Summer ceremonies honor bachelor’s and master’s graduates

“This will be the most excellent graduation ceremony you will ever attend; it will be short and focused on them,” said Furman University President Elizabeth Davis, gesturing from the lectern at the row of nine students in caps and gowns facing her.

The president kept her word. Just under 20 minutes later, the graduates, diplomas in hand, were enjoying a reception with their families and friends. The Summer Commencement ceremony in Hartness Pavilion Aug. 12 was only about one-fourth as long as the one in Paladin Stadium last May, but it still left plenty of time for applause for each new member of the Class of 2023.

Dean of Faculty Jeremy Cass ’00 (left) stands at the lectern as Marvey Tawfik ’23 (second from right) poses between Beth Pontari, interim vice president for academic affairs and provost, and Furman University President Elizabeth Davis during a Summer Commencement ceremony in Hartness Pavilion on Aug. 12, 2023.

“These nine graduates got here today, like many of our graduates, by being resilient,” said Beth Pontari, interim vice president for academic affairs and provost. “Many faced adversity, but they kept their focus. They learned from setbacks, they persisted, and here they are.”

She urged the students to use courage, compassion and community in their next chapter, quoting the university’s mission of supporting “lifelong learners … to lead lives of meaning and consequence.”

Pontari then presented the degree candidates to the university president. After receiving a diploma from Associate Academic Dean Kyle Longest and being announced by Dean of Faculty Jeremy Cass ’00, each student walked over to shake hands and pose for a photo with Davis and Pontari.

“Furman is not something that you leave behind,” Davis told the graduates after the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees had been conferred. “We need your help to ensure future students have the same opportunities. We expect you to engage with your university and the Furman family. We will certainly be here for you.”

‘Scholars and leaders’

Later that Saturday afternoon in Hartness Pavilion, 10 graduates received their Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.) degrees in a hooding ceremony. The custom of wearing academic robes and hoods originated in medieval Europe, George Lipscomb, professor and chair of education, told the students. The regalia signified a commitment to scholarly life, he said.

“This mirrors the vision statement of the education department, which reads that the teacher education program at Furman University prepares educators who are scholars and leaders,” said Lipscomb.

Sarah Brower ’22 M’23, a fourth-grade teacher in Spartanburg, South Carolina, received a Master of Arts in Education degree during a hooding ceremony in Hartness Pavilion on Aug. 12, 2023.

A master’s degree means a raise in salary for the graduate students – many of whom pursued their advanced degrees while working full-time as certified South Carolina teachers – as the state bases teacher pay on education level as well as experience. But an M.A.Ed. from Furman represents much more than a pay bump, Lipscomb said.

“It means you’re truly leaders in your classroom, in your school and in your communities,” he said. “That you’ve worked hard to become experts in literacy, early childhood education, special education, TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages), school leadership and so much more.”

The hooding ceremony is a significant milestone, said Lipscomb, but more work lies ahead for the teachers.

“Don’t treat this as the end of your educational journey,” he said. “Enjoy the day – and the pay raise – but keep learning, because there’s always something new to discover.”

The hooding ceremony continued with Cass draping a hood edged in light blue – the intercollegiate color representing the field of education in the United States – over the shoulders of each candidate.

“We’re so very proud of each and every one of you,” said Davis. “As you go, know that you leave with our appreciation and our affection from the place that should always stay with you.”