In fact, this will be Cleveland’s first commencement of any kind. He never did officially graduate high school.
His walk to the stage to receive his degree in sociology and criminal justice from President Dr. Henry N. Tisdale has truly been a long journey.
It will be paved through the lessons his parents, Gerald and Daisy, taught him from an early age and through the encouragement of his wife, Priscilla, a Claflin graduate who now works as a junior procurement specialist at the university. The memory of his late sister, Tangela, will also weigh heavily on Cleveland’s mind as he ascends to the next step in his future.
“This is nothing short of amazing. I have never worn a cap and gown before,” Cleveland said. “My degree really belongs to my parents because of the example they’ve led. I can’t wait to shake the president’s hand and get that diploma.”
This fall, Cleveland will pursue a Juris Doctor degree from the Charlotte School of Law. To truly grasp his transformation from high school dropout to law school student, the story must begin in 1987.
It was the year Tangela was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease that attacks the brain and spinal cord. Read more:
