Speaker Tells VGCC Summer Graduates To Care About Communities, The World
Like all commencement speakers, Dr. Delores A. Parker had lots of advice for Vance-Granville Community College’s 225 graduates during summer graduation ceremonies Aug. 7.
Dr. Parker is vice president for Academic and Student Services of the North Carolina Community College System. “Our state’s community colleges are second to none; our facilities and equipment are state-of-the-art,” she said.
She told the graduates, “Take the knowledge you have acquired at Vance-Granville to make a difference by taking on leadership roles.” She advised the graduates to “become global citizens, to develop an understanding and appreciation of others who are different from others.
Closer home, Parker told the graduates to share their talents with their communities, to volunteer and to become voices for the voiceless members of society. She also advised them to hold their families and friends closer and to believe in themselves.
Vice Chairman John K. Nelms of the VGCC Board of Trustees welcomed families and friends to the ceremonies. He told them Vance-Granville has grown tremendously over recent years and is now the 12th largest school among the 58 in the state’s community college system.
Vance-Granville awarded 140 degrees and diplomas in curriculum programs and an additional 85 adult high school diplomas and General Equivalency Diplomas. This was the second graduation of the year. On May 22, VGCC awarded 390 degrees, diplomas and certificates at spring graduation.
VGCC Summer Graduation 2003 In Pictures
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 Vance-Granville President Robert A. Miller presents one of 53 adult high school diplomas presented Aug. 7 at summer graduation at Vance-Granville Community College. |
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Marshals Donnie Reynolds and Wanda Creekmore lead part of the 225 graduates into the Civic Center Aug. 7 for summer commencement exercises at VGCC.
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James Hargrove and his wife, Emma, right, enjoy refreshments following summer graduation at Vance-Granville Community College with Mrs. Hargrove’s daughter, Carol Manning, who graduated from the Criminal Justice Technology program. |
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VGCC Summer 2003 Graduates
HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA
| Reneé Lynette Alston Justin Daniel Bailey Albert Lawrence Boyd Erica Nicole Brown Antonio MacArthur Bryant-Cox Tyrone Burrell Hakim Terrell Carrington Geneva Marie Cash Stephanie Lacodia Collier Leon D. Covington Victoria Kristen DeClue Jennifer Ann Dixon Mickey Leon Farrington Robert Pollard Franklin, Jr. Amanda Kay George Sonya Carmela Glover Crystal Gayle Goss Danaya Grubbs |
Keiana La’Joy Hankins Megan Leigh Hansen Angela Lynette Harris Kayla Marie Hockaday Shaneva Genice Holland Isaiah Darnell Hyman Christopher Akpona Iminephro Magalie Jean-Louis Ayesha Jaheda Jones Sean Ryan Kassinger Aimee Nichole Kelsey Lyndsay Michelle Kidd Christopher Aaron Kingsberry Owen DeShawn Leavitt Kareem Johnthan Lindsey Stuart Christopher Maynor Terence Mayo |
Jennifer Lee Medlock Derrick Jermaine Moore James Moore III Tanita Montá Pegese Misty Dawn Perry Stephanie Joanna Salinas Waraporn Saparamdee Kira Louise Stroud Kesha Tawand Sulyan Enesa Carla Terry LaToya Miltina Whitehead Bionco LaVee Williams Domarius Sentral Williams William Darriel Williams Chelsey Leanne Williford Charles Stewart Wilson Dian Michell Wong Joyce Cornelia Yarborough |
ADULT HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA
| Heather Danyel Barbour Melanie Ann Barbour Crystal Lynn Bruursema Tracy Graham Burchette Melissa Dawn Carmack Amanda M. Carroll Trudy Currin Franklin |
Danielle Lee Greer Brandon Lawrence Lathrop, Sr. Elizabeth Amanda Pearce Danner Albert Pendergrass Jonathan Mitchell Reavis Matthew Lawrence Roberson Walter Rowe III |
Elizabeth Ryan Stainback Jesse Lynn Stallings Linda Kearney Strother Nicky Brandon Thomas Lily Samantha Vaughan Shannon Bagbey Walker Bobbie Bryant West |
VOCATIONAL OR TECHNICAL DIPLOMA
AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND REFRIGERATION TECHNOLOGY
Roger Perry Adams
James Earl Adcock
Johnny David Adcock
Brad Gerard Brooks
Chester Franklin Corbett
Ryan Patrick Currey
Touron DeTray Darby
Billy Ray Dickerson
Richard Allen Feit
Timothy Stewart Fox
Thomas Americus Goodall
Bobby Joe Jackson
Jeffrey Clarence Johnson
Cecil Len Massey
Darren Timothy McIntyre
John Benjamin Scott
Gary Eugene Spears
Michael Wayne Whittemore, Jr.
George Helmy Zaki
AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY
Robert Edwin Carroll
Jonathan Brooks Clayton
Tongama Annie Nduku
CARPENTRY
James Webster Cagle
Evan Norman Decker
Roy Alva Flynt
Robert Stanley Haynes
Derrick Holmes
Jonathan Oran Knight
John Charles Kullnat
Edward Paul Lazarowitz
Clarence Alfred Lindsey
Delasio Lamont McNeil
Darryl Landis Simon
Patrick Delvon Singleton
Thomas Prudeincio Slaughter
Celestine Morreen Stamper
Daniel Larvoris Williams
COSMETOLOGY
Ricky Allen Edwards
Barbara Hester Goode
Yara Vernelle Headley
Tera Lyn Hollingsworth
April Oakley Jones
ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY
Michael Devonn Alexander
Eric Lamar Brown
Otis Larry Brown, Jr.
