Keven Gilbert
AMERICUS — The Georgia Southwestern State University commencement ceremony Saturday, honored 397 fall graduates. Keynote speaker David Bridges, president of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, addressed the graduates with a concise but earnest lesson.
Bridges’ speech concentrated on the predicament of a new college graduate. Having fulfilled a great accomplishment, the graduate must now move forward, overcome challenges and achieve their destiny.
Bridges’ introduced the concept of “Three Ds — Decision, Direction and Destiny.”
“Decision,” in Bridges concept, is his appeal to graduates to keep making good choices. “You have already made a good decision to pursue your education, you have inherited knowledge and avoided folly,” explains Bridges.
Then there is “direction,” which is the determined by one’s decisions and must be considered with great care. Finally, one’s “destiny” is shaped by the decisions and subsequent direction of one’s life.
“Periodic checks are necessary,” Bridges points out, “distractions will force reexamination and you must chart your course.” Bridges asks that the graduates “exercise prudence” and consider the impact of their decisions on the rest of their life.
The commencement ceremony and new graduates of GSW are of special interest for Bridges. There are 450 ABAC graduates currently enrolled at GSW, furthering their education and proving the partnership between ABAC and GSW to be a valuable one.
