More than 180 graduate from USCA

Ebony DeLoach spent nearly the entire USC Aiken graduation ceremony smiling with joy, glancing often toward her parents and other relatives cheering her on Thursday.

DeLoach, a Ridgeland resident, has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair. She initially enrolled at USC Beaufort before transferring to USCA.

"I decided to do that so that I could see what it would be like to be a little more independent," DeLoach said.

She earned a degree in sociology with a concentration in human services. DeLoach just completed a human services class in which she and her classmates worked with the Cumbee Center and its shelter for women who have been in abusive family situations.

"My plans now are to go back home and try to find something in the human services," DeLoach said. "I want to give back, especially to those with disabilities and special needs."

More than 180 seniors were eligible to participate at the commencement program. The guest speaker was 1988 USCA graduate Gerald Maree, an attorney with offices in Charleston and Walterboro.

He praised the support he received at USCA from longtime Aiken attorney Irene Rudnick, then a USCA professor.

"I enjoyed the interaction in her legal courses," Maree said. "She told me I had a knack for this... but I didn't think I had what it took. Mrs. Rudnick just told me to go ahead and apply and everything fell into place. She wrote one heck of a letter of recommendation for law school. I never forgot that."

Misty Kelley, the outstanding senior graduate, encouraged her classmates to keeping striving and not let anyone hold them back.

"Find what makes you happy and keep doing it," she said. "Money alone won't buy you happiness." Chancellor Dr. Tom Hallman also urged the graduates to accept the gift and the challenge of lifelong learning.

"I hope your experience at USC Aiken opened your eyes to the larger world," he said, "and encouraged you to reach your full potential."

The benediction was given by senior Genifer Rouse-Pencheva, a biology major who plans to attend dental school. Her father, an Aiken native, was in the military, and Rouse-Pencheva grew up in Germany before deciding to attend USCA.

"I'm so glad I had the chance to do this," she said. "If I had to do it over, I wold do the exact same thing. I'm a better person and have become aware of who I am and my spot in the world."

Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.