 Just because that you've been through, it's prepared. Elizabeth City State University. Thank you so much. At this time, it is my pleasure to present Ms. DeNeal Banks, our reigning Ms. Elizabeth City State University, to introduce our speaker. Oh, to welcome Governor Pat McCory as the speaker for ECSU's 160th Commencement Ceremony. Governor McCory was sworn in as North Carolina's 74th governor on January the 5th, 2013, following a seven-term tenure as mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. Prior to becoming their mayor, he served on their city council from 1989 to 1995. Under his leadership, Charlotte made the kind of strategic advancements that made it one of America's most promising metropolitan cities. As governor, he has worked to improve North Carolina in three key areas, the economy, education, and efficiency. The historic tax reform he signed into law was designed to place money into the pay checks of North Carolinians by reducing personal and corporate tax rates. The governor also reformed North Carolina's unemployment insurance system and streamlined the state's workforce development programs to provide higher skilled workers in less time. Governor McCory's focus on a community service reflects his lifelong dedication to improving the lives of others. President George W. Bush appointed him to serve on the United States Homeland Security Advisory Council between 2002 and 2006. He has also served on numerous charitable boards in this state. Governor McCory earned degrees in education and political science from Catawba College. He and wife Anne have been proud to call North Carolina home since they married in 1988. Today, they join the greater community of Elizabeth City State University in applauding our May 2015 graduates. Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great Viking pride that I present to you the honorable Governor Pat McCory. Thank you all very much. You know, it was when we were walking into the stadium and I saw the students' smiles, it just gave me pride of their accomplishment. But what gave me even more pride was watching your parents and your brothers and sisters and your cousins and your uncles and your spouses and your grandparents have this smile of pride about what you've accomplished. And to see this around this stadium at Elizabeth City State University means that you're fulfilling your potential. And it reminded me when I graduated from high school in Jamestown, North Carolina, from college in Salisbury, North Carolina, of getting hugs from my dad and saying, when he hugged me after my graduations, each time he would say, son, keep fulfilling your potential because every one of us were born with a certain ability that you need unleashed to make our society and our country even better and keep striving to unleash your potential. And the proudest time I ever had in my life was in November of 1995, a week before my father passed away from cancer. He was in a wheelchair, knowing that he was in his last weeks of living. And I was proud to be elected as mayor of the city of Charlotte. And he got to see it. And he made a point to coming up in his wheelchair and for the one time again hugging me and saying, I'm proud of you, son, for fulfilling your potential. But keep going because you need to leave this a better place than when you arrived. All of you are fulfilling your potential. And that moment in my life in 1995 will be a moment where I'll feel my father's hug forever and ever. And I want you as students here to enjoy the grins and the hugs that you're going to get from your relatives and friends after this ceremony. And remember that hug forever. And have it keep incentivizing you to move forward and making a difference. And there are some students here that I want to recognize that continue to fulfill their potential beyond anyone's wildest dreams. And one of them, for example, is Mr. Donye Moffitt, who was graduating with a degree in aviation science with a minor in aviation management. After falling in love with flight as a child, Donye was drawn to Elizabeth City State because it is one of the few universities that offers a degree program in aviation. Donye's hard work paid off shortly after arriving here at Elizabeth City State. He earned after the Thurwood Marshall College Foundation scholarship. And during his freshman year, he was selected to attend one of the greatest leadership institutes, and that's the Thurgood Wood Marshall College Fund Leadership Institute. Donye also earned a summer internship at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. And perhaps his biggest honor was being elected the reigning Mr. Elizabeth City State University. And a few days ago, he earned yet another distinction by being the recipient of the Chancellor's Student Leadership Award. Donye, you are an inspiration to us. And I want you to stand up to represent Elizabeth City State University. You make us all Viking proud. God bless you. Now, let me also talk to the students because you