NCCU begins the wave of graduates

927 degrees and lots of happy dancing

THE CEREMONY: 8 a.m. Saturday, O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium

NUMBER OF DEGREES AWARDED: 927 total; 589 bachelor's degrees, 338 professional and master's degrees

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER: Vernon Jones, a U.S. Senate candidate in Georgia and chief executive officer of DeKalb County, Ga. -- the first African-American to hold the job and youngest person to be elected to the post. A native of Laurel Hill, N.C., Jones received a bachelor's degree in business administration from NCCU.

WHAT HE SAID: After reminiscing about arriving at NCCU in the late 1970s as a small-town teenager with a big Afro and polyester-blend pants, Jones talked about how much had changed in the 25 years since his graduation.

BlackBerries, cell phones, call-waiting, e-mail, answering machines, voice mail, iPods, PlayStation, the Internet, Web sites and bloggers were not part of his world. His high school graduation speaker in 1979 had predicted gas would rise "to a whopping $1 a gallon."

"No black man or woman was a viable candidate for the presidency," Jones said.

In a speech that elicited many laughs, Jones encouraged the students -- particularly the C students for whom he had a special affinity -- to free their minds, to think big, to become entrepreneurs, to provide jobs.

"You, too, can become the commencement speaker," Jones said. "Or to borrow a page from George Bush, you, too, can become president of the United States."

NOT THAT VERNON: When introducing the keynote speaker, Chancellor Charlie Nelms made a slip of the tongue and referred to Jones as NCCU alum Vernon Jordan, the lawyer and Washington powerbroker who served as a close adviser to former President Clinton.

Jones, 25 years younger than the other Vernon, took the podium with a sense of humor.

"When they start to call Vernon Jordan Vernon Jones, I will have arrived," he said.

HARD NOT TO CRY: Many of the new graduates fought back tears of joy as they crossed the stage with their degrees.

Santron Freeman, 21, did not even try to keep his emotions in check. His mother, Cassandra Freeman, died March 9 before realizing her dream of receiving a college degree. But the 43-year-old single mother of four had completed enough credits for NCCU to award her a bachelor's degree posthumously with honors.

While holding a photo of his mom tightly against his chest, Santron Freeman accepted her degree with a proud smile and eyes brimming with tears.

CROWD STANDOUTS: Ruby Prescott, a single mother of two, received a bachelor of arts in music after a 15-year educational journey. After graduating from Carolina Friends School in 1987, Prescott attended college in Ohio briefly. The violinist eventually returned to Durham and juggled family, music and school.

"When a student graduates, there is no printed mention on the diploma regarding the length of time it has taken to complete all degree requirements," Timothy Holley, one of her instructors, said. "One gives a sigh of relief and also gets an internal nudge of encouragement."

Keith D. Edgerton, 37, went the nontraditional route, too, but the visually impaired student was ushered across the stage Saturday morning as the valedictorian of the 2008 class with a bachelor of science in accounting and computer information systems.

Edgerton, a Lake Lure native who has been legally blind since birth, said he could not have made it without the help of his wife, Sue, who typed his notes and read books that were not in an accessible format. Others at NCCU stepped in to help, too.

Emily Nwakpuda, who discovered her love for science in a summer enrichment program at Durham's Hillside High School, won applause from her professors as she crossed the stage. Not only did she have top-notch grades, she plans to give back by teaching chemistry for 27 months in the Peace Corps.

A FAMOUS GRAD: Crystal Gail Mangum, the woman at the root of the Duke lacrosse case and the phony gang-rape allegations dismissed by the state attorney general, was among the graduates Saturday. Mangum, in a cap and gown, flashed a smile to a friend after posing for an official graduation photo with her degree.

DANCE-OFF: Salesha Mason, a Maryland native who received a criminal justice degree with honors, was one of the first to break out in celebratory dance.

Gary Matlock came after Mason, though, and stepped up the competition. With Corey Dinkins and others joining in, Matlock was high in the air, chest to the ground and then back on his feet, jumping for joy.

Just when it seemed as if the men might have the edge, a sister from Delta Sigma Theta sorority kicked up her heels -- and they were spiked heels. Several others from the sorority joined in, and all bets were off as to whose celebration would be most memorable.