Single Dad Graduates With Masters While Working Three Jobs

One New Jersey dad successfully balanced three jobs, late-night studies and parenting his young son to graduate with a master’s degree.

Now, Desmond Durham, 36, is inspiring others to do the same, according to abcnews.com.

“My schedule was very demanding, from waking up between 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. and ensuring that my son was fed, his homework was completed… I probably didn’t go to bed until 12 a.m., maybe 1 a.m. every night, just to wake back up and do it all over again,” Duram told Good Morning America. "But I knew the dream was real.”

On May 23, Durham graduated from Montclair State University with a master’s in arts and educational leadership. He was tasked to deliver the commencement speech to the College of Education and Human Services and the College of Science and Mathematics, which has been viewed over 12,600 times on YouTube.

Durham spoke about his mother being a single parent, instilling his love of learning in the speech. He then spoke about his father, who was murdered when Durham was just 11, and how that changed his life.

“However [my father’s] absence from my life [had] only motivated me to become the best father figure to my son and role model to all of the students that I encounter in my reaching career,” he said in the speech.

Durham is the only sibling of seven to graduate with a college degree. And with that schooling, he has been an educator for the past 13 years. To bolster his career, Desmond Jr. said he took a “leap of faith” when it came to going back to school while working three jobs and being a single dad to his 9-year-old son.

“It will ultimately change my life, my son’s life, and I can be able to impact the kids on a greater scale,” he said.

He said during the difficult times, he thought about his son, his mother and the purpose of him going back to school, which he called his “why.”

“So, every single day, I had to remind myself that it’s a short-term sacrifice for a long-term goal,” Durham Jr. said.

Durham Jr. is in the process of finding a new role in education. But he will also take time to enjoy the summer with his son.

“He’s excited about what are we going to do next,” Durham Jr. said. “He wants to go to the water park.”

He said for those thinking about going back to school, find out why.

“Find something that you love that’s going to help you ignite that flame to keep going,” he said.

“You have to know what you do and as long as you know your ‘why,’ it’s gonna drive you every single day.”