UNG SPRING 2026 Commencement Ceremonies 10AM Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Indexed: 2026-05-19

[00:00:00]and to face what comes next. So we set these chairs for more than a ceremony.

[00:00:06]We set them for the stories that filled them. For the families who sacrificed, for the faculty who believed, for the students who turned purpose into action.

[00:00:18]And now one of these chairs holds your name, your place in this legacy, your moment to sit, not in comfort, but in accomplishment.

[00:00:29]Because at the University of North Georgia, commencement is proof of what purpose can build and what perseverance can achieve.

[00:00:39]Today, you're not sitting in a chair that's waiting. You're sitting in a chair that you earned. So, carry this moment with you because the world needs your courage, your skill, your resolve.

[00:00:54]And wherever you go from here, this chair goes with you.

[00:01:04]Ladies and gentlemen, please rise as you are able for the processional.

[00:03:06]doing.

[00:03:11]>> All right, y'all. Here's the deal. All right. If you cheer more for the Braves than you do for these students, we're going to be here all day. All right. How y'all doing?

[00:03:23]There we go. All right. Well, ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. Thank you so much.

[00:03:32]>> Well, good morning, ladies and gentlemen. And if we haven't met, my name is Michael Shannon, and I have the incredible honor of serving as the president of the University of North Georgia. Today, ladies and gentlemen, is the best day ever. We say that boldly at North Georgia because we mean it.

[00:03:56]Because ladies and gentlemen, today is more than a graduation ceremony. It is a celebration of resilience, of purpose, and of transformation.

[00:04:10]Graduates, today it is my absolute honor to welcome you to your chair.

[00:04:20]A chair that has had your name on it since the day you began this journey at North Georgia. A chair earned through long nights, difficult choices, setbacks, sacrifices, and relentless determination.

[00:04:39]A chair shaped by curiosity.

[00:04:42]A chair forged by resilience and strengthened by purpose. And now graduates, that chair is yours forever because today the trajectory of your life is forever cha changed.

[00:05:00]Graduates, allow me to be the first to welcome you to your chair. Ladies and gentlemen, will you celebrate with me?

[00:05:20]Ladies and gentlemen, this morning we gather to honorate or to honor the graduates of our college of education.

[00:05:31]Look at all those beautiful teachers out there.

[00:05:35]Yes.

[00:05:43]Ladies and gentlemen, these are graduates preparing to shape minds, open doors, inspire confidence, and change lives one student at a time.

[00:05:57]Teaching is one of the most profound acts of leadership there is.

[00:06:02]Because educators do far more than deliver information. They help students discover possibility. They create belonging. They build confidence. They ignite curiosity. They shape the future long before the future fully understands itself.

[00:06:23]and graduates.

[00:06:25]Whether you're entering classrooms, schools, counseling environments, leadership roles, or communities across Georgia and beyond, your influence will extend far beyond lessons plan lesson plans and textbooks.

[00:06:42]You're entering a profession rooted in service, in compassion, in resilience, in hope, and you're stepping into a calling at a moment when our country needs great educators now more than ever. In just a couple of short months, America will officially mark 250 years since its founding, the greatest experiment in human history. For a quarter millennium, generation after generation has answered the same enduring question.

[00:07:20]In America, what comes next?

[00:07:24]And now, graduates, that question belongs to you. At North Georgia, we do not simply prepare students for jobs. We prepare students for purpose. Because this isn't just higher education. Here at North Georgia, we believe it's higher purpose. And higher purpose is not handed to you. It is earned.

[00:07:45]College is not supposed to be easy. It is supposed to challenge you. It is supposed to stretch you. It is supposed to refine you. It is supposed to prepare you to do hard things because life and leadership demand it. And we have seen that resilience in every one of these graduates. We have seen it in our students balancing classroom rotations, coursework, jobs, and family responsibilities.

[00:08:16]We've seen it in our first gra generation graduates changing the trajectory of their entire family. We've seen it in the student who doubted themselves, failed, struggled, and came back stronger.

[00:08:32]in those who faced uncertainty, loss, anxiety, exhaustion, and adversity and chose to keep going anyway.

[00:08:43]These are not side stories, ladies and gentlemen. This is the story because discovery is not always about finding something new. Sometimes discovery is realizing what you are capable of becoming.

[00:09:01]The University of North Georgia's many things. A national leader in public higher education, a senior military college, a powerhouse of opportunity across five campuses. But at our core, North Georgia is a proving ground, a place where curiosity becomes capability, where challenge becomes confidence, where purpose becomes action. Today marks the culmination of years of sacrifice and hard work. But more importantly, it marks the beginning of something bigger. For now, though, graduates, take this in. This is special. Feel this moment. You have earned every bit of the celebration we're about to have for you today. To our families, to the loved ones who've gathered here with us today, we at North Georgia want to say thank you. Thank you for carrying burdens, offering encouragement, solving impossible problems, and believing in these graduates even when they doubted themselves. This accomplishment belongs to you as well. Graduates, will you give it up for your families here with you today?

[00:10:16]Yes.

[00:10:21]Graduates, your academic regalia isn't just tradition. It's a declaration.

[00:10:29]You've earned and joined into a long line of thinkers, builders, defenders, and dreamers. And the privilege of wearing these robes is forever yours.

[00:10:44]Ladies and gentlemen, as our as our as is our tradition at North Georgia, we begin this ceremony by honoring the country we are called to serve. Please stand as you're able for the singing of the national anthem performed today by one of our extraordinary students, Alexandria Birkenstock, a marketing major from Doula, Georgia.

