Commencement Ceremony Honors Class of 2018
Story by Lauren McDonald, The Brunswick News – Reprinted with Permission
The College of Coastal Georgia awarded degrees to 130 new graduates at its fall commencement ceremony Friday.
But, despite the ceremony dedicated to their accomplishment, the day wasn’t all about the graduates, as they were informed by the college’s president Michelle Johnston.
“It’s not all about you,” Johnston told the graduates in her address.
Instead, the diplomas they received were a culmination of support from the numerous people who helped them reach that milestone, Johnston said.
“Think of the challenges you faced, the trials you’ve overcome, the victories, the greatest moments,” she said. “Were any of those all about you? My guess is that you can count those times where you and only you were to have all the credit on maybe one or two fingers.”
The family, friends, professors, college staff and community members who helped the graduates along their way were in attendance at the commencement, which was held at the Jekyll Island Convention Center.
The college is student-focused, Johnston said, but the institution cannot best serve its students without the support of others, including Coastal Georgia alumni. She encouraged the students to continue being a part of the college’s story and to help support future generations of students.
“You have woven new threads into our tapestry, and I hope you are proud to be a Coastal graduate and that you will take the college forward and work, with others, to show the world what this experience is all about,” she said.
Mackenzie Trammell, who graduated with a bachelor of science in interdisciplinary studies, reminisced in her charge to the Class of 2018 about the challenges and joys they experienced together throughout their years at the college.
“No matter how you came to the college, aren’t you glad that Coastal Georgia ended up to be your home?” Trammell asked.
The graduates’ accomplishment, though, was more than a piece of paper, she said.
“This accolade opens so many doors for us,” she said. “So be bold and step through them. Be unapologetically yourself and keep your chin up.”
Johnston said she foresees bright futures for the graduates.
“Our graduates are our best ambassadors,” she said. “You are our pride and joy. You are our mark on this world.”