Last Of Four Brothers – Twins Lance And Lawrn – Set To Graduate Friday
Regina and Lorenzo Calloway III of Houston made many sacrifices so their children could attend college and when their twins, Lance and Lawrn, graduate from Texas A&M University Friday (Aug. 16), they will be the proud parents of four Aggie grads.
Lance is set to receive his degree in anthropology and Lawrn in sociology.
The three younger brothers followed their oldest brother, Lorenzo (Class of 2008), to Aggieland.
“My oldest brother Lorenzo’s decision to attend Texas A&M played a huge role in Erin (Class of 2009), Lawrn and myself following him to Texas A&M,” Lance explains.
His twin, Lawrn, agrees saying, “Lance and I went to College Station every summer to spend time with our brothers; we enjoyed the traditions and everything Texas A&M had to offer. Time came for our decision and the first school I applied for was Texas A&M. There wasn’t another school I wanted to attend.”
The twins say it is family that inspired them to be Aggies and they plan to pass that on to others in the Calloway clan. “We have a lot of younger cousins who look up to us four and we have tried our best to be that example they might strive for and surpass one day,” Lance adds.
Then there is the Aggie family.
The brothers say they believe it is the “Spirit of Aggieland” itself that is inspiring and everything that it encompasses the atmosphere, the experiences, The 12th Man, the camaraderie, the memories. They say the relationships developed at Texas A&M are relationships they will have for the remainder of their lives.
The Calloways describe Texas A&M as not just an opportunity, but as “the opportunity of a lifetime.”
“This school nourishes your development from a child into a young adult via educational experiences and internship availability while shaping your mind into a tool to be reckoned with in your field of study,” Lance explains. “I cannot stress enough The Aggie Network which starts the first day you step foot on campus. Getting out, meeting new people, genuinely getting to know those people and learning about new things, experiences and other cultures from all over the world. It expands your thought process; your potential is just waiting to be harvested.”
Lawrn says being an Aggie has changed his life. “The change wasn’t exclusive to intellect but spiritual growth, maturity level and how to better interact with people who don’t look the way I do.”
Lance and Lawrn say they have done all they can to take advantage of those experiences and opportunities by participating in student organizations and activities such as the Maximizing Educational Development through Academic & Leadership Skills (MEDALS) conference, The Big Event, the largest student-run community service project in the nation, as well as membership in organizations outside the university such as the NAACP and Red Cross.
As part of the spirit of community service, Lance has talked to Houston high school students from grades 9-12 and also college students about a range of potential problems facing them, including those that have social and sexual ramifications.
“My passion is helping others, of course I would like to make plenty of dollars doing it,” he laughs. “But sincerely, helping others is fulfilling for me.”
Once he receives his degree in anthropology, Lance hopes to be a forensic analyst for the Houston Police Department and continue working toward a master’s degree first, then a Ph.D.
Lawrn is looking into pharmaceutical sales jobs while also considering working toward advanced degrees.
The twins say attending Texas A&M together has been an exhilarating experience. They say they have a great relationship and have been through tough semesters, death, divorce and failure together.
They say they have managed to “pick ourselves up and continued to push through having faith in God and faith in ourselves. We know that if we stick together and we do what we can do, Jesus would take care of the rest.”
“One thing my father always said to us was, ‘iron sharpens iron,’ and those words resonated and took root in which we always help each other strive to be better,” Lawrn adds.
“I think back on everything I and my family have been through. This graduation is a culmination of not only completion of a degree but an accomplishment that has been made possible by the sacrifice of my parents, my brothers and extended family,” Lance explains. “Without my family, without my brothers and without Lawrn, I am sure that I would not have made it this far through school. Sometimes you need that encouragement and my family has been there to encourage me.”