would not have made it out here with your great faculty. Many faculty could be doing a lot of other things throughout the United States of America, earning a lot more money elsewhere. But they've decided that teaching and helping other people learn and exercise their brain is their calling and their fulfilling their potential. And let me talk about two of those people today. One is Dr. Linda Hayden. Dr. Hayden has been a distinguished member of the Elizabeth City State University faculty for more than 30 years. And during her tenure, she founded the Center of Excellence in Remote Sensing Education Research, a center that focuses on marine and ice sheet research. Her work at this center has been groundbreaking. In fact, there is an ocean bay in Antarctica named after Elizabeth City State University because of her work and her discoveries. And back at our own shores, Dr. Hayden has earned numerous awards, including the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring. Closer to home, Dr. Hayden founded the Celebration of Women in Mathematics, a program that encourages young women in northeastern North Carolina to explore and pursue the field of mathematics, which is needed now more than ever. And this program has served approximately 8,000 middle and high school girls since its beginning in 1995. She's helping fulfill the potential of thousands upon thousands of young men and women throughout North Carolina. And one partner is one of a research and teaching colleagues, Dr. Dardell Johnson. Dr. Johnson, you have spent much of your professional career introducing young students to the wonder of higher mathematics and science. NASA has recognized the effectiveness of Dr. Johnson's work and has funded many of your science and mathematics education initiatives. Dr. Johnson, you're also a man of romance. You have been in love with Elizabeth City State University for more than 40 years, dating back to the days when you walked the campus as a student in the 1970s. He was a big deal back then, too. He was president of the Student Government Association and for two years was listed on the Who's Who and College and University. And if that wasn't enough, he was also the captain of this great football team. In fact, Dr. Johnson became the first student athlete at Elizabeth City State and the CIAA to be awarded the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, which he used to study mathematics education at the University of Kentucky. These are just two great examples of people that have made a difference in fulfilling the potential to help each one of them. We all need to give them a round of applause. Now, when I was born in 1956, the president at that time was Dwight David Eisenhower. And he was another president that we don't talk about much. We talk about him as the supreme allied commander during World War II, but we don't talk about him as a two-term president of the United States. And one reason I'm talking about him today is because he wanted our country to fulfill its potential. And one of the great things he did was invest in connecting our country and highways and railroads and commerce and creating jobs. He connected the east with the west, the rural with the urban. And this today's generation and my generation are still feeling the positive impact of those investments connecting our country, rural with urban metropolitan areas with all parts of our country and with each other and the east to the west. Well, I believe we have to do the same thing here in North Carolina as we're now the ninth most populous state in the United States of America. And if we're going to keep moving ahead of other states like we moved ahead of Michigan just two months ago, we're going to keep growing. And we need to prepare for that growth so you can either sit and react or you can prepare. And like Eisenhower, I'm recommending that we invest in new highways and rails, that we invest in new state parks, that we invest in our ports at Moorhead City in Wilmington, that we invest in intermodal facilities to help commerce and create jobs, and that we invest in our community college, and that we invest in our universities here in North Carolina. And one of those great universities is right here, Elizabeth City State Universities. And we're going to continue to invest in this great university because you are crucial to our economic revival right here in North Carolina. And we want to connect Elizabeth City State University, not just with the rest of North Carolina. We want to also connect you to Hampton Roads. This is coming from the governor of North Carolina. I want to connect you to Virginia and the economic progress they're having there at the ports. And we're going to build new highways to help you do just that. But we also want to invest in this campus. And I'm working with your great chancellor to invest in building a new library, to invest in updating the grounds here at Elizabeth State University, to invest in the maintenance and operations of your dorms