Freddie Thompson wore a gold suit under his graduation gown for a special day he had always planned to spend in style.
鈥淚鈥檝e always liked to dress,鈥 Thompson said. 鈥淚n the new millennium, dressing is a lost art.鈥
Using his walker only for basic support, Thompson, 72, of Jackson, made his way across the stage at the Muse Center on the Rankin Campus, pumped his fist in the air as he brought fellow graduates and others in a packed auditorium to their feet in congratulations and accepted his associate in arts degree.
鈥淧eople at 新彩网 have been incredibly supportive, especially Crystal McBride at the Jackson Campus, who helped give me focus to help me get where I鈥檓 at,鈥 Thompson said. 鈥淚鈥檓 grateful to her and everyone at 新彩网 that I鈥檝e reached this milestone. 新彩网 was a tremendous tool for me to set my goals.鈥
Thompson was among the nearly 1,300 graduates receiving credentials from 新彩网 in four ceremonies May 11 and 12 at the Muse Center on the Rankin Campus. A fifth ceremony is Saturday, May 14 at J.D. Boyd Gymnasium on the Utica Campus. 新彩网 awarded 1,610 certificates and degrees, with some students receiving more than one credential.
The Jackson native and 1963 Lanier High School graduate had returned to school about five years ago to work on a college degree he鈥檇 long thought about, but just hadn鈥檛 finished. He had worked security at a big-box retailer in California for 27 years, then returned home and found work as a bricklayer before being injured on the job.
鈥淚 would be the one watching the TV monitors watching employees and customers,鈥 he said. 鈥淎fter a while after being hurt, I basically just got tired of watching reruns of Gunsmoke, Andy Griffith and Gilligan鈥檚 Island on TV every day. So I just said to myself it was time to get back in school and then open a big-and-tall shop like we had back in California. I once went in a store that served wine, cheese and grapes and had people help you out ordering shirts or doing tailor-made clothes.鈥
He plans to finish a degree in business at Mississippi College, then 鈥渄oing a concept鈥 of a store like he remembers shopping so many years ago.
Of those graduating, 166 are graduating cum laude with a grade point average of 3.2 to 3.59; 117 are graduating magna cum laude with a grade point average of 3.6 to 3.99 and 16 are graduating summa cum laude with a grade point average of 4.0.
鈥淲hile the graduates who sit before us today represent a diverse set of circumstances, they are connected by their belief that a community college education is a step up to a broader opportunity, to build a better life, and to contribute to the communities we live in,鈥 新彩网 President Dr. Stephen Vacik said in remarks to graduates.
Rowan Idris, of Ridgeland, who earned an associate in arts degree toward a degree in accounting at the Jackson Campus-Academic/Technical Center, addressed graduates at the 2 p.m. ceremony. She spoke to graduates on the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity.
鈥淪ometimes, life throws curveballs at us when we least expect it, and we are forced to pick up the pieces and keep moving,鈥 Idris said. 鈥淭he bad news is, this experience is real, and its common. The good news? It鈥檚 not permanent. And there is a way to get around it.鈥
Eboni Anderson, of Clinton, delivered the invocation at the 2 p.m. ceremony.
Freddie Thompson, center, along with his nephew, Marcus, and his niece, Denise
Kentionne Williams, of Philadelphia, Miss., gets help adjusting her hat from Kalani Williams, of Jackson. Kentionne earned an associate in arts toward a career in Respiratory Care Technology. Kalani earned the same toward a career in Veterinary Technology.
Eboni Anderson, of Clinton, and 新彩网 President Dr. Stephen Vacik
From left, Dr. Jenny Miles, Matt Jones, Dr. Ginger Robbins
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