Gwinnett Technical College Graduation

guidance and support may peace become not just a dream in our souls but a reality in our lives and in the lives of people may hatred and mistrust cease and may harmony and unity become the rule of our world say amen you see by the dawn's early light what's so proud we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight or the red parts we watched were so gallantly streaming and the rockets red glass the bombs bursting gave proof through the night that our flag was still there oh say does that star-spangled bailout for the land of the free [Music] hello so good morning on behalf of the faculty and staff at gwinnett technical college it's my honor and pleasure to welcome all of you to the 2021 commencement ceremony i know graduates that you're as proud to have attended gwinnett tech as i am humbled to be president of the college it's such a well-respected and tradition-rich history the college has you're to be commended for your determination ambition and perseverance we applaud your success and delight in celebrating with you and your supporters today i'd like to take just a minute for some special recognition to some distinguished guests who are with us this morning these individuals help advance the goals of our college in a powerful way through their support in the community so if you would wave there down front so that people can recognize you or stand so proud today to have a member of our state legislature representative greg canard and his wife pam with us today [Applause] and very thankful to have our commissioned chair of the great gannett county board of commissioners nicole love hendrickson with us today and uh one of our biggest supporters uh commissioner marlene foster is here with us from our state board of the technical college system of georgia very pleased to have our gwinnett county representative lisa winton from owner machinery thank you for being here our board of trustees uh what they do for our college in the community allows us to do many of the things for the college and for you students that we couldn't do without the money that they raised given their time talent and treasure as they all always say but we're so glad to have mr kent davies with us here chair of the foundation and our great local board of directors that guide us keep us connected to the community mr mark abrams is with us here today [Applause] graduates you're part of a class that has persevered like no other before you and i want to tell you that i pray like no other after you as well you've not only met adversity head-on but through sheer will and self-determination march forward through the many barriers put in front of you many of you even without a pandemic endured the same struggles that i had in college a full-time job a family to raise financial hardship and yet here you are ready to walk across this stage and take your claim to a great career with a great company or many of you will start your own companies either way you have the key now to open your own doors control your own destiny you have lived and learned through the most disastrous pandemic to strike our globe in over a hundred years you've adjusted to attending class online possibly struggling to find a wi-fi signal or manage your time as you had a household at home with you that had to be taken care of first but here you are ready to walk across this stage and claim your reward your success while personally earned i think you'll all agree with me can also be attributed to our premier faculty and staff and there were teaching and guiding students each and every day i want to take a minute to recognize our faculty and staff graduates i know every one of you are like me and would not be here today participating in this ceremony without at least one probably several instructors who reply to your text after hours or weekends spend some extra time with you on a subject or maybe even extended a deadline or two or three to get you here today over the last 15 months you've seen a lot of video and headlines around our nation and yes even our state of educators who just couldn't or wouldn't answer the call i'm going to take this personal point of privilege today to take a minute to publicly thank and let you know that was not the case with our faculty when the state and the nation basically shut down on march 13 2020 so did gwinnett tech for a week by the next week we had pivoted to 100 online learning and less than two months later in may of 2020 our face-to-face programs were back up and running massed up distance following protocols so that you'd have the privilege of finishing your program and sitting here tonight ready to move on to the next step in your life because let's face it no one wants a heart cast new car breaks or drive over a bridge welded by someone who's only watched a youtube video so i'd like to thank the finest faculty and staff i've ever been associated with who have also persevered as well to ensure you got the real world hands-on skill training that you deserved so while not all of them are able to be here today to the space limitations i want to ask all the faculty and staff of gtc to please stand graduates and guests would you join me in applauding their extraordinary efforts skill and commitment that allowed us to continue for the past 15 months and make this day possible please stand thank you graduates no matter your future career path or educational journey never forget the college and the people that made it possible you're now part of the gwinnett tech family part of the