here at Elizabeth State City State University, to invest in beautifying this beautiful campus, which we need to make even more beautiful. The chancellor and I have talked about, you have outdated buildings that frankly need to be torn down. We need to improve the quality of life and the learning conditions for the students and future graduates. And we plan to do just that with these bonds. This is investing in the future. We need to leave this a better place than when we came. And that includes it right here at Elizabeth City State University. You are crucial to the state of North Carolina, not only for this region, but for the entire state. And we want to work you in continuing to fulfill the potential of these great students. And before I conclude, I want to go back and recognize the two professors that we talked about. Dr. Hayden and Dr. Johnson, I would like you to bring, come up to the front here, please. This is unexpected. They do not know this is about to happen. Dr. Hayden and Dr. Johnson, as governor of North Carolina, on behalf of all the 9.6 million people live in this state, I'd like to bestow upon you the highest civilian honor that I can give as governor. And that's the order of the long-leaf pine. You are examples of people who are fulfilling their potential and helping others do just the same. May God continue to bless each one of you and thank you for your service to this great university and to the state of North Carolina. Thank you very much. Congratulations to the class of 2015. Governor McCrory, we thank you for your inspiring words. Your support of Elizabeth City State University and its graduates and for your continued work for the betterment of our great state of North Carolina. Governor, if you would please return to the podium of Elizabeth City State University. We again say thank you for sharing this historical day with us and ask your acceptance of this gift as a small token of our appreciation. On behalf of the state of North Carolina, I accept this gift. Thank you very much. Thank you. At this time, we recognize our special guests in attendance today, representatives from local, state, and national government. If you are here joining us today, if you would please stand so you can be recognized. So we can recognize you. Representatives from the University of North Carolina Board of Governors, our own ECSU Board of Trustees and our trustee emeriti. If there are members of our foundation board, if you would also stand please. And a very special welcome and thank you to Mrs. Frances Fennebrisk, Mrs. Debbie Hinton, and Mrs. Jean Hinton for joining us today. It is also our absolute pleasure to have with us today Representative Howard Hunter, Joseph Peele, Mayor of Elizabeth City. Councilmen Darius Horton and Tony Stamats, County Commissioner Cecil Perry, Colleen Santa Anna from Santera, Rich Olson, City Manager, Reverend Kim Brown, Mrs. Pat Norman, United States Coast Guard Commander Bruce Brown and Wife Vonda and Harold Barnes. We say to you again it's our absolute pleasure to have you join us for this special occasion and we thank you for your continued support of Elizabeth City State University. I now invite Mr. John Fennebrisk, Chairman of the University of North Carolina Board of Governors to the podium for a special presentation. Everybody's got a script. I wanted to point one thing out. When we were asked to come speak, there was a column where we could check it off and pay an extra $25 for a seat in the shade. As you can tell, Pat, Henry and I failed to fill that out and pay the $25. So this is my second graduation at Elizabeth City State University and I love this school. Governor Pat McCrory, members of the Elizabeth City State University Board of Trustees, Chancellor Stacey, Franklin Jones, Dysinguished Guests, faculty, staff, and most importantly, 256 students who will be college graduates or degrade graduate students in a few minutes and to your parents and family members. So I'm gonna give greetings again like Henry did because I know Henry's gonna be here. So on behalf of the 32 members of the University of North Carolina Board of Governors, I bring you our greetings. Our congratulations on your attainment, culminating in today's ceremonies and wish for each of you can continue success in your future endeavors, which hopefully includes a job about which you are passionate to begin. So what am I doing here? First, Chancellor Franklin Jones had no choice. She had to invite one member of the Board of Governors to a graduation ceremony. She assures me I was among her top 32 picks, but that is an incomplete explanation. I was elected chairman a year ago. The chairman actually, the only perk I can figure out the chairman has, gets his first choice of our 17 campus graduations that he wants to participate in. I chose Elizabeth City State University. You are stuck with me because I chose you. Chancellor Franklin Jones told me this morning that I am the first chair of the UNC Board of Governors to celebrate