[00:11:06]Faculty, staff, and graduates, please keep your TAMs and mortar boards on.

[00:11:12]Ladies and gentlemen, the national anthem.

[00:11:30]So proud we held at the twilight last stripes and bright stars fighting.

[00:12:10]proof through the night that our flag was still there.

[00:12:20]Oh, say does that star spangled or the land of the free and the home of the brave.

[00:12:56]Please be seated.

[00:12:59]Well, good morning. I'm Shadron Gil, the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the University of North Georgia. And it is my privilege to welcome you to this celebration of scholarship, leadership, and purpose at UNNG. Leadership is not viewed as a title. It's viewed as a responsibility.

[00:13:23]Leadership is developed through action, resilience, through compassion, and service to others. Rita Pearson, a legendary educator, once said, "Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them." At its very best, education is exactly that. It is the belief that people are capable of more than they currently see in themselves. It's the willingness to show up day after day to encourage, challenge, support, and inspire others.

[00:14:00]And that kind of leadership changes lives. The graduates of the College of Education are entering professions where knowledge matters deeply, but where encouragement, empathy, patience, and character matter just as much. They will shape classrooms. They will shape communities. They will shape futures.

[00:14:25]And it is now my pleasure to introduce a student who embodies those very qualities. Ailen Urana is a Rabben County, Georgia resident, earning a degree in elementary and special education.

[00:14:39]While at UNNG, she received the Helen B.

[00:14:42]Fowler Memorial Endowed Scholarship and the El Puit Memorial and L Hardy Scholarships. She also served as a college of education ambassador and participated in the parah toteer pathway where she gained hands-on classroom experience.

[00:14:59]After graduation, she plans to continue teaching and growing as an educator.

[00:15:05]Would you please join me in welcoming today's student speaker, Ailen Urana?

[00:15:18]Thank you, Provos, for those kind words.

[00:15:20]Um, in first grade, I had a teacher who truly made me feel seen and supported. I still have a picture with her today because her kindness has stayed with me long after that moment.

[00:15:36]At the time, I didn't realize how much that moment would stay with me or that one day I'd be standing here getting ready to become a teacher myself.

[00:15:46]Growing up, school meant a lot to me. My parents weren't always able to help much with school work because of a language barrier, so I depended a lot on my teachers.

[00:15:57]I had some amazing teachers who took the time to listen to me, to support me, and who believed in me. Those are the moments that stayed with me. And now, years later, I get to be that person for my own students.

[00:16:14]But my path to get here didn't look the way I thought it would.

[00:16:18]What's taken some people four years, three years, has taken me longer.

[00:16:25]I graduated high school in 2015, earned my associates degree and it and worked in schools as a paraprofessional and later I made the decision to come back and finish my bachelor's degree.

[00:16:40]But looking back, I wouldn't change that path because every step I took, every decision I've made has led me here.

[00:16:51]Working in schools has shown me has shown me something really important.

[00:16:58]What we do matters more than we realize.

[00:17:03]To my fellow graduates, the way we show up for others, the patience we have, the encouragement we give, and the relationships we build are the things that stay with us, sometimes longer than we know.

[00:17:23]I didn't realize it when I was a student, but I've carried those moments with me.

[00:17:29]And now I see it happening with my students every day.

[00:17:34]Not every student's path will look the same.

[00:17:38]Some need more time, more support, or a different way of learning.

[00:17:45]And that's okay. They're still growing in their own way, just like us. And that's what makes teaching so meaningful.

[00:17:56]No matter what grade or what subject we teach, we're choosing to show up for others.

[00:18:04]So my message is simple.

[00:18:08]Your path doesn't look have to look like anybody else's.

[00:18:12]It's okay if it took longer. It's okay if it looks different.

[00:18:17]What matters is that you stayed committed. What matters is that you kept going.

[00:18:25]What matters is you keep showing up for others.

[00:18:30]Growth doesn't always happen in a straight line, but every step forward still counts.

[00:18:36]And every single choice you've made has brought you to this moment. And that's something to be proud of. Congratulations, class of 2026.

[00:18:59]Was she fantastic or what? Ladies and gentlemen, yes.

[00:19:08]Thank you, Alen, for those incredibly inspiring remarks and for your resilience of coming back and persevering.

[00:19:18]special. I want to be in your classroom.

[00:19:22]Alen reminds us that education is ultimately about purpose, ladies and gentlemen. It's ultimately about people, about believing in others strongly enough to help them believe in themselves.

[00:19:37]Alen, you're an outstanding example of what a North Georgia student becomes. a leader prepared to serve with courage, with compassion, and with purpose. And I'm incredibly proud of you. We give it up one more time for Alen, ladies and gentlemen. Congratulations, Alen.

[00:19:59]And now, ladies and gentlemen, you're in for a treat. I It is my sincere privilege to introduce today's keynote speaker. At North Georgia, we often talk about higher purpose, about lives dedicated not simply to personal success, but to service, to leadership, and to impact.

[00:20:23]Today's speaker embodies those ideals beautifully.

[00:20:30]Dr. Claire Stevenson is a proud graduate of the University of North Georgia and in many ways she represents the very best of what this university strives to develop.

[00:20:46]Claire is an educator. She is a mentor.

[00:20:50]She is a leader. She is a servanthearted advocate for students and communities.

[00:20:58]She earned both her bachelor's degree in English with teaching certification and her master's degree in secondary education from North Georgia before continuing her academic journey through advanced graduate study and ultimately earning her doctorate in education.

