FORT WORTH, Texas — When Tatyana Robinson walked the stage at commencement, her mother, Mary, was cheering her on — not from the audience but from the side of the stage, having just crossed it herself. Both mother and daughter graduated from Tarrant County College with Associate of Arts degrees in psychology.
After high school graduation Tatyana wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. Eventually she started working for her mother’s employer. She also became interested in attending college.
“We had heard so many positive things from students in the community about TCC,” Mary said. “She decided to give it a shot as long as I participated because she wanted me to finish my degree. I figured, ‘Why not?’”
Mary and Tatyana did enroll and even took some courses together.
Tatyana called her professors “amazing,” saying they helped her understand the importance of using her knowledge to improve society.
Mary found her own instructors “informative,” and she praised several of them — Dr. Fuad Khan (Anatomy and Physiology) for his “dedication to caring for students’ knowledge and understanding of human anatomy,” and “awesome” Kimberly Cox (Texas Government) for her thoroughness. “Because of her, I learned a lot about government and its chain of command,” Mary said.
She credits Dana Minor (General Psychology) for being detailed. “That’s when I fell in love with psychology,” she said.
Mother and daughter plan to continue their education and earn master’s degrees. As undergraduates, their taking some of the same classes proved essential to crossing the finish line. Tatyana said she’s honored that her mom attended school with her and graduated at the same time since she gave her so much courage academically.
“I’ve enjoyed every moment of class time with her because we were able to challenge each other as scholars,” Tatyana said.
Each credits the other with timely encouragement to keep going when things got tough. Tatyana said her mother is her hero for her strong diligence and support. “She constantly pushed me to believe that I’m capable of achieving any goals, regardless of societal expectations. By knowing that she has achieved academic goals, I’m able to corroborate how fulfilled I am in knowing that I’m just as much of an accomplished hero as she has always been to me.”
And Tatyana’s backing made all the difference for Mary.
“I wanted to quit so many times,” Mary said. “Tatyana said, ‘Don’t give up. You’re almost there. You’ve got this!!!’”
Mary said she will carry those words in her heart for whenever she faces mountains that might seem too high. “This has been a huge journey for the both of us, and we can gladly shout, ‘WE DID IT!’”
Chancellor Elva LeBlanc and Mary Robinson
Mary and Tatyana Robinson
Celebrating 60 years of excellence and impact in 2025, Tarrant County College is one of the nation’s largest higher education institutions and boasts the second lowest tuition of Texas’ Top 10 community colleges. A comprehensive two- year college with six campuses in Tarrant County and online classes, TCC offers a range of opportunities for learners of all ages and backgrounds, including Associate of Arts and Associate of Applied Science degrees; workforce and economic development programs; technical and skilled trades programs; and customized training for area businesses and corporations.