Behavioral and Social Sciences

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[Applause]

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Good morning everybody. Um, how are you this morning? Excited? That's a good reason to be excited.

My name is Jeff McCord and I have the honor of serving as the president of Northeast State Community College. Today is a special day, and I'd like to welcome you to this day — Commencement 2022 for Northeast State Community College.

It's okay to cheer if you'd like to — there we go! I will say, my wife told me to "break a leg" to do this, but I don't think she literally meant it. It's exciting. It is a good, good day.

Graduates, congratulations on your perseverance, on your intelligence, on your sacrifice to make it to this day.

Family members and friends, faculty and staff — congratulations on walking alongside and helping your loved ones (and I use that word intentionally) make it to this point.

It is nothing less than joyful to be able to share in the success and celebrate the success of people that we love and care about. So one more time, let's give a round of applause.

The mission of the community college is to make a lasting positive impact on the communities that colleges serve. A hallmark — an essential piece of that — is to produce, train, and educate people who will live and work in our region.

It's a high calling, because graduates, our region needs your talent, needs your ability, needs what you can bring to the people and communities where you live.

Now, some of you will be transferring on to four-year universities, partner universities. Some of you will be going directly to work. But whatever path you have next, wherever it takes you, just know that Northeast State is proud to have been a part of your journey.

We hope you take some pride in the fact that you started here, and you take us with you as you go — and continue to know where you got started: here at Northeast State Community College.

So with that said, I get to introduce a longtime friend of the college — a steadfast friend — Mr. Peter Raber. He is president of AFI, which is an investment management firm in Colonial Heights. But more than that, Peter serves this college as the chairman of our foundation.

And with that, I would like to introduce Peter Raber.

Thank you, Dr. McCord. Good morning and congratulations on behalf of the foundation.

As he said, my name is Peter Raber, and it is my privilege to be able to talk to you all today. We couldn't be more proud as a foundation to have played some small part in your success and your accomplishments that have led you here today.

I'm sure you've heard a number of quality speeches — things that talk about how momentous this day is. If you haven't, go look them up on YouTube. I'm sure Matthew McConaughey or Jim Carrey would be much more inspiring than I would be.

But we are exceptionally proud of you. And if you're nervous about entering whatever field you're going into, just remember — you've gotten through this. You've done tremendous things to get to this point.

You've had all-nighters. You've had group projects. You've had a pandemic. You've had to endure LeBron James being in *Space Jam*. You've done hard things.

And if you do happen to stumble along the way, it's okay. You have plenty of time.

I always go back to my favorite quote from a quite wise and scholarly person — Yoda: “Do or do not. There is no try.”

We are exceptionally proud. We are especially grateful to be able to be here and be part of your special day.

So — be proactive, stay true to your values, and follow your dreams.

[Applause]

Thank you, thank you Peter, for taking time out of your busy schedule to be with us today and help us congratulate our graduates.

I would now like to welcome Mr. Ridge Jaco to the podium. He will deliver some remarks.

Good morning everyone. Am I too close? Is that fine? Is that good? All right.

I'm honored to speak at our Fall 2022 Commencement Ceremony. To prepare for this speech, I reflected on my time at Northeast State over the last two years. It's been my favorite educational experience by far.

Northeast State has a resource and faculty member to assist you every step of the way — from signing up for the FAFSA to graduating. And the professors at Northeast State even helped me discover who I really am.

I changed my major several times during my journey at Northeast State. I was initially pursuing a job as an electrician at the VA, and after I completed the certificate, I decided this really wasn't so bad — so why not get a degree?

I thought about all the things I enjoyed at the time, and I was really into houseplants. So I thought, why not be an environmental scientist? So I changed my degree.

That summer, I took some electives and took Intro to Psychology. It completely reignited the passion I had for psychology in high school. After attempting one chemistry course, I switched my major to psychology.

I was not going to spend years studying something I wasn't absolutely passionate about. And although psychology was my favorite, I really just enjoyed learning about people. I loved sociology, philosophy, humanities, communication, and history.

If I had all the money in the world, I would just learn about people and find new ways to help them.

