East Central Community College held its 90th Commencement ceremony Friday at the Neshoba Coliseum, with 600 students applying for graduation and over 300 walking across the stage.
“We have determined the class of 2019 will be one of the largest graduating classes in the history of East Central Community College,” said ECCC president Billy Stewart. “We are pleased over 300 of those graduates have planned to march across this stage tonight.”
Stewart said the entire college, from teachers to support staff, wanted to congratulate the students on their achievements and looked forward to seeing where the graduates go from here. He said his dream for the graduates is that they can help others and make and impact in their communities.
“I pray at the end of your life and mine, many people will stand and testify of the impact we’ve had on their lives,” he said.
The 2019 Keynote address was given by Rebekah Scitzs, a member of Phi Theta Kappa, cheerleader and 2019 Hall of Fame inductee.
Pop culture and reality television presents many different ideas of what family is, Scitzs said. Friends, Full House, and the Brady Bunch all present a version of what a family should be. However, she said, there are other types of family, too.
“Little did we know, over the past two years we were building family,” she said. “Well, maybe three years for some of those super sophomores.”
Everyone at East Central is part of a family, the ECCC family, Scitzs said. The paternal guidance of Dr. Stewart, she said, makes him the East Central father, guiding and helping shape students into responsible adults, teaching the value of service and instilling morals.
“Every family needs a strong foundation to point us in the right direction, whether that be mentally, physically or spiritually,” she said. “For us, the strong foundation lies in Dr. Stewart.”
Dr. Randal Lee, Vice President of Student Services, is the grandfather, Scitzs said, full of wisdom to share with students and graduates.
“Whenever we need words of wisdom, or just really long words in general, Dr. Lee is the man for the job,” she said.
A family is like a tree, Scitzs said. It has many branches, all going their own separate ways. However, all those branches originate from the same place.
As the graduates of 2019 go their own ways, branching out into the world, Scitzs said her wish is for them all to remember where they started, remember their family and remember East Central.