graduation at Elizabeth City State University in at least 13 years. It's a real pleasure to be here. So you are 244 undergraduates, 12 graduate degrees, at least 180 of you hailed from North Eastern, North Carolina, a number that I am determined to grow in the very near future. This school will grow, improve, and prosper. Elizabeth City State University has the unwavering and enthusiastic support of your chairman of the University of North Carolina Board of Governors. You have much to be proud of, your own achievements, and those of your university. But I want to ask you to think about something. Tomorrow is soon enough, today is for celebration. Higher education is in the middle of a period of tremendous financial crisis. Generally speaking, tuition has increased dramatically. Faculty and staff salaries have been stuck in a rut, and student loans total over $1.2 trillion dollars. The governor and the state legislature have more demands for tax revenues than there is supply. What can you do about it? Actually, you can be pioneers. You can financially support Elizabeth City State University as alumni in the years ahead. Please make it a personal priority to support your school. Private philanthropy is essential, crucial to the continued success of this campus. Lead the way, participate at any level each and every year. You deserve to celebrate, but it's also important to acknowledge the contribution of the faculty and staff of Elizabeth City State University, especially those teachers who have helped, encouraged and provided you with a proper guidance to succeed. There are a number of faculty members on this campus who exemplify outstanding teaching. Today, I want to recognize one of them. It is my privilege to present this year's Board of Governors Award for Teaching for Excellence in Teaching to one of your most outstanding faculty members. Established by the Board of Governors in 1994 to underscore the importance of teaching and to award great teachers across the university, the awards are given annually to a tenured faculty member from each UNC campus. Recipients are nominated by special committees on their home campuses and selected by the Board of Governors Committee on Personnel and Tenure. Each winner receives a bronze medallion and a significant cash award. ECSU's award recipient is Dr. Ephraim Guibo. Dr. Guibo was not able to attend today's ceremony, but I want to tell you why he is ECSU's award recipient, highlighting his outstanding professional achievements and saluting his commitment to great teaching. And for his friends, I want you to know I gave his check to the chancellor for him. Dr. Guibo is a professor of biochemistry in the Herman G. Cook Department of Natural Sciences. He joined the university in 2003 and served as chairperson of the Department of Chemistry, geology and physics until it was merged to form the Department of Natural Sciences in 2013. With over 12 years of university service, Dr. Guibo has made significant contributions to the academy. He has had a great influence on his students and spares no effort to develop not only the intellect, but the character and life skills of his students. This breeze feels good, playing havoc with my notes. In honoring Dr. Guibo, we also acknowledge the more than 14,000 dedicated faculty members who teach over 221,000 students throughout the University of North Carolina. Graduates, there are many faculty like Dr. Guibo here at Elizabeth City State University who have helped you along the way and I invite you to thank them, including the deans, assistant deans, program coordinators, librarians, enrollment and student service team, operations staff, and many others. So let's thank them right now. Thank you. I was going to finish with that and then this morning I said, you know what, you're sitting next to the governor, which is an honor for me. He has been my governor for two and a half years and been my friend for 25 years. Not only is the governor of North Carolina honoring you with his presence, he comes today as a huge supporter of education in general and in higher education in particular. In conjunction with the members of the General Assembly, Governor McCrory understands that the University of North Carolina system is the greatest economic engine for the citizens of North Carolina. We are blessed that our predecessors established this great system and have nurtured it and given it to all of us so that we now have among the very best University systems of the nation. Believe me, the UNC system is the envy of 49 other states. You are graduating with a degree from Elizabeth City State University, a degree from the University of North Carolina system, a degree honored and respected throughout the United States. What you have attained with hard work and persistence is indeed a very big deal. So that is it for me today. Thank you for allowing me to participate in this extraordinary day and may God bless each and every one of you. Thank you. Thank you Chairman Finnebres for honoring