I sit here today writing my very last article for the Odyssey. I graduate next week with so many of my fellow pirates. My experience here at ECU is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I got the best education that I could ask for.

Even though I did all my classes online, I still got to work with some great people, including my Odyssey team, and all the students I worked with on projects. To all the professors I had, thank you for taking the time with me and answering any questions I had. And to my student advisor, you were always there if I had any issues with my classes - thank you.

When we started this year, we all thought on May 8, 2020, we all would be walking across the stage to receive our degrees, but that is not how it turned out. And even though we will not have that experience right now, we still have all the memories we made at our time here at ECU with all the friends we have made, the sporting events we have gone to, and all the hard work we have done.

Always take pride in what you all have accomplished. We have worked hard to get where we are. Have faith in how far you can go with what you have accomplished.

To quote Earnie Harwell, " It's time to say goodbye, but I think goodbyes are sad and I'd much rather say hello. Hello to a new adventure".

So as we go out into the world as college graduates with our degrees in hand, have faith in yourself and your ability to accomplish anything you set your mind to. Graduation is not just an ending, it is also a new beginning to a new part of our lives.

This is a milestone that shows how far we have come, and how much further we have to go in our journey.

Congratulations class of 2020 - We Did It!

Go, Pirates!