CofC Winter Commencement Celebrates 300+ Graduates

^{Photos by Catie Cleveland}

More than 300 students received degrees at the College of Charleston winter commencement ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024.

President Andrew T. Hsu complimented graduates in their ability to adapt to a rapidly changing world: “Your exposure to different ideas and perspectives will make you a lifelong student – someone always willing to grow and evolve. That adaptability and openness to new ideas are what the world needs now more than ever.”

Thomas R. Martin, executive-in-residence in the Department of Communication, was the commencement speaker. Martin joined the College of Charleston faculty in 2007 after a 30-year career as a communication executive with FedEx and ITT Corporation. In 2016, he and his wife, Wanda C. Martin, launched the Martin Scholars Program at the College, and, in 2023, the Martins founded the Martin Center for Mentorship in Communication to develop and inspire leaders and mentors amongst communication students. Martin also has a twice-monthly podcast, Mindful Mentoring with Tom Martin, featuring successful leaders and mentors in all stages of their professional careers whose lives and career paths have been shaped by mentoring relationships.

“One of the most important things we’ve learned (at the Martin Center for Mentorship) is that successful people continue to learn from mentors throughout their lives,” Martin said during his commencement address. “Mentoring is a lifelong process.”

The Martins and Sylvia “Sibby” Craver Harvey ’58 – trustee emerita, former Foundation Board member and past president of the Alumni Association – received honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees at the ceremony.

Alex J. Worrall, Graduate Student Association president, also spoke at the ceremony.

“As you embark on the next chapter of your journey, allow the knowledge, experiences and relationships you’ve gained here to continue to guide you,” he said to his fellow graduate students. “May we continue to strive for greatness, to inspire and to make a difference. Congratulations, Class of 2024!”

Directly after the ceremony, graduates and their families walked to the Cistern Yard for the new alumni to make it official by crossing the Cistern! Congratulations, Class of 2024!