Heather Swensgard, 30, of Batavia said she and her mother, Gayle Heintzelman, worked very hard to earn their graduate degrees in education -- so hard they didn't notice a pile of dirty laundry in the background of a video they recorded for the program, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported Sunday.

"It happened at about midnight, and it was one of those moments we just had to apologize for the laundry," the master's graduate said.

Swensgard said graduating Saturday alongside her 60-year-old mother was also the completion of another goal: graduating before her own children started school.

The Enquirer said Swensgard has two children, ages 3 and 5, but wanted to earn her master's to help in her job as a human resources worker.

Heintzelman, who also is a Batavia resident, told the newspaper her new degree will come in useful at Mercy Hospital Clermont, where she supervises nearly 650 workers.