Tennessee Tech celebrated more than 1,000 graduates during the university’s fall graduation ceremony Friday.
Senior Academic Administrative Officer Tom Payne said graduates came from 76 counties throughout Tennessee, 25 states, 12 other countries, and represented over 50 fields of study. Payne said birth dates of graduates ranged from 1959 – 2006. Payne said as Tech’s stature and reputation grows, so does the value of the degree.
“You will have a degree from one of the best universities in the state and one of the top-ranked universities in the nation,” Payne said. “It’s a university that gives you the highest average starting salaries among universities in the state of Tennessee, among all public universities in the state.”
Payne said adversity does not create character, but it does reveal it. Payne said graduates are set to get a great return on their investment.
“You have what the world wants and what it desperately needs,” Payne said. “You have clearly demonstrated the highest standards that you are exhibiting here today, and you have embodied within that the degree that you receive today. You are now and forever bold, fearless, confident, and kind golden eagles.”
Payne said that some graduates are natives to Cookeville, while others are adopted residents. He said either way Tennessee Tech will always be their home.
“You belong to this community, and you belong to this campus,” Payne said. “Through your dedication and your service, you have significantly contributed to its strength and its spirit, making sure that everyone knows that Cookeville is Tennessee’s college town.”