[00:21:18]But what makes Claire's story especially meaningful today is not simply the degrees she's earned. Ladies and gentlemen, what makes her story special today is the life that Claire has built with those degrees.

[00:21:36]From helping open a brand new high school and building programs from the ground up to mentoring students to advising organizations to coaching young people to leading publications to supporting future educators and to serving her community. Dr. Stephvenson has dedicated herself to helping others grow. She has been recognized for excellence in leadership, coaching, service, and education throughout Northeast Georgia. And even now, get this, buckle up. She continues learning herself, pursuing yet another graduate degree because she believes growth never stops.

[00:22:22]graduates. That matters because the best educators never stop being students themselves. The best educators remain curious, adaptable, humble, willing to keep learning in order to better serve others. And perhaps most importantly, Claire understands exactly where you are sitting because she once sat there, too, as a North Georgia student wondering what comes next. and her journey reminds us that some of the most powerful change in our world begins quietly. It begins in classrooms, in conversations, in encouragement, in believing in people before they fully believe in themselves.

[00:23:07]As America approaches the its next 250 years, the future of this great country will depend greatly on educators willing to shape the next generation with wisdom, courage, and care. Educators like Claire. Graduates, your work will matter more than you know. Ladies and gentlemen, will you please join me in welcoming a proud North Georgia alum and educator, Dr. Claire Stevenson.

[00:23:45]Good morning, distinguished faculty, proud families, friends, and most importantly, the newest educators to be walking across this stage today from the University of North Georgia's College of Education. Can we take one more minute to just recognize those who have committed to this calling and cheer for them today?

[00:24:13]What an honor it is to stand here with you. Because before I was a teacher, a coach, a club sponsor, all of the things that you will likely go on to be, I was sitting exactly where you are today.

[00:24:29]Hopeful, nervous, just as nervous as I am right now speaking to you.

[00:24:35]excited, unsure, ready, but not quite ready for that first day walking into my own classroom.

[00:24:43]Right.

[00:24:45]I graduated from UNNG on May 6, 2017 as a brand new English teacher with a head full of ideas, a heart for my students, and absolutely no idea how many times I was about to say yes to things I had never done before.

[00:25:04]On May 7th, one day later, I started my master's program. Not because I had this grand life plan, but because I had already learned something here that would shape the rest of my life. When opportunity knocks, simply say yes to it. Say yes before you feel ready. Say yes before you feel qualified. Say yes before you know what you're really getting into. Because education is not built by the people who wait. It is built by people who are willing to step forward. Who accept the challenges that are facing education today and seek to change them. Who respond to the call to invest in others with no promise of an immediate return, but trusting that it will eventually come.

[00:25:55]My first year teaching, I said yes to being a cheerleading coach. Yes to helping with Fellowship of Christian Athletes, to opportunities I had no business saying yes to yet.

[00:26:07]And eventually, I was named the Greater Hall County FCA Coach of the Year because I said yes and I showed up. At the end of that year, I moved to a brand new high school being built entirely from the ground up. No traditions yet, no programs, no funding yet.

[00:26:28]And right there, waiting among that yet were all the opportunities.

[00:26:34]And I was willing to say yes to them. To starting a new TR cheer program with zero dollars in that account, to opening a new FCA huddle, to sponsoring the National Art Honor Society, which If you took note, President Shannon said nothing about my art abilities because I have none. Okay?

[00:27:00]But those students needed someone who was willing to sign up to fill the position and I was willing to say yes to that. So, art education graduates, I have all the love and respect for you and the talents that you will eventually bring out to your students.

[00:27:18]I also said yes that year to applying early for a specialist degree that I technically was not allowed to start yet or another two years because I didn't have the number of years to be qualified yet. But because I had a few conversations with my administrators and they were willing to advocate with me or for me, they let me into that program anyway.

[00:27:42]That same year, I got a call from UNNG's alumni office about a scholarship for my friend and classmate, First Lieutenant Weston Lee, who had been killed in action just a week before my own graduation from our alma mater. I had never fundraised for anything. I had no marketing experience. Are you starting to pick up on kind of a trend here?

[00:28:05]Flashback to the girl with no art experience who said yes to an honor society.

[00:28:12]But I couldn't say no to honoring his legacy at the place we both loved right here at UNNG. So I said yes. And somehow through emails on my lunch breaks, phone calls during my planning period, and a random Google search that led me to an email address for Billy Ray Cyrus of all people, follow me here.

[00:28:37]Which shockingly turned out to be a real email address to Billy Ray Cyrus, though I wouldn't advise to send an email directly to that from your school email address for the first time. He and his manager shared the scholarship link in a video tribute on all of his social media accounts after mentioning Weston during one of his own performances at the Grand Old Opry that year.

[00:29:02]I had hoped to raise $3,000 for Weston's scholarship in a month through the Rise campaign.

[00:29:10]I ended up raising $15,000 in three days.

[00:29:21]Now, I did all of this behind the scenes of my full-time job as a teacher, one week before spring break as a high school teacher. And if you know, you know, the week before spring break as an educator.

[00:29:38]I have since continued to fund raise for that scholarship each year. and I brought in over $75,000 in Weston's name. Still with no idea how to market, still with no concept of business models or anything of the sort, but I continue to show up and say yes to that.

[00:29:57]I remember I learned something incredibly impactful that week as well.

[00:30:01]You don't need experience to make a difference. You need willingness. The experience will come. By year five in education, I had moved back to my hometown to continue teaching as I had applied for an administrator's job, just hoping to land an interview for an English teaching position. And it worked.

[00:30:23]All of that in the span of one month, moving, starting my doctorate, finding out I was going to have my first child.

