Saturday afternoon is graduation under the Towers at Erskine. If you haven't been to Due West lately, the college has never looked more beautiful. Graduation on Saturday will be a special occasion for the seniors who have completed their journey at Erskine. Four seniors will be "in abstentia" on Saturday afternoon. Jocelyn Smith, Lindsey LaPrad, Kerry Fincher, and Kristie Fincher will miss their graduation. Four years ago they came to Erskine with a dream of earning a degree and leading the Flying Fleet softball team to the Conference Carolinas Championship. Each of the four distinguished themselves academically, all earning diplomas. In fact, Jocelyn Smith was still in the discussion for valedictorian honors as late as Wednesday night. But despite earning those degrees, Jocelyn, Lindsey, Kerry, and Kristie will not be receiving degrees in Dr. David Norman's first graduation at Erskine. Instead, they will be in Dahlonega, GA competing in the NCAA Southeast Regional. They achieved all of their dreams but by an unfortunate timing of circumstances they can't be at two places at once. Saturday is a day of history for these four young women. They are achieving a college degree and playing as a part of a conference champion in the NCAA Tournament, the first ever for an Erskine softball team. I know all four wish they could be under the Towers Saturday afternoon with their classmates but I also know they would not trade being in Dahlonega for anything. They have memories that will last a lifetime and all of us in Erskine Athletics are so proud of their accomplishments. They might be "in abstentia" Saturday but they got all they could out of their Erskine experience. And who knows, their might be a College World Series they still need to attend!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Saturday afternoon is graduation under the Towers at Erskine. If you haven't been to Due West lately, the college has never looked more beautiful. Graduation on Saturday will be a special occasion for the seniors who have completed their journey at Erskine. Four seniors will be "in abstentia" on Saturday afternoon. Jocelyn Smith, Lindsey LaPrad, Kerry Fincher, and Kristie Fincher will miss their graduation. Four years ago they came to Erskine with a dream of earning a degree and leading the Flying Fleet softball team to the Conference Carolinas Championship. Each of the four distinguished themselves academically, all earning diplomas. In fact, Jocelyn Smith was still in the discussion for valedictorian honors as late as Wednesday night. But despite earning those degrees, Jocelyn, Lindsey, Kerry, and Kristie will not be receiving degrees in Dr. David Norman's first graduation at Erskine. Instead, they will be in Dahlonega, GA competing in the NCAA Southeast Regional. They achieved all of their dreams but by an unfortunate timing of circumstances they can't be at two places at once. Saturday is a day of history for these four young women. They are achieving a college degree and playing as a part of a conference champion in the NCAA Tournament, the first ever for an Erskine softball team. I know all four wish they could be under the Towers Saturday afternoon with their classmates but I also know they would not trade being in Dahlonega for anything. They have memories that will last a lifetime and all of us in Erskine Athletics are so proud of their accomplishments. They might be "in abstentia" Saturday but they got all they could out of their Erskine experience. And who knows, their might be a College World Series they still need to attend!