our Dr. Guaibou and for those words to our students. You're doing so in person on this day for the first time in 13 years is duly noted as historical and greatly appreciated. Ladies and gentlemen, please now join me in welcoming three very special young men and one woman who have committed their time here at Elizabeth City State University to not only mastering their respective disciplines but also to preparing to serve our country as exemplary officers in the United States Army. Lieutenant Colonel Gallick, please come to the podium to deliver the oath of office to our newest ROTC officers. Thank you Madam Chancellor. Governor McQuarrick, thank you for showing and Austin, it was great to hear your comments today. Distinguished guests, distinguished friends, family members, I know it's hard to see the name plates on their uniforms but on the far right working in I've got Second Lieutenant Cameron Cecil Field Artillery, Second Lieutenant Michael Davis Quartermaster Corps, Second Lieutenant James Lee Engineer Corps, Second Lieutenant Lativia McJunkins Medical Service Corps so that you know what they committed themselves to they're going to restate their hotel office for you. So please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I state your name, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic their bare true faith and allegiance to the same and I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I'm about to enter so help me God. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor and privilege to present to you the newest Second Lieutenant to the United States Army and the National Guard from Elizabeth City State University Viking Loud, thank you. Chancellor Jones, we now recommend candidates for graduate degrees. Chancellor Jones, it is my privilege to report to you that the candidates here assembled have qualified in all aspects for their degrees by successfully completing the curricula offered by the graduate program at Elizabeth City State University. Were the candidates for the master of education in elementary education, master of school administration, master of science in biology and master of science in mathematics please stand and remain standing. Chancellor Jones, it is with pleasure that I present to you these candidates who have completed all of the requirements for graduation. They have been certified by the registrar and have received an affirmative vote by the faculty to be awarded the master of education in elementary education, master of school administration, master of science in biology and master of science in mathematics are now recommended to you for the conferral of their degrees. By virtue of the authority vested in me by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors and the Elizabeth City State University Board of Trustees I do hereby confer upon you the degree for which you have been qualified with all the honors, privileges, and responsibilities thereunto appertaining. We also wish to present a special university medallion to our graduates who have successfully completed their master's degrees. Were the candidates for the master of education in elementary education, master of school administration, master of science in biology and master of science in mathematics please proceed to the platform to receive your diplomas. Congratulations, please be seated. Baccalaureate degrees will now be conferred. Chancellor Jones, it is my privilege to report to you that the candidates here assembled have qualified in all respects for their degrees by success of their degrees by success of their degrees. Chancellor Jones, it is my privilege to report to you that the candidates here assembled have qualified in all respects for their degrees by successfully completing curricula offered by the academic departments. They have been recommended by their department chairs approved by the Honors Council where I propose certified by the registrar and have received an affirmative vote of the faculty to be awarded the degrees the bachelor of science in education bachelor of science, bachelor of arts and bachelor of social work. At this time, I am pleased to begin the conferment of undergraduate degrees by presenting the bearer of the mace. Chancellor Jones, it is my pleasure most distinct indeed to inform you that the official bearer of the mace is Melissa B. Sawyer. Ms. Sawyer has earned the honor of this title by virtue of being the graduating senior who has the highest cumulative grade point average of 4.00. Bearer of the mace, Melissa B. Sawyer, please come forward for the conferment of your degree. Chancellor Jones, I am pleased to present the bearer of the mace, Melissa B. Sawyer. Ms. Melissa Sawyer, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors and the Elizabeth City State University Board of Trustees, I do hereby confer upon you the degree for which we have qualified with all the honors, privileges, and responsibilities thereunto appertaining. Our distinguished faculty member, Dr. Linda Hayden, will