HGTC CLASS OF '08

HGTC graduates revel in moment

College graduates 770 students

By Claudia Lauer - clauer@thesunnews.com

Timothy Vereen patiently sat in the audience at Christ United Methodist Church Thursday night, waiting a few more moments for something he and his wife, Eve Bellamy-Vereen, had been awaiting for almost three years.

"She supported me and waited for me while I went to school to be an electrical engineer and now I'm supporting her, and she worked hard," he said, sitting with the couple's three young children and other family members. "We're just so excited to see her graduate and walk across that stage."

More than 2,100 people gathered at the church to watch their friends and family graduate from Horry-Georgetown Technical College. The total graduating class included more than 770 people, with about 290 graduates walking at the graduation ceremony.

"I've never been so proud of my daughter as I am right now," said Jennifer Nelson, holding a vase with flowers on her lap.

Her daughter, Tonya McCain, 27, graduated with a degree in phlebotomy.

"She worked so hard. It didn't take her long to do it, because she was always working," she said.

Nelson stood at the edge of the aisle waiting for McCain when the graduation procession began. Family members hung on the stair railings of the balcony with cell phones and video cameras trying to get the attention of graduates as they walked in and took their seats.

"I'm not that nervous. I'm just glad it's going to be over," said Seth Fleetwood, 27, a golf course management major.

Fleetwood stood in a long line of graduates waiting to enter the church surrounded by other golf course management majors.

They tilted their caps to show shiny green fighting mole crickets painted on top.

"It's the mascot for our major. Some of us even got tattoos of them," said Paul Coupland, 29.

Other graduates decorated their caps with fake syringes and medical supplies for the nursing majors, and others had rainbow letters with their last name or just "Class of '08."

HGTC President Neyle Wilson spoke to the crowd and graduates, highlighting some of the accomplishments of the school and of the students.

"Many of you will immediately enter the work force, others will pursue further education," he said, adding that whatever each of them did next, "I know it will be great." Contact CLAUDIA LAUER at 626-0301.