Published: May 15, 2008 09:40 pm            

SVCC grads march to promising futures

RICHLANDS, Va. — Southwest Virginia Community College has a long tradition of serving students throughout the region, but on Thursday evening during SVCC’s 2008 commencement exercises, the school’s commitment to families was never more evident.

In his first commencement exercises, Dr. J. Mark Estepp, presented two honorary degrees to two individuals with special ties to the college — Earl Dellinger, a successful Buchanan County, Va., businessman who, along with his late wife, Dorothy, helped many students get a college education. The Dellingers provided funding for scholarships at SVCC, and the Earl E. and Dorothy J. Dellinger Learning Resources Center is now under construction on the SVCC campus, Estepp said.

“The one thing that I would like to say is that education continues to be very important to me,” Dellinger said from prepared remarks. “My late wife Dorothy and I realized the importance of a college education and the doors that it can open to people,” he said. “I would like to give my congratulations to all of the graduates here today.” Pat Bussard of the SVCC communications department said there are 469 candidates for graduation at SVCC this year.

After conferring degrees to SVCC’s 2008 candidates for certificates, diplomas and degrees, Estepp presented a posthumous degree to the family of Sgt. David Eugene “Bo” Lambert, who gave his life for his nation on Oct. 25, 2007, in combat in Baghdad, Iraq. “He took classes here until he left for Iraq,” Bussard said. “He was enrolled in the Administration of Justice program and had taken his final class at SVCC during the summer of 2006.”

Lambert’s parents, Howard and Mary Sue Lambert accepted the certificate in Law Enforcement from Estepp. “In addition to his parents, 10 of Sgt. Lambert’s family members attended,” Bussard said.

“It’s always a family atmosphere here at graduation,” Bob Chambers, an associate professor and program developer at SVCC said Thursday afternoon. “The community college has an open door access that enables us to reach many people.”

Chambers, a deacon at Bluefield’s Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, delivered both the invocation and the benediction at the commencement. “Dr. (Charles) King (former SVCC president) used to say that if you stay prayed up, you’ll always be ready,” Chambers said he recognizes that the world seems “rushed,” but he always takes time to start each day by reading a chapter from a book in the Bible. “I’ve been reading in the Book of Proverbs this month,” Chambers said.

Dr. David J. Prior, chancellor of the University of Virginia’s College at Wise served as commencement speaker. Prior told the SVCC graduates that their certificates and degrees represent more than the knowledge and skills they have learned, but also represent their hard work, persistence and personal courage. He told the students they acquired “life skills” through the process of continuing their education, and urged the graduates to take the skills they gained and use them to serve their families and their communities.

Wayne Bostic, chair of the SVCC local board and Jeffery K. Mitchell, a member of the state board of community colleges brought the welcome, according to Bussard. Dr. Robert Tomlinson presented the candidates for graduation. Roderick B. Moore, Dr. Richard C. Hudson, Phyllis A. Roberts and Elaine Ward assisted in presenting the degrees.

– Contact Bill Archer at barcher@bdtonline.com

        

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