The words atop Jolynn McKinion’s graduation cap read, “I wanted to give up but then I remembered who was watching.”

McKinion, who graduated from Mississippi State University-Meridian during spring commencement on Thursday, said it was a message for her two teenage daughters.

“I want them to know to never give up. No matter what happens, never give up,” said McKinion, who received her Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary Education degree.

Being a teacher was a dream of hers since childhood. But, she said, she walked away from education during her senior year of college more than two decades ago after failing to pass the math portion of the Praxis test by one point. Instead, she went to cosmetology school.

After working as a cosmetologist for 21 years, she enrolled at MSU-Meridian a few years ago in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic when she found out there was a teacher shortage. She was finally able to realize her childhood dream when she earned her bachelor’s degree in education and became a teacher in Philadelphia.

She then set out to get her master’s degree, which she received Thursday at MSU-Meridian’s spring commencement ceremony held at the MSU Riley Center in downtown Meridian.

Having gone through a divorce, many people told her she would not be able to go back to school, McKinion said.

“I prayed that if it was meant for me to do it, then God would open the door for it to happen, and the doors have been open for me all of the way through,” she said.

McKinion was one of 206 candidates who received their degrees, MSU-Meridian’s largest class of graduates ever and included the inaugural class of 19 Physician Assistant (PA) Studies students who started in the program in January 2021.

Family and friends who crowded into the MSU Riley Center for the ceremony were welcomed by Dr. Terry Dale Cruse, associate vice president and head of campus at MSU-Meridian.

MSU President Dr. Mark Keenum delivered the commencement address, congratulating the graduates on their hard work and success.

A highlight for graduates before the ceremony was having their photograph taken with Dak, {span}an English bulldog owned by Julie and Bruce Martin of Meridian, who is the new official mascot of MSU.{/span}

Altogether, 35 students graduated with honors, including nine who graduated summa cum laude, 10 magna cum laude and 16 cum laude. Eight students were recognized as Riley Scholars and one student, Evelyn Adams, a Newton County resident, was recognized as a Stephen D. Lee Scholar for achieving a cumulative 4.0 grade point average during her entire college career.

Adams said she worked hard to maintain her 4.0 average throughout her classes and was especially encouraged last year by an adviser to keep up her studies.

In recognition of being named a Stephen D. Lee Scholar, Keenum presented Adams with an engraved cowbell after the ceremony to which Adams jokingly replied, “Can I ring this at a ballgame next year?”

Adams has already started to work in marketing at Naval Air Station Meridian. “I really enjoy marketing. I am creative so I like that marketing accesses my creative side, and I enjoy the business side of things too, so I think it is a good fit for me.”

She said she plans to take a semester off, then will look at getting her Master of Business Administration degree.

Collinsville resident Pam Vayda was one of the 19 first ever PA graduates.

“I am super excited and honored to be able to graduate with all of these guys. We worked really, really hard, and it is a very exciting time,” she said.

Vayda said MSU-Meridian started the PA program at the right time in her life when she was able to take advantage of it being locally available since she is the mother of three daughters.

“This opportunity arose with it being in Meridian, and I just jumped on it,” she said. “It was the right place at the right time for me.”

Vayda, who has already accepted a job with an urgent care clinic in Mobile, said her daughters have been very supportive through the entire two-year journey.

“It has been an adventure for everyone,” she said. “Everybody has had to sacrifice time with mom, but they have been my support system. I couldn’t have done it without them. It has been exciting and rewarding to see them support me and encourage me.”