Winter Graduates Told ‘Times They Are A-Changin’’

Undergraduates Veronica Bridgewaters of Columbia, left, Karen Blevins of Eubank, Ky.,
Brandi Berry of Scottsville, Ky., and Darrell Ball of Strunk, Ky., more their tassels to
represent their graduation from LWC.

COLUMBIA, Ky. -- Members of the first half of the Lindsey Wilson College Class of 2010-11 were told Saturday morning that "the times they are a-changin'," but they have the ability to control their destiny because they have a college education.

Those were the words Kentucky Community and Technical College System President Michael B. McCall delivered at the college's 92nd commencement ceremony, held Saturday morning in Biggers Sports Center.

Lindsey Wilson awarded a record 365 degrees at this year's winter commencement -- 214 undergraduate degrees and 151 graduate degrees. This was LWC's seventh consecutive winter commencement ceremony, made necessary because of the college's growth. To put this year's winter commencement in perspective, LWC awarded 312 degrees in 2003-04, the last year the college held only one commencement ceremony.

Also on Saturday, LWC awarded an honorary doctorate to McCall and to former LWC administrator and Kentucky state legislator Doug Moseley of Bowling Green, Ky.

Quoting Bob Dylan's anthem of the 1960s generation, McCall told the Lindsey Wilson graduates that the words of "The Times They Are A-Changin'" is just as relevant today as they were when the song was released in 1964.

Today's college graduates enter a world where a "profound transformation of world the economy" is taking place as technology revolutionizes everything in everyday life, including education, work and how wealth is created.

"It's virtually erased all borders, creating a worldwide marketplace," McCall said. "Education, though, is at the core of this revolution."

McCall told the students that a college degree "is not a free pass" nor is it "a sole ticket to the American dream."

For today's college graduates to be successful, they have "got to realize how you market yourself," McCall said.

And to avoiding "sinking like a stone" in the world economy, McCall advised the graduates to develop two habits -- "discover and cultivate what your strengths are, and package those strengths into a marketable brand."

By being "the CEO of your life" and becoming lifelong learners, a college graduate can succeed in a world economy that is "very intolerant of mediocrity," McCall said.

"You are entering the workforce at a very exciting time -- a very scary time in some ways, a very challenging time for us as well," he said. "Yes, the times are changing, the waters around you have grown, will continue to grow, but you already have a leg up on your competition."

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Click here to see scenes from 2010 winter commencement.
Click here to see scenes from the 2010 pinning ceremonies.