Caps, gowns, and ear-to-ear smiles marked the end of the fall semester as Southern Adventist University held its Winter Commencement ceremony on Thursday, December 15, 2016. A total of 151 undergraduate students received diplomas, along with 68 master’s students. Mike Cauley, ’75, Florida Conference president, addressed the graduates with the topic, “Seize the Moment,” and business administration major Jaren Humphreys, ’16, provided the class response.

In his printed message to graduates, Southern President David Smith, PhD, addressed how to deal with the certainty of changes that lie ahead.

“We all face surprises,” Smith wrote. “Your education has prepared you for many things, but nothing can prepare you for everything. Nothing, that is, except faith in God. Just as He has gotten you through your life to this point, He will see you through any and all circumstances in your future.”

For some graduates, the next step will be earning a master's degree, while many others will be going directly into the work place. Kassandra Fernandez (pictured, center), who graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a teaching certificate, is pleased to have a job lined up. She will jump right in on January 3 at Duluth Adventist Christian School in Georgia, teaching English, history, Bible, P.E. and an elective to the 7^th and 8^th grades.

Click here for more photos of graduation. The entire ceremony can also be viewed online.