糖心Vlog confers 1,700 graduate and undergraduate degrees during Fall 2016 Commencement

December 9, 2016

Held for the first time at Allen E. Paulson Stadium, the 25th annual Georgia Southern Fall 2016 Commencement ceremony represented a momentous day as approximately 1,700 of Georgia鈥檚 best and brightest undergraduate and graduate students received degrees from the University鈥檚 eight colleges.

University President Jaimie Hebert, Ph.D.

Approximately 400 graduate degrees were conferred, while around 1,300 undergraduate students received degrees. University President Jaimie Hebert, Ph.D., congratulated students and recognized their achievements. 鈥淕raduates, I extend to you my personal congratulations on your academic success,鈥� said Hebert. 鈥淵our University salutes you on your success and sends you off soaring on wings of eagles.鈥� Outstanding Georgia Southern alumnus served as the guest speaker for this year鈥檚 ceremony. Royal is the chairman of the Georgia State Board of Education, and has served on this board since 2012, when he was first appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal. He also serves on the Board of Advisors to the University鈥檚 College of Education, and is the the founder of Partners Risk Services 鈥� a fast-growing risk management and insurance firm with offices in Georgia and Colorado. Royal encouraged the graduates to keep an optimistic mindset for their future and the choices they make in life. 鈥淟ife is full of choices and decisions, and ultimately, your life will become a sum of those choices and decisions you make,鈥� Royal said. 鈥淭he bad ones, learn from them, and the good ones, learn from them and replicate them. 鈥淥ne of biggest choices you have ahead of you right now is what to do next,鈥� Royal continued. 鈥淎nd just like many of you here today, I was not sure what my dream job was, and if that鈥檚 you right now, if you鈥檙e not sure what your big 鈥榳hy鈥� is in life, that鈥檚 fine. Many successful people take years or even decades to find that.鈥� He also reminded graduates that life is full of uncertainty, and not to let that, or fear, get in the way of accomplishing their goals. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l also find the challenges in your life there is uncertainty, but uncertainty is an ingredient for opportunity, however uncertainty is also very main ingredient of fear,鈥� he said. 鈥淒o not let that be.鈥� 糖心Vlog, a public Carnegie Doctoral/Research University founded in 1906, offers more than 125 degree programs serving 20,674 students. Through eight colleges, the University offers bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚 and doctoral degree programs built on more than a century of academic achievement. Georgia Southern is recognized for its student-centered and hands-on approach to education. Visit .