If you had to name the most joyful spot in Columbus on Friday, Columbus State Community College’s first in-person commencement ceremony since the COVID-19 pandemic began might top the list.
Loved ones cheered and hollered for their graduates from the time they entered the Celeste Center at the Ohio State Fairgrounds to “Pomp and Circumstance” to when they moved the tassels on their caps. Balloons and bouquets of flowers for graduates peppered the crowd. Children ran down the bleachers to hug their mothers with new diplomas in hand.
“This is a celebration,” Columbus State President David Harrison said to graduates’ loved ones during the ceremony. “We want you to have every opportunity to express your joy.”
About 1,300 graduates received diplomas during two separate ceremonies Friday. The ceremonies celebrated all students who graduated between spring 2020 and autumn 2021. More than 900 of those graduates completed their degrees this past summer and fall. The remaining roughly 440 graduates had missed out on previous ceremonies and were finally get their chance to walk across the stage to receive their diplomas in person.
The last in-person graduation held by Columbus State was in December 2019. Students who graduated since then were honored in virtual ceremonies.
Harrison remarked that commencement is always one of his favorite days of the year. And after the last couple of years, Friday’s ceremony felt all the more meaningful, he said.
“I know how hard you’ve worked, and I know it hasn’t been easy, but believe me when I say it will be worth it,” Harrison told the graduates.
The pandemic presented a number of unprecedented challenges for students to complete their studies, Harrison said. He received letters from students sharing how they were working multiple jobs, caring for family members and dealing with loss — of jobs, of child care and of loved ones.
But students showed tenacity throughout it all, Harrison said, which has brought them to this point.
Mary Yoko Luseni knows that feeling well.
The 35-year-old Blacklick resident moved to the U.S. seven years ago from West Africa and started attending Columbus State in 2019. Almost her entire college career was spent in the pandemic. Earning her associate degree in information technology Friday was the culmination of all her hard work.
“This day is a huge win for all of us,” she said. “It wasn’t easy for anyone.”
Before the ceremony, Luseni snapped a few selfies at a Columbus State photo booth. She held a sign reading, “I couldn’t have done it without you!” to celebrate her friend, Deborah Jenkins.
“She’s been there for me every step of the way,” Luseni said, holding back tears.
Luseni said she plans to take a break from school for a while and work before she eventually starts working on a bachelor’s degree.
Maryann Givens-Hayes, however, is ready to move on to her next degree.
The 65-year-old great-grandmother of the East Side already earned her child development associate credential from Columbus State in December 2020. Now, after earning an associate degree, she can’t wait to start at Ohio State University and study early childhood education.
During her commencement address, YWCA Columbus President and CEO Christie Angel lauded the graduates for their commitment to their education, even when it was difficult.
Angel wanted the graduates to show their families just how much they sacrificed for their degrees, so she asked them to stand as she read several statements.
Stand if you missed birthday parties, date nights and workouts to study.
Stand if you were late to dropping off or picking up your child from school, if you’ve had to cancel and reschedule parent-teacher conferences because of classes.
Stand if you rarely had extra spending money, if you stretched every dollar, if you worked multiple jobs to make it work.
“Suffice to say I think every graduate is standing up,” Angel said. “We felt depleted at times, but we knew giving up was not an option.”
Angel implored graduates to remember this moment in times when they feel worried about the future and to never forget that they became a role model for someone on this day.
As she ended her speech, she asked graduates to repeat a mantra out loud: “I know I am worth it. I know I can do anything I set out to do. I know I am strong.”
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