“Southside Virginia is the place I call home. Today sets in motion the futures of 1,400 men and women. This is your day and you earned it. You are Southside Strong,” began the commencement address at Southside Virginia Community College on May 16 in Keysville by Halifax County native Dr. Dietra Y. Trent, Deputy Secretary of Education for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Dr. Trent earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Criminal Justice from Hampton University, and completed her master’s and doctoral degrees in Public Administration and Policy from Virginia Commonwealth University.     

She reminded graduates to continue to be proud of their hometowns and part of this community. Even though the area has suffered economic setbacks, Southside changed with the times and remained relevant.

“Go into the world carrying the Southside flag, share your talents and give back,” Dr. Trent said.

SVCC President Dr. Al  Roberts presided over the commencement ceremony before a Saturday morning crowd of more than 4,000. A record number of Dual Enrollment students graduated this year.

More than 500 students from area high schools completed a SVCC degree, diploma or certificate in the program that offers classes with both high school and college credit.

One graduate, Summer Fink, was recognized as a 2015 nominee for the American Association of Community Colleges/Phi theta Kappa/All-USA Team.

Honors program graduates this year are Joshua Baird, Landon Baker, Cameron Covington, Tyler Johnson and Christopher Nelson.  Students accepted into this program have high academic standards and outstanding leadership potential.

Cumberland – Lloyd Banks III, Carlisa Sharay Childress, Darian Aquila Colter, Kianna Nicole Johnson, Kathlyn Odeene Logan, Brittany Alysse Lowe, Taylor Alexis Riggins, Sharonda Lee Robertson, Justin Lee Smith, Taneijha Ja-shae Hampton, Jeremey Leonard Fitzgerald, Kayla Zahkael Lawson, Andrew J. Fehrle, Jada Sierra Harris, Jose Ramiro Sustaita, Brenton Alexander Morris, Matthew Tristan Russell James, Ahkiya Lashell Allen, Madelina Sue Gentile, Jennavive Christine Dayton, Morgan Henshaw Ballou, Ian Cameron Oliver, John Ryan Bapties, John Alexander Blanton, Cody Ryan Davis;

Buckingham – Brielle Victoria DeMatteo, Torie Jean Glover, Austin Cole Williams, Kassie Nicole Dingeldein, Alia Amber Harper, Jennifer Leigh Presho, Christina Elene Branzelle, Nadia Rachel Aly, Melissa Viola Howard, Felicia Adrian Kyle, Joseph Scott Payne;

Keysville – Chet Eugene Atkins Jr., Samuel Scott Back, Cynthia Marie Bubadias, Christian Mark Chadwick, Michele P. Childress, Sara Frances Distler, Alice Paige Forester, Emily Ann Fulcher, Summer Lynn Greene, Carlos Lorenzo Jennings, Laurel Watts King, Michelle Carlene Lloyd, Emily Alexandra McCadams, Amy Noelle Phelps, Melody Spring Redd, James A. Reeves Jr., Gail Marston Rowe, Arialle Christine Sanders, Amanda Barnett Trent, Michelle Leigh Williamson, Nicole Ida Hamlett, Gabriella Kailen Shook, Katelyn Cheryl Brooks, Dillon Bailey Trent, Amanda C. Talbott, Brandon Lee Williams, Leslie Katherine Kennedy, Ethan Alexander Havens, Joshua Michael Easter, Ashley Nicole Pontius, Callie Elizabeth Kunath, Michael W. Abbott, Jacob Landis Dixon, Michelle Joy Smith, Bryll Lynn Thompson, Miranda T. Payne, Samantha Taylor Mingo, Leah Marie Black, James Chandler Vaughan, Sarah Lynn Johnson, Chelsey George, Angus MacLaren Pettus Paterson, Elizabeth H. Woodard, Lamar Kendell Lockett, Triston Eric Smith, Rachel Scruggs Whitehead;

Farmville – Susanna Helen Baker, Timothy James Brock, Marie Alice Coale, Sherri L Davenport, Benjamin Asher Gordon, Cecily Miles Hill, Kevin Robert Huddleston, Angela Marie Wilbanks, John McKinley Meade Jr., Preston Kyle Schatzberg, Makiesa Cortaz Scott, Sharone Ann Woolridge, Samantha Ann Wooten, James Paker Shumaker, Herbert Lee Berryman II, Kathryn Casey Smith, Louis Carver Gould III, Latoya Keasha-Kiev Lambert, Nicole Renee Hancock, Morgan Douglas Schneider, Kimberly Dawn Lozano, Chastity E. Jones, Muhammad Umar Alahbakshs, Lindsay Katherine LeSueur, Zandra Watricia Little, Gavin Alexander Lozano, Jataria Daishai Johnson, Joseph Daniel Kingsley, Clayton Reed Worrell, Colin James Werth, Tiara Shearea Torres, Summer G. Jenkins, Megan Nicole Garrett, Laroy Steven Yoder, William Walker Sanderson III, Sean Miller Stimpson, Ricky Alexander Moorefield, Thomas Edward Brown, Alexa Rene’ Massey, Joseph Michael Hensley, Ross Tyler Fillman, Nicholas Hart Wilson, Todd Christopher Jones, Thomas Lee Huddleston, Brenna Michelle Halvorsen, Kyle Richard Shuart, Alexis Wyatt Salinas, Sarah Brooke Warren, Gillian Leigh Cubbage, Jessica Erin Cole, William Abraham Foster, Desiree Renee Brown, Donna M. Fox, Erik Scott Pollard, Jolene Renee Eicher, Amanda Dorea McDermott, Rachael Linda McDermott, Robert Houston Lewarne, Zachary Allen Poole, Forrest W. Yoder;