[00:30:31]I finished that same doctorate degree by the following spring.

[00:30:36]Again, not because I was super human as a first-time mom who had just moved counties and school systems, but because I developed a habit of saying yes to things that would grow me and challenge me. Now, hear me out when I say this as well. Saying yes does not mean working yourself into the ground.

[00:31:00]It does not mean sacrificing your peace.

[00:31:03]It does not mean that your job comes before your own life. It means that you choose to say yes to the things that make you better and in turn make your life better, more fulfilling, rewarding and meaningful. And in all of it, please know it is absolutely okay to feel anxious or nervous. It is a completely normal reaction to abnormal circumstances.

[00:31:32]Do not criminalize your reaction. I said yes to many things that seemed far too grand or ambitious or downright impossible at the time. I stopped comparing myself and my outcomes to my peers and I started applauding them rather than competing.

[00:31:51]You are not behind no matter how long it takes. You are becoming.

[00:31:59]And along the way, it is okay to ask for help.

[00:32:03]So, pop quiz for you. Which came first, the student or the teacher?

[00:32:10]The student. Every teacher is a lifelong learner and started exactly as such. And eventually, you will go on to learn and teach from your own experiences for the students before you. Your students will learn more from you than any standard or data point can measure. They will learn far beyond what the learning target on the board states. And you will learn so much from your colleagues as you grow into your own classroom.

[00:32:42]Be open to what they have to offer you.

[00:32:46]Some students will thrive because you showed up on a day that you didn't feel like it. Some will change the trajectory of their lives because you chose this calling and you stuck with it. You are that person for them. You are now the person that you needed when you were a student as well.

[00:33:08]You are irreplaceable in the lives of your future students. just as irreplaceable as the degree you have now earned for yourself and the knowledge you have gained from your time as a student at UNNG.

[00:33:23]While I was a student here, I worked at the campus rec center and got to know the regulars pretty well. One of them was Dr. John Rabber, former mayor of Delana, commissioner, professor, radio host, coach, referee, a million other things.

[00:33:41]He always used to tell us that this university is a direct reflection of the people in it and the experiences that they share from this. What we invest in a place is truly what it becomes. And the same is true for the school that you will walk into.

[00:33:58]The school that you will enter is not going to be perfect. No school system is. But they will become in part what you decide to invest in them. If you want to work for the best school system, you have to start by being the best teacher for the job and saying yes to the same standard of excellence that you would expect from your students, your co-workers, and everyone else who walks into your classroom door. I didn't learn this mindset from a book. And I'm sure you would agree, many of the best lessons you've learned during your time here did not come necessarily from the curriculum, but rather the people you shared your time with. Your loved ones, your classmates, your professors.

[00:34:46]Your students may one day have you to thank for the most impactful lessons in their lives that cannot be assessed by a standardized test.

[00:34:54]I pray you never underestimate the ability you have to positively impact someone else's life through your own courage to say yes and see it through. I am here because of my mother, Jane Kitchens, who was a UNNG graduate that said yes to stepping into her own classroom in elementary education for 32 years. She was the first in her family to become a teacher. And I grew up watching her shape her own students and show up for them.

[00:35:23]I'm here because of my father, Joe Kitchens, who was the first in his family to say yes to finishing high school. He then went on to say yes to attending UNNG as well. And he became a certified public accountant who is now a successful business owner in Northeast Georgia and North Carolina. I am here because of my sister Katie Kitchens who walked across the same stage three years before I did. Stepped into a comfortable job with Chick-fil-A corporate through their outreach as a logistics coordinator for their racing series and then somehow said yes to joining the Georgia State Patrol, the first in our family to ever pursue law enforcement.

[00:36:08]And again, how do you go from Chick-fil-A to Georgia State Patrol?

[00:36:13]We're still figuring that one out. Now, she broke her ankle during her first training, but she showed back up in the next class. And at the time, she became part of only 2% of women in the force and she's doing work to continue to change that number.

[00:36:30]And then my husband, who came to UNNG fresh out of high school from Lumpkin County High School with no clear plan, stepped away after two years to pursue law enforcement and years later said yes to also joining the Georgia State Patrol with some guidance from a crazy woman he had only met two weeks before, who would eventually become his sister-in-law.

[00:36:55]He earned the highest GPA in his trooper class. He went back to school to finish his degree. He did all of this while becoming a father, moving homes, and stepping into a new specialization in the GSP. None of them had a blueprint.

[00:37:12]None of them had someone or had seen someone before them do what they were doing. They said yes unprepared, unsure, and sometimes even unsupported.

[00:37:24]But they did it anyway.

[00:37:27]and their yes shaped mine. So if you're wondering today whether you're ready for what comes next, I hope you understand you are. You come from a long line of people who said yes before they were ready too. And as you leave here today, I implore you to do the same.

[00:37:45]Because education is not a profession built by or for people who wait. It is built by people who step forward. So, as you leave here today, say yes to staying connected. Join the alumni association.

[00:38:00]Keep connected to this place. Say yes to the professor who poured a little bit of extra into you. Write them a letter or even an email and actually send it.

[00:38:14]Say yes to the friends that you made here. Maybe you're sitting next to them right now. Swap numbers, find each other's socials, and invest in those connections.

[00:38:25]Maintain the network that you've already built. Nurture it, invest in it, gain more from it. Even as your time as a student here comes to a close today, you still have so much to learn and so much more to offer back and through UNNG.

