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Single Mom With Five Kids Graduates Law School

By William Vogeler, Esq. on April 13, 2018 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

From the feel-good files, here's a special story about the most cheer-filled day in law school -- graduation.

Ieshia Champs is graduating magna cum laude from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. But that's not it.

The thing is Champs did it while raising five children. There is way more to the story, however, and everybody is cheering for her.

"Sweeping the Internet"

USA Today, CBS, and countless media picked up the story, but it was already "sweeping the internet." One picture said it all.

"I did it!" says a cap-and-gowned Champs next to her kids, ages 5 to 14. The backstory is even better than the front-page photo.

In 2009, Champs was ready to call it quits. A high school dropout, single mother, unemployed and broke, she lost everything in a fire. She tried to commit suicide.

Then, at that lowest point in her life, she got a calling from God to become a lawyer. Actually, she said, a church leader called her and said God wanted her to become lawyer.

"Higher Power"

Champs gives credit to her church, her children, and her God. The once-homeless child wants everybody to know there's more to life than a troubled past.

"If God can take a little girl like me who had nothing and put me in a position to where I'm graduating from a wonderful law school in the top 15% of my class Magna Cum Laude with five children, he can do anything for you," she said.

Not everybody credits God, church, and family for getting them through law school. But not everybody hits the same lows as Champs, and then rebounds to the top of the class.

That's what makes her graduation special. And that's something cheer about it.

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