Spartanburg Community College Celebrates Over 950 Graduates at 60th Annual Commencement Ceremony

Spartanburg, SC – Over 950 graduates proudly walked across the stage at the 60th annual commencement ceremony of Spartanburg Community College (SCC). The grand event took place on Thursday, May 2 on the College’s Giles Campus in Spartanburg. The Class of 2024 was represented by the top programs such as the Associate of Arts Degree, Associate of Applied Science in Mechatronics, Associate of Science in Pre-Health, Associate of Applied Science in Management, and Associate of Applied Science in Nursing.

Empowering Students

SCC President, Dr. Michael Mikota, addressed the ecstatic crowd at the College’s 60th annual graduation celebration. “The success of our proud graduates showcases our passion to provide every possible resource to empower our students to realize the full potential of all the talents they may possess. Go Chasers!”, stated Dr. Mikota.

Inspiring Journey of a Graduate

An inspiring testimony came from Lisa Pappas, the ceremony’s student speaker. At the age of 38, Lisa hopped on to the journey of becoming a nurse following the tragic death of her daughter in a car accident. She enrolled part-time in pre-requisite courses for SCC’s Nursing program while running a small business. Unfortunately, a four years later, she lost her son, Cameron, to suicide which forced Lisa to drop out of her studies.

However, Lisa’s determination led her back to SCC after getting to know about the College’s free tuition program. In Spring of 2023, she graduated with an associate degree of arts. Currently, through a seamless transfer process, she is inching closer to becoming a grief counselor while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of South Carolina-Upstate.

2024 Faculty of the Year Award

The 60th commencement ceremony also hosted the 2024 Faculty of the Year award event. This prestigious award recognizes the outstanding faculty members in two categories: the Peer Award and the Student Award. The winners this year were Heather Hall and Rebecca Ledbetter, respectively.

Heather Hall, who has been an instructor of Spanish at SCC since 2019, received glowing nominations from her students which landed her the Peer Award. Her deep passion for community college students and their inspiring determination that they show while juggling various responsibilities motivates her every day.

The other laureate, Rebecca Ledbetter, a native graduate of SCC’s original Practical Nursing program, has not only played a critical role in building the new program that launched in Cherokee County last fall but also has served as an instructor in the College’s Nursing program since 2019. Ledbetter’s winning the Student Award reflects her impeccable contribution in shaping the future of nursing in her community.

The memorable event organized by the Spartanburg Community College not only marked the success of the graduating students but also recognized the relentless efforts of the faculty that made this possible. A hearty congratulations to the Class of 2024!