Spring Hill College graduates told by speaker to not lose their integrity (photo gallery)

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Spring Hill College graduates told by speaker to
not lose their integrity (photo gallery)
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MOBILE, Alabama -- Today, Melissa Garcia became
the first in her family to graduate from
college. "Im so happy and Ive made my parents
so proud," said the 22-year-old Garcia, adding,
"My parents come from poor backgrounds" and
couldnt afford to attend college. She said her
parents are her "inspiration." One of three
children, the Houston resident received a
bachelors of arts degree in graphic design
during Saturdays commencement at Spring Hill
College.
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She was one of 300 graduates who made the walk
down the historic Avenue of the Oaks on Spring
Hills campus for commencement. Garcia also is
among the first group of Donnelly Scholars to
complete their undergraduate degree. The Donnelly
Scholars program was established in 2008 to serve
first-generation college students at Spring Hill.
The program is named in honor of the Rev. W.
Patrick Donnelly, S.J, the 31st president of the
college, who served from 1946 to 1952. Garcia
said if she cant find a job in the Mobile area
she plans to return home to Houston. "It almost
feels a bit surreal," said 22-year-old Michelle
Connor of Mobile as she waited to line up to
receive her diploma. "It seems like we were just
arriving on campus."
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Connor, who received her Bachelor of Arts degree
in graphic design, is also a Donnelly
Scholar. Connor is also job-hunting for something
in her field. She said shes proud of what shes
accomplished, but its "frightening as well"
being out there without a job.  "Still, Im
ready to take the world head-on," said
Connor. Senior Class Orator Brock Philip Boone,
who graduated Magna Cum Laude, received mixed
reactions during his speech, which drew some
"boos" from the crowd when he told the graduates
not to let Fox News and Rush Limbaugh sway their
opinions.
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He received mixed reaction when he said the money
the government is spending in Afghanistan could
be better used funding education and feeding the
poor. Sonja F. Bivins, United States magistrate
judge for the Southern District of Alabama and a
1985 graduate of Spring Hill was the keynote
speaker. After earning her Bachelor of Science
degree in political science from Spring Hill,
Bivins attended the University of Alabama School
of Law, where she was awarded her law degree in
1988. She was elected to the Spring Hill College
board of trustees in 2007. "Spring Hill had such
a huge impact on my life," Bivins said during her
address to the students. "I never imagined that
one day I would be commencement speaker." Bivins
said she was fortunate in high school to be
selected to participate in the Upward Bound
program, which "targets economically
disadvantaged" high school students who come from
homes in which no one had graduated from college.
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The Upward Bound Program at Spring Hill College
is a national, federally funded program sponsored
by the U.S. Department of Educations TRIO
Program. The program is designed to motivate,
develop and prepare students to be successful in
high school and to successfully graduate from
college. Bivins said it wasnt until years later
that she "came to value the Jesuit
education." "It equipped me to go on to law
school and helped me to develop leadership
skills," said Bivins. She said it also "equipped
me for a lifetime of service to my
community." She encouraged the graduates to
"reflect on the obstacles you had to overcome and
the lessons you learned on the way." The
magistrate judge said she would "be remiss" if
she didnt encourage the students to "answer the
call to jury duty," which drew laughter from the
crowd.
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She reminded the graduates that "each of us is
made by God, and he has a purpose for our
lives." "I encourage you to discover Gods
purpose in you life," Bivins told the
graduates.  She encouraged the students to never
lose their integrity. She said one only has to
look at recent scandals that have made headlines,
from investment adviser and financier Bernie
Madoff to the New Orleans Saints professional
football team. Madoff was imprisoned in 2009 for
an 18 billion investment fraud, while the Saints
have received league sanctions for a bounty
system in which some team members were rewarded
for injuring opposing players.
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"You must hold onto your integrity at all costs,"
Bivins told the students. Bivins reminded the
graduates that "service to others is one of the
cornerstones of the Spring Hill experience." "I
hope you will take that strong commitment of
service with you."