Be Local means sending best wishes to area graduates
Spring means graduation ceremonies for college and high school students who are headed for new adventures.
Be Local means supporting local graduates who are making their way into the world and starting to fulfill their dreams.
That includes local college commencement speakers, who offered their own words of encouragement and advice at recent ceremonies.
Gina Watts, who served as a faculty member for 10 years at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus in Lemont Furnace, told graduates, “Whether you are in default mode, unsure of what your next steps, or in design mode, confident in your plans for the future — I want to challenge you. Never stop working. Never stop learning. Never stop growing. Never stop pursuing. Never stop serving. How much more could we accomplish, how much time would not be wasted, if we were more intentional about our lives and finding our purpose?”
Watts, deputy director for the Mercy and Justice Ministry at Vineyard Columbus in Ohio, remarked, “Whether it’s a big change or a small change, change is going to happen in your life. Don’t be afraid. Or if you are afraid, embrace it and turn it into the energy you need to manage the transition. Take risks. Embrace change. Navigate the transitions. And if you can’t do those things, by all means necessary, serve.”
At California University, Terence Carter, executive vice president of drama and comedy development for Twentieth Century Fox, noted, “Every graduate in the audience today can be the hero of their own story.”
A great-great-grandson of Elizabeth “Jennie” Adams Carter, California’s first African-American graduate, Carter told the graduates: “Take inventory of the knowledge you accumulated at Cal. Decide what of it is most important to you, and commit yourself to weave it into your story moving forward. You are all staring at a blank sheet of paper upon which to write the story of the rest of your life, in all of its potential glory and possible splendor.”
Stacey Olson, president of Chevron Appalachia, LLC, delivered the commencement address at Waynesburg University, saying, “No matter what situation you’re in, my goal today is to get you to choose to take the extraordinary path. The challenging, the uncomfortable, the unexpected, and the unpredictable path. And if you’re already on that path, I want you to keep going. The people here with you today, and on this stage, want you to achieve your fullest potential. And I think the extraordinary path is the way to get there.”
She added, “As you set out on your path, I hope you will continue to embrace your commitment to yourself, your family, your community and the world.”
The Rev. Dr. James Gilchrist, a retired Presbyterian pastor who teaches at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and Carnegie Mellon University, reminded graduates in his baccalaureate address, “Our relationships depend on speaking the truth to one another in love. The vitality of our country and the peace and stability of the whole world depend on our commitment to knowing what’s true and doing what’s right.”
Congratulations to the Class of 2019!
Those interested in joining the Be Local Network can contact Ted Flowers at 724-425-7231 or by email at tflowers@heraldstandard.com. Discount cards are available at the 蘑菇视频, 8 E. Church St., Uniontown, and at the Greene County Messenger, 32 Church St., Waynesburg.