Educational achievements often come with a lot of well-earned pomp and circumstance. This diploma, printed and embossed on form-fitted paper lined with a maroon cover, commemorates an important academic milestone in Alyssa’s life. The left page shows a drawing of her high school; the right contains her certification of graduation with her three seals of exceptional study. Alyssa is the first person from her mother’s side of the family to graduate from high school, and “it means a lot to [her.]” Alyssa plans to carry her ambition forward by becoming a first-generation college graduate in 2025.

Listen to Alyssa’s remarks about her triumph:

This object is part of the “Personal Growth” section of the Artifacts of Experience exhibition designed by University of Cincinnati students in the “Introduction to Public History” course in 2023.
We encourage you to explore the other objects in our collection.

Transcript

Tyler Hess [TH]: Why did you choose your diploma? 

Alyssa Coffey [AC]: Because I am very proud of my diploma. 

[TH]: What does it mean to you? 

[AC]: It means a lot to me because. I felt like that high school was really long and that I wasn’t ever going to get out of it. 

[TH]: When you look at your diploma, what memories does it bring back? 

[AC]: It makes me really miss my friends and miss high school. 

[TH]: What is your favorite story to tell about your diploma? 

[AC]: When I was walking in front of everybody and I had to shake this guy’s hand and get a picture with him, with my diploma and I was holding it upside down and he had to fix it.