College Graduates 1,600 in Historic Ceremony

May 10, 2008

Approximately 1,600 students graduated from the College of Charleston in the 215th commencement ceremony. Business Administration was this year’s most popular major with 309 graduates. Communication was a close second with 264 graduates.

This year for the first time, two commencement ceremonies were held at 9:30 am and 4:00 pm. This year was also the firs time the ceremony was held on a Saturday. These decisions were made by a vote of the student body to better accommodate friends and families of the graduates.

Ronald Tschetter, the national director of the Peace Corps, was the commencement speaker and he praised the College of Charleston for its activism and dedication to the Peace Corps program. This year the College is the number one producing school for volunteers in South Carolina and number six in the Southeast. This year, with 25 graduates and alumni serving, the College has set its own single year for the number of volunteers.

“Just imagine the legacy that this one school has left all over the world,” Tschetter said. “Country after country. Village after village. Project after project. The College of Charleston is there – represented by the finest young people imaginable. Changing the world a little bit at a time – one person at a time.”

He also urged the graduates to volunteer and accept their social responsibility.

“As you begin this new journey in your life, keep in mind that success in the eyes of the world is all fine and good, but at the end of the day what really matters is the difference you are going to make in the lives of others.”

Tshetter also received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree from the College. Tschetter was sworn in as the 17th director of the Peace Corps on September 26, 2006. Mr. Tschetter is the third director in the Peace Corps’ history to have served as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

The College will also present an honorary degree to South Carolina Representative Harry B. “Chip” Limehouse III. The Charleston Republican is a representative for District 110 in Charleston and Berkeley Counties. He is a Commercial Real Estate Broker and an executive with Limehouse Properties, Hotel and Motel Management.

Contact:
Melissa Whetzel
News Manager
(843) 475-9362
whetzelm@cofc.edu