[00:38:42]from the alumni side. And years from now, when you get a call from the president of this college asking if you would come back to speak to the next class of educators, I hope you say yes to that as well. Even if your hand shakes a little bit and your voice cracks because education is not changed by the people who sit on the sidelines. It is changed by those who step forward again and again.

[00:39:12]Now it is your turn to be the reason others think they can say yes to doing it too. Congratulations graduates.

[00:39:30]Thank you Dr. Stevenson. Your message reminds us that the future is not something we simply inherit. It's something we build by having the courage to say yes.

[00:39:43]At UNNG, education is never accomplished alone. Our faculty members are mentors, guides, coaches, scholars, and steady hands who help students discover their capabilities and realize their potential. Would you join me now in showing appreciation to our extraordinary faculty for their dedication to these graduates and now we recognize students who have shown extraordinary academic achievement and distinction.

[00:40:23]Will the balorate students graduating sumakumla please stand and remain standing.

[00:40:36]These students have earned a GPA between a 3.90 and a 4.0.

[00:40:45]Will those students graduating Magna Cumla please stand and remain standing.

[00:40:57]These students earned a GPA between a 3.70 and a 3.89.

[00:41:04]And will those students graduating cumloud please stand and remain standing.

[00:41:14]These students earned a GPA between a 350 and a 3.69.

[00:41:22]And will all associate degree students graduating with distinction please stand and remain standing.

[00:41:34]These students have all earned a GPA of a 3.5 or higher. Congratulations to you all on this outstanding achievement.

[00:41:50]You may be seated.

[00:41:53]Members of our core of cadetses, who rank in the top 20% of nearly 6,000 cadetses nationwide on the Army's National Order of Merit list, earned the title of distinguished military graduate. This is the highest honor an ROC cadet can receive. This year, UNNG has a total of 22 distinguished military graduates, which is a tremendous feat.

[00:42:22]Will our distinguished military graduates please stand and remain standing?

[00:42:35]Maybe at other ceremonies. We also have UNNG's honors program which cultivates a community of engaged scholars who have demonstrated excellence in academics, in service, and in leadership. Completion of the honors program includes involvement in activities outside of the classroom and service to the institution and the local community. Will all graduates who are members of the honors program please stand and remain standing. Honors graduate. All right.

[00:43:12]Academic honors societies specific to the discipline recognize students who have excelled both academically and as leaders among their peers. Will all graduates who are members of university and departmental academic honors societies please stand.

[00:43:30]There we go.

[00:43:33]Congratulations and you may be seated.

[00:43:42]Today we honor graduates entering one of the most influential professions in society. The College of Education prepares leaders who will shape future generations through teaching, mentorship, advocacy, scholarship, and service. These are professions rooted not only in knowledge but in belief. The belief that education changes lives. The belief that every student deserves opportunity and the belief that leadership begins by investing in others.

[00:44:18]Will all candidates for the associate degrees please stand.

[00:44:27]President Shannon, I present to you the candidates for the associate degree as listed in the program. Each one of these students has completed the requirements as set forth by the faculty and I recommend them to you for the conferral of their degrees.

[00:44:45]>> Thank you, Provost. It is an extreme privilege. Now, y'all ready? Y'all ready? Yeah, you are, aren't you? All right, ladies and gentlemen, by the authority vested in me by the board of regents of the University System of Georgia, I award to these amazing students the associate degree with all the rights and privileges there unto appertaining. And I welcome each of you to the company of scholars. Graduates, move your tassels from right to left.

[00:45:18]And ladies and gentlemen, let's give it up for these amazing students.

[00:45:29]You may be seated.

[00:45:32]Will the candidates for all bachelor's degrees please stand.

[00:45:42]President Shannon, each of these candidates has completed the requirements for the bachelor's degree, and I recommend them to you for the conferral of their degrees.

[00:45:53]>> Well, thank you, Provos. I I know this group's ready. You ready, teachers?

[00:45:58]>> Yes.

[00:46:00]Ladies and gentlemen, by the authority vested in me by the board of regents of the university system of Georgia, I award to these graduates the bachelor's degree. With all the rights and privileges there unto appertaining and graduates, I welcome you to the company of scholars. Move your tassels from right to left. And ladies and gentlemen, let's give it up for these bachelor students.

[00:46:45]Please be seated.

[00:46:55]We will now call the graduates forward to be recognized individually. I invite the commencement team to take their positions to announce the graduates.

[00:47:05]Marshalss, please lead the graduates forward.

[00:47:44]Now presenting all candidates with an associate degree from the College of Education. Olivia Gail Kelty, Kendra Michelle Newman, Chinju Valapel Varges.

[00:48:09]Now presenting all candidates with a bachelor degree from the College of Education, Madison Lane Hester.

