Charleston Southern University’s Class of 2012 Graduates
May 8, 2012
CHARLESTON, SC – May 7, 2012 – Charleston Southern University awarded 412 undergraduatedegrees and 166 graduate degrees Friday morning at North CharlestonColiseum.
U.S. Congressman Tim Scott, the guest speaker, was awarded an honorarydoctorate of public service. Scott told graduates there were threethings he wished he had known when he graduated. He said, “Sometimeslife is going to get you on the blind side. You have to learn to failforward.” He urged them to make the most of unexpected challenges.
Pictured (right): Charleston Southern University alumnus and state Congressman Tim Scott speaks to the graduating Class of 2012
“Second, to stand out in life you have to stand up for someone who can’tstand up for themselves,” said Scott. “And third, you have the choiceto see yourself as a dreamer or as a grasshopper.” He told students toremember there will be dream killers and dream makers in their lives.“Dream makers live in a land of prosperity. America needs you to believein yourself.”
Scott is serving his first term as the representative for SouthCarolina’s 1st District and graduated from Charleston Southern in 1988with a degree in political science.
Samuel Cox, who was awarded the master of science in criminal justice,recently received the Outstanding Master of Science in Criminal Justicestudent of the year award. The 57-year-old is a husband of 39 years,father of seven and grandfather of 30.
The former sailor thought he wanted to teach, but after being in theclassroom, he changed his mind. He hopes to become a probation/paroleofficer or work for TSA. He’s also thinking of pursuing a PhD. “Havingthis degree opens up a lot of doors for me, even at 57,” Cox said.
Cox credits his CSU professors with pushing him and helping him become abetter speaker and writer. Dr. Jackie Fish, chair of the criminaljustice department, said Cox was an inspiration to all the MSCJ studentsand faculty.
Cox’s inspiration wasn’t limited to the classroom. He will travel toIsrael next month with Earl Cox, (no relation) a Good Will Ambassadorfrom Israel to Jews and Christians around the world. Cox will travelwith a group of ministers. “Being here at CSU was God’s purpose for me,and I feel I am to preach the gospel.”
Cox regularly drove a fellow student to the bus station on Tuesday andThursday nights after class where she would catch the bus for her homein West Columbia. The student, from a poverty-stricken African countrywith a history of violence, came to the U.S. to earn a graduate degree.
She is returning to Africa with her master of criminal justice degreewith the hope of doing something positive for her country. She has abackground in chemistry and economics, but she said, “Everything changedfor me when many people were killed at a protest in my country.
“My family doesn’t want me to come back because it is so dangerous inour country,” she said. “But I believe something positive can happen. Wehave to help ourselves. That keeps me going and believing.”
S. Dolores Jones, assistant professor of communication, was namedprofessor emerita of communication during the ceremony. She has beenteaching communication at Charleston Southern since 1967.
Dr. Michael L. Bryant, assistant professor of religion, received theExcellence in Teaching Award. Bryant has been a member of the CSUfaculty since 2008 and is a 1995 CSU graduate with a degree in history.The Excellence in Teaching Award is given annually to one professor inrecognition of dedication to teaching and learning.
Student awards presented during the service included:
- The Myrtle E. Hamrick Award: Brittany Elizabeth Hughes
- The John A. Barry Scholar Awadr: Devon Marie Kemble
- The Hunter Cup: John Charles McCready
- Carolyn Killen Hunter Outstanding Christian Teacher Endowed Scholarship and Award: Hilary G. Griffin
