Graduation Congratulations!
Spring time in Georgia and Bartow County brings with it flowers, growth, change, pollen, and graduation. In these weeks the young men and women of Bartow County will wear their caps and gowns for ceremonies that are remembered and cherished by family and celebrated by the graduates. With sincere congratulations, we send our graduates off into the world to make those next steps, climb those mountains, and knock down the walls that inhibit us from being the best.
And as our high school students pass from childhood to adulthood, we are also celebrating the college graduates both young and old who have persevered to earn college degrees, diplomas and certificates that will help them be more well-rounded individuals, critical thinkers, leaders in technology, industry, and business, as well as employed residents of this community.
A diploma is not a road map, but a passport to better things. It is the key to doors of opportunity that should include lifelong learning. Whether that takes place in a traditional classroom, online, in a laboratory, on the job, or some combination of that, you should never stop learning or striving to know more about yourself, the world, and what you do in it.
We often hear that college is not an option for everyone, but take that challenge and realize that there is a higher education option for everyone. Whether you are choosing to attend school far from home, online or at a school just a few blocks or miles away, you are choosing to open your mind to new ideas, experiences and prospects. But the decisions do not end there. Will you attend full time or part time? What will be your major? How will you pay? When will you be done?
Education is an investment, and the more time invested into it, will eventually translate into greater returns in the long run. It is said that a person with a college degree has the ability to earn more than twice the amount that a person with a high school diploma will earn, in their lifetimes. While that should not be your sole reason for continuing your education, it is something to consider.
Choosing a career and a field of study is not something to take lightly. In this economy we have seen people decry their diplomas are worthless. However, your diploma is never worthless when you see the work and time you have put into it and realize the person you have become for earning it. Realize that you are preparing to be a part of this world and search for that niche where you fit. From developing and redeveloping this community’s infrastructure, inventing the technology that will enhance the next generation’s lives, performing the jobs that will be empty as the former generation retires. Take this opportunity to become the expert. Develop the skills to earn a living. Learn the information to manage, run, perform, and provide a brighter future to yourself, your family, Bartow County and Georgia.
You have already been challenged to live better, be stronger, become smarter and do more than any generation before you. You’re now ready to take those steps, make those decisions and climb those mountains. So, in addition to congratulations, I want to welcome you to your future and wish you luck along the way.
Article by Dr. Ron Newcomb, President of Chattahoochee Technical College
Thank you to The Daily Tribune for publishing!
