A Lincoln University professor held his student’s baby after she told him she would miss her class as she couldn’t find a babysitter. The experience was life-changing for the 21-year-old student who was finally able to take notes.
“I’ve always wanted to go to an HBCU. So, I decided what’s better than the first, so I chose Lincoln,” said Imani Lamarr, 21, who is now a senior at the Pennsylvania university.
Imani Lamarr said her Science professor, Dr Aqeel Dix told her, “No. He told me no. And I was just looking at him like, no I can’t miss class? I don’t have nobody to watch my baby,” she
“I’m not going to have one of my students miss my class because they have no one to watch their child. That’s just not an option for me,” Dix said.
Imani had just returned back to school from taking a semester off after giving birth to her son prematurely. Her son had to spend months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
“It was really hard. Every day going to the hospital, seeing him and not being able to help him, it was hard,” Lamarr recalled.
Christopher Murphy, who Lamarr had named for her father, had become her world and her schedule revolved around his.
When she told Dix she had to miss class because she couldn’t find a babysitter, his answer was no.
“That’s my character. I don’t mind helping my students wherever they need me,” he said.
Lamarr wasn’t sure about bringing her baby to class, how would he behave, and would other students get distracted, but when Dix started lecturing while holding the baby, she realized she could do this.
“I never thought that it would come to that, and to have somebody who’s there for me…who really cares … it meant a lot,” she said.
Watch: Professor Holds Student’s Baby During Class
Lamarr is now a few months from graduating and says its all due to her mentor, and her 2-year-old son. “You really don’t understand how much this meant to me,” she said.
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