assist you with hooding and will escort you to the bearer of the mace chair located here in front of the vertex of the Viking V. You can't forget the trustee. Yes, that would be a 4.00. Congratulations, Melissa. Chancellor Jones, before we proceed with the conferment of degrees, I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize those seniors who are graduating with highest honors, Summa Cum Laude, having achieved by their diligence a cumulative grade point average of 3.8 to 4.0. Would those students please stand and remain standing? Those seniors who are graduating with high honor, Magna Cum Laude, with a grade point average of 3.6 to 3.79, would you please stand and remain standing? Seniors graduating with Cum Laude honors with a grade point average of 3.25 to 3.59, please stand and remain standing. And seniors who have completed four years in the University Honors Program, all of whom are noted in the program, please stand. I am pleased to acknowledge all of the Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Cum Laude graduates and graduates of the University Honors Program to the Honors Program graduates, especially, I would like to commend you for having achieved the excellence required by a highly demanding and rigorous curriculum. I salute all of you for your diligence and perseverance and encourage you to continue to excel. Thank you, Honors Scholars. You may be seated. Chancellor Jones, I am pleased now to present candidates for their respective degrees. Chancellor Jones, on the recommendation of their department chairs, certified by the registrar and by affirmative vote of the faculty, it is my pleasure to present to you candidates for the Bachelor of Science in Education, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and Bachelor of Social Work. Would all of the candidates for their respective degrees please stand. By virtue of the authority vested in me by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors and Elizabeth City State University Board of Trustees, I do hereby confer upon you the degrees for which you have qualified with all the honors, privileges, and responsibilities thereunto appertaining. Will the candidates for the Bachelor of Science in Education please come forward? Candidates for Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and Bachelor of Social Work, please be seated. Lily Ann Arnold, Janelle Barnes, Atea Brown, Jessica Butler, Jasmine Harrington, LaQuantra Harris, Patricia Holly, Sheena Hunter, Flora Leach, Jeremy Pied, Kristen Pelton, Alyssa Powell, Latrina Powell, Catherine Reigns, Chelsea Scopoliti, Tracy Twine, Brianna Whitby, Doris Wills. Congratulations, please be seated. Will the candidates for Bachelor of Science degree please stand? I am pleased to present candidates for the Bachelor of Science for their degrees. Candidates, please come forward to receive your degrees. Leah Armstrong, Agnes Barnes, Chatez Barnes, Tamika Varro, Zachary Battle, Randy Battle, Maggie Blangia, Kiana Benjamin, Jamal Blunt, Jeremiah Boger, David Bolden, Ashley Boone, Brittany Boone, Steven Shaquella Brickhouse, Chanel, Risa Marie Ayanna Burris, Brittany Canty, Cameron Cecil, Deja Chamley, Courtney Cole, Trenton Cole, Julian Collins, Tishanda Cooper, Tracy Curlings, Jessica Daniels, Jessica Darden, Michael Davis, John DeFeo, Octavius DeLoach, Hans Desleens, Michael Dobson, Timothy Dunbar, Travis Dungey, China Dunston, Alicia Dyson, Nicole Eason, Ravel Eaton, Javaris Urban, Evans, Desmond Falken, Lakenya Felton, Tasha Felton, Allison Fink, Calvin Fitz, Tasia Foote, Jamelia Foster, Cornelius Frey, David Gatling, Dequadre Gatling, William Gill, Crystal Gilmore, Rashadra Gottfrey, Jonathan Gramby, Ebony Grant, John Gray, Brashon Griffin, Felicia Hall, Charita Hannon, Shako Harris, Hilscher, Danielle Horne, Ashley Horton, Maurice Horton, Melinda Hoskins, Ashley Hughes, Joseph Hunley, Andrew Jaycott, Tiara James, Condrell James, Denise Jenkins, Darryl Johnson, Javaria Johnson, Brandon Jones, Donald Jones, Nicholas Jones, Chakwita Jones, Treyante Jones, Mitzi Jordan, Ashley Kidd, Adrian Knight, Lassiter, James Lee, Autumn Luke, Natalie Luther, Vicente Massifletcher, Akeem McAllister, DeAndre McCleary, Sharina McLaughlin, Lativia MacJunkins, Marcos McLaughhorn, Tiara McLinden, DeMarco McNeil, Ronald Melton, Lene Majette, Henry Mishew, Charity Mitchell, Jalee Morris, Mary Daniels, Cache Nance, Kalina Neal, DeQueya Nelson, Ashley Nixon, Tiffany Pate, Terrence Pearson, Javon Phillips, Tecara Pickett, Dontrell Powell, Andre Price, Tyler Pryor, Shamika Rasko, Barry Rich, Andre Robinson, Junius Rogers, Janissa Sampson, Elijah Shepherd, Laura Silver, Kwanika Silver, Kelsey Smith, Dominique Smith, Ronald Spence Jr., Ciara Staten, Kwanisha Stevenson, Kristen Stelson, Anna Strickland, Jessica Suess, Talisa Thomas, Ashton Tenen, Jeanette Tony, Brandon Tyson, Ashley Vaughn, Dionne Warren, Anisha Washington, Jameco Washington, Jamar Watson, Capri Watts, Ayanna Webb, Jeanette Webb, Tiara Webb, Amina Weeks, Arias