East Central Community College recognized 57 graduates of its High School Equivalency program last Tuesday in Vickers Auditorium on the Decatur Campus. Of the 57 graduates, 30 attended the commencement exercises, which featured live music from Louisville-based gospel group “Predestined” and a keynote address from Maj. Gen. Retired Augustus Collins, former adjunct general of the Mississippi National Guard.
“The entire college family joins me in celebrating your achievements, and we extend our most sincere congratulations,” Billy Stewart, president of ECCC said. “We are extremely proud of all of you.”
However, Stewart said, the 30 assembled graduates did not get there by themselves. They had help along the way.
“It is often said if you see a turtle on a fencepost, you know he did not get there by himself,” Stewart said. “Well, that applies to you graduates. Yes, you have completed your high school equivalency, but you did it with a lot of family members.”
In 2005, Collins said he was serving as a brigade combat leader in Kuwait. Tasked with preparing almost 5,000 solders to invade Iraq, he said, he called his troops together for a talk before the mission began.
“What do you say to a group of soldiers in a situation like that? You’ve got to get them ready to go do what they were there to do,” Collins said. “I decided I would just remind them why they were there.”
Collins challenged the graduates to do the same thing with their diplomas, to remind themselves why they were there.
“Did you come here because of self-accomplishment? Did you just want to get something because you didn’t get it the first time you came? Or, did you come here because you want to use this a stepping-stone to reach greater heights? Did you come here to better yourself?” Collins asked. “Whatever reason you came to get your high school equivalency, you need to remind yourself why you came.
“And I’ll challenge you to do a couple of things. I challenge you not to quit, to never give up on yourself and take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way as you go forward.
A high school equivalency is the start of the journey, Collins said, and as the graduates move forward, taking college courses, entering the workforce, raising families, the most important advice he could give was for the graduates to never give up and believe in themselves.
“So, in closing, I say to you, ‘congratulations,’” Collins said. “But I also say to you‘good luck and go and make us proud.”
