College student who delivered baby before graduation surprised with ceremony at hospital

Jada Sayles received two special deliveries over the weekend.
On Friday evening, Sayles went into labor, and she gave birth to her son on Saturday — the same day she was supposed to graduate from Dillard University in New Orleans. "I was scheduled to get induced Saturday at 5 p.m.," she told WDSU. "So after graduation, I was planning on heading to the hospital."
Dr. Walter Kimbrough, the university's president, didn't want Sayles to miss out on the celebration, and went to the hospital to confer her degree. Sayles wore her cap and gown, and her family — including newborn Easton — witnessed the mini-ceremony. She ended her college career with a 4.0 GPA, and "was so proud of myself and I wanted to celebrate such a big accomplishment," Sayles said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
She earned her bachelor's degree in criminal justice with an emphasis in pre-law, and her goal is to attend law school. Sayles told WDSU she wants other college students to know that even when it seems like the odds are against them, they can finish school. "You can do it with a kid," she said. "You can do it without a kid. You can do it pregnant. You can do it not pregnant. You can do it."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Denmark’s record-setting arms purchase raises eyebrows and anxiety
IN THE SPOTLIGHT By eschewing American-made munitions for their European counterparts, the Danish government is bracing for Russian antagonism and sending a message to the West
-
Is hate speech still protected speech?
Talking Points Pam Bondi’s threat to target hate speech raises concerns
-
‘Mental health care is health care’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclub
Speed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talk
Speed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
7 places across the country to experience the best of summer drinking
The Week Recommends Stops include a Basque-inspired spot and a bar where the menu overhauls twice a year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle