Twenty-four bachelor’s degrees and two master’s degrees were conferred by Saint Augustine’s University (SAU) in a small-but-spirited commencement on Friday. The ceremony, held at Wake Chapel in Raleigh, was attended by parents, family members and friends from near and far – some from overseas.

The small number of graduates was due to the fact that the ceremony was held in December, a rare occurrence for SAU; Friday’s event was only the third time in its 157-year history that the university has held a commencement in December. It follows a commencement in May 2024 in which close to 150 graduated – the largest graduating class in almost a decade.

Despite the smaller-than-usual crowd, the commencement contained the usual lofty oratory, soaring singing, whoops and hollers from parents and even graduates dancing across the stage as their names were called.

Interim President Marcus H. Burgess set the tone in his Welcoming Remarks. “Let me begin by saying we are very, very proud of each and every one of you,” he said. “As I reflect upon the past year, I am reminded of the lessons we have all learned together. This year has demanded creativity, self-sufficiency, and an unwavering commitment to purpose. We have faced challenges that required us to dig deep, to use our resources wisely and to depend on one another. …These are lessons for life.”

The Commencement Address was delivered by Retha J. Bogier, a member of the SAU Class of ’88 and founder and CEO of Bogier Clinical IT Solutions, Inc. Mrs. Bogier told the graduates of her humble beginnings, growing up in a poor family with eight siblings in the one-stoplight town of Gaston, N.C. She is the only one of her siblings to attend college.

She created a successful business but she worked hard and, relying on her faith, overcame a lot of self-doubt, uncertainty and doubt from others, she said.

“A lot of people, you know, when you go to smaller universities, people say, ‘Oh, you didn’t go to State,” Mrs. Bogier said. “I went where I was supposed to go. ‘I went to an HBCU, I went to Saint Augustine University,’ I would say. Yes, my degree worked for me, and yours can work for you. It doesn’t matter where you came from or where you started; it’s where you’re going to end up, and you have a decision in that matter. You can choose to fight. You can choose to know who you are and whose you are.”

Mrs. Bogier told the students that, with their college degrees, they have the tools to succeed – if they add faith in God to the mix.

“You have everything you need to move forward as you leave here today,” she said. “You are equipped for the future. Fight with confidence. …Show love. Don’t quit. I heard somebody say that, if you quit, you will never know what God has for you.”

After her speech, Dr. Burgess surprised the audience by revealing that Mrs. Bogier had given a $40,000 alumni donation to SAU. The money was designated to offset student debt.

When it came time to confer degrees, which was presided over by Interim Provost Dr. Janelle Jennings-Alexander, relatives of graduating students cheered wildly for their graduates. Some wore T-shirts with students’ names on them, or waived flags from the country where they hailed from.

Kristoff Strachan, a senior political science major from the Bahamas, had a large contingent from his home country. They had plenty to cheer about; Strachan, who is the SAU Student Government Association, not only gave the Student Leader Reflections speech but also was presented by Rev. Hershey Mallette Stephens, the Dean of the Chapel and Spiritual Life, with the Julia Cooper award for his contribution to campus spiritual life.

Dr. Tyler Carr, Associate Dean of the School of Sciences, Mathematics, and Allied Health, also received an award from Rev. Mallette – the Henry Delaney Award.

Music was supplied by Luther Barnes, a 1976 SAU graduate, and Charles Clark, who graduated from SAU in 2013. Barnes has evolved into one of gospel music’s premier male vocal artists, while recording over 25 albums and CDs with The Red Budd Gospel Choir and the Sunset Jubilaires. Clark is a national gospel recording artist and also serves as the Executive Director of Community Health Coalition in Durham, NC.

In his speech, Strachan struck a tone of humility, revealing that his journey through Saint Augustine’s had a rough start. “When I first started, I didn’t even make it through my first semester,” he recalled. “Two years later, I tried again with a little bit more experience and slightly less naivety. This time I finish one entire semester again. I had to pause, through no fault of my own, but I’m here standing at the finish line with all of my graduates. Perseverance is not just a word; it has to be a lifestyle.”

Strachan also stirred a lot of cheers, reminding students that one leg of their lifelong journey had ended.

“Despite everything that we have gone through, we can say it is finished,” he said. “The battle with every assignment is over. It is finished. There will be no more war with roommates. It is finished. The end of all conflict with lecturers and grades has come. It is finished. …Today isn’t just a celebration of academic achievement. Our academic achievement is great, but today is also a celebration of every battle we faced, every victory God has brought us through.”

The December 2024 graduates are as follows:

MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Booker Peake

Paris Quarles-Jordan

CANDIDATES FOR THE BACHELOR’S DEGREE

SCHOOL OF ARTS, SOCIAL SCIENCES & COMMUNICATIONS BACHELOR OF ARTS

Athalie Alvarez, Criminal Justice

Portia Bobbitt, Religious Studies

 Zaryan Crews, Art Jaden Hambric, Criminal Justice

Kristoff Strachan, Political Science **

Jadiyah Washington, Sociology

Akilah Williams, English **

Hirk Williams, Psychology

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT & TECHNOLOGY BACHELOR OF SCIENCE

Deonte Barnes, Organizational Management

Amarti Bates, Business Administration

Javaughn Dames, Computer Information Systems

Jasmine Hocutt, Sport Management Dale Jackson, Sport Management

Thomas Miles, Sport Management

Tavis Stampley, Business Administration

Terry Warren, Business Administration

SCHOOL OF SCIENCES, MATHEMATICS & ALLIED HEALTH BACHELOR OF SCIENCE Amoria Barber, Biology

Briawna Greene, Exercise Science

Gabrielle Hepburn, Chemistry

Jae’La Jean-Louis, Public Health Science

Ruth Jepkogei, Biology **

Raven McIntosh, Biology **

Davonya Siffrin, Biology **

Taymar Smith, Biology **

Students graduating with Honors are noted with (*) asterisks.

*Cum Laude 3.40 – 3.59

**Magna Cum Laude 3.60 – 3.79  

***Summa Cum Laude 3.80 – 4.00