Congressman Asa Hutchinson speaks at spring ceremony; Ganus Athletic Center just big enough to hold annual event As many students enter Harding University and begin to dream about graduation, they hope and pray that within the next four or five years they will be able to walk across the stage with a degree in hand and their heads held high. This dream becomes a reality for many seniors every spring, summer, and fall. Graduation is the culmination of hours of hard work, close friendships and extra-curricular activities. As graduation time approaches, seniors suadenly realize that their time at Harding University will not last forever. "It was at graduation that I realized college was really over, and I realized how much I was going to miss the friends that I had made here," said spring 2001 graduate Melanie Cagle. "However, graduating from college is one of my biggest accomplishments. I felt extremely proud." May 2001 marked the third consecutive year that spring graduation was held in the Ganus Athletic Center because of the growing number of graduates. The audience for the spring graduation became so large that it could no longer fit in the Benson Auditorium. Hutchinson was elected in 1996 to his position in Congress and began service as the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration in August 2001 after his nomination by President George W. Bush in June. He had previously served on the Speaker's Task Force for a DrugFree America. Speaking at spring graduation was a special opportunity for Hutchinson because it marked his son John's graduation from Harding with a Bachelor of Arts in history. At the July 2001 graduation, Harding was fortunate to have Daryl E. Basset, a Harding alumnus and former varsity track team member, speak. Basset currently serves as an economic development and higher education liaison for Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. Basset is striving to improve student retention and graduation rates of Arkansas colleges and universities. His work and persistence led to the approval of a $13 million fund reinforcement for the Arkansas Challenge scholarship. The scholarship assists Arkansas residents who plan to attend a college or university in the state and Apparently, even the Ganus Athletic Center was a tight fit last spring. Dr. Larry Long, dean of the College of are in need of financial help. Arts and Humanities, hands graduate Basset's goals resemble the challenge that was Junior Clint Lercher said, "I was really cramped for space." Lauren Moze an award. presented to the faculty at convocation: to get the Although the spring graduation ceremony was held in the Athletic Center, the Benson was still used for the summer and fall graduations. Congressman Asa Hutchinson, who represented Arkansas' third district in the U.S. House of Representatives until August 2001, spoke at the May 2001 graduation ceremony. "Graduating from college is one of my biggest accomplishments. I felt extremely proud." -Melanie Cagle, spring200lgraduate percentage of students that enter Harding as freshmen and eventually receive their degree at 100%. Because each class at Harding is growing in size, an even larger class of graduating seniors will be able to walk across the stage this spring with their heads held high and one of their major goals in life behind them. -Sarah Lair Dr. J.D. Yingling, professor of kinesiology, speaks to Philip and Sara Matheny after the spring 200 graduation ceremony. The outside perimeter of the Ganus Athletic Center was filled with graduates talkin with their friends, family and professors, making the most of their last few moments at Harding. 32 student life
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