College holds 2 drive-thru ceremonies
LUMBERTON — Robeson Community College didn’t let a little rain stop it from celebrating the achievements of its 332 graduates with two separate drive-thru ceremonies on Wednesday.
Vehicles filled the parking lot as graduates waited for their turn to drive through the line and walk across the stage. As the graduation procession began, students honked their horns in excitement. The first ceremony took place about 9 a.m. and the next at 5 p.m.
“Take a moment and reflect on what is important to you, pursue your dreams and make a positive contribution to your world,” RCC President Melissa Singler told the graduates. “This is your time.”
The commencement speaker was Dr. Cheryl Davis, a Robeson County native and Purnell Swett High School graduate. Davis is the chief medical officer and senior vice president of Medical Affairs at Scotland Health Care System. She also works as an internal medicine specialist and is a graduate of UNC School of Medicine.
“Choose to live your life with hope … choose to have an open mind … choose to live your life not to chase success but to chase significance,” Davis said. “Success can be temporary, but significance is long-lasting even beyond our time on this earth … getting your education is success, but changing the world with it is significance.”
Success is about results, but significance is about impact, she said.
Davis ended her speech with an encouraging remark for students to take with them on their journeys after college.
“Today is the first day of the rest of life,” Davis said.
“Live your life so that impact of your life outlives you,” she added.
In addition to caps and gowns, students were given a special decal that was to be placed on the outside of their vehicle. The decal displayed their name, the words “Congratulations Class of 2021,” and the RCC logo.
Students had a chance to get out of their cars and walk across the stage to receive their diploma under a tent before a professional photographer took their photo. Then they left the campus in their vehicles.
Graduate Lekeya Grissett said she was cold, but thankful to graduate and get her licensed practical nurse degree. She plans to return to RCC to further her education and become a registered nurse.
Graduate Jacoby Sweat summed it up for students, who endured wind, cold temperatures and an overcast sky during the evening commencement ceremony.
“It feels good to graduate,” he said. “I’m ready to start a new career.”
Sweat plans to attend The University of North Carolina at Pembroke and enter into a career in law enforcement, with an agency like N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement.
Eva Meekins, RCC’s director of Nursing, could be seen waving to family members as they passed by in their vehicles.
“It doesn’t matter about the weather,” she said. “It’s about celebrating our graduates.”
Vonda Graham, director of Academic Success, shared congratulatory words as she bumped elbows with graduate Andy Dong. Graham said both ceremonies went very well.
“Smiles are bright and everything flowed perfectly,” she said. “We were very excited for our students.”