22-Year-Old Twins, Raised by a Single Mother, Graduate with MBAs

 

As twin brothers, Darion and Varion Walton are certainly accustomed to doing things together. Next week, the brothers will take another big step together.

The former Honor students and alumni of both Navarro College and Sam Houston State University are now planning to walk the stage once again, this time to each receive a master’s degree in Business Administration during the Aug. 8 commencement ceremony.

The 22-year-old brothers shared common challenges while growing up in a low-income, single-parent home in Jewett. Both brothers committed to building better futures for themselves through studies and hard work. Since then, they’ve been working toward that goal together.

After graduating from high school, the twins enrolled at Navarro College in Corsicana as scholarship students. Each took 18-credit hours a semester while working four jobs: as school ambassadors, resident advisers, interns at the student center, and peer mentors. After three semesters, they both graduated magna cum laude in the Fall of 2013.

While at Navarro, their hard work, dedication and influence on others did not go unnoticed by college staffers.

“It was obvious when Darian and Varian first came to campus for their interview for the Opening Doors to Success scholarship that they were special,” said Dr. Tommy Stringer, former Navarro College instructor and administrator. “They had an immediate impact on campus life. Not only did they excel in the classroom, but they were among the most visible students on campus. They were not only members of multiple organizations but they held leadership positions in those groups.

“Two very special young men,” Stringer added.

The Rev. Dairy Johnson Sr., Senior Assistant to the Vice-president of Student Services and Community Liaison for Navarro College, said the two brothers were “exceptional” students.

“They were the type of students that were focused and determined to be successful in life,” Johnson said.

“These two students exemplified leadership, scholarship, and love for all mankind,” said Waylon Metoyer, Assistant Director of Student Recruitment. “It was a pleasure to be a part of these two growing and developing into the young professionals they are. We need more people like them.”

The twins, who received the Graduate Caston Scholarship from Navarro College, both transferred to SHSU, continued to maintain high grades while taking a heavy class load. Both were involved in multiple student organizations and honor societies on campus. The two brothers graduated in the Fall of 2014 with honors.

After receiving bachelor’s degrees, the twins decided to continue their education by pursuing graduate degrees in Business Administration. A year later, the two said it was one of the best decisions they have made.

“We prayed harder than everybody else and worked harder,” Darion said.

For the twins, their achievement meant having to sacrifice going out on the weekends occasionally.

“Our friends kind of just stopped asking,” Varion said.

The brothers attribute most of their achievements to their relationship and their similarities.

“Our values are the same,” Varion said. “Our drive is the same. We spend a lot of time together so we always studied together.”

In fact, their personalities are so similar that the two said that they’ve had many occurrences where they’ve written papers or taken tests and had the same thesis points or wrong answers.

Darion and Varion have one distinction that helps tell them apart.

“I’m a little more direct,” Darion said. “He’s a little more sugarcoating.”

While Darion admits that sharing so much may get on their nerves at times, it’s their teamwork that makes their dynamic successful.

“In college, we discovered how different we are,” Varion said. “Our differences actually complement each other. It helps us to get things done faster.”

Although the two young men plan to separate after graduation, they plan on writing a book about overcoming hindrances and continue the development of their non – profit organization, Walton Inspires.

“We don’t think we achieved it based upon genius, but based upon will, strategy, and most importantly, faith in God” Varion said.

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