A new mum who submitted her final piece of coursework two days before giving birth to twins has celebrated her graduation with her baby sons.
Daniela Rea Keegan discovered she was pregnant shortly after beginning her Masters in Real Estate Management & Investment at Edinburgh Napier University.
The 29-year-old from Glasgow continued with her studies, passing her final exam while her boys, Matteo and Lorenzo, were just three months old.
They joined Daniela at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall where she collected her degree, which she completed with distinction.
It is her second graduation with ENU, having previously studied for a BSc (Hons) in Architectural Technology, which she completed in 2019.
Her graduation marks the end of a whirlwind time for Daniela, having also married her boyfriend of 10 years shortly before she returned to university.
Celebrating her graduation, Daniela said: “There were definitely moments when it would have been easier to put my studies on hold, but becoming a mum made me even more determined to finish what I had started.
“I was determined to continue with my degree, although my pregnancy became increasingly challenging. I attended regular clinics and had to manage my studies remotely, while also dealing with the demands and uncertainty of a twin pregnancy.
“I wanted to achieve the degree for myself, but also to show my boys one day that even when life takes an unexpected turn, you can still keep working towards something that matters to you.”
The final, defining moments of Daniela’s studies arrived in quick succession. She submitted her last piece of coursework just two days before the boys were born by emergency caesarean section.
Because of the birth, she was unable to sit her final exam at the original time, returning to complete it when her sons were just three months old.
She also continued working on and eventually submitted my dissertation while caring for the two newborns.
Daniela added: “Being able to graduate after such an intense and life-changing journey, with my twin boys there to see it, makes the occasion incredibly special.
“Looking back, it has been a year of huge change, challenge and determination, and completing my Masters with distinction is something I will always be proud of.”
Daniela graduated alongside fellow students from Edinburgh Napier University’s School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment.
ENU’s autumn graduation ceremonies are being held at the Usher Hall between 27-30 October 2026.