Trayvon Martin Awarded Posthumous Degree In Science
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MIAMI GARDENS (CBSMiami) — Trayvon Martin was awarded a posthumous Bachelor's Degree in aviation five years after he was fatally shot in central Florida.
Martin's parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, accepted a degree in Aeronautical Science on his behalf during a graduation ceremony at Florida Memorial University on Saturday. In a statement, the university said it was honoring the steps the 17-year-old took toward becoming a pilot before his death.
"Because your son has come to mean so much to so many, his story has resonated across the nation. Because as Dr. Martin Luther King once said, 'Truth crushed to earth will rise again,'" said the school's Vice President & Provost, Dr. Michelle Howard-Vital. "While we cannot restore the loss you have suffered, please accept this small token as a monument that Trayvon is loved and that his life matters to us."
Trayvon's parents called the ceremony bittersweet.
"To say that we're thankful is an understatement," said Tracy Martin. "I think this shows what this community, how they feel, how they believe in our family, believe in our foundation, how we've worked together, it was a heartfelt moment when they called Trayvon's name to accept the degree for him, it was very touching. This was a day that we planned for as parents, we just wish that we would have watched him walk across the stage."
His family said Trayvon wanted to become a pilot.
Fulton also graduated from the historically black university in Miami Gardens with a Bachelor's Degree.
