Athens State celebrated the graduates from the College of Education, College of Arts & Sciences, and College of Business on Saturday, April 27 during the Spring 2024 commencement ceremonies. A separate ceremony was held for each respective college, with receptions held for the graduates and their families afterwards. This spring’s graduating class was the largest the University has awarded in nearly a decade.
Graduates from each college shared their plans for the future upon receiving their diplomas this weekend.
Torri McFall – College of Education
Torri received her Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education. Outside of her internship, her favorite class at Athens State was Early Childhood Curriculum, which allowed her to look at the role teachers play in implementing curriculum methodology, content, and developmentally appropriate materials for young children. Torri shared that Athens State has equipped her with the necessary skills to create dynamic, multimodal lesson plans that are adaptable to any student in her future classroom. Upon graduating, she will interview with nearby schools in search of her first teaching job.
Annie Rankin – College of Business
Annie attained a degree in Human Resource Management. Her favorite classes at Athens State were Performance Management and Labor/Management Relations. Annie has already started a full-time position with Redstone GCI as an HR Administrator where she handles all of the internal HR work from recruiting, benefits, incentive compensation plans, employee engagement, personnel, performance management, and more. “The experiential learning option was the best influence on my education,” Annie said. “Having an internship in my field helped me to build my resume and inspire the information I learned in class to resonate on the field. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the encouragement and support of Athens State.”
Abby Scott – College of Arts & Sciences
Abby obtained a degree in Theatre. She has spent the last two years at the Alabama Center for the Arts supporting the theatre program through set builds, lighting, and sound. Her area of expertise is sound design, and she is the first student to graduate from Athens State as a technical designer. Upon graduation, she plans to work in Pennsylvania for a playhouse where she will continue working in sound for theatre professionally.
Congratulations to the Class of 2024!