If you were to look in the book of Guinness Book of World Records, you’ll find all types of interesting achievements, from Dubai crushing the largest fireworks display world record with 479,651 fireworks, to Tillman, the English Bulldog covering a 100 meter stretch of level car park in just 19.678 seconds.
While records are normally meant to be broken, in the Wayne’s family case, they aren’t record-breaking, they are record-setting.
The Wayne family is attempting to claim the record for the largest number of family members to attend the same university-Grambling State University-with 86 Wayne family members.
Not only would this be a world record, but the Wayne family is also looking at this as an accomplishment.
“Having 51 family members to graduate from the same university, rooted lineage in small rural Marion, Louisiana, and to move on and be productive citizens all over the world is more than an accomplishment, it is a bestowed blessing from the Supreme Being,” Hattie Wayne, the organizer of the family’s record attempt, said.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, there has not been a record set for this particular category, and the Waynes will be the first to claim it.
“We have received an application and a new record category has been created for the “Most family members to graduate from the same university,” said Sara Wilcox, who works for the Guinness World Records press office.
As soon as the Waynes provide documentation to the Guinness World Records and the verification process is complete, it would be official. The Waynes family would have the largest number of family member to attend one university.
Hattie Wayne, the leader of process, said that they are moving to get this document sent off by the end of the month and they are still waiting on letters.
She also said that the family would request a fast review and pay the designated cost.
The enormous Wayne family became successful in many different professions.Some succeed in medicine, law, education, the military, business, engineering, professional sports, science, criminal justice and acting and music. Indianapolis Colts Super Bowl wide receiver, Reggie Wayne’s father Ralph Wayne went to Grambling and is apart of the 86 members.
Although the family is now speeded across the country, the family calls Marion Louisiana, a small town traveling East of Grambling, home, so it’s no secret that the family’s education rooted from Grambling State University.
Several generations after graduation, Hattie Wayne, owner of Hattie Wayne Public Relations & Advertising, said that she could name at least 50 Waynes who went to Grambling, as a result she submitted a claim in August and the Guinness World Records in August responded in October.
She then spent time gather all the documentation to prove her claim of the most family members to attend the same university, starting with Grambling State’s registrar’s office.
Patricia Hutcherson, university registrar for GSU, verified that 86 Wayne family members – from ten branches of the family spanning more than five generations – enrolled at GSU and that 51 Waynes graduated with degrees.