BVU Master’s Graduate Presents Mother’s Day Surprise at Commencement
Prior to Commencement, Stacey Brown had some big news to share with her daughter Shayla, who was set to receive her diploma with the BVU Class of 2020.
A Mother’s Day morning beneath the Victory Arch clearly illustrated the convenience of Buena Vista University’s graduate school programming.
At that spot, at that time, Stacey Brown, of Mapleton, gathered her family around daughter Shayla Brown, who was about to be honored with her BVU Class of 2020 Commencement.
Just before stepping in for the family portrait, Stacey reached into her carry-all bag. She pulled out her own BVU cap and gown and threw them on. She, too, would be honored on Mother’s Day in a BVU Commencement ceremony for master’s degree recipients.
Nobody in the family, save for husband Ben, even knew Stacey had ever enrolled. She and Ben kept the secret for three years.
“I can’t believe it,” said Shayla, as tears began flowing. “YOU got a master’s degree, Mom?!?”
“I wanted to show my kids at home and my kids in the classroom how important learning remains to us, no matter what age you are.”
Stacey Brown
Stacey smiled and hugged her daughter. She shared a hug with her son, Talon, and her parents, Dave and Ann Schmidt, of Mapleton, who came to Storm Lake for what they thought was Shayla’s graduation ceremony and a family photo beneath the Victory Arch.
“I had no idea, none at all,” Dave said, laughing and shaking his head while tears welled in his eyes. “I can’t believe you did this!”
Stacey, a 22-year teaching veteran at Danbury Catholic School in Danbury, earned her master’s in teacher leadership, curriculum, and instruction. She enrolled in the program in 2018, when Shayla was a sophomore at BVU.
“I wanted to show my kids at home and my kids in the classroom how important learning remains to us, no matter what age you are,” she said. “Plus, I knew the theories and concepts I’d study would help me become a better teacher and leader for our school.”
Stacey, a second-grade teacher, will move from the classroom in the fall to full-time lead teacher. She will also serve as curriculum specialist and instructional coach.
“Dr. Lucas DeWitt (BVU Program Director for Master of Education) was amazing,” she says. “There are no words to express how thankful I am for the opportunities BVU created for me by establishing this program.”
Stacey’s online instruction allowed her to submit papers and complete assignments on select evenings and weekends, out of view and earshot of her parents and children. When the 2020 in-person Commencement ceremonies, both master’s for Stacey and bachelor’s for Shayla, were canceled due to COVID-19, Stacey kept the secret for an additional year. She then used the family portrait ruse beneath the Victory Arch on Mother’s Day, the day featuring two Commencement ceremonies on campus, to disclose news of her accomplishment.
“I’m very proud of Mom for reaching for something she’s been longing for,” Shayla said. “I was incredibly shocked.”
Shayla, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business in 2020, works in Des Moines as a leasing representative. She chose BVU, her mother’s alma mater, after graduating from MVAO High School in Mapleton in 2016. Mother and daughter stood on the Schaller Memorial Chapel stage, playing in the percussion section of the band when BVU celebrated its 125th anniversary that fall.
“We had kept our eye on BVU since Shayla’s sophomore year in high school,” Stacey said. “The BVU campus is perfect. The school is family oriented. She chose my alma mater and I couldn’t be more proud.”
A fact and feeling accented in a pair of BVU graduates, in caps and gowns, embracing one another on a picture-perfect Mother’s Day beneath the Victory Arch.