By Ida Brown

ibrown@themeridianstar.com



Clutching the strings of a bouquet of assorted balloons in one hand while holding an arrangement of roses in the other, Santisha Hill frantically scanned the room for her mother.

"Which way are they coming ... back there?" she asked, pointing in the direction where several men and women dressed in black caps and gowns began to walk through a door.

At the sight of her mother, Santisha shouted, "There she is!" and quickly went to her. The two embraced and the gushing teen-ager said to her mother, "These are for you."

With a broad smile on her face, Sandra Hill thanked her daughter, then took a deep breath of relief.

"I did it," she said, referring to having just received her bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Mississippi State University, Meridian Campus."

Even without the balloons and roses, the pride Santisha felt for her mother could not be mistaken.

"This is something she has worked on for a long time," she said. She's worked hard to get where she has, and I'm proud of her, very proud."

The Northeast Lauderdale High School junior said her mother has been an inspiration.

"When I graduate next year, I'm going straight to college," she said.

This was just one of the many proud moments that could be witnessed following Friday's MSU, Meridian Campus 2009 spring commencement program at the MSU Riley Center. Approximately 145 degrees were conferred in the divisions of arts and sciences, business and education.

The commencement address was presented by Joel C. Clements Sr. Clements is a 1969 graduate of Mississippi State University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting and was a member of the MSU football team. 

Following graduation, Clements practiced as a certified public accountant with Ernest & Young, until beginning his banking career in 1971 with National Bank of Commerce in Memphis. He furthered his professional education by completing the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University, graduating with honors. 

For the past ten years, Clements has served as chairman of the board, president, and chief executive officer of First State Corporation in Waynesboro. He is currently treasurer of the Mississippi Bankers Association and will become the organization’s president in 2010-11.

Noting that he was not smart enough to tell them how to be successful, Clements told the graduates that if they wanted it badly enough, and if they worked hard enough, they could be very successful.

"I wish that I could tell you that is all it takes, but it isn't," he said. "There are a few other things that are pretty darn important."

Clements shared lessons he has learned from others, such as the importance of integrity, character and truth "guiding everything you do ... every relationship that you have ... every task that you perform."

Noting that they will learn many lessons over the next few years, Clements provided the graduates a "head start" by telling them a few ahead of time. They included: Life isn't fair, but it's still good. Save for retirement, starting with your first paycheck. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it (which generated laughter from the audience). And his personal favorite: If we were to throw all our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we would grab ours back.

Clements concluded his address with "What Will Matter" by Michael Josephson, author of "Character Counts." The reading countered what – at the end of life – will matter to what will not. Highlights included:

What will matter is not what you brought, but what you built ... not what you learned, but what you taught ... not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone ... Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's not a matter of circumstance, but of choice. Choose to live a life that matters.

Following Clements address, the degrees were conferred. The levels of honor recognition are: (1) Summa Cum Laude 3.80; (2) Magna Cum Laude 3.60; (3) Cum Laude 3.40 (*) indicates Outstanding Graduate.