Nearly 1,500 Graduates Celebrated at Fall Commencement
Posted on December 15, 2023
Jimmy Shumock, a Mobile business leader and a member of the University of South ĒąÉ¬Ö±²„ Board of Trustees, urged fall graduates to put their āfirst-class educationā to use in service to their communities.
In a Friday morning Commencement address at the USA Mitchell Center, Shumock asked Southās newest alumni to smile, then offered a SMILE acronym of advice for their future
The S stands for serving the community:
āI encourage you to get involved in something,ā Shumock said. āMeet people. Put yourself out there. It takes time and you get back what you put into something. Building friendships and relationships is a little like putting some money in a savings account. Years later, you have much more than you invested.ā
The M stands for mistakes, and how to learn from them:
āYou are going to make mistakes at work, in relationships, in life in general. Own them, learn from them and try not to repeat them.ā
The I stand for innovation:
āEmbrace it. Donāt let it pass you by, no matter how hard it is. Be respectful with it. Be skeptical of it.ā
The L stands for laugh:
āI learned a lot about how to laugh and be vulnerable from my wife. I learned to not take myself too seriously and to even laugh at myself. Debbie and I love people. We love to be in an environment where we can have fun and laugh.ā
The E stands for ethics:
āUphold high ethical standards in all your endeavors. Make decisions that not only benefit yourself, but also consider the well-being of others and the world around you.ā
Nearly 1,500 degree candidates were recognized at fall Commencement. Thousands of friends and family members helped them celebrate. Some cheered during the ceremony, while others celebrated in their own way.
For Riley Roberts, a 30-year-old from Burleson, Texas, Friday completed her pursuit of a masterās degree in nursing. She looked relieved.
āItās kind of surreal,ā Roberts said. āMy nursing journey started with an associate degree, and then a bachelorās degree, and working eight years as a nurse, and now Iām here. This is what Iāve been working toward for a long time.ā
Grayson Ladd, a 22-year-old from Daphne, ĒąÉ¬Ö±²„, enjoyed Commencement with friends and classmates.
āIām a drama major with a geology minor ā a wild mix,ā Ladd said. āI love to get on stage and perform. At South, I got to do āMajor Barbara,ā āJekyll and Hyde,ā and a play called āFools.āā
Payton Gatto, a 22-year-old biology major from Mobile, had a concentration of study in marine science. She decorated her graduation cap with a āPirates of the Caribbeanā theme.
āI had a really good time at South,ā Gatto said. āThe marine science program at South is new and a lot of fun. I did a lot of classes at Dauphin Island Sea Lab, and weād go to the beach after class every day.ā
Dr. Andi Kent, executive vice president and provost, led Commencement. She thanked the dayās graduates for helping South become the Flagship of the Gulf Coast.
āYou should be proud,ā she said. āYou set a goal and worked for years to achieve it. The things youāve learned and the friends youāve made will help guide you for years to come. I should know. Iām one of you, a South graduate. Iāve stood in your shoes ā your uncomfortable graduation shoes ā and while it has been a few years, I walked across this very stage to receive a diploma and step toward the next challenge.ā
Kent encouraged new South alumni to find meaning behind the pomp and circumstance of their Commencement.
āAt some point, while youāre smiling and profiling, youāre going to feel the moment,ā she said. āYou might not cry, but you will notice a little tug in your chest. Thatās just your heart telling you that today is your day, youāve changed and youāve grown, and your years at South just might matter more than you ever thought possible.ā
Kent introduced Shumock as āa man whose heart bleeds red, white and blue.ā He earned an accounting degree at South and went on to become chief executive officer of Thompson Engineering in Mobile. Heās a Jaguar sports fan, athletics booster and supporter of the Mitchell College of Business. While he was president pro tem of the USA Board of Trustees, South hired President Jo Bonner, launched the Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, and built Hancock Whitney Stadium on campus.
āAll that said,ā Kent concluded, āone of the most important things to know about Jimmy Shumock is that he loves this University and has more Jaguar pride than any person I know.ā
In his Commencement address, Shumock congratulated graduates and promised to be brief.
āI have been known to put the stopwatch on previous speakers,ā he joked, āand Iām afraid someone might be timing me.ā
Shumock said he was beyond grateful for everything the University of South ĒąÉ¬Ö±²„ has given him. His hope, as students make their way in life, is that they will look upon South as fondly as he does.
He asked everyone in the Mitchell Center to hold up a J symbol with their hands and chant āGo Jagsā with him. His final words reminded graduates of his acronym of advice.
āToday signifies not just an end but a commencement ā a commencement of new responsibilities, challenges and opportunities,ā Shumock said. āAs we bid farewell to this chapter, let us carry our SMILE with us ā a beacon of hope and optimism lighting our paths ahead.ā
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