CCU honors largest fall graduating class
"If you follow you passion, you'll find your purpose," said O'Malley, who, following her own early goals, became the first female president of a professional sports franchise at age 29 when she assumed the leadership of the NBA's Washington Bullets (now the Wizards).
"When I became president of the Washington Bullets on May 9, 1991, I knew that I had opened the door for other women to become executives in sports. . . . So at that point in time I knew my purpose."
A total of 719 students were eligible to walk in CCU's fall 2016 commencement, compared to 595 in 2015 and 590 in 2014. Two ceremonies were held in the HTC Center on campus, one on Friday, Dec. 16 and one on Saturday, Dec. 17.
O'Malley was awarded the honorary degree Doctor of Science at the ceremony.
Six graduating students received the President's Award for Academic Achievement, which recognizes students with the highest cumulative grade point averages. The recipients of the award all had perfect 4.0 grade point averages, graduating summa cum laude: Brock Matava, a business administration-management major from Seward, Pa.; Tiffany Chere Pepper, a psychology major from Myrtle Beach; Meredith Putnam, an early childhood education major from Murrells Inlet; Dale John Robinson, a history major from Surfside Beach; Thomas Saguto, a business administration-marketing major from Pawleys Island; and Eric Wesley Winkler, a marine science major from Dingmans Ferry, Pa.
Retiring CCU staff members William Edmonds and David Parker were also recognized in the ceremony.