[00:48:20]Brooklyn A Carry Ali Diane McNeel Alyssa Grace Odum Caroline Cecilia Wei Abigail Lauren Foster Chloe McKenzie Ratiff Madison Grace Gabrells Elizabeth Grace Demars Ailen Graciella Urana Morta Fallon Marie Elise Cook, Kayla Beth Parker, Hope Marie Patterson, >> Julia Honor, >> Molina Alexis, Allen, Alli Grace Wheeler >> Gonzalez, >> Carla Michelle Serna, >> Annabelle Jean Adams, >> Kayla Grace Forin, Katie Elizabeth Harris >> Skyler Beth Tipton >> Thomas Harold James Hayden >> Cassidy Paige Gains Carmen Isabella Fowler Carolyn Marie Rodriguez, >> Juliana Odell, >> Hillary Baldwin, Amler, >> Austin Cole, Ferris, >> Jacob Troy Jenkins, Morgan Renee Reeds, Thomas Nathaniel Moy, >> Emma Rachel, Evelyn Sams, >> Noel Campbell Barnett, Elizabeth Lynn Nason, Jenna Mosley, >> Emma Grace Gleason, >> Lindseay Nicole Foster, >> Julia Karen Harris, >> Hannah Beth Algood, >> Savannah Hannah Faith Chery Hannah Elizabeth Pittz Skyler R. McFersonson, Emma Elizabeth Patterson, Nia Lee Harrington, Hensley Ellen Harkness, >> Chapman, Elizabeth James, >> Payton, Elise Hughes, Geno Eldridge Amoroo >> Travis Jordan Graer Cole Blake Turner Abigail Grace Cash >> Connor Elizabeth Bray Hansley Marie Lively, Maline Claire McMullen, Rebecca Jean Patterson, Ansley Isabella Broom, Cameron Elizabeth, Jade Aino Kuner, Emily Lauren, Legette, Nina Deo, Sibara, Savannah Paige, Hammock, Jenna Marie Peton, Kelsey Balpap, Sarah Elizabeth Galves, Sarah Anne Hamlet, Jenna Ray Hurst, Heidi Elise French, Jesse Wellins Bear Logan Gloria Anarie Tank Morgan Riley Anderson Ethan Ryan Hendris Michael Thomas Parker Riley Anne Harkin, Corey Marie Esco, Mary Sil Britt Brumy, Maline Grace Stone, Elijah Shane Tomkins, Joseph Michael Risinger, Zachary Leroy Hooks, Turner James Grimit, Second Lieutenant Connor James Lively, Abigail Hannah Moore, Emma Catherine Moon, Sierra Rose Orcut, Rihanna Ray Morris, Isabella Anne Green, Ellie Kate Sutin, Elena Christine Merritt, Elena Susan Carter, Tiffany Nicole Canup, Grace Anne Moore, Nataline Martinez, Hernandez, Rain Grimes, Caitlyn Elizabeth Jackson, Christopher Clay Gant, Cara Jstone, Angela N. Bonitez Orza, Hannah Michelle Zuniga, Ensley Lynn Brawn, Caitlyn Marie Burke, Caitlyn Alyssa Ball, Payton Elizabeth Oliver, Caroline Marie Harwell, Caroline Grace Conboy, Olivia Camille Johnson, Jennifer Christen Trulov, Mallerie Ela, Glaze, Jesse Garrett Larson, Jessica Payton Shifflet, Alexa Martinez, Melissa Lopez Hernandez, Ava Delaney Collins, Emily Grace Bird, Emma Catherine Cson, Angela Maria Torres, Aras, Ella Anamarie Darnell, Caitlyn Danielle Crook, Caroline Grace Stewart, Riley Jane Skinner, Michaela McKenzie Bailey, Kayla Tyrion Miller, Haley Elizabeth Wilson, Caitlyn Dawn Greenway, Ashlin Grace Fuller, Maline N. Parker, Satia Bistadette, Reagan Margaret Moldi, Lauren Nicole Carter, Victoria Lee Bowler, Alyssa Danielle Balaster, Jessica Laurenola Yahara WAC Keller Joseph Abigail Hannah Swain, Aiden Anthony Busby, Jared K. Julian Channing Ray Boswell Ethan Dakota Malco Timothy Marcel Adair Isabella Anne Ford Dominique Irene de Montini, Harley Gail Leford, Madison Rose Phillips, Second Lieutenant Yana Garcia, Emily Elizabeth Bedell, Karen Jocelyn, Caitlyn Abara, St. Li Marceleno Aoyo, L Mariana Esamia Martinez, Jennifer Mendoza, Madison Brook Frasier, Ashley Anne Tomlinson, Yasmin Lynn Milligan, JC Lynn Seabolt, Lauren Alexis Candelaria, Patricia Gino, Sophia Jules, VS Allison Agalar, Britney Ramirez, Ruiz, Elizabeth Obera, Jessica Lorissa Ramirez, Cinda Allen, Emily A. Mccclaclin, Sophia TZ, Sona, Madison, June, Fatley, Jackson, Timothy Ver, Ray J. Milligan, Catherine Elizabeth Kirkbride, Kayla Lee Gibson, Emily Nicole Daves, McKenzie Grace Simosa, Emily M. Torres, Fabiola Perez, Lily Anne Freddy, Jennifer Nicole Hardy, Leah Marie Brown, Mia Denise Blackman, Georgia A. Laster, McKenzie L. Williams, Logan Riley Woods, Chloe L. Evans, Odalis Mahia, Allison Garcia, Ariana Christine Hernandez, Aaron Elizabeth McCormack, Evan Alexa Collins, Ashley Teresa Shepard, Yeah. Come on. Let's go. Let's go.

[01:06:48]All right, graduates. Today was the best day ever. You made it, and we could not be more prouder. But today is not the finish line. As Claire said, it's the launch pad. As you leave this place, remember the world you are entering does not need more certainty. It needs more curiosity.

[01:07:11]More pe people willing to ask hard questions. More people willing to try to fail to adapt and to try again. More people willing to step forward and take responsibility for what comes next.

[01:07:28]Because the story of the next 250 years of this great country will not write itself. It will be written by people like you. So go build, go heal, go lead, go serve, go teach, go inspire because somewhere in the future there is a student whose life will be changed because you chose this calling.

[01:07:56]And wherever your journey takes you, carry this with you. You are ready. You are needed.

[01:08:05]And your story is just getting started.

[01:08:10]Graduates, this is your alma mater. And that is a fancy set of words in Latin which mean nourishing mother.

