St. Johns River State College graduates line up Friday ahead of the spring commencement ceremony, which took place at the college’s Orange Park campus. (Photo courtesy of St. Johns River State College)
Submitted to the Daily News
The spring commencement at St. Johns River State College marked a series of milestones, celebrating graduates who were the first in their families to attend college, pioneers of new degree programs and individuals achieving personal growth.
“I learned that I’m capable of far more than I once believed. … I personally know that I have grown a lot since my first night in this program,” said Pomona Park resident Faith Thomas, who graduated from the college’s early childhood education bachelor’s degree program. “By staying focused and working through challenges instead of avoiding them, I was able to adapt, grow, and keep making progress. That experience showed me that resilience is something you can build, one obstacle at a time.”
Thomas is among more than 600 to graduate Friday from SJR State. She is the first in her family to graduate from college and is eager to finally lead her own classroom.
“I have had a passion for education since I was young and loved school growing up. I have known I wanted to be a teacher since high school,” Thomas said.
Pomona Park resident Faith Thomas celebrates earning her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, something she did while working as a paraprofessional and weightlifting coach at Crescent City Junior-Senior High School. (Photo courtesy of St. Johns River State College)
While completing her bachelor’s degree, Thomas juggled working as a paraprofessional and the weightlifting coach at Crescent City Junior-Senior High School. She credits her academic success to her instructors and internships, the hands-on preparation she received and the second family that developed during the program.
“My classmates, our professors and I turned into one big family,” she said. “We all supported each other for the past two years. Our professors served as great mentors and models who inspired us every day. … They truly want you to succeed.”
Other firsts on Friday were the inaugural graduating classes from the college’s latest programs: paralegal studies, criminal justice, applied intelligence studies and diagnostic medical sonography.
According to Putnam County resident Alexis Wallace, the associate degree program in sonography felt like the right path that allowed her to be directly involved in patient care and diagnosis.
“The program really pushed me to grow, both in the classroom and during clinicals. In the beginning, everything felt new and overwhelming, but over time, things started to click,” Wallace said. “Being able to identify something abnormal and understand what I was seeing was a really rewarding moment for me.”
Putnam County resident Alexis Wallace, who earned her associate degree in sonography, takes pictures with her family Friday after the St. Johns River State College commencement ceremony. (Photo courtesy of St. Johns River State College)
Among the graduating class were more than 200 dual enrollment and early college program students.
A portion of the ceremony was dedicated to the Paul “Dee” Causey President’s Award. Each year, the award honors the memory of an SJR State alumnus whom college President Joe Pickens described as not only his mentor but a fearless athlete, dedicated family man and successful businessman.
“Dee Causey loved the underdog, and he loved nothing more than helping the underdog succeed,” Pickens said.
Pickens presented the award to Brittany Wells from Clay County and Diana Kahok from St. Johns County.
Nominated by sociology professor Julie Blanco-Davila, Kahok, 40, moved to the United States to achieve the American dream.
The mother of four “brings a rare combination of resilience, humility, and purpose to everything she does,” Davila said. “She is not only pursuing her dreams. She is uplifting others along the way.”
Kahok will continue her education at SJR State to earn a bachelor’s degree in social and human services. Her goal is to become a therapist.
Nominated by four SJR State employees, Wells has navigated much of her life with limited family support. What stability she thought she had while attending SJR State suddenly became unsafe, leaving her without a home or transportation.
However, Wells refused to give up and, for the first time in her life, rode a bicycle to campus as a means of transportation.
“Watching her push through something so unfamiliar and challenging, simply to continue her education, has been incredibly powerful,” said Ombuds Chelsea West.
Wells hopes to build a career in the administrative side of healthcare.