tapestry of lives that make up this great college please stay in touch as an alumni and when you have that personal accomplishment or see other gtc alumni succeed remember your experience and take time to think that's my college that's my family stay gtc proud congratulations to each and every one of you thank you and i'd like to ask our dean of business services terry c to come forward and introduce our speaker thank you dr cannon good morning i am pleased to have the honor of introducing our keynote speaker for today dr cassandra baker dr baker is one of the most decorated business instructors at gwinnett technical college she holds a phd in organization and management from capella university an mba from bernal university and a bachelor's in business from administration from shorter university her continuing education includes professional training as a six sigma black belt in green belt a certified sarbanes-oxley auditor and an iso auditor and team leader throughout her career she has had exclu extensive experience in higher education teaching a variety of business writing and research courses at both the graduate and undergraduate level she is the founder of the sugar hill research and consulting group the author of a book called key tools of writing and research a guide for the student writer and she is gtc's 2021 rick perkins award winner for the ex for excellence in technical education prior to joining academia dr baker spent 16 years with the ford motor company in volvo car corporation as a highly accomplished executive with extensive experience in franchise organizational and financial management as well as strategic planning within marketing sales and services her assignments have taken her to unique places like the united kingdom sweden china malaysia and of course gwinnett technical college as the dean of business i've had the opportunity to know and work with dr baker over the course of the past years and can say without a doubt that she has been a phenomenal instructor it is clear to anyone that meets her that she is committed to the students excellence believes in their abilities and engages with them using innovative teaching methods that support the program's high academic standards and yet while i feel that dr baker is an exceptional instructor it should be noted that among the strong attributes she has the strongest may be that she is a genuinely good person that brings a strong work effort to whatever challenges she faces and strives to be an exemplary role model to all of those around her in many ways she embodies what grinnette technical college is all about to that end i would like you to give a warm gtc welcome to dr cassandra baker business executive business owner educator author and overall a simply outstanding person dr baker thank you dean c for that warm welcome it is a great honor and privilege to present this year's commencement speech to the graduating class of 2021 first i would like to thank president dr glenn cannon for your trip for this tremendous opportunity to speak with you today i would also like to thank tcsg commissioner greg dozier the faculty and staff at gwinnett technical college for your gracious attendance and acknowledge all dignitaries that are here today finally i would like to thank all of the family and friends who honor us with your presence today congratulations to the class of 2021 for your hard work and dedication to learning your craft this is one of the first graduating classes in over 100 years to graduate during a pandemic [Music] many of you were on the front lines as essential workers but covet 19 did not stop you some of you have seen your loved ones pass away but you remain determined covet 19 caused a shift in the way we implement education however transferring from face to face to online and learning new platforms did not deter you this graduating class is a collective group that has the strength and perseverance because kovid did not stop you you may have stumbled but you did not fall take note this is a moment of pure joy you had the bravery to stand in the midst of a crisis what covet 19 created was a new generation of courageous leaders and those leaders are you the new world postcovid is a new frontier and it is your responsibility to be courageous leaders in this new world to build courage you must have the right tools your technical degree certification or diploma gives you the tools encouraged to succeed globally technical education gives you the authority in the workplace and in your community moving yourself and your family boldly forward into the future i know this to be true because you see i come from a technical education family my father who started a successful business landscaping business he handed out one thousand business cards and receive one response my father was technically trained when he left the military through the gi bill he was a courageous leader my mother who gave up her career ambitions because she didn't want to take anything away from her children she worked close to home at a mental institution my mother completed her associate's degree at a community technical college she was a courageous leader my great-grandmother was a widow with 10 children and she started a restaurant in the middle of the great depression she could do this because she was technically trained she was a courageous leader my grandfather who used to make and sell moonshine and we all know that's a different kind of technical education yet he was a creationist leader and finally i graduated from a community technical college