Family bonds often run deep, but a Texas father and son transformed theirs into a legacy of unity and academic achievement. On Tuesday (Dec. 16), 53-year-old Lamontry Lott and his son, Mikel Lott, crossed the stage together, earning bachelor’s degrees at the same ceremony at the University of North Texas (UNT) at Dallas.
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Prior to the ceremony, the pair spoke with KXAS-TV’s Noelle Walker about their unusual situation. Lamontry told the outlet he is a Dallas firefighter engineer with 24 years of service with the fire department. Mikel is a retired U.S. Army sergeant, Afghanistan War veteran and Dallas high school teacher, according to TODAY.
“I’m blessed to have a father like my father,” Mikel shared with KXAS-TV. “He’s outstanding, he always [preaches] education is very important, and he’s leading by example.”
His father, who dropped out of high school and later earned his GED, explained the dual significance of earning his bachelor’s degree with this son: “It’s going to be awesome because for me, I get to support my son and also fulfill a long life dream that I had for myself,” he told the outlet.
Lamontry’s belief in education has shaped Mikel’s path. Recently, the younger Lott was named Teacher of the Year for Promise at Hillcrest High School in Dallas.
“Now I didn’t graduate summa cum laude like my son,” Lamontry said with pride, referencing the highest academic honors. Still, he beamed about his first opportunity to wear a cap and gown, as well as the ability to break both a family and “generational cycle” by earning college degrees together.
The Lotts are among the 23.6% of Black men who have earned a bachelor’s degree. And the father-son duo isn’t done yet: They’re going to keep pursuing higher education together. Both will be returning to UNT for graduate school and plan to start next fall.
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