MSU Graduation Day at the Riley Center

Today the seniors of Mississippi state university held their graduation ceremony today Downtown at the Riley Center as they celebrated their accomplishments and completed a milestone in life.

"It's a milestone in our lives. We teach a lot of nontraditional students here, and a lot of them are single parents and working. So they've had a long, long struggle between life and school. So to them, I feel I feel like to them that it would be a go that maybe one time in our past I didn't think was achievable," said Accounting Professor Kevin Ennis.

The graduating class had a total of 150 students we hear from one of the graduates about how she feels to be a graduate as well as what her biggest challenge was.

"Oh, I'm so excited and grateful. I feel all kinds of emotions right now. I'm just happy. Definitely COVID kind of interfered with our classes and online form. It was the biggest challenge not being able to see teachers face to face and hear them and see them. And that was the biggest challenge in my opinion," said Graduate Miriam Khmalapce.

Two sisters who went on the journey together to get their master's degree in business administration and also decided to open up their own business while pursuing their masters tell us more about their journey.

"I've been waiting for this day, The weight lifted off our shoulders. Yes, it was hard going to school and running a business, opening it up all at the same time, but very rewarding in the end. Double blessing," said Kelsey Dunlap.

"Time management Just getting a business off the ground is hard enough. And then the master's program, that's very time-consuming. So finding a happy medium, balancing that along with your family life," stated Kellie Dunlap.

Ennis says that he is proud of the graduating class for pushing through the struggles and hardships they may have endured to make sure they walked across that stage.

"I'm just really proud of this university and proud that we're here before to give access to students that maybe would not have been able to achieve this goal if we weren't here," said Ennis.