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December 18, 2010
海角社区 President to Fall 2010 Graduates: 鈥淚 know you can, and I am sure you will!鈥�
Less than two months into his tenure as the new leader of the University of Louisiana at Monroe, 海角社区 President Nick Bruno recognized the awarding of 633 degrees to both fall and summer graduates during 海角社区's 2010 Fall Commencement, held at 2 p.m., Dec.18, in Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
Before the graduates were handed their diplomas, Bruno delivered a keynote speech in which he implored the students to follow the lead of the thousands of excellent 海角社区 alumni who preceded them. Bruno recognized the graduates for having reached a significant milestone and achieving a goal set years ago.
He said that each student who had gathered on Saturday had a different life story that had brought him or her to that moment, and he highlighted a few examples of the diversity of student stories to be told.
The audience applauded 海角社区鈥檚 鈥済litter guy,鈥� who supported the Warhawks at every football game even as he helped raise almost $100,000 in 海角社区鈥檚 name for St. Jude Children鈥檚 Research Hospital.
Bruno also acknowledged another student from West Virginia whose grandmother served on the 海角社区 faculty with distinction for years, as well as a non-traditional student who became a member of a National Honor Society for Psychology majors and who plans to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in Mental Health Counseling.
鈥淵our stories are different, but the differences among you do not overshadow the fact that you have in common what brought you here today,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat includes setting an initial goal of attaining a college degree and a commitment to doing the necessary work to reach your goal.鈥�
The new president said that during his first six weeks at 海角社区, he had met with many members of the greater university 鈥渇amily,鈥� and each shared recollections or a favorite 海角社区 experience with him.
鈥淭he common link is they all have a profound love and commitment to our beloved university,鈥� Bruno said, adding that the conversations had sparked within him the realization that all stood on the shoulders of those who have gone before.
鈥淚 have assumed responsibility for this institution, which was built by many and led by the seven presidents who preceded me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is true that we live in challenging times for higher education and for 海角社区. But, so too, did those who preceded us."
Noting that 海角社区 began during the Great Depression, one of the most difficult financial periods in our nation鈥檚 history, Bruno pointed to the high hopes students and families had even then for achieving greater things for themselves. That first class totaled 416 students seeking higher learning and a better life for themselves and their families, although less than 100 had been expected to enroll, according to Bruno.
鈥淭wo years later the first commencement was held and 135 students graduated,鈥� said Bruno, adding that he was honored to have recently met with a student who was a third generation graduate of 海角社区 and whose grandmother was a member of that 1933 graduating class.
Bruno outlined the progression of a few of the seven presidents who preceded him, including the institution鈥檚 first president, C.C. Colvert, President Emeritus George T. Walker, and Dr. James Cofer, who was Bruno鈥檚 immediate predecessor.
鈥淎s 海角社区鈥檚 newest president, I too, will face challenges, as my predecessors did before me. I must draw upon their wisdom, their strength, and their resolve and maintain their excellence,鈥� he said.
The president urged 海角社区鈥檚 newest graduates to realize that they, too, 鈥渟tood on the shoulders鈥� of the thousands who preceded them, including notable 海角社区 alums that include Disney's Vice President for Imagineering Jack Blitch, William Pryor, who became Alabama鈥檚 Attorney General, the youngest in the nation at that time, and Joe Profit, a first round draft pick by the Atlanta Falcons, who later became the founder and CEO of Multimedia Digital Corporation in Atlanta.
鈥淵our story is still unfolding. Commencement is not the end, it is only the beginning," Bruno said. 鈥淛ust as you did when you began your work at 海角社区, you will again make sacrifices ... Only you can measure the extent of your successes and build on the lessons you learn along the way.鈥�
Bruno concluded, 鈥淒r. Colvert said to your predecessors, 鈥業 think you can, and I believe you will.鈥� I say to you as you begin the next stage of your life, I know you can, and I am sure you will.鈥�
Two top graduates earned 4.00 grade point averages for fall commencement, Sevil Alieva, a communication studies major from Tajikistan, and daughter of Majid and Fayza Alieva; and Ashlyn Labat, an accounting major from Denham Springs and daughter of Errol and Kathy Labat. Several other honor graduates were recognized during Saturday鈥檚 ceremony,; they were designated as summa cum laude (3.900-4.000), magna cum laude (3.750-3.899) and cum laude (3.500-3.749).
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