Mother/Daughter Duo Navigate College Together

Careers in education run in the family for Kim and Jess Cable ’23. 

The mother-daughter duo, who are both pursuing master’s degrees in education—Reading Specialist for mom Kim, and Diversity and Student Resilience for daughter Jessica—are on track to graduate from York College in December 2023.

Both had previously attended the College for their bachelor’s degrees. Kim always wanted to be a teacher, but life took her down another path. Her family moved to York in 2000, and she began research about local colleges in the area that would fit her needs.

“After my daughter and son entered first and third grade, respectively, in 2003, I decided I wanted to return to the workforce. I always loved working with children, so I decided to pursue my childhood dream of being a teacher,” Kim says.

She enrolled at York College in fall 2003 as a nontraditional student, then obtained her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Special Education in 2007.

Jess had a similar story.

“My answer is quite similar to my mom’s. I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. When my mom became a teacher, it was so exciting to help set up the room and attend Bring Your Child to Work Day,” Jess explains. “In high school, I was able to experience the profession by helping with the preschool class located in my high school and completing two internships in elementary and high school classrooms. The [York College] Education program is not only about teaching, but helping students succeed from all walks of life.”

When it came time for Jess to choose a college, she wanted to stay local with the ability to commute.

“I chose York College as I enjoyed the small class sizes and the strong Education program YCP offered,” she says. She then earned her bachelor’s degree in Early Elementary and Special Education in 2019.

Kim and Jess have been side-by-side throughout the entirety of their master’s programs. They’ve taken two classes together and have helped each other with brainstorming ideas and completing activities—but always made sure to complete assignments separately.

“Personally, I love taking classes with my daughter,” Kim says. “When we had the same courses, we would occasionally discuss upcoming classes or how to complete other activities. I always felt comfortable asking my daughter questions regarding technology or other related class questions.”

“It has been a neat experience to take two classes with my mom. Instead of saying, ‘Talk to you later,’ on the phone, we would say, ‘See you in class!’” Jess adds. “We would brainstorm ideas together but were very serious about completing assignments separately.”

Kim and Jess’s favorite part of being in the Education program at the same time is being able to share ideas and learn with one another.

“Since we are both in the Education program, it’s nice that we can share what we have learned with each other. Jess will often share tidbits about information she gained, which in turn, helps me in the classroom,” Kim explains.

“I love building off each other’s information and adding our own prior knowledge. This is especially helpful as we both took classes focused on student resiliency,” Jess says. “If we find a student is having a difficult time, it helps that we are able to utilize our own knowledge from class and previous experiences to help each other’s students.”

Overall, Kim and Jess have had a positive experience in the Education program at York College—and going through college together. Their professors have been an invaluable resource, they say.

“My experience at YCP has been a very positive one. My professors have been wonderful, and I have met new friends. My advisors have always been extremely helpful and informative, especially scheduling classes,” Kim says. “The coursework has given me the opportunity to see through the Reading Specialist lens in my classroom with my students.”

“York College has offered a welcoming environment since day one. When beginning graduate courses, it was easy to decide to continue with YCP as my undergraduate experience was positive,” Jess adds. “I enjoy professors being personable as I view them as valuable mentors. I have run into several professors, whether stopping by my classroom when visiting a current student completing field experience hours or seeing them at the store.”

Now at the end of their academic careers together, Kim reflects on having her daughter by her side the entire time.

“It is such a great feeling to have my daughter next to me throughout this journey,” she says.