Julie Gaines of Philadelphia addresses fellow graduates at ECCC’s commencement held Saturday morning at the Neshoba County Coliseum in Philadelphia.

Special music for the commencement program was provided by Ryan Reeves of Forest and Dru Anderson of Decatur, who performed “How You Live, Turn Up The Music.”

‘Strive to Be the Best,’ ECCC Speaker Tells Fellow Graduates

Julie Gaines recalled “lasting memories” of her two years as a student at East Central Community College in Decatur and challenged fellow graduates of the 2008 Class “to strive to be the best” during her remarks at the College’s 79^th Commencement held Saturday morning at the Neshoba County Coliseum in Philadelphia.

Gaines, an honor graduate and Hall of Fame inductee, thanked instructors “for the knowledge we have gained” as she and her classmates either continue their education or enter the workforce.

The Philadelphia resident admitted what she will remember most about ECCC “does not involve the quadratic equation nor does it have anything to do with subject/verb agreements.” She provided a few examples:

“I will remember the way Ms. (Sharon) LeJeune genuinely cared for each one of her students, calling us all by name and teaching us practical knowledge as well as biological sciences.

“I will remember ‘Chicken Thursday’ and the ice cream machine exploding on me in the cafeteria.

“And who could forget Spring Spree, mid-day naps and cramming for tests at midnight!

“I will look back on pictures and forever remember the wonderful people that I have met at East Central, and how helpful and caring the faculty is. These are the things that I find make an ordinary academic institution exceptional, and in this, EC is up there with the best.”

Gaines also reminded graduates “to be flexible to the demands of whatever situation we face, as we now are leaving what has become our comfort zone.”

She further commented, “With each new challenge, fear will be inevitable, but it is the way in which these fears are conquered that makes a person grow. We, as graduates, are facing a new venture. Yes, we are going to have troubles along the way, but honestly, where would we all be without them? We must face all thrown at us with confidence, grounded in the wisdom gained through past trials. We have the ability to do amazing things, yet we chain ourselves with fear of failure.”

She quoted Romans 5:3-6 as a guide for optimism in times of difficulty:

          “…but let us also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope….You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”

Gaines added, “We can reach our goals, and trials only make us stronger while conversely forcing us to realize that we do need the help of others.”

She also stressed the importance of “the beautiful details in life, rather than the hardships,” a lesson she learned this spring as a member of the Lady Warrior tennis team.

“Coach (Dianne) McNeill never became angry over the loss of a match,” Gaines stated. “She would simply tell us what we did well and what needed to be improved upon. What angered her most was (having) an unsportsman-like attitude. Should not our lives be lived in a similar manner? Regardless of the final score, it truly is the small details and the attitude we uphold that are going to matter in the end.”

During her closing remarks, Gaines shared a statement by Abraham Lincoln, which included the following message: “….I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to the light I have….Let us have the faith that makes might, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it…”

“We too should have a similar mindset,” Gaines remarked. “Like the song performed earlier states, life is made valuable by ‘how you live.’ Ten years from now, your former teachers and employers may no longer remember your GPA, nor will they necessarily remember what you wore to work or class. It is much more likely that they remember your attitude toward your studies, your peers, and life in general.”

She concluded her remarks by issuing the following challenge to the Class of 2008:

“Strive to be the best teacher, the best coach, the best mechanic, the best nurse or best student that you can possibly be. I challenge you to embrace the best of times, to not fear the best of competitors and to be the best that you can.”

In addition to Gaines, other graduating sophomores who participated in program were Jonathan Jackson of Hickory, invocation; Drew Gillis of Decatur, benediction; and vocalists Dru Anderson of Decatur and Ryan Reeves of Forest, who presented the musical selection, “How You Live, Turn Up the Music.”

Dr. Lavinia Sparkman, vice president for instruction, presented the approximately 470 candidates for graduation who received diplomas from ECCC President Dr. Phil A. Sutphin.