Although earning their degrees at different times, all hold Quinnipiac close to their hearts and embrace their never-ending membership of the Bobcat Community.

Two pairs of sisters, Kyra Moos ’22, MS ’23 and Kaelin Moos '23, and Kathleen Moos '91 and Keri Schmidt '95, make up this support-driven legacy of strong, Quinnipiac women.

“My mom and aunt always spoke so highly about their experience in the occupational therapy program at Quinnipiac,” said Kyra, the eldest of her siblings. “They are both proud to be Quinnipiac alumnae and I’ve always wanted to have that same pride in my alma mater. My mom taught me the importance of education at a young age. She taught me that education is something that no one can take away from you. I love how she still keeps in touch with her peers and professors from her program."

Her younger sister, Kaelin, remembers early memories of walking around Quinnipiac’s Mount Carmel Campus which led her to follow in her mother’s footsteps in occupational therapy.

“Ever since I was a little girl, I would visit Quinnipiac, walk around the Quad and hike the giant with my family,” she said. “My mom shared stories of her time at Quinnipiac and throughout the visits I fell more and more in love with the campus. I had dreamt of going to Quinnipiac since I was 14 years old.”

Although looking up to her older sister, Kaelin remembers being determined to pave her own path, yet something kept pulling her back to Hamden, Connecticut.

“After my sister chose Quinnipiac, I started branching out and looking at different universities in an attempt to do my own thing,” she said. “However, each time I came back to Quinnipiac to visit her throughout her freshman year, I just had this feeling. The beautiful campus and the opportunities within the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program reassured me to go with my gut and choose Quinnipiac. Being able to share my undergraduate experience with my sister made Quinnipiac feel even more like home.”

Kyra and Kaelin’s mother, Kathleen, and her sister, Keri, followed a very similar path.

“My sister, Keri was four years younger than me,” said Kathleen. “She began her studies at another college and eventually decided to transfer to Quinnipiac and pursue occupational therapy. She saw how happy I was and decided to follow. It made me so proud that she followed me and that she chose to go to Quinnipiac. My sister became my best friend as we now are colleagues sharing the same career path.”

Keri shares this excitement with her sister as a proud Quinnipiac alumna, while also reflecting on her gratitude for getting to watch her nieces pursue a similar journey.

“I am so proud to say that I am a Quinnipiac alumna and I was ecstatic when my nieces decided to go there. Because of this, Quinnipiac will always hold a special place in my heart.”

For both Kyra and Kaelin, their mother and aunt have acted as guides while navigating their college experiences.

“My mom and aunt are my strongest female role models,” said Kyra. “I aspire to be a dedicated hard worker like both of them. They taught me the importance of building a career for myself that I’m passionate about. I especially look up to my mom as she overcame many obstacles in her childhood and ultimately proved those who doubted her wrong becoming the successful occupational therapist she is today. Ultimately, my mom and aunt showed me how to be a confident leader and professional.”

Kaelin expanded on her sister’s thoughts further.

“Thank you for shaping me into the woman I am today, mom,” she said. “I could not have gotten to where I am today without you. Thank you for pushing me constantly to be the best version of myself and supporting me as I follow my dreams.”

Their mother couldn’t be prouder of her girls, both of their graduations being the best Mother’s Day gift she could have asked for, she said.

“I cannot even put into words how proud I am of my both daughters for choosing to follow my path at Quinnipiac,” said Kathleen. “They both chose career paths that are perfect for each of them, and I am so very proud to see both of them striving to be their best. It was the absolute greatest Mother’s Day gift I could ever receive, to see both my girls walk across that stage on the same library steps and receive their degrees just as I did 30 years ago.”