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ALBEMARLE — In an annual tradition, Stanly Community College held its graduation ceremonies and commencement events at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center last Thursday night.

This year’s graduating class of 603 people completed 760 credentials in 49 programs.

Many of them attended the event in person to walk across the stage and receive their credentials as they were cheered on by family and friends, as well as faculty and staff from the college.

The SCC Student Honors Ceremony was held the night prior in the same venue, where numerous awards and honor cords were handed out by SCC President John Enamait, VP of Student Success Carmen Nunalee and Chief Academic Officer Jeff Parsons.

Laura Sides was named the recipient of the Shirley Dennis Outstanding Student Award, given to an individual who has overcome notable obstacles to achieve a high school diploma.

The Annie Ruth Kelley Leadership Award, created in 2001 to honor the service and leadership of the first chairperson of the college Board of Trustees and the first woman to chair a community college board in the state, went to Albemarle High School student Vincent Gregory.

The Edward J. Snyder Jr. Exceptional Scholars Award went to student commencement speaker Kayleigh Faircloth, who was honored for grade point average and an essay she submitted to the college.

“Thank you for nominating and choosing me for this opportunity to speak to my fellow graduates and community members tonight,” Faircloth said in her subsequent speech. “The journey through these past years hasn’t always been easy, but every step of the way it has molded and prepared us for the greater things yet to come.”

Throughout the commencement process, SCC honored graduates from a variety of programs and affiliated schools, including Health Sciences, Advanced Manufacturing Industry and Trades, Public Services, Business, Technology, University Transfer, College and Career Readiness, Stanly Early College, and Stanly STEM Early College.

The three programs with the highest number of graduates were Associate in Arts, Business Administration and Early Childhood Education.

In his closing remarks, Enamait said he was proud to call every SCC graduate an alumnus.

“On this special day, we are celebrating the wonderful accomplishments that these graduates have made over the course of their careers at Stanly Community College,” he said. “To the graduates, may the skills you have developed be the foundation on which you build successful careers and lives. On this joyous day, I hope you are filled with gratitude, humility, and love.”