Charlotte Courthouse – Vincent B. Daniel, Nuriddin Haneef Abdussalaam, Kerri Ann Dunaway, Alison Vernette Robinson, Justin Bryan Tinsley, Elisha Clayton Napier, Cassidy Kaleigh Osborne, Cynthia D. Stoots, Scott Nelson Pugh, Sharon Philbeck Ashley, Riley Elizabeth Poling, Daniel Joe Riggleman Jr., Juliette Marie Duffey, Breana Janece White;

Cartersville – Jacob Devin Dandridge, Issac Lewis Blanton Jr., Jacob Paul Perry, Tyler Wilson Shores, Kiara Charmaine Samuels, Kyrra-Mae Inez Hodges, Daniel Lee Porterfield, Carmen Rain Meacham, Breanna Morgan Meinhard, John William Meinhard;

Jettersville – Ann S. Courter, Lorie Ann Wray, Robert Lee Dunn III, Ashley Nicole Morrison, Toni Lynn Garza, William Duke Furgurson Edwards, Mariah Lee Abernathy;

Dillwyn – Shaqwana Rakeya Booker, Tiffany Chiquita Giles, Tricia Lynn Harris-Taylor, Alicea Bethany Johnson, Casey Elizabeth Ownby, Sandy Chinequa Patterson, Myron Lindsey Oliver, Mathew Cole Harris, Ciera Denise Ownby, Courtney Summer Potts, Olivia Garnet Leatherwood, Ashley Marie Crews, Marisa Ann Robinson, Demeshia Monae Carter, Casey Leanne Hunt, Kristen Ashleigh Jamerson, Samantha Renee Baird, Jeremiah Peter Charles Stinson, Adashya Brianna Jantrice Crawley, Rachel Lynn Eubank, Vanessa A. Holman, Katelyn Whitley Gough, Henry Richard Jones, Sean Devin Newton, Emily L. LaFontaine;

Drakes Branch – Lauren Rudder Garnett, Barbara Ann Hall, Arielle Marie Jones, Ashleigh Elizabeth Nichols, LaShonda Yvette Tatum, Richard Edward Wallace Jr., Ja’Nisha Shanae Banks, Ta’Nisha Ranae Banks, Lori L. Mitchum-Burns, Alicia Marie Lee, Kaylee Michele Sands, Thomas Keith Wallace, Kelsey Rose Garrison, Wayland Boyd Goode Jr., Tyler Steven Hazelwood, Timothy Elijah White, Alyx Rae Thore;

Green Bay – Nigel Stewart Taylor DeParto, Orion Daniel Quade DeParto, Shirley A. Hawthorne, Amber Eggleston Jarrett, Laura Lee Norman, Amanda Denise Picard, Tyler Travis Harding, Frank Edward Eppes III, Debra Shifflett, Dakota Allen Moore, David Lee Webb, Emma Marie Webb;

Meherrin – Tyra Nicole Foster, Major Da-jon Owens, Robert Allen Trent Jr., William Hunter Alphin, Wayne N. Bruce Jr., Renee Michele Boise, Tawnya Roberts Swindell, Ryan Taylor Norris, Emily Carol Borum, Joelle W. Shepperson, Angela Carol Woodford, Frederick D. Harrison, Dillon Brooks Hammock, Curtis Dean Parker;

Pamplin – Victoria Leigh Marshall, Kelly Webber Smith, Emilee Natasha Cline;

Prospect – Inetha Michelle Carr, Marsha M. Fulcher, Chenoa Ariana Glenn, Tynnie Denise Jones, Tiffany Marie Moore, Tashiana Octavia Wade, Madissen Alyssa Grimsley, Kenneth Edward Townsend, Bre’Nasia Marlisha Bowles, Samantha Danielle Franklin, Thomas Jeffery Gajowski Jr., Christopher Michael Morgan, Kaitlyn Renee Guin, Chelesea Marrissa Harrison, Tyler Hanbury Fishburne; 

New Canton – Courtney Marie Berry, Emily Ruth Randall Herndon, Chardae Tatyana Logan, Amy Evonne Mayo, Teresa Nichole Nicholson, Shentorie Lachelle Lee, Cassie Michele Wharam.