Celebrations of college graduates will be held across the country on Saturday, with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the stage to claim their hard-earned degrees.
But for students at St. Augustine's College, that joy comes with sadness.
Some believe this day will never come again, and others fear it will never come again, as universities continue to fight for accreditation and survival.
Students like Celia Mather are celebrating both their degree completion and their return to campus.
“It was kind of new,” Mather said. “But it's also sad at the same time.”
“I'm sure you've all seen the news,” Burgess said. “But they kept showing up and showing up.”
Most of the focus remains on students and their accomplishments, with 54% graduating with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
Burgess is using those numbers to pitch St. Aug's to the General Assembly this week, lobbying for state funding that could be approved during the ongoing short session.
“Please continue to pray for SAU, shed a tear for SAU, and give generously to SAU.” Lewis Keenan MacLean Rounds, outgoing St. Augustine’s University Class of 2024 Mister.
By the end of the ceremony, all of those troubles were in the past for the students, and they were filled with hope for their future and the future of the university they call home.
