A number of local students attending East Mississippi Community College were part of the spring 2018 graduation ceremonies May 8 at the college’s Golden Triangle and Scooba campuses.
The ceremonies included more than 650 academic and career-technical students who completed their coursework at the Scooba, Golden Triangle, Columbus Air Force Base, Naval Air Station Meridian, Lion Hills, West Point Center and online/eLearning campuses.
Graduation ceremonies for students at the Scooba campus took place beginning at 10 a.m. Two graduation ceremonies were conducted on the Golden Triangle campus, with the first at 2 p.m. for academic students and a second beginning at 6 p.m. for career technical students.
The graduates hail from 46 counties and 108 cities in Mississippi, 11 states and two foreign countries, including Choctaw County. Graduates from Choctaw County include:
Ackerman: Latoya Baber, Brady Cagle, Christopher Dean, Jaiye Gillon Matthew Lawson, Michael Miller, Isaac Newman, and Kyle Pittman. Mathiston: Linda Fuller. Weir: James Dylan, Jabaubi Nash, and Angelia Wade.
EMCC President Dr. Thomas Huebner had two pieces of advice for the graduates.
“The first is don’t stop here,” Huebner said. “The second is don’t forget what is important. Today is special but it should not be your crowning achievement. Your life should be taking off from here. It should not be landing. This is day one of a better future.”
Huebner recounted the story of Oakland Athletics outfielder Stephen Piscotty, whose mother died earlier this month from Lou Gehrig’s disease. In 2015, Piscotty signed on with the St. Louis Cardinals and in 2017 was awarded a six-year, $33.5-million contract extension. When Piscotty’s mother fell ill, the Cardinals agreed to trade him to Oakland for two minor leaguers, allowing Piscotty out of the contract so he could move closer to his mother.
“Even in our journey to the top we can’t be afraid to make decisions — decisions that may not make sense to anyone but you that reflect the truly important,” Huebner said. “Windows of opportunity will absolutely be open throughout the course of your life. But don’t sacrifice who you are and what’s important to pursue those windows of opportunity.”
