Graduating with goals
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on August 28, 2016 1:45 AM
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Ben Van Hoozer holds his 1-year-old daughter Emma and speaks with family in the courtyard area of the University of Mount Olive on Saturday.
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Jo Fergusson hugs and congratulates, recent graduate, Katrina Brown during the ceremony.
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Bachlor of Science/Healthcare Management degree recipient, Corinne Arias displays her custom-made graduation hat just after the ceremony in the court yard area of the University of Mt Olive. Arias explained that during a couple late night study sessions she found "Grade A paper" inspiration by drinking quality red wine.
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Shamira Myers greets family and friends, having just received her college diploma from the University of Mount Olive on Saturday.
Some wanted to further their careers.
Some wanted to get an education after serving in the armed forces.
And one graduate wanted to get a degree that would enable him to open up a Christmas store after being a Santa Claus for hire for the past six years.
The University of Mount Olive graduated nearly 200 students at its 63rd commencement Saturday, and each graduate has varied plans for the future.
The average age of Saturday's graduating class was 38 years old -- fitting, then, to have a keynote speaker who got his start in a rewarding career at the age of 34.
Saturday's keynote speaker was businessman and University of Mount Olive board member Donnie Lassiter.
Lassiter, now 64, grew up on a farm in the Micro/Selma area and graduated from North Johnston High School in 1970. He earned his B.S. degree in biology with a teaching certificate from Atlantic Christian College in Wilson.
After graduation, Lassiter returned to the family farm where he was active in farming for the next 12 years. In 1987, he co-founded Credit Card Software Systems.
In 1997, Lassiter co-founded Omni-Card, Inc., where he served as president for two years. Omni-Card later became Heartland Payment Systems, Inc. where Lassiter served in many management positions, including national sales manager.
He retired from Heartland Payment Systems in 2006 after an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange.
Lassiter's message to the graduates was simple -- use your time wisely, build relationships and have confidence in yourself and your goals.
"You have proven that you have what it takes to earn a degree and to stick with something until it is completed," Lassiter told the students. "This is hugely valuable to your employer. Let me mention something that is just as important that you may not even be aware of that you have earned in the last few years, that is realtionships...You are impressing everyone you meet either favorably or unfavorably. Hopefully, you have impressed more favorably."
Ben Van Hoozer, 23, was awarded his associates degree at Saturday's commencement ceremony. Hoozer is a Marine Corps veteran, and has a young daughter named Emma. He said he picked the University of Mount Olive for his education because it is the only university with a location in New Bern, and he wanted the opportunity to pursue a four-year degree.
"I got my associate's degree in associates of science, and now I'll go on to get my bachelor's degree in business," Hoozer said. "I want to start my own business, but I'm not sure what kind yet. I'm considering my options."
Brian Coneal, 47, earned his master's degree in business administration.
Coneal said he is currently the general manager of a car dealership and wanted to go deeper into his profession and give himself more opportunities in his career by furthering his education.
"I feel like this will give me the tools to go further," Coneal said.
Eric Roughton said he double majored in accounting and business, and planned to open his own Christmas store in the future.
Roughton said he has been a Santa Claus for hire for the past six years and felt like getting a degree in business and accounting would allow him to combine his love of being Santa Claus with a business acumen that would allow him to open a successful Christmas store.
"I'm currently a career and technical education teacher at Columbia Middle School in Columbia, North Carolina," Roughton said. "I've always loved Christmas, I have the right size and personality to be Santa, so I wanted to combine those things into opening my own Christmas store in the future."
In order to accomplish these dreams, Lassiter urged the nearly 200 students to abide by a few simple principles as they pursue their goals in the future as he closed out his commencement speech Saturday.
"My final words, stay completely away from negative people," Lassiter said. "Take responsibility for your own success and failures -- you are not entitled to anything but what you earn. Life is not fair, get over it, move on. Build as many relationships as possible -- you never know their future value. Spend your time wisely, live each day as your last -- it might be."