NEWS

Tech commencement ceremonies held Saturday, Nov. 21

Nov 21, 2009 | General News

Louisiana Tech’s fall graduation ceremonies were held Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Thomas Assembly Center. Artis Terrell, chair of Louisiana’s Board of Regents, served as the keynote speaker.

Terrell said commencement was a celebration of the graduates’ commitment to excellence, but the new alumni would need to continue to learn.

“While your education at Louisiana Tech might be complete, the time to start learning has just begun,” Terrell said. “Take what you have been taught here and proceed on a never-ending quest for education.”

Artis Terrell, Louisiana State Board of RegentsTerrell said fewer than one in six people n the nation have earned their bachelor’s degree, and less than 24 percent of the people in Louisiana have a college diploma.

“By the end of Barack Obama’s first term, an estimated 3 million more jobs will require a bachelor’s degree,” he said. “Your diploma is the passport you need to enter the workforce.”

Three hundred forty students received diplomas during graduation, including Marcus Young of Monroe, who received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. Because of Tech’s dedication to research, Young plans to stay in Ruston and work on his Ph.D. at Tech.

“Dr. Chester Wilson convinced me to stay,” Young said of his assistant professor of electrical engineering. “He’s pretty innovative and very active. He’s got good ideas.

“I’m very proud of Tech,” he said. “I like all the plans Tech has to come up with the Research Park.”

Tamisha Ashworth, of DeRidder, received her bachelor’s in speech communication and said she was convinced that Tech was the place for her from the beginning.

“I loved it from the first time I came to Time out for Tech,” Ashworth said. “I loved the town, I loved everything here. Ruston has a small-town feel, and there’s a lot of pride at Louisiana Tech, especially with athletics. I made a lot of friends who will be friends for a long time, and I got a good education.”

Ruston native Rebecca Lewis received her bachelor’s degree in business administration and graduated with her younger brother, Andrew, today. The siblings graduated from high school two years apart.

“Graduating with Andrew is a little strange for me, him being my younger brother and all, but it does make it a little more special,” Rebecca said. “It’s a big day for both of us, and I’m very proud of his accomplishment. The grief I’ve caught for graduating at the same time as my little brother has all been in good spirits and I would never take it differently.”

Rebecca initially went to Louisiana State University but chose to come back to Ruston for her education.

“I have a lot of good memories that comes with the long college career I have had,” Rebecca said. “I would define my college experience as one where I changed a lot and grew up a lot. Although I’m still not sure where the road will lead me, Louisiana Tech has put me at the beginning of the road with a lot more direction than I had before.”

 

 

Written by Judith Roberts