Va.‘s Scott addresses VCU grads

To Athleen Moore, yesterday's commencement ceremony at Virginia Commonwealth University was just the icing on the cake for her graduate granddaughter, Nicole Williams.

"She went to college, worked, got married and kept house," Moore said after the ceremony. "I'm so proud of her. She's done it all."

More than 2,400 received degrees in the university's eighth annual winter commencement ceremony at the Siegel Center, recognizing graduates from August and this month's graduating classes.

Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-3rd, gave the commencement address to a packed house.

He said a college education opens many doors and that in today's challenging global marketplace, the next generation of leaders will need to be ready to deal with war, the country's economic crisis, terrorism, environmental issues and more.

"We are entrusting the future to you," Scott told the graduates. A college education increases an individual's competitiveness in the world, he said, "but it is only a tool. What you do with it is up to you."

When asked how she was feeling, Tiana Simmons, an early childhood education major, had just two thoughts: "Excited . . . and glad." She said she hopes to be a teacher and remain involved with the Virginia Preschool Initiative, for which she currently works.

Williams, Moore's granddaughter, is a fashion design major and a retail store manager.

She called the day "nerve-racking."

"It's too much to take in at one time," she said. "It's hard to believe today is actually here."
Contact Holly Prestidge at (804) 649-6945 or .