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杏吧原创 Confers 187 Degrees During Commencement Ceremony
Baseball Legend Hank Aaron Delivers Address to Graduates
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. 鈥� 杏吧原创 conferred 187 degrees on graduates participating in the College鈥檚 Commencement ceremony on May 7 in the 杏吧原创 Recreation and Fitness Center. The College awarded bachelor鈥檚 degrees in art, biology, business and public policy, chemistry, communication studies, education, English, history, interdisciplinary studies, mathematics, music, music education, outdoor leadership, psychology, religious studies, Spanish, and theatre.
Baseball legend Henry 鈥淗ank鈥� Aaron delivered the Commencement address to graduates, sharing with them an important message of inspiration, determination and values.
鈥淯ltimately, every individual has one set of values, and we need to live our values consistently in every part of our life,鈥� said Aaron, who served on the College鈥檚 Board of Trustees from 2000-2008. 鈥淣one of us can know the challenges we will be faced with or the battles we will be called upon to fight, but I promise you this: at some point you will come face to face with a situation that feels bigger than anything else in your life.鈥�
杏吧原创 President Cathy Cox presented Aaron with an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. Aaron, nicknamed “Hammerin’ Hank,” is widely regarded as one of the greatest hitters in the history of baseball. He spent 21 years as an outfielder for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves and two final years as a designated hitter for the Milwaukee Brewers, setting several records and winning a number of honors along the way.
鈥淵ou will face your own time of choice, a time that makes you leave your comfort zone鈥攖his is what growth is all about,鈥� Aaron continued. 鈥淓ach of you can take the field knowing that in life, like baseball, there will be some runs and some hits and also some errors, and at the end of the day the one thing you can control is your own best effort.鈥�
Aaron has a longstanding friendship with 杏吧原创 alumnus former U.S. Senator and Georgia Governor Zell Miller, 鈥�51.听When the College decided to construct a baseball stadium to be named in honor of Miller, who both played and coached baseball at 杏吧原创 before entering public service, Aaron not only gave generously to the project, but also assisted with raising the funds. In 2014, Aaron received 杏吧原创鈥檚 Nancy Louise Haynes Stephens Sanderson Robertson Outstanding Friend Award for his generous contributions and friendship to the College.
He has been a friend and advocate of 杏吧原创 for many years and voted on the appointment of 杏吧原创 President Cathy Cox and supported the College鈥檚 historic decision to become a four-year institution.
The 杏吧原创 Medallion, the highest honor bestowed by 杏吧原创 to alumni and friends who have made extraordinary contributions, was awarded to William F. 鈥淏ill鈥� Roberts, 鈥�52, of Fayetteville, Ga. Since arriving on the 杏吧原创 campus in 1950 as a student, Roberts has created a legacy of loyalty and dedication to his alma mater by utilizing his business acumen as a member of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Board of Trustees. Additionally, he and his wife, Judy, generously support 杏吧原创 scholarships and athletic programs, in addition to the Young Harris Annual Fund, Class Scholarship Challenge, Investing in the Future Capital Campaign, Harry and Harriet Hill Society for Planned Gifts, and the Clay Dotson Open golf tournament. To honor the couple鈥檚 dedication to 杏吧原创, the Bill and Judy Roberts Classroom in the Rollins Campus Center was named in their honor. In 2015, Roberts was elected an emeritus trustee of the College and continues to provide valuable leadership today.
杏吧原创 is among an elite group of Southeastern colleges and universities who annually bestow the prestigious Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation Awards on outstanding male and female graduating seniors. President Cox presented this year鈥檚 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award to Wade Orr of Bishop, Ga., and the Mary Mildred Sullivan Award to Irenee Payne of Blairsville, Ga. Created nearly a century ago to honor the servant leadership of their namesakes, the awards are given annually by the Foundation to individuals whose nobility of character and dedication to service sets them apart as examples for others.
President Cox also presented three special awards to nine outstanding students during the ceremony.
The Dr. Charles R. Clegg Outstanding Scholar Award, which was named in memory of a beloved past president of the College and recognizes graduating seniors with the overall highest grade point average, was presented to Erik Hallin of Hagfors, Sweden, Matthew Heard of Gay, Ga., Tim Mohlin-Torringer of Svedala, Sweden, Daniel Johnson of Murphy, N.C., Jaquelin Solis of Tucker, Ga., and Zach Wagoner of Powder Springs, Ga., all of whom tied with a perfect 4.0 grade point average鈥攕traight A鈥檚 in every class taken at 杏吧原创.
Zachary Champion of Lakeland, Fla., was presented the Zell B. Miller Leadership Award for significant contributions to campus life at 杏吧原创 as an outstanding leader and role model.