Wesson, Antoine White, Alithia Wills, Congratulations, please be seated. Will the candidates for Bachelor of Arts degree please stand? Will the candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree please come forward to receive your degrees? Mariah George Blanks, Jamelia Bond, Jonathan Boone, Morris Bowser, Shawn Brown, Shaniqua Brown, Catherine Bunch, Kevin Chapman Jr., Katelyn Clark, Kristie Davenport, Demetrius DeLoach, DeAndre Druit, Ayesha Evans, Tyarius Fields, Justin Garland, Avery Givens, Amonte Hagez, Hark Lay, Betty Harvey, Anthony Kearney, Chantel Knight, Tiffany Long, Leland March, Anthony Moreno, Francis Maxwell, LeRon Melton, Bill Montavo, Shadei Reeves, Shanish Robertson, Aluga Routon, Shamara Russon, Brianna Silva, Ernestine Simpson, Jamiah Sims, Phillip Smith, Tyrus Smael, Cacada Spencer, Tracy Tan, Pearlie Turner, Zaleen Turner, Yolanda Van, Tiara Walton, Chiquita Ward, Ellen Whalen, Victoria Whitaker, Tiffany White, Juanita Willis, Tara Yagin, Kanisha Young. Please be seated. Will the candidates for bachelor of social work degree please stand? I am pleased to present the candidates for the bachelor of social work degree. Would you please come forward to receive your degrees? Amanda Austin, Jaquira Bennett, Amanda Brooks, Daneisha Brothers, Miracle Brumsey, Elizabeth Casey, Jennifer Cope, Victoria Etherich, Manisha Freeman, Quaida Forbes, Jasmine Harvey, Kristi Gilberson, Anitra Hill, Tyanna Jacobs, Keanna Merritt, Karen Powell, Danielle Smith, Joan Tant, Teresa Taylor. Congratulations, please be seated. At this time, we will present the bachelor of science degree for Cortez Pierce posthumously to his mother. Would ROTC please escort Mrs. Pierce to the stage? This concludes the conferral of degrees upon candidates comprising the spring graduation class of 2015. Now, would all of the baccalaureate graduates with bachelor's degrees please stand? Please symbolize the attainment of your degrees by turning your tassels from the right to the left. Congratulations, please be seated. To the spring 2015 graduates on behalf of the entire Elizabeth City State University community, congratulations to all of you for achieving this important milestone. At this time, I would also like to recognize our honor marshals. Honor marshals are the highest ranking students academically from the freshman sophomore and junior classes. During each commencement convocation, we invite those top students to participate as honor marshals. So I wish to recognize those who accepted our invitation and are here today. Will the honor marshals please stand and be recognized? Thank you, honor marshals. You may be seated. I would also like to recognize and thank the ECSU host and hostesses for the fine job they were doing during this event. We also appreciate their continued support of our commencement convocations. Most especially, I would like to acknowledge the ECSU Concert Band and Choir under the direction today of Professor Tamisha Brock for the wonderful wonderful wonderful music and the message in it. Now I welcome to the podium Ms. Collina Neal, president of the senior class to deliver the farewell remarks. Good morning, Chancellor Jones, Governor McCrory, board of trustees, distinguished guests, faculty and family. My name is Collina Neal and I am so proud to be president of the graduating class of 2015. I'd like to start my speech with a few thank yous. First I'd like to thank God for allowing each of us to make it to graduation in one piece. Thank you to everybody who made it to this stadium today. I know many have a far and long to reach the middle of nowhere and for that, you are greatly appreciated. Thank you to my parents for always encouraging me to be the leader that I am today. You guys have always been there for me and I love you both. Thank you to all the professors, especially those in the department of business and economics. We may not have always seen eye to eye but each of you have taught us skills that we will use for a lifetime. College is what everyone refers to as the best time of their life. The experience that people say will challenge your mind and expand it at the same time. Many of us started our college experience here at Elizabeth City State University. Through the years we have evolved from awkward adolescence into the beautiful and intelligent group of young men and women before you today. It is tough to distinguish ourselves from the classes that have come before us. However, we are a unique class who have had to stand together in order for things to go our way. It is also tough to make the most of a year that was marked by a great deal of change but despite all the obstacles we have had to overcome this year, individually and as a whole, we should all be proud of ourselves. Our degrees have opened many possibilities for our futures. Tomorrow, once the commencement ceremony is over and we are no longer bound to Elizabeth City, our journey begins. How will you use your gifts? Unlike school, life has no core curriculum. We