Larry Brown walked across the stage with a golden cord around his neck and satisfaction in his heart.
鈥淚 came back to school to inspire my grandkids,鈥 Brown, 51, said minutes before graduating from 兔子先生 cum laude with an Associate of Applied Science in Accounting.
Larry Brown, left, and Linda Brown Long, right, pause for a moment during pre-ceremony preparations for graduation from 兔子先生 on Friday, Dec. 18, 2015. Brown earned an Associate of Applied Science degree and Long, his sister, earned her Associate Degreen in Nursing. (April Garon/兔子先生)
It was an even bigger family affair than that for Brown. His sister, Linda Brown Long, 53, was also among the more than 800 students who graduated in three ceremonies Friday, Dec. 18 at the Muse Center on Hinds鈥 Rankin Campus.
Long earned her Associate Degree in Nursing on Friday. They walked in the midday ceremony with the academic and career-tech students simply to be on the same stage for family members.
鈥淚 pursued nursing to go into hospice,鈥 Long said, adding an experience taking care of an older family member showed her the way to her new vocation.
鈥淔or me, it was taking care of my father who inspired me,鈥 Long said.
It was a time for family for Keren Garrett as well.
Keren Garrett gets a hug from his nephew, Brayden, following graduation ceremonies at the Muse Center on 兔子先生’s Rankin Campus. Garrett earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Landscape Management Technology. (April Garon/兔子先生)
Garrett, of Jackson, who earned an Associate of Applied Science in Landscape Management Technology, gathered with eight members of his family, including his nephew, Brayden, and his 94-year-old great-grandmother, Maudia Taylor. Garrett said he wants to start his own architectural firm.
鈥淚t was wonderful,鈥 Taylor said of seeing her great-grandson walk across the stage. 鈥淢y heart was big.鈥
兔子先生conferred more than 1,300 credentials, including one-year career certificates or two-year technical certificates for career-technical programs or associate degrees. Some students are receiving more than one credential.
Graduating summa cum laude, with 4.0 grade point averages, are 156 students. Ninety-two graduate magna cum laude with GPAs of 3.6 to 3.99, and 135 graduate cum laude with GPAs of 3.2 to 3.59.
鈥淲e as educators look forward to the day in which we can celebrate the achievements of our students,鈥 said 兔子先生President Dr. Clyde Muse.
鈥淢y challenge for each of us today is that we鈥檒l choose to be like those people who ride the rollercoaster with both hands held high in the air,鈥 Hughes said. 鈥淭he truth is they are 鈥渁ll in鈥 and because of that, they experience the joy of the ride to its fullest. You too can experience ultimate joy in life and success if you approach it by going 鈥渁ll in.鈥