Charles Ray Burnette
Eric Christopher Fleming
Ashley Gill
Horace Tranelle King
Danny Ray Leonard
Trenton Anthony McMiller
Daryl Landis Simon
Bruce Alan Springsteen
Phillip Stewart Tabron
Jonathan Eaton Williams
INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
Charlie Bennett Evans, Jr.
Lonnie Pratt Maynard
Orlando Lamar Owens
PRACTICAL NURSING
Barbara Jean Barnes
Rosa L. Boyd
Jeanne Beck Coker
Tiffany Winstead Collins
Angela Danese Harper
Tacresha Danyell Harris
Angela Louise Hayes
Bobbi Gentry House
Wakenda Faye Jefferson
Cheryl Christmas Kearney
Lisa Dawn Nikaeen
Tina Triplett Often
Felisha Lanese O’Neal
Haley Renee Peace
Wendy Parker Peace
Keeshes La’Cheral Ragland
Kathy Vaughn Rogers
Angela Cole Smith
Pamela Gayle Sorrells
Sandra Hargrove Thompson
Shannon Ellis Watkins
Lakesha Monique Yarborough
WELDING TECHNOLOGY
Jeffrey Scott Canada
Brian Roshard King
Jason Michael Morris
Gregory Lee Perry
Carlos Lamont Sinclair
Brian Jeffrey Thompson
ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCE
| ACCOUNTING
Edith Harris Alston BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Sean Lee Anderson CRIMINAL JUSTICE Ariena Suzzanne Batchelor |
EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSOCIATE
Sharon Ann Cottrell EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSOCIATE — Valerie Hargrove Clark ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING Mark Brandon Moran GENERAL OCCUPATIONAL Wesley Earl Smith HUMAN SERVICES Yvonne B. Faison HUMAN SERVICES TECHNOLOGY —SUBSTANCE ABUSE Marlene Hicks Peterkin |
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Cory Lamont Pace INFORMATION SYSTEMS — Andre Baskett MEDICAL ASSISTING Deborah Ann Hargrove MEDICAL OFFICE Lesley Ann Craft OFFICE SYSTEMS Judy Jordan Leonard RECREATION AND Diane Kimball Moore |
ASSOCIATE IN ARTS DEGREE
| Ivonne Caldwell Patrick Allen Collins Ryanne Nelson Henderson |
Tammy Rose Hughes Danielle Sneed Hunt Alicia Nicole Moore Daniel Wayne Orr |
Tyecha Lavette Queen William Davis Reynolds Pamela Janet Snoddy |
ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE DEGREE
Nora Lynne Norwood
Jason Edward Sharon
Text Of Speech By Dr. Delores A. Parker
President Miller, distinguished faculty, graduates, families and friends. I am honored to have been asked to speak to the graduates of the summer class of 2003.
Graduates to whom much is given, much is expected. You have been given many gifts since you began your education at Vance-Granville Community College. The faculty and administrators who shared with you their knowledge and expertise are world class. Our community colleges are flagship institutions that are second to none in the nation. The facilities and the technology here are state of the art. All of these factors have prepared you to assume your role in society during a millennium that has, and will, continue to provide many challenges and opportunities. You are an impressive looking class – all dressed up with somewhere to go. All requirements for the degrees, diplomas and certificates that will be presented today have been met. The world will be a better place because of the contributions that you will make.
In a few minutes you will receive the degrees, diplomas and certificates that you have worked so hard to earn. As you leave, I charge you to:
Stay CONNECTED with Vance-Granville Community College. During your time here, you have developed relationships that you will want to continue. The instructors who have nurtured and mentored you will want to hear from you. Please keep them informed on the successes that I know you will have.
I encourage you to take the knowledge that you have acquired to make a difference. There are critical challenges facing our country and the world that can only be solved by you and the partnerships that you developed. You can make a difference by taking on leadership roles. We continue to hear about the potential leadership gaps that will exist, as a large number of persons retire from all sectors in the next few years. Your education has prepared you to be ready to assume these positions.
I encourage you to become GLOBAL CITIZENS. Today we work, live and play in a society that is more diverse than ever before. Each of us must develop an understanding and appreciation for persons whose culture, enthicity and language are different from ours. You must work in collaboration with others to ensure that our nation continues to live up to the principles upon which it was founded.
I charge you to hold those close to you closer. Of course I am speaking of your FAMILIES AND FRIENDS. The events of 9/11 should have made this clear to each of us. Anyone who has achieved success has done so on the shoulders and sacrifices of others. You are here today because of the love and support that your families have given you. Never take them for granted. You will continue to need them now and in the days ahead on your journey through life. I encourage you to put them first in your life. Your successful career should not be at their expense.
You are encouraged to find time for sharing your talents and resources with your COMMUNITIES. There are many issues that our communities face that you can help solve. Perhaps, you have not had the time in the past to participate in volunteerism. If possible, please find time to do so. You can become the voice for the voiceless members of our society. Today, you sit where many people in our nation may never have the privilege of sitting, some through no fault of their own. I ask you to remember them as you work in your communities.
Life will provide you with many wonderful career opportunities and challenges. I charge you to always believe in yourself. The values that you have learned early in life from your parents or some caring adult should be the foundation that will allow you to believe in yourself. These values, coupled with your education, will allow you to be in positions of which you never dreamed. Always feel comfortable with yourself and never compromise your values. Doors that you never knew existed will be open to you. I know this from personal experience. Some years ago during my own graduation, I could not envision the routes my journey in life would take. My career has been blessed with many opportunities and I accepted each, believing that I could make a difference.
Congratulations on the degrees, diplomas and certificates you will receive and good luck for much success now and in the future.