in 1987 with a degree in compute computer information systems education made me a courageous leader courageous leaders know that failure is only a different form of education true failure is not trying at all we are not courageous for ourselves we are courageous to help other people in our state and our great nation courageous leaders have heart and know that education is the sweet nectar of life it is the fruit that you can feast on for the rest of your life education is fire education is grace courage is brave courage is talented courage is power courage is forgiveness courage is acceptance courage is bold courage is creative courage is genius courage is being scared and moving forward anyway courage is the engine that drives humanity forward courage is being the first to earn a college degree in your family courage is the class of 2021. trust the journey and let providence be your guide now that the pandemic is nearing an end and you are embarking on a new chapter in your lives you have earned the right to live once more rise up this world is in your hands we will support you so take courage and just do it do not be afraid do not be discouraged be strong be a courageous leader congratulations class of 2021 [Applause] good morning everyone today we recognize those candidates who have successfully completed the requirements for their respective academic awards so now is the time candidates you have worked hard you have achieved this goal it is now time for you to come forward to receive your awards tarina caldwell [Applause] jacqueline denman [Applause] mitzi durant jeremy edwards [Applause] annie echala gabriel in gabriel kimberly small roxanna inegas [Applause] tainica knight dana norrington neil patrick o'connor [Applause] marlon ulises paras gonzalez yolanda georges [Applause] beatrice salaji [Applause] felicia nicole wright martinez mario tyrus jackson [Applause] [Music] yang seen alfonso abernathy cornelius leonardo cassave casa casares sorry alejandro cruz [Applause] jerome esters [Applause] juan garcia [Applause] timothy l jarrell's jr [Applause] daniel scott [Music] jordan sullivan thomas john b windsor autumn berry [Applause] noelle cater [Applause] igbinosa or gonzade michelin barthelemy latina benton hill roger bruce travis carlyle dandy craig davenport [Applause] jason lamar elder andrew ellis stephanie fuller james gary maricela leon pass nicole laura [Music] merino cuellar [Music] catherine mulvaney uh roxanne porter angela quinones [Music] devonna reynolds [Music] sarah roberson beijon smith thomas michael taylor ellerby [Music] charlia turner jacqueline turner charles jasmine anderson miranda bowen amber boykin [Applause] disandra birch kenisha holder stephanie denise cade cassandra dixon amanda elliott alex andrea [Applause] galagas samantha levins sean tall matthieuren alondra year desiree newland isaac kiros martinez long lee [Music] katrina [Applause] katrina rael fellows joshua gavitt missy hogan [Applause] brian numble [Applause] michael oglesby [Applause] andrew reed anderson rivera andrew k welborn faisal aban brown mamta dani cameron k laurent sebastian londono escobar muhammad the jai angela patricia raymond charles smith woody um friendship young yang catherine guevara [Applause] selina alexandra arce [Applause] jose a de la cruz [Applause] tatiana fognier zaina joseph [Music] [Applause] paola ortega [Applause] natasha melena tavares [Applause] leon daly colleen elizabeth roach khadra ahmed joan a carrillo jason chan a keith diaz leander deutsche gardner florentine goligan goligan colin greenwood cameron grimball cassandra johnson brittany lyons [Music] trayvon martin andrew mays tyrone joshua g mendoza nicole mosley alejandra pineda samantha ramos juan sais hernandez kathy san [Applause] mabu shirazi michael ciela a quintas suleiman [Applause] sydney williams rita wilson charlene worthington angelicia ayala lisa dubach [Music] go jennifer menocol jordan danielle mooney hannah peter peter sydney jane tompkins christine wood tamara yakubov saad sriwal kiara banks pacheco nicholas curtis andrea delsman [Applause] tala ahmad martin marco martinez alejandra monica sanchez brendan j slade thompson shanika brown josefina bustos kiera davis [Applause] brian adam gonzalez mary greer thomas [Music] serene who died [Applause] nora manriquez abigail maskey nicole roach jamicia danae tries [Music] michael ajani [Applause] amenan coco that's my sister aaron lester george michaela alexander gottis kaya knight corey knighton de melade oregoya deborah viscara guevara monique buckley [Applause] tanisha davis jessica simpson katera nassim waffa patricia benton jonathan bryan mariah cruz dairy anna johnson [Applause] day shawna mack kayla mayne [Music] courtney miller victoria vitia pune jasmine alexander vanessa alta melanie boyd [Applause] leticia brina [Applause] [Applause] joyce ching lisbeth harumi gonzalez briceno stephanie harris [Applause] joyce harvin banks [Applause] rachel karnowski catherine monsoonares keala wallace [Music] desiree aj ashley barsha maya reading [Music] christiana buford valerie phoenix mimi arnett howard [Applause] jarvis lampton [Music] brigitte angela redman bailey smith [Music] anthony smith giselle teeple kelly watkins bryce william brooks holden jacob theodore cameron brian cartas michael cato juan cruz jr walter espinal [Music] owen nelson stephen palmeri yasmin parker carlton kane tabitha isaac chandler anime yerevan arif joelle barker clarence burgess rodrigo caballero marique kante tara renee tyra renee darden [Applause] blake hart [Applause] clovis