have no scripts, no real guidelines and most of us don't even know what's coming next. What choices will you make? The entire world can be viewed as an elective. The paths are infinite and the outcomes are uncertain. Graduation is simply the closing of one chapter of our lives in hopes of opening another. I will end my speech with a quote from the late Steve Jobs. Your time is limited so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice and most important have the courage to follow your heart and intuition because they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. Stay hungry stay foolish. I leave you with this hoping that you fully grasp the concept of it. It is so easy to get lost in the world when you don't know or listen to yourself. We have spent four years some more than others establishing our character, friendship, and memories. It is now our turn to use the values instilled within us to start our next chapter of life. Continue to climb and remember there is always room for improvement. Now I want everyone to take one final look around. Look at your neighbor, people behind you in front of you but this is the last time that we will all be gathered together in one place as the class of 2015. I pray for love and light to guide each of you on your new path. We finally made it guys. Back in pride. Back in pride. Back in pride. Thank you. Thank you Miss Neal. At this time, Dr. Jeanette Evans, President of the National Alumni Association will come forth to administer the Oath of Allegiance to the University. It is my pleasure on behalf of the ECSU National Alumni Association to administer the Oath of Allegiance to the University to the 2015 spring graduates. I should like to say that I consider myself as living history here today because 52 years ago when we had Governor Terry Stanford speak, I was sitting where you are sitting. So I'm happy to have lived that long to be able to witness this day. So I ask the graduating class to please stand. On page 25 of your program booklet you will see the Oath of Allegiance and I ask you to repeat after me. I hereby solemnly pledge unbroken allegiance to my alma mater in appreciation for the opportunities for development afforded me as a student at Elizabeth City State University. I pledge active membership in the National Alumni Association wherever I may be. Through association with my fellow alumni I shall forever do my best to uphold the ideals and traditions of my alma mater. I pledge as a person to exemplify high ideals by rendering positive and dignified service to the community, state, nation and world. Thus living to bring honor and respect to my alma mater. So again on behalf of the National Alumni Association I say pride, thank you, congratulations, you may be seated. Newest alumni of Elizabeth City State University as you depart with mixed feelings of joy in your accomplishment and perhaps a little sadness in leaving your second home, remember that ECSU is your alma mater. It is most of you the first adult academic and personal development experience that serves as the foundation upon which you will build the rest of your life's work. Take to heart the words that you are about to sing. They say we'll hear when duty calls ECSU faithful and ever true will be to you for in our hearts we'll still love thee ECSU. We expect you to visit us often to send us good prospects and to give back generously so that the students who follow you will have even greater opportunity and remember the future lies before you like a field of driven snow be careful how you tread for every step will show. Take with you our very best wishes for a wonderful future and Godspeed. Would you please stand for the singing of the alma mater. For permission I declare our 160th commencement convocation closed. Let's receive the benediction from Reverend Chick Broadfoot pastor of the Christ Episcopal Church here in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. It is indeed stately and worthy of our praise and thanks. Let us bow our heads together. Almighty God, creator, sustainer and redeemer we come to you on this great day with thanksgivings and grateful hearts for this historic institution for the faculty and staff charged with the care, nurture and formation of the class of 2015. Thank you so much for all the support you have done for these graduates that have stayed the course that have passed the test and have earned their degrees they have persevered and they've made their families proud they've made memories that will last a lifetime grant them your truth and your wisdom may they turn their sights towards the fulfillment of their hopes and the blessings that they make may you be by their side and may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep their hearts and minds and the knowledge and love of God and of their Son Jesus Christ our Lord and may the blessings of God Almighty the Father Son and Holy Spirit be with them and remain with them always. Amen. Please be seated for the recessional.