Lenoir Community College Celebrates 63rd Commencement
Lenoir Community College celebrated its 63rd Annual Commencement Ceremony on May 8, recognizing the achievements of 370 graduates whose ages ranged from 17 to 73. Family members, faculty, and community leaders gathered at the LCC Gymnasium to honor the Class of 2025, whose determination and resilience reflect the college’s mission to transform lives through education.
Dr. Rusty Hunt, LCC President, opened the evening by commending the graduates on their perseverance.
“You have worked incredibly hard, you have persevered, and tonight, you wear that cap and gown not just as a symbol of academic achievement, but as a badge of courage, resilience, and purpose,” Hunt said.
Student Government Association President Jaiden Garrett delivered a heartfelt student address reflecting on growth—both personal and shared among the Class of 2025.
“As a first-generation college student, I came to LCC with a dream—but also with uncertainty,” Garrett said. “There were times I struggled. Times I felt overwhelmed. But each time, I was reminded that leadership doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means being willing to ask for help, to listen, and to keep going. That’s something this graduating class understands deeply.”
Guest speaker Cecilia Holden, President and CEO of myFutureNC, delivered an inspiring message about the broader importance of each graduate’s achievement.
“Regardless of your stage in life, this evening marks a powerful step forward—positioning YOU to create the future you’ll be proud to look back on one day,” Holden said.
Connecting LCC’s mission to a statewide effort to close the skills gap, she reminded the audience that while two-thirds of jobs in North Carolina require education beyond high school, only about half of North Carolinians currently meet that threshold. She emphasized that each graduate is helping move the state closer to its goal of two million working-age adults holding a credential or degree by 2030.
She also spotlighted the personal journeys of graduates like Veronica, a 63-year-old single mother and pastor who returned to college while caring for her bedridden mother, and Brenda, who balanced work and school while supporting her family and will graduate debt-free with a business degree.
Holden ended with a call to action: “Let this diploma only spark your curiosity—and then pay it forward. Be the voice, the example, the hand up—whatever you’ve needed most, be that for someone else. When you help someone rise, you rise too.”
The ceremony also recognized three outstanding student award recipients:
Alejandro Gonzalez Bautista, recipient of the Dallas Herring Achievement Award
Jaiden Garrett, recipient of the Governor Robert W. Scott Student Leadership Award
Hayden Stroud, recipient of the Academic Excellence Award
After graduates crossed the stage to accept their degrees and certificates, cheers from family and friends echoed throughout the gymnasium—celebrating not only academic success, but the hope, courage, and perseverance that define the Lancer spirit.
For more information about Lenoir Community College and its programs, visit www.lenoircc.edu.
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