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True Blue family goes five for five
Gushing with excitement, the whole family attended Winter Commencement ceremonies and cheered as Carie received her degree in fashion merchandising. Friends and relatives, including Amy’s cousin, Katie O’Leary Battaglia, and her husband, Russ, both UD alumni from New York, later joined the family for a celebration in Greenville. “I feel very honored to be carrying on the UD tradition that was started by my parents,” Carie said. “My parents, my sister and my brother are all very successful today due, in part, to the education they received and the experiences they had at UD. I just hope that I can follow in their footsteps.” John and Sharon Riley first met at UD’s student center in 1965. John, a former captain of the golf team, graduated in 1968 with a degree in history, while Sharon, who was a Blue Hen cheerleader, earned her degree in physical education in 1969. John is the director of public affairs at Hercules Inc., and Sharon, a senior claims examiner at AIG Insurance, serves on the UD Alumni Association board.
Their first child, Amy, who was a diver on the swim team, graduated in 1995 with a degree in biology and now lives in Ridgewood, N.J., with her husband, Jim Clements, and their two daughters, Hailey, 2, and 4-month-old Ava Anne. Tim, of Bridgewater, N.J., was a member of the golf team who received a degree in sociology in 1999. Amy owns and operates a fitness business, Stroller Strides, and Tim is a retail credit analyst for Mercedes Benz of North America in Parsippany, N.J. “It is a unique thing knowing that everyone in our family has now graduated from UD,” Amy said. “It goes to show what a great school it must be if all of us wanted to attend school there. It’s hard to believe that my little sister is graduating from UD. I know that she has thoroughly enjoyed her time there, and it is nice to know that we have that in common besides being sisters.” The excitement, John said, also marks the end of an era. “We are very excited, pleased for Carie, but also a little sad,” he said. “In addition to the time Sharon and I spent at UD, we have a had a son or daughter on campus for most of the last 14 years.” Sharon said the sight of students in gowns gathered at the Bob Carpenter Sports/Convocation Center was a nostalgic experience that brought back memories of her own and John’s graduations. “It’s very exciting to be back here. We’ve done this a few times but it feels different every time,” she said. “We usually come to sports events, and we’ve been involved in various fund-raising events for the athletics program over the years, particularly the golf team, so we’ll always be part of the UD community.” Tim said the reason behind the family’s deep involvement with UD is simple: “When we find something good, we stick to it. My experience at the University of Delaware also helped me get to where I am today.” Carie, who worked as administrative assistant at the Delaware Biotechnology Institute for more than four years and interned for Delaware Sen. Tom Carper in Washington, D.C., last summer, said the wealth of her education both in and out of class at UD has prepared her for a variety of career possibilities. “My four-and-a-half years at UD were definitely the best of my life,” she said. “I met amazing people and created long-lasting memories. Being a sister in Chi Omega sorority provided me with the opportunity to make lifelong friends, become more involved in activities around campus and participate in numerous philanthropic events.” Article by Martin Mbugua To learn how to subscribe to UDaily, click here. |
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