[01:08:21]From Blige to Gainesville, from coming to Delana to Aone, the power of five, our five great campuses will always be your home. North Georgia isn't just a place you come to for four years. It's a place that stands beside you for life.

[01:08:41]As Claire said, supporting you, equipping you, and celebrating you as you continue your journey. Today you join a proud family of alumni who carry North Georgia with them wherever they go. In fact, I'd like to ask all North Georgia alumni in our audience today to please stand and be recognized.

[01:09:11]Look around.

[01:09:20]Graduates, look around. This is the network you now inherit. A network built on character, service, and higher purpose. This is your forever Nighthawk family. Congratulations to all of you and congratulations to our great alum. And now, ladies and gentlemen, one of the greatest honors of today's ceremony, the commissioning of second lieutenants into the United States Army.

[01:09:50]As one of only six congressionally designated senior military colleges in the United States and the Army Senior Military College, the core of cadetses at the University of North Georgia is America's core. And America's core isn't a program. It's a calling. It's a movement. It's a reset of what it means to serve something bigger than yourself.

[01:10:16]It's a place where young men and women are shaped not by polish, but by purpose, not by tradition, but by truth, not by prestige, but by performance. And ladies and gentlemen, for a 153 years, these impressive leaders continue to a proud and unbroken legacy of service to our great country. In a time when only six% six% of Americans have raised their right hand to serve. Today, you're going to see men and women who are saying, "Send me.

[01:10:54]I'll do it."

[01:10:56]leaders who have been forged in the crucible of service to America and where today we bestow upon them the honor and privilege to lead America's finest, the American soldier. This spring, we will commission 62nd lieutenants across our five undergraduate commencement ceremonies. And it is now my extreme honor to welcome Colonel Ed Bankston, professor of military science, also a proud North Georgia graduate, who will administer our commissioning oath.

[01:11:30]Colonel Bankston.

[01:11:40]Thank you, President Shannon. I'm proud to be here with you today as we continue to build on leg the legacy of officer development here at the Army Senior Military College. At this time, will the commissioning seniors from America's cores please remove your cap and gown, proceed to the front of the stage, and face the audience.

[01:11:57]Ladies and gentlemen, as officers move forward, I'd like to thank the UNG leadership and all of our amazing professors, faculty, and staff for the impact you've made on our cadetses.

[01:12:06]Your investment in their lives and the wisdom you bestowed upon them is invaluable and lifelong. You made a profound difference in in each and every one of them. We're grateful for all for each and every one of you and all of your hard work and thank you towards building our future leaders you see standing before you today.

[01:12:23]Ladies and gentlemen, the two officers before you certify they are both prepared to assume their role defending our freedoms and each one recognizes that protection of our way of life requires constant vigilance.

[01:12:35]discipline and integrity.

[01:12:38]Each of these officers understands that each generation inherits not only the rights and privileges of an American but also the responsibility to defend it.

[01:12:46]The United States Army's motto is this will defend for that very reason and every service member understands the importance of that that motto as well as its potential cost that entails. The oath these officers will take signifies their commitment to defend our freedoms, values, and the interests of our nation.

[01:13:02]Our oath is not to a king or a queen nor any type of sovereign, but is an oath to defend a collection of ideas. It's the very foundation of our nation written down and enshrined in our constitution.

[01:13:15]As lieutenants, you must understand this a sacred oath as you may be asked to defend it with your life and the lives of the soldiers you lead.

[01:13:23]At this time, I'd ask all of our veterans, those currently serving in the military, as well as our first responders, firefighters, police, and ENTs, please stand and remain stand with me as I administer this oath.

[01:13:52]We thank each and every one of you for all that you do and I commit to you as well that these officers are ready to lead and they will demonstrate the highest standards of character and defense of our nation.

[01:14:02]Lieutenants, you stand before your friends, your families, loved ones, and under the watchful eyes of those in the arena who have served and are currently serving. Raise your right hand and repeat after me.

[01:14:13]>> I state your name solemnly swearly >> that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States. most important >> against against all enemies, foreign and domestic >> against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

[01:14:30]>> That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same.

[01:14:33]>> I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same.

[01:14:36]>> That I take this obligation freely >> I take this obligation freely >> without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion.

[01:14:44]>> without any mental reservations for purpose of evasion.

[01:14:48]And I will well and faithfully discharge the duties.

[01:14:51]>> And I will well and faithfully discharge the duties >> upon which I'm about to enter.

[01:14:56]>> Upon which I'm about to.

[01:14:58]>> So help me God.

[01:14:59]>> So help me God.

[01:15:01]>> Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in a round of applause for America's future defenders.

[01:15:33]All right, first order lieutenants, you can sit down.

[01:15:39]Thank you, Colonel Banks. And ladies and gentlemen, thank you for sharing in that very special moment for us here at North Georgia. Our core of cadetses was started the day this college opened in 1873. And it's a very important part of our great institution. Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to take a moment to thank every staff member, faculty member, family member, and supporter who helped make today the best day ever.

[01:16:07]Will you give it up for our entire team and everyone to do is to look every single one of those amazing human beings in the eye.

[01:16:27]And if I could only write a book, I need to do that, by the way, of what the stories I could tell.

[01:16:35]It's unbelievable.

[01:16:37]Ladies and gentlemen, Sigma, one of the major health care providers in America, recently published a report, Vitality in America. And here's what the report said. It says that 29% of Americans identify themselves as having a sense of purpose. 29%.

[01:17:00]That means in this room today there are seven out of every 10 people who don't identify a sense of purpose.

