BAINBRIDGE, Ga. — On Dec. 7, Southern Regional Technical College held a commencement ceremony at SRTC-Bainbridge in honor of the graduates who completed their programs during the fall semester of 2022. The ceremony recognized the accomplishments of more than 400 graduates.
SRTC’s graduation was a morning of awarding degrees, diplomas, and certificates to students who have completed their respective credit programs or high school equivalency credentials, the college said in a press release. Many graduates received multiple honors as several programs include embedded certificates that students earn in the course of completing a program. In total, the college conferred 161 degrees, 91 diplomas, 133 technical certificates of credit (TCC), and 26 high school equivalency (HSE) credentials over the course of the fall semester. The commencement speaker was Jacquelyn Santoro, vice president and director of legal affairs for Check-Mate Industries, a founding partner of Tri Crown Trucking, and owner of multiple real estate holding and development companies. In 2020, Santoro and her family moved to Thomasville from Long Island, NY, to oversee the expansion of Check-Mate Industries with the development of Check-Mate Manufacturing in Thomasville.
Santoro congratulated the graduates on their accomplishments and encouraged them to continue their paths toward success.
“You are sitting here today in spite of every excuse or reason to not succeed,” she said. “You prioritized yourself, your future, your family, and your career. Keep going. Keep pushing. Don’t lose sight of where you are trying to go, who you are trying to be, and what you are trying to accomplish. Today is just the beginning of a new journey.”
SRTC President Jim Glass thanked the graduates in attendance for choosing Southern Regional Technical College, and extended his appreciation to the gathered family and friends for supporting the students during their college journey. He encouraged the students to continue to work hard and take the lessons that they have learned at SRTC with them as they move forward in their education and their careers.