Next month, on Saturday, May 10, nearly 200 students will receive Glenville State College degrees. These students deserve our congratulations for their persistence, stamina, and just hard work. They will take their places in homes, neighborhoods, and communities and they will take up full-time responsibilities in the world of work or seek advanced degrees.

If graduates in the Class of 2008 resemble earlier graduates, 22 percent of them will enter the teaching profession and 29 percent of them will pursue additional degrees. Nearly 10 percent will find employment in West Virginia’s forestry sector. Others will become victim advocates, environmental compliance coordinators, bankers, computer administrators, accountants, and chemical dependency therapists. Happily, the vast preponderance will continue their schooling or find employment in West Virginia. With nearly half finding employment with salaries of $30,000 or more, they will soon become real benefactors to the social and economic wellbeing of our state.

One example of a Class of 2008 student is Candice S. Silberschatz, who has enjoyed great success on the volleyball court and in the classroom. She has been accepted to the School of Engineering at Tufts University in the STEM program – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – with a tuition award and a $16,000 research assistantship. Her achievement is mirrored by many other student success stories.

Anecdotally, Glenville State students enrolled in graduate programs report that their undergraduate preparation rivals any in the country. This proud achievement underscores the high aspiration of our students and the support and encouragement they find in the faculty and staff at Glenville State.

From their comments in Senior Surveys, the members of the Class of 2008 have also enjoyed the support of community members. One student says, “I enjoyed the local culture and I hope to stay and work in a small-populated county.” Another expresses appreciation, “Thank you for the opportunity to have spent four years of my life in Glenville and as a student at GSC. Both are diamonds in the rough.”

So, we can all join in celebrating the accomplishments of the Class of 2008 because we have been participants in their journey. We shall miss them even as we wish their individual and collective success. I am confident they will represent the college and the community proudly.