The Virginian-Pilot
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If there were a contest for loudest cheering section at Old Dominion University's graduation ceremony Saturday, Britton Williams-Hawkins' family would've been tough competitors.
When it came time for the 23-year-old to walk across the stage at the Ted Constant Convocation Center, they shook their section with whoops and applause.
"Hallelujah!" said his godmother, Janice Williams, 57, who flew in from Connecticut for the commencement. "It's wonderful. It's the best thing in the world. I'm so happy for him."
Williams-Hawkins was one of several hundred students who graduated Saturday from ODU, Norfolk State University and Regent University. Nearly 1,900 graduated from ODU and 750 from Regent.
And Sunday, President Barack Obama will deliver the commencement speech at Hampton University's graduation.
CNN correspondent Alina Cho shared three bits of advice with ODU's graduates during her commencement speech.
"As you leave Old Dominion University today, remember, this is not the end... it's the beginning," she said. "Dream big. Follow your passion. And most importantly, be humble and be kind."
For some students, ODU's ceremony was the chance to make a statement - on the top of their heads - by personalizing their mortarboards with rhinestone initials, neon Greek letters or short messages.
"Dear ODU, toodleloo, sucka!" read Neebra Williams' cap. The 22-year-old from Fredericksburg earned her bachelor's degree in business administration. Now she's going to intern for the Department of Defense.
Chandra Harris, 21, of Alexandria decided to use her cap as a marketing opportunity. "Anyone hiring?" she spelled out in foam letters. She earned her bachelor's in marketing Saturday and is now looking for a job.
For Williams-Hawkins, commencement was a special milestone, said his father, Brian Hawkins, 48, of Norfolk. When he first applied to ODU, he didn't get in, he said. But he tried again, and five years later has earned his bachelor's degree in English.
"He did whatever he had to get here," his father said. "I'm proud to know that he committed himself."
Williams-Hawkins said he hopes to write screenplays and produce films. But first, a cookout to celebrate.
"It feels great," he said. "This is very special, because at first I wasn't able to get in."
Kathy Adams, (757) 222-5155, kathy.adams@pilotonline.com
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Regency ceremonies
Quite impressed and refreshed after attending the ceremonies at Regency yesterday- actually included a "prayer" & "benediction" which is not what most of the other ceremonies could even touch. Seems to be such a concern on "who" speaks at their ceremonies such as HS. Nowk, why in the world could that not have happened at CNU or ODU for that matter? Interesting...
I can't imagine why
Maybe because Regent is a private university (unlike ODU) founded by Pat Robertson. Private, religious based schools can be expected to include prayers that should not be acceptable in a public;y funded venue.
Examples of Respect
Why is it that when we attend graduation ceremonies today, no one knows how to act. The graduates believe they are being cute by writing on the caps rude and disrespectful comments and the crowd (their parents) act like they have never been away from the farm. We need to teach respect and based on the photos in this article it appears to Virginia Pilot finds it necessary to write news articles about these clowns.
Funny, I thought they were
Funny, I thought they were celebrations not an obligation to show YOU respect.
They are celebrations, however ...
College and high school graduations are celebrations; however, a certain amount of decorum needs to be observed at these events. People scream throughout the ceremonies preventing guests from hearing the name of their special graduate. Others have no respect for the event and wear almost anything they want to the event. At these college graduations, the graduates are on their cell phones, preventing others from hearing the speaker and the event. The event should be one filled with dignity. Save the shouting, the talking on cell phones during the service, and the loud celebrating for the parties that follow. With examples like many posted today, no wonder it's so hard to get high school students to see that the graduation ceremony should be a dignified occasion.
Yea, true professionals in the making...
Graduated - yes
educated - questionable
professional - questionable
respectful - doubtful
experienced - very little
ready to enter the world of professionalism - questionable
From all indications, this years crop of educated, professional, experienced job seekers is a pretty thin applicant pool.
"this is not the end... it's the beginning"
I suppose if nothing else has stayed the same since I left college it's the profound nature of the commencement addresses.
For graduates, 'it's not the end ... it's the beginning'
Sure, the beginning of a long and miserable job search...
HU Graduation
I am so glad that my son transfered to ODU a few years ago. He originally went to HU. He felt it would be good for his career to get a diverse education. This proved to be the wrong decision. HU is behind the times not to mention it cost me $7000.00 a semister and that was minus living on campus.The instruction there was typically liberal and anti- American teachings. 1/3rd of his classes were non-transferable, thus I threw my money down the toilet. He never felt welcomed or safe at that school. On the anniversary of the Va tech shooting he attended a memorial service at HU. One of the spokesmen got up on stage and started to rant at how great it was that students at Black colleges do not shoot each other up like they do at typical white colleges. My son, being a good friend of one of the Va Tech victims,left there hurt, angry and dismayed. At one football game that he had to attend for a grade, was warned that there may be a riot d/t events in the news about a white/black issue down south. He showed up at the football game to get the credit than quicky left after a few mins as the crowd was becoming rowdy.A few years later, a Pizza man and a guard were shot in one of the dorms at
thank god for cut n paste
I'lle bet your fingers are happy for the cut n paste function. This is the same rant you posted in the column for the Presidents speech. If you try real hard you can probably find a way to paste this in another column tomorrow. Makes on wonder if this rant is a paste from somewhere else.