{"id":1097,"date":"2025-05-11T08:00:45","date_gmt":"2025-05-11T08:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/?p=1097"},"modified":"2025-05-07T17:51:37","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T17:51:37","slug":"mother-and-daughter-pursue-degrees-together","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/2025\/05\/11\/mother-and-daughter-pursue-degrees-together\/","title":{"rendered":"Mother and Daughter Pursue Degrees Together"},"content":{"rendered":"
The story of Cassandra and Kymora Woods is a powerful reminder that the pursuit of education has no age limit \u2013 and the bond between a mother and daughter can grow even stronger through shared goals and dreams.<\/p>\n

\n\t Starting college at the same time as my mom has been a unique experience. It\u2019s great because we can support and encourage each other through this journey. <\/span>\n\n\t\t\t- Kymora Woods<\/span>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

Cassandra Woods, 50, and her daughter Kymora, 18, are both students at Marshall University, each blazing her own path while cheering the other on. The Huntington natives are working toward degrees that reflect their passions: Cassandra in business, and Kymora in health science.<\/p>\n

For Cassandra, returning to college was a decision rooted in faith and resilience. A survivor of a life-threatening health crisis, she felt called to embrace new beginnings and rediscover her purpose.<\/p>\n

\u201cI refused to let fear or doubt hold me back any longer,\u201d Cassandra said. \u201cAt 50, I\u2019m living proof that your story doesn\u2019t end until you decide it does.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a background in administrative work and a flair for design, Cassandra is determined to transition into leadership roles in business and ministry. She currently works with the city of Huntington and envisions using her degree to fuel both her entrepreneurial ambitions and her commitment to community service.<\/p>\n

\n\t I refused to let fear or doubt hold me back any longer. <\/span>\n\n\t\t\t- Cassandra Woods<\/span>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

\"Cassandra<\/p>\n

\u201cA strong business mindset enables me to develop effective programs and initiatives that serve both the church and the community,\u201d Cassandra explained.<\/p>\n

Kymora, a freshman at Marshall, chose health science because of her passion for helping others. Her dream is to become a neonatal or labor and delivery nurse.<\/p>\n

\u201cKnowing that I can be there for someone during a difficult time is what drives me,\u201d Kymora said. \u201cIt gives me a sense of purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n

While their academic paths differ, their journey is deeply intertwined.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such a unique and amazing experience,\u201d Cassandra said of going to college alongside her daughter. \u201cWe check in on each other, share study tips and celebrate our wins together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though Cassandra is an online student, and Kymora attends classes on campus, their connection remains strong. Kymora describes her mother as both a source of inspiration and a constant support.<\/p>\n

\n\t She works so hard\u2014it motivates me to give my best.<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t- Kymora Woods<\/span>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

\u201cShe works so hard\u2014it motivates me to give my best,\u201d Kymora said. \u201cEven when we don\u2019t see each other at school, I know she\u2019s there for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Kymora<\/p>\n

Both women credit their faith, family and church community for helping them get this far. Cassandra is the first lady of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, supporting her husband, Pastor Shawn Woods, who undergoes home dialysis multiple times a week. In addition to caregiving, Cassandra runs a women\u2019s ministry and remains active in community outreach.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy life is full, but everything I do is driven by faith and love,\u201d Cassandra said.<\/p>\n

Kymora echoes that sentiment.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dad, my brother, and our church family have all been there for me. I couldn\u2019t do this without their encouragement.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their story is one of mutual encouragement, resilience, and a shared determination to grow. It\u2019s also a celebration of motherhood in its most empowering form: one that nurtures dreams while pursuing new ones.<\/p>\n

This Mother\u2019s Day, the Woods women stand as a testament to the strength of mothers, the power of education and the beauty of chasing dreams \u2013 together.<\/p>\n

Read Cassandra and Kymora\u2019s full Q&A and more stories in the latest issue of our Marshall Magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Marshall<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The story of Cassandra and Kymora Woods is a powerful reminder that the pursuit of education has no age limit \u2013 and the bond between a mother and daughter can grow even stronger through shared goals and dreams. Cassandra Woods, 50, and her daughter Kymora, 18, are both students at Marshall University, each blazing her […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":198,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1097","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-moments"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1097","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/198"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1097"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1097\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1111,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1097\/revisions\/1111"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1097"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1097"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/moments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1097"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}