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Dean of Faculty Jeremy Cass \u201900 (left) stands at the lectern as Marvey Tawfik \u201923 (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.<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cThese nine graduates got here today, like many of our graduates, by being resilient,\u201d said Beth Pontari, interim vice president for academic affairs and provost. \u201cMany faced adversity, but they kept their focus. They learned from setbacks, they persisted, and here they are.\u201d<\/p>\n
She urged the students to use courage, compassion and community in their next chapter, quoting the university\u2019s mission<\/a> of supporting \u201clifelong learners \u2026 to lead lives of meaning and consequence.\u201d<\/p>\n 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 \u201900, each student walked over to shake hands and pose for a photo with Davis and Pontari.<\/p>\n \u201cFurman is not something that you leave behind,\u201d Davis told the graduates after the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees had been conferred. \u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Later that Saturday afternoon in Hartness Pavilion, 10 graduates received their Master of Arts in Education<\/a> (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.<\/p>\n \u201cThis 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,\u201d said Lipscomb.<\/p>\n Sarah Brower \u201922 M\u201923, 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.<\/p><\/div>\n A master\u2019s degree means a raise in salary<\/a> for the graduate students \u2013 many of whom pursued their advanced degrees while working full-time as certified South Carolina teachers \u2013 as the state bases teacher pay on education level as well as experience. But an M.A.Ed.<\/a> from Furman represents much more than a pay bump, Lipscomb said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt means you\u2019re truly leaders in your classroom, in your school and in your communities,\u201d he said. \u201cThat you\u2019ve worked hard to become experts in literacy<\/a>, early childhood education, special education<\/a>, TESOL<\/a> (teaching English to speakers of other languages), school leadership<\/a> and so much more.\u201d<\/p>\n The hooding ceremony is a significant milestone, said Lipscomb, but more work lies ahead for the teachers.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t treat this as the end of your educational journey,\u201d he said. \u201cEnjoy the day \u2013 and the pay raise \u2013 but keep learning, because there\u2019s always something new to discover.\u201d<\/p>\n\u2018Scholars and leaders\u2019<\/h3>\n
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