mapon kangen jason lamb daniel melon james none [Applause] [Music] lopez [Applause] will palmer iii marquis pilgrim [Applause] jacoby robinson [Applause] christina woodcock zachary worthington [Applause] acquitted he brittany barry [Applause] [Music] [Applause] karen blimlein [Applause] lindsay byers [Applause] megan capinas [Music] madeleine fricano [Applause] bridgette gemfa [Applause] vladislava marcano john mcdaniel summer mitchell josephine navarro [Applause] ayanna renee phillips [Applause] shannon fillman [Applause] [Music] rosemary o samuel april savage tamika latoya sharp alina jabina samantha [Applause] ruth m tenbe tiffany todd [Applause] tina trung [Applause] kyle ussary [Music] laquina webster [Applause] wei zheng alexander baker [Applause] christina lafond [Applause] sharma [Applause] libby sue talent [Applause] nicole ventura alicia asher [Applause] india brantley [Applause] tracy vote david popa ryan wilford [Applause] hope ears [Applause] nahid beg [Applause] brittany nicole cooper ashlynn crisp [Applause] david mark davis shannon gunter alba hernandez [Applause] catherine rochelle annady sharon selick thomas stewart ethan seren [Applause] sergio antonio lara lee key bomb michelle d rogers [Applause] mitchell whitehead roger zavala [Applause] terence abuajah [Applause] emma basha [Applause] julie chowdhury [Music] [Applause] nadia jagro antonio mitchell jante young [Music] ashley maybeth megan rayfield carly wilkerson cynthia sanchez [Applause] corley arroyo randy billingsley cabana [Applause] madeleine checkwood janae cooper [Applause] madison drink water duncan [Applause] tatiana ellie morgan elise fulton [Applause] jessica lamb jennifer leblanc [Applause] danny madrigal salas [Applause] constantine pascal dorian smith [Music] marion trobe [Applause] jerry edward wisdoman [Music] [Applause] maria shilasi brendan james gorny fong nguyen [Applause] wesley robertson adrian hernandez [Applause] anika javat [Applause] jcd smith [Applause] valentino sweeting joseph terry hannah rose kegel [Applause] novlet forrester ayanna moore jessica pena [Applause] rent hunter shiloh peck sabrina hughes [Applause] md selim resa ankal sharma norma correas [Music] del dawn hill hinton audreya johnson [Applause] hannah johnson isma kainath [Music] coin [Applause] margery navarrete corrine snowden cydle crandall [Applause] [Music] reina sycamore amanda tyrell marisol valdes mark brown joseph brown came de bani hernandez david jean lewis [Applause] vanessa chavez caitlyn cruz [Applause] brianna fuda [Applause] jasmine fuentes sabrina liz gonzalez [Applause] michelle lay hargrove kia josiah josiah [Applause] raya hill [Music] [Applause] jennifer lopez [Applause] britney perkle jones [Applause] [Applause] voracith tai jay micah harold [Music] harris [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] gabriel garcia [Applause] maria vis ammo kendra not [Applause] rami marmachi melissa a bellu belu dahlia wences [Music] gisele agustin [Applause] delgado [Applause] portia james tyler jason schmidt [Applause] kia borrecha angel franco de la cruz sembagh mazula [Applause] [Applause] herrera silva kathleen in cape sydney lyles [Applause] rand rahim jeremiah anderson [Music] brandon beatty [Music] william davenport [Music] eric erks [Applause] david holtzmann [Music] [Applause] [Music] kevin lopez canales edgar perez rosie canteen tyler thompson kyle sparks [Applause] [Music] camellia carter [Applause] howard [Music] stephanie rodriguez [Applause] sarah stevens escoto valerie l miner ashley palinkas alicia plant jose west brian watson aiden holinares [Applause] yarbrough raven alexis ellenger dereka chambers [Applause] selena alvarado brandy ryan grant kobe harrison barry bigsby ii brianne victor barrows junior avalon griffiths [Music] lynette seibert jack hodge jamilia sims christopher b carlisle boniface k chabantu matthew v tron faustino silva sanchez [Applause] [Applause] oh [Applause] will the candidates please rise [Applause] will the faculty and staff please rise dr cannon we confidently and proudly present to you these candidates who have successfully completed all the necessary requirements for their respective academic awards thank you with the recommendations of the faculty and staff and by the power vested in me by the state of georgia and the technical college system of georgia i confer upon each of you the appropriate academic award with all the privileges and responsibilities pertaining thereto congratulations graduates ladies and gentlemen friends and family it's my pleasure to present to you the gwinnett technical college graduating class of 2021 [Music] i want to thank all you graduates and guests while this has not been exactly the traditional graduation i hope it is an occasion you will always remember we will now have a traditional reception with the college leadership and faculty leading the graduates out and this will conclude our ceremony if you are able please stand and remain standing at your seats until all the graduates have left the arena graduates will join their family and friends outside the arena immediately following the recessional following the uh infinite with the georgia south center's uh recommendation on behalf of gwinnett technical college thanks for being a part of our family and i extend to you a final congratulations on a job well done and reward well earned thank you you can get that [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] you

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Length: 100min 0sec (6000 seconds)

Published: Wed Jun 16 2021