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Campus policeman graduates college with son and daughter

Patrick McGill, a longtime campus police officer at Eastern Michigan University, graduated alongside his son and daughter on Sunday.

For a Michigan trio, graduation was a family affair. 

Siblings Ryan, Regan and their father Patrick McGill graduated from Eastern Michigan University at the same time. 

"It's like hitting the lottery," Patrick said. 

Patrick, who earned a degree in construction management, has been a policeman at EMU for 20 years. 

He's been taking a few classes at a time since 2008, sometimes working full time while also being a full-time student. He says everyone knows him around campus, so when students would see him in their classes, they would sometimes ask him if he was working undercover. (He wasn't, he confirms with a laugh.)

Patrick said he wanted to show his kids it's possible to work and take classes at the same time. 

Credit: Eastern Michigan University
Left to right: Patrick, Ryan and Regan McGill

Ryan finished his courses in December, but when he found out his sister would be graduating in April, he decided to wait to walk until the spring. Patrick checked in with his course adviser and learned he was also on track to graduate with his kids. 

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The three were even able to walk in the same ceremony together.

Ryan studied exercise science while his sister Regan graduated with degrees in psychology and women's studies. 

Patrick said Regan plans to enlist in the Air Force and then pursue a graduate degree, while Ryan will work on his clinical hours to become a physician's assistant. 

Credit: Eastern Michigan University
Left to right: Regan, Patrick and Ryan McGill

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