Faith, who was one of SCC's first Board of Trustees members, serving 1986-1995, and was director of development for the SCC Foundation from 1997-2005, congratulated graduates on their many accomplishments. She also reflected on the early days of the college and its growth over the past 25 years.
“Each of you has a different story, a different path, a different reason for being here and graduating with the class of 2012 today,” Faith said. “You may not realize this, but along the way, you've set an important precedent, a benchmark and a quality example for all who will grace the halls of this college in the future.”
“In the first graduating class - wait for it - there were a total of three graduates,” Faith said. “Today, by comparison, more than 735 students are eligible to graduate today.”
Also addressing a crowd of nearly 1,500 graduates, faculty, relatives and friends was student representative Jill Browder, of St. Peters, an Associate of Arts degree graduate with a 4.0 grade point average. Browder is pursuing a bachelor's degree in behavioral science from Missouri Baptist University and hopes to continue on to a master's degree in counseling. Browder is married to a firefighter and has one daughter who is a first grade teacher.
“Upon graduating, each us are pursuing a different path. Some of you will continue your education, some may start a job, or travel the world,” Browder said. “So graduates, give yourself a pat on the back, embrace the future, and by taking it one day, one commitment and one decision at a time, you will accomplish the kind of success that you personally will dream of.”
During the commencement ceremony, the Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to LCDR Tina M. Cox, MSN, MSM, CNS-BC, RNC, of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps. Cox, 50, of Highland Park, Ill., is a perinatal clinical nurse specialist and is the division officer for the immunization and administration clinics for recruit training at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center.
Presiding over the commencement ceremony was SCC President Ron Chesbrough, Ph.D., with Ryan Robertson, president of the SCC Board of Trustees, and Chris Breitmeyer, interim vice president for academic and student affairs assisting with the conferring of degrees and certificates. Music was provided by the SCC Concert Band, directed by Ben Meyer, and the SCC Singers and Show Choir, directed by Gene Ditch and Becky Thorn. The Commencement Marshal was Darren Osburn, associate professor of speech and communications. Ushers included cadets from the Eastern Missouri Law Enforcement Training Academy and from student organizations and college staff.
To view more photos from the commencement ceremony, visit flickr.com/stchas.
Established in 1986, St. Charles Community College is celebrating 25 years as a public, comprehensive two-year community college with associate degrees and certificate programs in the arts, business, sciences and career-technical fields. SCC provides workforce training and community-based personal and professional development as well as cultural, recreational and entertainment opportunities. For more information, visit www.stchas.edu.