Double Sets of Twins, Quadruple the Pride for Berkeley College Graduates
Friday, May 28, 2021
Senior Associate, Media Relations
973-200-1048
Chanel-Donaldso@BerkeleyCollege.edu
Photo Caption: (Left) Myesha and Tyesha Wilson are fraternal twins from the Bronx, NY, who graduated from Berkeley College at an outdoor ceremony held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, on Thursday, May 27, 2021. (Right) Ja’Van and Ja’Von Drakeford are identical twins from Belleville and Haskell, NJ, respectively, who also graduated from Berkeley College on May 27, 2021.
Berkeley College’s outdoor Commencement ceremony, held at MetLife Stadium on Thursday, May 27, 2021, was an especially meaningful day for two sets of twins. The Wilson twins, of the Bronx, NY, and the Drakeford twins, of Belleville and Haskell, NJ, overcame personal struggles to make it to the finish line. The bond each has with their sibling and the support of Berkeley College staff helped these graduates push through to achieve their goals.
Resilience and Sisterhood
Fraternal twins Myesha and Tyesha Wilson earned Bachelor’s degrees from Berkeley College. The sisters, who attended the New York City campus in Midtown Manhattan, stayed focused on their objectives and relied on one another to persevere through obstacles on the journey.
“Commencement is a huge milestone for us … [and] an accomplishment for our whole family,” said Myesha, who was involved in a bus accident that injured her spine during her sophomore year.
Additional bus and car collisions worsened her spinal injury and affected her vision. If not for the support of her twin sister Tyesha, her professors, academic advisor, personal counseling staff and even Berkeley College security officers who accommodated her physical limitations and encouraged her to continue with her studies, Myesha said she would have left school.
Now the two are looking forward to fruitful careers. Myesha is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and envisions working in law enforcement. Tyesha received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management and plans to start her journey as an entrepreneur.
Separate Paths that Led Back to Each Other
For Ja’Von Drakeford and his identical twin brother, Ja’Van Drakeford, earning a college degree was not a straightforward journey. Ja’Von faced academic challenges at two previous institutions he attended out-of-state before returning to his home state of New Jersey and enrolling at the Berkeley College campus in Paramus.
Coincidentally, Ja’Van’s initial experiences in college mirrored those of his brother. Ja’Van first attended a public four-year college in New Jersey where he was a student-athlete, which he says distracted him from his studies. He then attended a community college, before taking time off from school to focus on his newborn son’s birth. Afterwards, like his brother, Ja’Van enrolled at Berkeley College.
Despite embarking on separate paths initially, the brothers say attending classes with one another was just the opportunity they needed to inspire each other to achieve success. “We would just bounce ideas off each other and that’s how we got good grades. We stuck together,” said Ja’Von.
Now both fathers, the two also say consistent, caring outreach from faculty motivated them to achieve more than they thought they could. Earning Associate’s degrees in Criminal Justice from Berkeley College will help them provide a better future for their families.
To read the full story about Myesha and Tyesha Wilson, click here.
To read the full story about Ja’Von and Ja’Van Drakeford, click here.
Berkeley College celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2021. The theme commemorating this milestone is “Empowering Lives for 90 Years!” Visit the 90th Anniversary webpage for more information.
About Berkeley College
Berkeley College, founded in 1931, is a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers students Master’s, Bachelor’s, and Associate’s degree and Certificate programs in more than 20 career fields. The College also offers continuing education programs to enhance career credentials.
Berkeley College has campuses in Midtown Manhattan and White Plains, NY, as well as in Newark, Paramus, Woodbridge, and Woodland Park, NJ, with more than 4,900 students enrolled. In addition, Berkeley College Online® serves a global population. U.S. News & World Report has named Berkeley College among the Best Colleges for Online Bachelor’s Programs and among the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans, for eight consecutive years. The website address is www.BerkeleyCollege.edu.
The mission of Berkeley College is to empower students to achieve lifelong success in dynamic careers.
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To view high-resolution versions of the above photos, visit:
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