The morning of Sept. 20 was beautiful as students, faculty, staff and visitors marched into place on the campus quadrangle to celebrate the 146th convocation — and the first as Saint Augustine’s University. Dr. Dianne Boardley Suber, university president, addressed each class in attendance.
Dr. Suber expressed to the freshman class of 2016 that their college experience will pass quickly and that their success depends totally on them. For the senior class of 2013, she reminded them not to celebrate too soon.
Always an inspiration, Dr. Suber encouraged students to stay on a diligent and driven course throughout the year and told them that she expected to see them walking across this same stage at Commencement in May of 2013.
“We are living in difficult times, economically, politically, culturally and socially,” Dr. Suber said. “Understand that there will be a world with lots of choices and competition; the expectations of the world are bigger than SAU. We are preparing you to be competitive.”
To the sophomores and juniors, Dr. Suber said they were in the peak of their learning curve and that they are in the middle of the process.
Mr. Reuben F. Young, the first Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, was the keynote speaker. He told students, “Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected. Excellence is expected at Saint Augustine’s University.”
He assured students that they should have the confidence to move forward in excellence with faculty and staff that are expecting them to succeed.
Throughout the ceremony, the air was filled with sounds of the Saint Augustine’s University’s Wind Ensemble and University Choir with moving and meaningful selections for the occasion.
— Aisha Taylor