Lesley University(CAMBRIDGE, Mass.) — Jesse Sparks has been a busy man.
Not only was he studying to obtain a master of arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lesley University, he also interned as a high school guidance counselor at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, the same school he graduated from in 2008.
Still, he had to take a job as a night custodian at the school in order to pay for graduate school.
“That was kind of the craziness of it all,” Sparks, 27, told ABC News. “I’d work from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. as a guidance counselor — with a full caseload. When the bell rang, I’d go to the closet and change into my custodian clothes. It was 16 hours a day in one building.”
Sparks’ hard work paid off May 20 when he walked across the stage at commencement.
Lesley University said in a statement to ABC News that they’re very proud of what it took for Sparks to graduate.
“Jesse’s inspiring story speaks to the power of a dream and his determination to become a counselor,” the statement read. “Jesse is committed to doing good in this world and making important contributions. Jesse demonstrates that the dream of higher education is possible and attainable, and that it takes a lot of passion and hard work.”
The statement continued, “Jesse is an example of the kind of change-maker that Lesley University attracts and supports, and we are proud and honored to be associated with him.”
Sparks celebrated the achievement with tweeting two photos of himself — one in his custodial gear and the other of his diploma. The photos quickly went viral on Twitter, with more than 17,000 retweets and 68,000 likes.
The Massachusetts man credits two guidance counselors at his former high school for influencing his career: Lorraine Suarez-Davis and Dan Wethersby.
Now that he’s graduated, Sparks plans to work as a school guidance counselor outside of Boston.
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