CHOOSE PATHWAY YOU ARE PASSIONATE
ABOUT, GRADUATES ARE TOLD
630 Receive Community College Degrees and Certificates

Follow pursuits for which you feel an “inner fire” – or passion – and you will have found the most rewarding pathway to success. That was the message to St. Charles Community College graduates during the May 12 commencement recognizing 630 graduates of the class of 2007.

In his keynote address, David Ross, president of Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital, implored graduates to use their fervor and boundless energy in following their dreams and searching for happiness in everyday life and in their chosen profession.

Ross, a former attorney who recounted his own decision to change careers 22 years ago and enter the health field where his passion led him, offered historic examples of the impact of intense inner drive on major events. From the passions of Jefferson, Adams, Madison, and others as they shaped the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution --  to Martin Luther King’s “I have a Dream” message to overcome biases -- to John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s assertion that “man will walk on the moon in this decade,”  it was the intensity of their beliefs that inspired action and success, Ross said.

Ross also shared stories of the well-known and the average citizen; for example: Tour de France competitor Lance Armstrong whose boundless enthusiasm helped him overcome cancer and win seven straight bicycling championships; a local hospital cafeteria check-out lady and a grocery bagger with Down's Syndrome whose zest for life made them each indispensible to their customers and to their employers. “Without passion, one just goes through the motions  . . . So, search for your rewards with fervor, drive, and passion. Think of what you can do to make a difference!” Ross said.

The theme of enthusiasm and passion also rang true in commencement reflections from student Suzanne Jackson, representing the class of 2007. “Enthusiasm is the jet fuel to rocket one up the ladder of success,” Jackson said. “Find out what you like, and do what you love. You can bring order into your life . . . and the world will become a better place.”

Jackson, who received the Associate of Arts Degree with highest honors, plans to transfer to a four-year institution to major in secondary education. While at SCC, she was an active member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society, the Returning Learners Club, and she served as president of the Social Sciences Society.  

More than 1,500 graduates, faculty, relatives, and friends attended the 19th annual SCC commencement on campus. The event celebrated the accomplishments of more than 630 recipients of associate’s degrees and certificates of achievement.

The commencement also featured the presentation of the Distinguished Alumni Award to Dianna Graveman of St. Charles, a teacher, scholar, environmentalist, and nationally recognized author. The award was presented by Ted Dettmer, president of the SCC Foundation Board.

A returning learner who started college in her mid-30s, Graveman rediscovered her passion for writing while taking classes at SCC. She then went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees with high honors, teach grade school and college, and become a successful published author.

The past few years have yielded a whirlwind of 27 published pieces for Graveman including stories in books such as the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series, “Teacher Miracles,” “Cup of Comfort for Grandparents,” and “Letters to My Mother.” Most recently, she received international recognition in the Erma Bombeck writing competition, earning honorable mention in the global category for human interest out of 1,300 entries from 22 countries and 47 states.  In April, Graveman received two Missouri Writers Guild Awards for work published in 2006.

Presiding over commencement was John McGuire, president of the college, with Tim Lohmar, president of the SCC Board of Trustees. Michael Banks, vice-president for academic affairs, helped confer degrees and certificates, and James Benedict, vice president for student services, made closing remarks.
    
Music was provided by the SCC Band, directed by Mary Sweetin.  Commencement marshal was Leon Jones, senior faculty member in mathematics and winner of the SCC Faculty Member of the Year Award.  Ushers included cadets from the Eastern Missouri Law Enforcement Training Academy and from student organizations and college staff.  

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