[01:17:11]And I want to reflect on that a minute as we as we dismiss our graduates because here's what we believe here. We believe every single one of us, you, our our students, me, everyone is created for purpose.

[01:17:25]And graduates, your job every day is to get out of bed and lock your eyes with that purpose. And it's going to look different and it's going to change as Claire mentioned. Claire had no idea she was going to do all the stuff that she's gotten herself into. Sorry about the art, miss. Uh but she said she's not good at art. So there you go. But you have no idea where you're going to go, but you got to get out of bed and take the step.

[01:17:54]You got to get out of bed and take the step. And for you, I've got a special message because you have a privilege that not many of us get to have. You get to walk into a room every day and look other people in the eye. You get to walk into a room every day and make the world make sense. You get to walk in the room every day and speak life into young people.

[01:18:21]And that's a privilege. And I want you to go forward with that knowing that we believe in you, but take it seriously.

[01:18:30]Your purpose will get closer to you when you speak purpose into others. When you get in front of them and encourage them.

[01:18:40]There's a guy up on the screen here. You might see him. He's in the bottom right corner here. That guy is named Victor Glover.

[01:18:49]Victor Glover grew up in Southern California, the son of a bookkeeper and a police officer. No one in his family went to college. Nobody went to college.

[01:19:01]And when he was in the fifth grade, Mr. Hargrove, recognized his aptitude for math, it took time with him after school and said, "I think you should study engineering."

[01:19:18]And at the time, Victor Glover had no idea even what engineering meant.

[01:19:23]And then Victor went on to Calpali to study engineering.

[01:19:27]And when he was a sophomore, he had Dr. Lacosio.

[01:19:34]And what had happened in Dr. Lacosio's class? Victor Glover failed the course.

[01:19:40]He failed it. He got a big fat F.

[01:19:44]Failed it.

[01:19:48]But what did Dr. Lacosio do? He gave Victor Glover, as he said, I quote, tough love. And he mentored him, teaching him how to balance his workload.

[01:20:00]Ladies and gentlemen, three weeks ago, Victor Glover piloted a rocket that flew the furthest a human in the history of the of mankind has ever flown into outer space.

[01:20:16]Why? Because Mr. Hargrove spoke life into him. Teachers and because Dr. Lacosio gave him another chance. Yeah. The pilot of Artemis 2 failed a course in college.

[01:20:32]By the way, you can go and hear Victor's story. He talks about it a lot. Here's what he said about his time in college.

[01:20:39]I was absorbing a lot but I was telling my I was and I was trying with my friends and my fraternity brothers to give a lot as well. That influenced who I was and who I wanted to be. I wanted to be a servant. I wanted to be someone who was useful.

[01:20:56]He goes on and he says our journey in space gave us perspective and made us more protective and appreciative of our life on earth. We need to be reminded that we right now are capable of great things. Swinging for the fence and knocking it out of the park. Graduates, go walk toward your purpose and be like Victor. Go swing for the fence and knock it out of the park. Congratulations. We are incredibly proud of you.

[01:21:33]And now, ladies and gentlemen, as we prepare to close today's ceremony, I want to share some instructions.

[01:21:40]Teachers, you know how to do this, right? You know what instructions look like? So we could celebrate this moment together in true North Georgia fashion.

[01:21:48]It's so that nobody gets hurt. Okay, we're about to sing our alma mater right after we finish. Graduates, pay attention. instructions. Right after we finish, myself and and my teammates up here will begin our recessional. We ask that everyone remain in your seats because the celebration is not quite over. We have a surprise for you. Once the stage party has made its way down to the floor, get ready everyone. Watch the screens because the arena will erupt in celebration. First, for the graduates, it's going to get loud in here.

[01:22:28]Streamers will be firing around you, loudly and joyfully, marking this milestone in a way worthy of your achievement. Stay on the floor, celebrate boldly, and graduates, take it all in. This is your final moment to celebrate with us. Families and guests, after the celebration and streamers, I would ask you to please exit to the concourse level and meet your graduates on our center plaza out those doors to my left over there. Everybody good? Yes.

[01:23:07]Over there. They're waving.

[01:23:10]Graduates, as you leave today, we have a special treat. Make one final stop on your North Georgia journey to the alumni house, which is right next door. As you exit the plaza, your University of North Georgia Alumni Association has prepared a special gift for you. A reminder that this place and this family are yours for life. We are your alma mater. We are your nourishing mother. Thank you everyone for believing in the mission and work of the University of North Georgia. Thank you. You did a great job celebrating today. Godspeed and go Nighthawks.

[01:23:53]And now, ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the singing of the University of North Georgia Alma Mater.

[01:24:12]From the blueish mountains to the banks of Lake memories of our weer and seeking courage, truth and wisdom hearts of loyalty abound.

[01:24:40]University of Georgia from diverse and solid ground.

[01:24:49]Setting salute your history to the blue and gold we rise.

[01:24:57]Look beyond the sunet.

[01:25:02]See the future in our eyes.

[01:25:06]To our soul we bring your glory.

[01:25:11]May we always keeping meories deep within us and our love for you and graduates.

[01:25:36]You've made it.

[01:25:38]You've left your mark in a legacy spanning over 150 years with pride of blue and gold.

[01:26:22]For generations, this institution has shaped dreamers, builders, leaders, and change makers.

[01:26:31]Now, it's time for you to carry it forward. The future will not be written by those who stand still. It will be written by those bold enough to imagine more. So wherever life takes you, remember this moment. Because this day is not the end of your story. It's the beginning of the legacy only you can create.