Mother and Daughter Make History as First Parent-Child Duo to Graduate From Rutgers Psychology School

A mother and daughter have made history as the first parent-child duo to graduate from the psychology program at Rutgers University.

The trailblazing pair, Inez Phillips Durham and her daughter Jennifer Durham, both earned advanced degrees from Rutgers’ Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, though decades apart.

Inez first arrived on campus in 1953 as a student at the New Jersey College for Women, which served as Rutgers’ women’s college at the time. The university would not become fully coeducational until 1972. During her early years, she was the only Black student in her class and was not assigned a roommate.

Despite the challenges, Inez rose to become class president and earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1957. She later returned to Rutgers to complete a master’s degree in social work in 1961, and once again came back to pursue a doctorate in psychology, which she completed in 1984.

At the time, Inez was raising Jennifer as a single mother after her husband, John, died of a heart attack in 1975. While pursuing her doctorate, she worked as a psychotherapist, a school social worker, and a tennis instructor, all while caring for her daughter.

“I did it by the grace of God,” Inez said while speaking to the university. “I prayed every day for the determination to get that degree. It wasn’t easy, but we managed. I say ‘we’ because Jennifer had to be more independent.”

Reflecting on their close bond, Jennifer said:

“We had a unique relationship starting when my dad passed away. I was with her a lot,”

She added:

“When I had off from school, I went to work with her. She was my first role model really of what a leader was,”

Inspired by her mother’s example, Jennifer later pursued her own doctorate from the School of Applied and Professional Psychology, earning her Ph.D. in 1992 — eight years after her mother.

“Jennifer and I were the first parent-child to graduate from GSAPP. I’m very proud of that,” Inez said.

“It sunk in how unique this was for us,” Jennifer added. “When I considered going for my MSW, she encouraged me go for my PsyD. It’s the best decision I ever made.”

In 2020, Jennifer returned to Rutgers as a professor, dedicating her career to reducing educational and mental health disparities among marginalized youth — a mission she credits to her mother’s influence.

“One of our main things is service. Always, always, always give back,” Jennifer said. “That was core to who she is and she passed that on to me. That’s a big part of our family and why Rutgers resonates with her so much.”