Inez Phillips Durham and her daughter Jennifer Durham officially became the first parent-child duo to receive doctorates in psychology from Rutgers’ GSAPP, a milestone the pair say is the product of decades of sacrifice, study, and mutual support. “Jennifer and I were the first parent-child to graduate from GSAPP. I’m very proud of that,” Inez told the university. 

The headline-worthy moment sits on top of a life lived against difficult odds. Inez first enrolled at the New Jersey College for Women in 1953 as the only Black woman in her class; she went on to earn a bachelor’s in psychology in 1957, a master’s in social work in 1961, and a doctorate in psychology from GSAPP in 1984 — all while raising her daughter as a single mother after her husband died in 1975. 

“I did it by the grace of God,” Inez said, reflecting on juggling motherhood, school, and work as a psychotherapist, school social worker, and tennis instructor. Jennifer says those early years shaped both her life and career. 

She remembers sitting in the university library while her mother worked on dissertations and homework: “We had a unique relationship starting when my dad passed away. I was with her a lot,” she recalled. Jennifer later followed her mother into the field, pursuing graduate study herself and ultimately choosing the PsyD after her mother encouraged her: “When I considered going for my MSW, she encouraged me [to] go for my PsyD. It’s the best decision I ever made.” 

Today, Jennifer is a professor at Rutgers, focused on reducing mental-health disparities among marginalized youth — a mission that links the duo’s personal history to public service. Their joint achievement is both symbolic (a first for GSAPP) and practical: it highlights multigenerational Black excellence in psychology and underlines the role of family mentorship in expanding representation in clinical and academic mental-health fields.