her hard work."

Tupelo police officer and msu alumn nathan sheffield lives right next door to the oneal's and helped organize the event.

"it's been difficult for them.

They're not getting the same experience that my wife and i got with the big graduation at the hump with family and friends like we got to in starkville which you know we consider to be god's country as state fans.

But you know this is great we've got the family here.

We got friends here.

We've got people coming by.

We're going to be able to eat tonight and hangout and social distance and do what the government's telling us to do but in all that have a good time so we're excited."

Oneal hopes to begin a career in advertising or public relations.

And she really wants to move to houston texas.

"i'm very confident you know just putting my trust in god and letting him you know guide my path.

And you know getting on linkin looking at different jobs just makring sure that i put myself out there so that others can like see me."

And how confident is mom?

"i am very confident.

I know she will get the right job.

She will get the right salary everything that she wants will just fall in place for her i'm very confident in it."

"the economy's coming back as soon as we get past this point as long as we do what we're told to do the economy's coming back.

America's the greatest country in the world.

Mariah's going to have a great opportunity to get a job of her dreams just like i was able to do that and it's going to be fantastic.

She's going to go a long way.

She's got a great support group.

She's a wonderful person.

She's got a beautiful personality.

She's very intelligent and any company that picks her up as a marketing agent would be lucky."

Oneal's mom is confident that 2020 is going to be a year her daughter never forgets.

Chad groening wcbi news, satillo.

Mariah says she and her fellow 2020 classmates will be able to take part in an official graduation ceremony in december.

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