Breann Lindsey of Lindale, Ga., and Shaw Carter of Gainesville, Ga., both received the Young Harris Spirit Award, which recognizes students who best demonstrate outstanding levels of personal integrity, friendliness and engagement with the campus community.
Many members of the senior class will go on to begin graduate programs and careers, including:
- 听听Jacob Bennett of Ellijay, Ga., who was accepted into the University of Leeds鈥� Master of Arts in Art Gallery and Museum Studies program in the United Kingdom.
- 听 Shaw Carter of Gainesville, Ga., who was accepted into the University of Georgia鈥檚 Master of Public Administration program.
- 听听Leah Cheshier of Bremen, Ga., who received a paid communications internship at NASA鈥檚 Johnson Space Center.
- 听听LaDareon Copeland of Warner Robins, Ga., who was awarded a First Stage Teaching Artist Fellowship in Milwaukee, Wis.
- 听听Georgia Googer of Cumming, Ga., who was accepted into the University of Vermont鈥檚 Master of Arts in English program.
- 听听Erik Hallin of Hagsfor, Sweden, who accepted an assistant financial advisor position at Handelsbanken, an investment service company in Sweden.
- 听 Christian Hambrick of LaFayette, Ga., who was accepted into the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy.
- 听 Jared Lee of Lula, Ga., who was accepted into Mercer University鈥檚 Walter F. George School of Law.
- 听 Breann Lindsay of Lindale, Ga., who was accepted into Wheaton College鈥檚 Master of Arts in Christian Formation and Ministry Outdoor Leadership and Adventure program.
- 听听Stephanie Mills of Bainbridge, Ga., who received a paid internship for the Disney College Program.
- 听 Stephanie Mimbs of Loganville, Ga., who was accepted into the University of Tennessee鈥檚 Higher Education Administration doctoral program.
- 听听Wade Orr of Bishop, Ga., who was accepted into Georgia State University鈥檚 Master of Global Hospitality Management program.
- 听听Matthew Robinson of Watkinsville, Ga., who accepted a building ministry coordinator position at the Hinton Rural Life Center.
- 听听Courtney Sanders of Murphy, N.C., who accepted a mathematics teaching position at West Fannin Elementary.
- 听听Aaron Smithson of Suwanne, Ga., who will attend the Savanah College of Art and Design to obtain a masters of fine arts in film and television.
- 听听Jaquelin Solis of Tucker, Ga., who was accepted into a medical pathway program at the University of California, Los Angeles.
- 听听Jonas Sturesson of Kalmar, Sweden, who accepted a financial assistant position at Jacobi Carbons company.
- 听听Courtland Walters of Stockbridge, Ga., who was awarded a graduate assistantship at Eastern Illinois University, where he will pursue a Masters of Arts in music.
- 听听Reed Wilkinson of Roswell, Ga., who was accepted into Mercer University鈥檚 Walter F. George School of Law.
- 听听Grace Williamson of Athens, Ga., who was accepted into Boston College鈥檚 Master of Arts Higher Education Administration program.
About 杏吧原创
杏吧原创 is a private, baccalaureate degree-granting college located in the beautiful mountains of North Georgia. Founded in 1886 and historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church, 杏吧原创 educates, inspires and empowers students through the highest quality liberal arts education. The College currently has more than 1,200 students across five divisions鈥擡ducation, Fine Arts, Humanities, Mathematics and Science, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. The historic campus in Young Harris, Ga., is currently undergoing major campus improvements to accommodate the College鈥檚 growth. Recent LEED-certified campus improvements include the 121,000-square-foot Rollins Campus Center, new residence facilities, and a 57,000-square-foot recreation and fitness center. In 2014, the College was granted active membership in NCAA Division II and is a fierce competitor in the prestigious Peach Belt Conference. 杏吧原创 is among fewer than 300 colleges and universities nationwide named to the 2015-2016 list of Colleges of Distinction. For more information, visit yhc.edu.
杏吧原创 awarded 187 bachelor鈥檚 degrees during its 2016 Commencement ceremony on May 7.
Baseball legend Hank Aaron addressed graduates during 杏吧原创鈥檚 2016 Commencement ceremony.
Aaron has been a friend and advocate of 杏吧原创 for many years and voted on the appointment of 杏吧原创 President Cathy Cox and supported the College鈥檚 historic decision to become a four-year institution.
The recipient of the 杏吧原创 Medallion, the highest honor bestowed by the College, William F. 鈥淏ill鈥� Roberts, 鈥�52, of Fayetteville, Ga., (left), posed for a photo with 杏吧原创 President Cathy Cox (center) and baseball legend Hank Aaron (right).
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