But my own interests weren't solely responsible for the magnificent time I had at Northeast State. I was also fortunate enough to meet some of the most incredible professors — the type of professors that encourage you to be curious, that listen to your long rants and bizarre ideas, that want to learn from you as much as you want to learn from them, and that want to see you live up to your potential.

I won't name any names, but they know who they are.

And not only were the professors amazing, but the supportive staff was as well. I wouldn't have made it this far without the C-Campus program and C-Campus coordinator Kerry Hall, who does excellent work — and my wife Megan, who's been my rock for the last six years.

So congratulations, graduating class of 2022.

You may hear that diplomas are just a piece of paper and that you shouldn't waste your time pursuing a higher education — with which I wholeheartedly disagree.

It took thousands of years for this many people to have access to higher education. Pursuing higher education gives us something even more valuable than money. Money has value, but knowledge creates value.

Higher education gives us the tools to examine everything — from the value of money itself to the language we use daily. It even gives us the ability to examine ourselves and reevaluate the values at our core.

We can use these new tools and information to make positive impacts, enrich the lives of everyone we meet, and make the world a better place. After all, isn't that why we're all here in the first place?

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Jaco, for that inspiring and flavorful speech.

And now it's time to present our graduates. Members of the graduating class of 2022, please stand.

Dr. McCord, each of these students has completed all requirements in a degree or certificate program. It is with great pleasure that the faculty and I present to you the Northeast State Community College graduating class of 2022.

You may move the tassel on your cap from the right to the left to signify your graduation.

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by virtue of the authority vested in Me by the state of Tennessee and the Tennessee Board of Regents I hereby confer these degrees and certificates with all rights Privileges and honors to which they are entitled congratulations graduates please come forward as your name is called thank you sir okay the following students are completing degree requirements for technical certificate in the division of Behavioral and social sciences Mary chasteen

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Sarah J tester thank you the following students are completing the degree requirements for an associate of applied science in the division of Behavioral and social sciences Lindsay Ann Bergen magna laude Alexia Sear

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Beth Davidson laude

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Michaela King

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experience Lockhart

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the following students are completing degree requirements for an associate of science and teaching in the division of Behavioral and social sciences Ashley orloff thank you Hannah Nicole Brooks Shepherd sumar laude the following students are completing degree requirements for an associate of science in the division of Behavioral and social sciences Eva Batista

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Catherine beach sumar laude alicio Bryce

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Madison Combs Dalton magna laude Brittany Nicole Dunn

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Devin Alexander early magna laude

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Meredith feathers

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Paul Edward fine

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Rita Gregory laude

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Lindsey grindstaff

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Sarah hessen

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Tia Nicole Howard magna laude

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Ridge Jayco magna laude Emily D Kimberling

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Chaz Jonathan McCracken

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thank you Aslan Gwen Perry laude Emma Rose Regal

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Mackenzie L Ray magna laude

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Reagan

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Lindsay Slagle

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Caitlyn Miranda trivett Suma laude Justin Wade trivett

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Elizabeth Gibbs wheeler magna laude Michaela Brooke Woods summa laude

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the following students are completing degree requirements for an associate of Arts in the division of humanities Joseph Logan Venable magna laude the following students are completing degree requirements for an associate of science in the division of humanities had a basket laude

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Gabriel Reign blessing

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Trista Paige Bowers

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Christopher L Brooks

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Riley Dobbs

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Rachel Dawn Doss

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L Drennan

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Macy Lauren Faust

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Mateo Andrew grazia

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Caleb Hale Grace star cochi magna laude Samantha Lane

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Emily mcelier

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good morning Aisha Ali Memon

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Franklin Abbott Newhouse

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Natalie hope Pinkston

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Isabella Shea Pitcock

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Bailey Pruitt

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Jenna salyer

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Michael Stapleton

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Samuel Trey Stewart

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Marley Wagner

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and Taylor Ward

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before we close I'd like to say a special thanks to uh the people who who make this work the faculty and staff to do that specifically uh Deidra close and Hurst asking you give them a hand and um and again to the family and the friends and the faculty members who come alongside to make this happen as well we we never do anything good alone and so and this is very very good so as we close out let me welcome you or let me welcome the uh class of 2022 from Northeast State Community College one more round of applause

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thank you this concludes our ceremony so we invite you to find your graduate in the hallways and continue celebration thank you for being here