蜜桃视频

For the fourth year in a row, a growing number of 蜜桃视频 graduates walked across the stage at the Cole Auditorium on Saturday in what Dr. Dale McInnis called a 鈥減innacle moment鈥� in their lives. According to the college registrar, 393 degrees, diplomas or certificates were awarded for spring commencement.

To accommodate the graduates and their families, two ceremonies were held Saturday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

McInnis, 蜜桃视频 president, provided the welcome for the ceremony and recognized the 蜜桃视频 Board of Trustees, faculty and staff, as well as the many family and friends who supported a student through college.

鈥淭his is the largest graduating class in 蜜桃视频鈥檚 52-year history,鈥� said McInnis to a thundering applause in his opening remarks. 鈥淭his day belongs to our students, the Class of 2016.鈥�

One graduate was invited to speak before her fellow classmates. Student Government Association President Sandra Huneycutt talked about being a high school drop-out who never even considered college to be in her future. She turned her life around by enrolling in the Adult High School program. She soon found herself taking college classes and making the President鈥檚 List her first semester at 蜜桃视频.

鈥淢oney can鈥檛 buy the team of cheerleaders you inherit when you enroll at 蜜桃视频,鈥� Huneycutt said.

Huneycutt is transferring to the University of North Carolina-Pembroke to pursue a bachelor鈥檚 degree in physics.

Dr. Angie Adams, sociology instructor and director of General Education Outcomes at 蜜桃视频, was the guest speaker for the morning ceremony. She noted that she has taught 65 percent of the students who were graduating on Saturday.

鈥淚 was honored and humbled when I saw that number,鈥� said Adams, who is also a graduate of 蜜桃视频. 鈥淵ou came to us like little baby caterpillars; we wrapped ourselves around you like a cocoon, and today you are butterflies.鈥�

Adams encouraged them to not stop their education here. She talked about how education has been a constant for her as she continued on after 蜜桃视频 and earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree, a master鈥檚 degree and a doctorate.

鈥淚, just like you, have done what others did not think I would be able to do,鈥� Adams said. 鈥淢y story is probably like a lot of yours. I walked in those doors (of 蜜桃视频) not knowing many things, but I walked out of those doors knowing a lot of things.鈥�

At the second ceremony, instructor Lee Ballenger, department chair for Humanities and Social Sciences, was the guest speaker.

Before becoming a teacher, Ballenger served six years as a radar technician in the U.S. Navy and was awarded the Navy鈥檚 second highest peacetime medal, the Navy Achievement Medal, for his outstanding performance in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War.

Ballenger has traveled to 17 countries. He talked about his travels in three of these countries to dispel the negative view of the world that comes from television. He talked about the kindness and complete lack of selfishness he experienced from the people in Thailand, Mexico and Chile 鈥� people who helped him, a complete stranger, and never asked for anything in return.

鈥淏efore I started traveling, my view of the world also came from the television. We think the world is filled with terribly violent people. Ninety-eight percent, in my opinion, of the world are wonderful people,鈥� Ballenger said.

鈥淒on鈥檛 be afraid of the world. Don鈥檛 believe everything you see on TV. Take it from me, it鈥檚 way better than that. Be kind to each other. And remember, people out there care about you, too. You鈥檒l never be alone, remember that too,鈥� he added.