State President Speaks at Randolph Community College Curriculum Graduation Ceremony Held May 12

North Carolina Community College System President Scott Ralls, guest speaker at Randolph Community College’s graduation ceremony held Wednesday at the Providence Grove High School gymnasium, said he has been traveling the state for the last couple of months "trying to find out the secrets of student success." He said he has found the real truth is "not about practices or policies, it's about people...engaging students, engaging faculty, engaging staff and administration."

Ralls continued that engagement is hard to define. "Engagement is one of those things that you know it if you see it and you know it if you don't." He told stories of several other graduates from throughout the state that helped define the term. "Being fully engaged is not just the secret to college success, it is the secret to success in life as well," he concluded.

Student Government Association President Sarah Elizabeth Blackwell encouraged her peers to embrace change in the future. She said that change and achievement at RCC was possible because "at RCC, the instructors and staff will not give up on you."

It was the first RCC graduation to include Randolph Early College High School graduates who also completed college degrees.

To read more about the graduation and see the list of graduations, go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2010/2010-05-13.php.