“Remember to accept your path with its many twists and turns… the adventure is in the journey, not the arrival. Every one of you has achieved enormous growth today by being here. Receiving this degree, you have changed the person you once were, and grown into something much more,” said Steve Franklin, graduate speaker at the

2019 Commencement of Southside Virginia Community College held at the John H. Daniel Campus in Keysville, May 11.

Franklin, of South Boston, was one of the nearly 1,200 students eligible to receive degrees, certificates and diplomas at the event and was selected by administration and faculty to be the speaker. He graduated with an associate degree in nursing presented by Dr. Al Roberts, SVCC President who presided over his final graduation ceremony due to his up- coming retirement.

“This is the part where I encourage you to keep on learning and growing.

It’s not the strength we have before we break, it’s the strength we possess when we feel broken or tired that matters. Every one of us here has experienced that feeling, and every one of you are sitting here today because you possess the strength to rise above it. The pride you feel today is a direct result of that strength. Keep using that fortitude, keep using that strength. This is not the finish line, no, this is just the beginning. Keep moving forward, keep striving for more, you know now that you possess the ability to do so,” he noted.

Also, a Hooding ceremony was held for three SVCC employees who completed Doctoral degrees. Those individuals are Lisa Jordan, associate professor of History and Political Science, Alfonzo Seward, assistant professor of Administration of Justice and Debra Smiley, Workforce Development.

Students who completed are listed below:

Charlotte Court

House: Calynn Garnett Trent, Nicole Joann Brown, William Nicholas Holt, Carrington Paige Johnson, Cody Christopher Kitchen, John Benjamin Williams, Cynthia Nicole Williams, Austin Rhea Hancock, Lamont Marcellus Morton, Scott Nelson Pugh, Terell DaShawn Bruce, Madeline Danielle Ferguson, Corey David Taylor and Matthew Edward Poling.

Cullen: Callie Faye Tharpe, Austin Samuel Geesaman, Jody Lynn Ziegler, Hannah Nicole Goldman, Joshua Carrington Goldman, Adam Hamlet Layne and Brook Carolyn Armstrong.

Drakes Branch:

Melissa Robertson LaPradd, Derek Michael Lee, Casey Margaret Tharpe, Charity Hope Walton, Jacob Christian Barker, Joshua Edward Smith, Bryant Austin Kemper Lockridge, Michaela Ann Hipps and Dajah Renee White.

Keysville: Daniel Davis, Heather Morgan Hawkes, Walker Thomas Newcomb, Preston Nathanle Pegram, Richard A Perkins, Brianna Marie Smith, Kirkland Jarret Toombs, Austin Cullen Shook, Levi Marshall Bolan, Takisha Nashay Fowlkes, Kevin Daniel Rutledge, Carter Louise Trammell, Melanie Laine Graham, Jacob Lee Scott, Casey Marie Early, Jonathan Trent Pettus, Christian Cameron West, Larkin Dunn Jackson, Layton Vaughan Payne, John Andrew Wendelin, Paul Thompson Wendelin, Dustin Jonas Perkins, Kendall Grace Bowman, Sydney Catherine Nichols, Chet Eugene Atkins Sr. Tyson Elliott Atkins,

Pamplin: Ryan Christopher Garrett, MaKayla Dar’shay Morris, Jayla Shakiya Watson, Deanna Jalynn Camp and Quiana Alexis-Marie Wylie.

Phenix: Laura Jeane Griffith, Joshua Darren Allen Turner, Shiloh Evan Turner and Amanda Gail Brown.

Prospect: Sabrina Trent Davis, Shonda Rachelle Jones and Cameshia Kamye

Wright.

Randolph: Amanda Lee Dunn, Virginia Ann Snead, Stacy Nichols Pulliam and Zaria Ne’Shay Spencer.

Red House: William Scot French.

Red Oak: Sade Ave Maria Barnes, Jacob Daniel Guill, Larry Woodson Newcomb, Mitchell Blaine DeJarnette, Tinnelle Shalon Craighead, and Wendy D. Tucker.

Saxe: Dana Louise Lacks, Lily Anne Toombs, Roger William Currin III, Dameon Francis Fields, Bryan Joseph Craighead, Ryan Jamar Craighead, Paige Lynne Foster, Kristen Dawn Lucado, and Lindy Dawn Newcomb.

Wylliesburg: Kevan P. Sherman.

Brookneal: Ryan Daniel Thompson.