Walking to class at Penn State, you wouldn't always expect to bump into your mother, let alone catch her walking out of the same classroom.

Strangely enough, this is exactly what happened to Lori and Matthew Bertschman.

"We still talk about that time, and we just looked at each other and
we didn't know what to do. It was so awkward that we just said 'hey' and kept on walking," Lori Bertschman said.

Lori and Matthew Bertschman will be celebrating their graduation ceremonies together at University Park this Saturday. Both will be entering the workforce -- Matthew Bertschman will be working for City Year Philadelphia, an organization that aids students with college and career planning as well as classroom tutoring across the city, while Lori Bertschman will be working for the United Way of Berks County.

"Sometime during fall semester I was driving home and thought, 'Oh my God we can graduate the same semester'," Lori Bertschman said.

Lori Bertschman (senior-business marketing), 46, began her higher education 12 years ago while working full time at Agere Systems, which offered an on-site teaching program in which Penn State came to the workplace to teach employers.

"I started taking the classes for no other reason than it was something I've always wanted to do. Penn State made it simple; my first 30 credits were earned through the company's on-site program," Lori Bertschman said.

Matthew Bertschman (senior-communications arts and sciences) took a more direct route to earning his degree. After two years at Penn State's Berks Campus, he finished his last two years at University Park campus.

"This wasn't planned at all," Mathew Bertschman said of the dual graduation.

He added that he had grown up with his mother already taking classes, so there wasn't the awkwardness one might expect being in the same class as his or her mother.

When Lori Bertschman's job was transferred to another facility an hour away from home, her company gave her an opportunity to voluntarily retire and receive payment for further schooling.

"Full-time college was a lot less stressful than driving two hours on the road, working eight hours and taking two hours of classes a day. For the first time in my life I was able to sleep in," she said.

Once starting full-time schooling at Penn State Berks, Lori Bertschman was initially nervous about the age difference between her and most of the student body but soon grew used to her surroundings.

"A couple of classes had people my age there, and I was used to being around my kids' friends, so it wasn't too awkward," she said.

The pair even took a kinesiology class together in the summer of 2005 at Penn State Berks.

"We would battle it out to see who could get the better grade," Matthew Bertschman said.

Lori Bertschman credits her son's similar career path as a testament to how she raised her children.

"We've always taught our kids to appreciate what they have, and to give back whatever you can. Matt has always been a kind, caring, giving person," she said.