College Commencement Ceremony Marks Student Achievements

There were ample times for applause and cheering during the college ceremony, which followed the university-wide ceremony. But the graduates rose to their feet with energetic applause when Ira R. Weiss, dean of the college, thanked the parents, family, and friends for the support shown to the students in the course of their studies. Weiss wrapped up the ceremony by starting the college’s traditional pinning of its newest alumni. He secured the first new alumna, senior class speaker Amanda Busick, and then all the graduates ‘pinned’ those seated nearby.

Busick’s commencement address to her peers included a literary reference to NC State’s Wolfpack. “As Rudyard Kipling once wrote,” she said, “‘For the strength of the PACK is the WOLF, and the strength of the WOLF is the Pack.’”

A future entrepreneur, Busick also drew a message from The Monk and the Riddle, a book by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Randy Komisar.

“The book resonated with me and speaks to our common internal struggle – trying to differentiate and balance our drives and passions as we travel life’s journey,” she said. “In Kominar’s book, we see this struggle through an entrepreneur’s eyes as he discovers an innovative way to define success. Komisar helps tease out a subtle yet very important difference, the difference between drive and passion: our drive pushes us forward, while our passion pulls us forward.

“As recent graduates, it is easy for us to stress over our first career moves and beginning the first steps up the corporate ladder of success. Often people define their success as financial triumph and too often fall into what Komisar identifies as the ‘differed life plan’ – work hard to get to the highest paying job and make enough money to do what you want to do in life later.’ Unfortunately, this plan rarely works out. My hope is that we each have the discipline and self-awareness to do what we are passionate about by finding careers and work environments that allow us to make the most of our passions. If you are doing what you love, the money will find its way into the equation.”

She also encouraged the new alumni to “give back and make a difference. My life has been changed by my professors and mentors who have given back by dedicating one of their most precious assets – their time – to challenge and nurture students. Commit yourselves to be mentors to the generations to follow. I challenge each of you to donate part of your journey to their growth.”

Busick also addressed the issue of the economy. “We are walking into a tough job market in a weak economy. However, we should leave our graduation ceremony excited, not scared, because we all know that the biggest challenges present the greatest opportunities. Because our journey is just now starting, we have the opportunity to make this world better than it is now.”

A native of Greensboro, N.C., Busick graduated cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in business administration and a concentration in entrepreneurship. She plans to begin her career as an entrepreneur specializing in online education, providing high school students with opportunities to earn college credit in a virtual environment, such as Second Life. She also is keeping her eye on the possibilities of a future in the political forum.

Of the 299 summer 2008 and fall 2008 graduates recognized at the Dec. 17 ceremony, 10 received Doctor of Economics degrees; 29 received Master of Economics degrees; nine received Bachelor of Arts in Economics degrees, and nine received Bachelor of Science degrees in Economics. Thirty-seven received MBA degrees; five, Master of Accounting degrees; 61, Bachelor of Science in Accounting; and 147, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

The following graduates were recognized for their academic achievements.

• College of Management Board of Advisors Outstanding Student Award: Daniel Barker and Michael Gilligan.
• Alexandre Hamilton Scholars: John Spruhan Kimball, Stephanie Ellis Skaff
• John. T. Caldwell Scholars: Michael John Gilligan, Raven Cherecess Solomon
• Phi Beta Kappa: Daniel Anthony Paniccia
• Phi Kappa Phi: Christopher E. Blum, Leanne Michele Durham Morris, Daniel Anthony Paniccia
• Beta Gamma Sigma: Shawn Anand Batra, Christopher E. Blum, Elaine Cahill, Daniel P. Kuckel, Christopher Peter Mantin, Daniel Anthony Paniccia, Michael Todd Parrish, Meredith Carson Peele, Christopher D. Twellman, Richard Jonathan Wells
• University Scholars: Zachary Daniel Adams, Sarah Elizabeth Cannady, Brandon Scott Cochrane, Michael John Gilligan, Shakiria Denise Howie, Karen Anna Lesmeister, Katheryn Ellen Sloop, Raven Cherecess Solomon

• University Valedictorians: Accounting – Leanne Michele Durham Morris, Karen Ann Lesmeister; Business Administration – Brandon Scott Cochrane, Matthew Thomas McGrady, Raven Cherecess Solomon, Richard Jonathan Wells; Economics – Zachary Daniel Adams, John Leslie Taylor