Coahoma Community College News May 14, 2012 Coahoma Makes History with 425 Graduates The largest graduating class in the history of Coahoma Community College: 425 candidates were cheered Saturday before a standing room only crowd of 5,000 spilling into the Pinnacle's foyer facing Frairs Point Road. Delivering the commencement address, CCC alumnus and Class of 2008 salutatorian Darrell Dixon Jr., who is legislative aide to U.S. Senator Thad Cochran in Washington, said he related to 2012 graduates. "I sat where you are sitting and remember the words of the Supreme Court Justice (James E. Graves Jr.) speaking at my own graduation," he said. "My own story is a Coahoma story; my family is tied to the heritage of this institution," said the speaker who served as president of Coahoma's Student Government Association, was active in many campus organizations, and was featured in USA Today as one of the top 50 community college students in America before earning an honors degree from Delta State University. Dixon said when he was invited to speak at graduation, he asked his aunt what he should speak about. "She replied, 'About 10 minutes,'" he quipped and followed her advice. Praising grads for not letting adversities stop them from today's celebration, Dixon said, "There is no good story without pain." "Who was David without Goliath? Christ without the Cross?" he asked. Dixon urged students to continue going forward, to accept challenges as a measure of success. "Don't put your life on hold," he said. "Take time to dream your biggest dreams; you will always miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take," he said. "Do all you can with all you can while you can," he said. "Expand your horizons, and If you fall on your back, you can look up, get up, and follow your dreams." Commencement opened with the presentation of colors by the Clarksdale High School R.O.T.C. and the National Anthem by CCC's Concert Choir that later sang selections including "For Every Mountain" that evoked standing ovations. The Rev. Dennis Hawkins, a member of the CCC Board of Trustees, gave the invocation, and Tyronica Lewis of Tutwiler, class salutatorian, presented greetings. Class valedictorian Feryn Silket-Allen of Clarksdale introduced the guest speaker. Degrees were conferred by Dr. Vivian Presley, college president, and golden diplomas were presented to members of Coahoma's 1962 graduating class. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-520-0593 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/2012meeting-form.html for the October 21-23, 2012 HBCU Library Alliance 5th Membership Meeting and the Photographic Preservation Pre-Conference in New Orleans, LA. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.