Christina Richardson, 26, Roy, who is studying elementary education at Weber State University, says she got up at 5 a.m. and picked up her mother, who uses a wheelchair and lives in a home for the elderly. They made it to the 10:30 a.m. commencement early enough to get a front-row seat. Christina's sister, Kaye Richardson, 29, graduated in Spanish and plans to be a translator.

"She's worked really hard and had a lot of struggles, but she stuck with it," Christina Richardson said. "She decided it was important to her to finish school," she said.

The main challenge, she said, was financial. It also was a little difficult being older than the average college student.

They had planned a big party for Kaye after commencement with such foods as chicken mole and seven-layer dip.

Barbara Lee Raynsford, 52, Queen Creek, Ariz., flew to Utah to support Kaye Richardson.

"I am so proud of her. She has had a long uphill battle to achieve this," Raynsford said. "It's difficult for any young adult to support themselves and be able to accomplish this kind of a goal."

Raynsford said she knows Kaye from when she served a Spanish-speaking mission in Arizona for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "She helped teach me the 'new member' discussions," Raynsford said. "We hit it off and have been best friends ever since."

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